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Tonewoods? Which one to choose?


Billy Apple
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[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1319291118' post='1412328']
I didn't bring the neck woods into it, but it is purpleheart center, then maple then mahogany. If I'd thought to ask I'd have gone maple an purpleheart laminates. You can ask for whatever, just bear in mind what you are getting isn't a top boutique thing.
[/quote]

I know. the whole finishing thing is going to be a winter project

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[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1319296934' post='1412433']
....Believe everything you read on the internet rather than asking people with first hand experience.....
[/quote]
Delamination, split wood, incorrectly placed bridges, strings that don't line up, badly placed tuners, poor fit and finish and unplayable fretboards are all well documented problems with Wish basses.

You don’t need to own one to know the problems that you could face when you order one.

I'm sure yours will be fine!

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Both of mine were fine. And the person I sold the first one to was fine. And when you actually have done things like order and own a Wishbass, you'd be aware they don't come with a bridge, or a finish unless requested, which renders those claims a bit silly, like the one on a harmony central review claiming the intonation was way off on a fretless.

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Not wanting to put the OP off but all the nice-looking Wishbasses that I've seen have been the ones where a good proportion of the work has been done after Wish has shipped it out. There seems to be plenty of people who like to do this and have the time and skills to make a good job of it. Just have a look on TalkBass at what Thunderritter has achieved with his. Yes the base price of $500 plus shipping looks attractive, but once you add on shipping to the UK, customs and VAT charges and the cost of the tools and materials (not to mention the time) you need to finish the bass off, then IMO it's not such a good deal after all.

If you like to tinker with your instruments, have plenty of spare time, some wood-working skills or the dedication to learn them and can afford to write the whole thing off if it doesn't work out then by all means go for it!

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This is all a bit weird, I posted this topic to ask advice about wood, but it seems to have turned into something else. Thank you for everyone's warning about Wishbasses. I'm very aware of issues with these guitars, and have followed threads on them closely. As I previously posted I see this as a winter project, hopefully to keep me off the drink over the dark nights ahead :) . I'm very confident in my woodworking skills, and have more gear then you could shake a spoke-shave at. If I encounter anything beyond my ken I have a top Luthier to hand who deals with my current brace. And I've previously bought guitars from the states, so know what to expect from parcel force and Customs and Exile. Thanks for the Talkbass pointer BigRed, I'll definitely look it up and give it a read.

Thank you for your concern Chris, but sometimes you have to take a chance on things and be the pilot of your own ship. If I was to go by everything posted on forums I would have never purchased a TBird (neckdive...build quality etc etc), but she is the best-est thing ever. I open the case, breathe in the aroma, and my grin is from ear to ear.

Anyway, if Wishbasses aint your thing, then they aint your thing

Edited by billyapple
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I love basses made from beautiful woods. But, the aluminium bass showed pretty damn clearly what a lot of people, including some worthy luthiers have been saying for some time. That the 'woody' tone is little associated with wood and much more with a string and a pickup :)

As for nut material??????

Peter

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Sorry if this thread got a bit side-tracked...

I have to admit that Wishbasses aren't really my thing (and I don't have the time or the skills to do one up), but if they were I'd probably have mine even less finished than Mr Foxen. I'd let Wish glue the woods together, cut the slot in the head and do a rough shape to the body and the neck, but I'd want to do everything else myself, including all the hole drilling and routing. That's what I'd recommend you do - especially if you have the tools and the skills, And that's my last word on it.

Looking forward to seeing your red wood choices - and don't forget to post photos in the build diary documenting your work.

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Rough wood doesn't scare me, I've got a load of sandpaper from P60 to P400 grit, and then there's the power sanders!

Just emailed...

Hi Steve,

OK. Could you do a Lobe with

Persimmon neck and finger board. as mixed in colour as possible
Bloodwood body, as grained as you can get
Kent Armstrong humbucker in the P Bass position
Volume control and jack input down away from away from Bridge
Jack input lower to the rear of the volume control, on the front, not side as previously mentioned
Control cover plate on the back of instrument
Fret-less, no side dots
If there is a choice of hardware colour, black please
White, unfinished

Thank you.

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[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1319381171' post='1413352']
Grover. Musicman pickup by default, again, will fit others if you sen to him. I went with P pickup cause can freely swap amoog my basses that way.
[/quote]

OK. It looks like it's happening. What method did you use to pay, he's asking for 50% up-front?

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[quote name='soopercrip' timestamp='1319287097' post='1412269']
Can get some nice graining in Cherry, good to work with and finish, might not sound as exotic as cocobolo or bubinga but looks good. Colour can be achieved by various means.
And it's a bit lighter (weight) than some of the others

Andy
[/quote]

I've got my custom headless being built by Mark Wood in the Midlands from Cherry - see build thread "Do you know hat it is yet?" - and even though the wood has yet to be oiled and finished you can already see how the grain is going to glow. Hoping that this complements the heavily grained Cocobola fretboard...

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