Everything you need to know about wood

[tauzero]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' timestamp='1318570547' post='1403796']Ironically my stingray and j-bass are supposed to sound identical to one another when played acoustically given they are made from a maple neck and ash body...and they don't. It's a no-brainer for me.[/quote]
Indeed, it's quite obvious from your experiment that wood has nothing to do with it, otherwise they'd sound the same.

[TheGreek]

I put this up as a bit of reference - I found it useful and I'm sure that many others will also...I appreciate that there are differing opinions on the effect various woods have and the debate has been had on numerous occasions -I'm not setting out to have this regurgitated - if people believe there is some difference here's something to refer to.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1318598181' post='1404160']
Indeed, it's quite obvious from your experiment that wood has nothing to do with it, otherwise they'd sound the same.
[/quote]
It might be that it appears that way to you. My experience was different.

[steve-bbb]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1318592125' post='1404058']
So you have tried identical basses but for the woods involved and found that they sound considerably different? If so then you I defer to your more relevant experience.
[/quote]
i didnt say but for the woods - obviously there are other factors

but why defer to my experience when you could have your own?

one thing i can guarantee, is that it will be much more useful than us lot on here waffling all our pseudoscience

[Beer of the Bass]

I feel like the acoustic sound of a bass does have a bearing on how it sounds plugged in - not so much in the timbre of the note but in the envelope. My home-made four string has a fast attack which can come across as quite aggresive, plus very slow decay/long sustain. This character has persisted through several pickup changes, though the balance of bass/mids/treble has changed with the pickups. In a mix, those kinds of subtleties of character may not always be noticeable, but it does affect my playing. Though there are so many factors involved that the "X wood will give Y sound" approach of the link posted by the OP is of little use IMO.

Edited October 14, 2011 by Beer of the Bass

[flyfisher]

[Mykesbass]

To me, the acoustic properties of an electric bass have a very marked effect on the feel of the instrument. So what if it doesn't have any bearing on what the recorded end tone is, the feel is very important to me. As an example, when I had a music shop for a couple of years I had two prime examples, three Yamaha RBX's came in the same delivery, all were OK but one was just that little bit more alive unplugged. Made a real difference. The other example was with guitars, so opens a whole new can of worms, but again, one US Strat plus two Highway One Strats, again, one of the Highway Ones was miles in front of the other two. So, yes, I do think the wood has an important bearing on the bass, even if we can't always hear it when recorded.

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1318622089' post='1404616']


within the same model and range though. It's not going to be the species of the wood making the difference as they should all be the same.

But rather to me anyway re enforces that predicting what a lump of wood will do is going to be near impossible as there are that many differences between two alike instruments never mind between two different species. And if the range between the alike ones can be wide then there is going to be some cross over with other species.

If that makes sense.
[/quote]

Absolutely makes sense. The whole point of tonewood surely is that you select the bits that will work and send the rest off to the cabinet makers?!

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1318593112' post='1404072']
Fascinating! Maple is Acer Saccharum, Rosewood is Dalbergia and Alder is Alnus Rubra! Every day's a school day.

Fender used ash until 1956 when alder was also used. According to George Fullerton, the decision was motivated by cost and ease of finishing rather than any effect the change had on tone, which Fender did not consider a factor...
[/quote]Back in the day the obvious ruler of tone was the finish, whether it breathed or not was a big factor in which nebulous adjectives would be obvious. The change to woods being the source of tone is more recent than the Fender decisions.

I've seen people who can hear the difference between gold and silver hardware. Also a lot of people hear different gods and demons. All I ask is that someone can show this without requiring me to blindly have faith to see it.

One Maple is Acer Saccharum, there are many kinds. Though they sound the same unless you know the difference ahead of time. Why don't we see wood experts who can hear more than a genus, and why don't we see wood whisperers who know the difference between genus and species? Over a hundred different maples and they all sound the same? They wouldn't if we could see the difference.

Edited October 14, 2011 by Vibrating G String

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1318598181' post='1404160']
Indeed, it's quite obvious from your experiment that wood has nothing to do with it, otherwise they'd sound the same.
[/quote]
Only logically. Looked at in other ways the statement makes perfect sense.

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1318621842' post='1404610']The other example was with guitars, so opens a whole new can of worms, but again, one US Strat plus two Highway One Strats, again, one of the Highway Ones was miles in front of the other two. So, yes, I do think the wood has an important bearing on the bass, even if we can't always hear it when recorded.
[/quote]
I do like the even if we can't hear it part

This anecdote to me strongly suggests that wood has no predictable or consistent control over tone. If it did the 2 H1's would be more similar. Not miles apart. Also that the difference between examples of the same model can be greater than the differences between different model, also going against the concept of predictibility.

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1318622089' post='1404616']


within the same model and range though. It's not going to be the species of the wood making the difference as they should all be the same.

But rather to me anyway re enforces that predicting what a lump of wood will do is going to be near impossible as there are that many differences between two alike instruments never mind between two different species. And if the range between the alike ones can be wide then there is going to be some cross over with other species.

If that makes sense.
[/quote]
I followed you

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1318624269' post='1404641']

Absolutely makes sense. The whole point of tonewood surely is that you select the bits that will work and send the rest off to the cabinet makers?!
[/quote]
What is the selection process and what specifically does it tell us?

[cytania]

Part of the mystique of 'tonewoods' is creating the idea that if it says Ash it'll sound X, if it says Wenge it'll sound Y. This appeals to people who want to buy blind off the internet and feel like they are getting a known quantity. It also appeals to those making expensive custom orders. You tick your spec boxes, you factor against money and voila you have 'the best' instrument.

Big makers are often guilty of making a wood sandwiches and covering them in finishes and then putting a bland tag against them for their website comparison applet. Bespoke luthiers also want to encourage the idea that they can control the sound when you custom order. However I have met people who vow never to order bespoke again.

People need to get out and try out the actual instruments. We can't cut out the perplexing trugging around shops by substituting brand-names and wood names. The results of all the maker's careful manufacturing _can_ vary.

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='cytania' timestamp='1318658135' post='1404839']Bespoke luthiers also want to encourage the idea that they can control the sound when you custom order.
[/quote]
I was one of them bee spokes for a while. Most people came in asking what woods will make them the best. If you don't play the game you can lose the client.

[karlfer]

[quote name='Vibrating G String' timestamp='1318664530' post='1404859']
I was one of them bee spokes for a while. Most people came in asking what woods will make them the best. If you don't play the game you can lose the client.
[/quote]

Ah, selling. That I understand

[skankdelvar]

Played one of these puppies:



Thought it would sound like the 47 trumpets of the apocalypse. In expectation, my 'nads expanded to the size of basketballs

It sounded exactly like a normal Telecaster and I went home a broken man. So much for acoustic properties.

Edited October 15, 2011 by skankdelvar

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1318677999' post='1405060']It sounded exactly like a normal Telecaster and I went home a broken man. So much for acoustic properties.
[/quote]
BURN THE WITCH!