keefbaker Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Hi everyone. I know ebony gets used in fretboard constuction a fair bit but I've never seen an ebony body. Does anyone know why? Is it the weight? Is it a lousy tonewood? I know lookwise an all ebony bass would likely be quite striking so I'm wondering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mybass Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 yep, heavy on the shoulders but I'm guessing a super bright sound. However, finding a luthier who didn't mind blunting his tools many times over building an ebony body bass might.be a tad difficult! Bit expensive too methinks. (I'm not sure on this but I vaguely remember John Entwistle had an ebony bass, maybe a Buzzard model from Warwick). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Weight would be the thing I think. AFAIK it's the only wood that actually sinks in water - happy to be wrong about that, but even so it does tell you a lot about the density. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 [quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1453977797' post='2964792'] Weight would be the thing I think. AFAIK it's the only wood that actually sinks in water - happy to be wrong about that, but even so it does tell you a lot about the density. [/quote] I read something somewhere about loggers having to lash ebony to some other less dense woods to float it down the amazon otherwise it would sink... Although my memory is hazy at best and it may not have been true in the first place... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 There are basses made from pretty dense woods though, this beauty from Enfield is a rosewood top and back over mahogany... The vast majority of Wal basses are also mahogany cores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jecklin Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Alpher instruments have made necks and instrument tops entirely from ebony. http://alpher.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/3syd-angle-web.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Yeah I've seen a few tops but can't recall a full solid body. I dread to think of the weight though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefbaker Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 That alpher looks amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 (edited) I've seen some Statii with ebony facings. It's expensive, dense and tends to come in small boards, especially if you don't want the bright yellow sapwood. Edited January 28, 2016 by Roland Rock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Alembic have made several basses and guitars with ebony tops. First one is one of their featured customs and has a macassar ebony top.. [url="http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_cosmo.html"]http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_cosmo.html[/url] and then there's fellow alembic club member - Rami's pair... [url="http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/1167.html?1088089370"]http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/1167.html?1088089370[/url] and the build thread for one of them.. [url="http://alembic.com/club/messages/631/751.html?1025015887"]http://alembic.com/club/messages/631/751.html?1025015887[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 I think OBBM just sold a headless ACG - may want his input.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 [quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1453977797' post='2964792'] Weight would be the thing I think. AFAIK it's the only wood that actually sinks in water - happy to be wrong about that, but even so it does tell you a lot about the density. [/quote] Lignum Vitae. And Natalie Wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 (edited) Lignum vitae is crazy stuff - feels halfway between wood and stone, and so heavy. There's a reason you never see a Lignum vitae bass Edited January 28, 2016 by Roland Rock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 I'm fairly sure there are a couple of ACGs with ebony tops knocking about. But not the full monty so to speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybertect Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1454011202' post='2965458'] Lignum vitae is crazy stuff - feels halfway between wood and stone, and so heavy. There's a reason you never see a Lignum vitae bass [/quote] I did find this neck-through Lignum vitae guitar [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oke6kgvQUrA[/media] Edited January 29, 2016 by cybertect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 (edited) I found this comparison chart: [url="https://cedarstripkayak.wordpress.com/lumber-selection/162-2/"]https://cedarstripka...election/162-2/[/url] Not exhaustive, but it does contain both Ebony and Lignum Vitae as well as some of the more commonly used guitar and bass tonewoods. Some interesting and occasionally surprising results. As a ([i][b]very![/b][/i]) rough guide, the body weight of a Jazz Bass will be around 10 - 12% (in pounds) of the number you see in the column on the right - that's just the body though; don't forget to add weight for the rest of it! (Some of the woods listed don't have their weight shown in lb/ft[sup]3[/sup], which is what most UK residents will identify with; but if you go down the list to Water Gum the number on the left - tonne/m[sup]3[/sup] - is exactly 1, which provides a good reference point.) Edited January 29, 2016 by leftybassman392 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefbaker Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share Posted January 29, 2016 Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 I've seen a few all maple basses but not ebony. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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