Naturally dark wood

[thedontcarebear]

What wood is naturally dark and suited for the top of a bass? So far I know of Wenge and Mac Ebony, anything else similarly dark?

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='thedontcarebear' post='290769' date='Sep 24 2008, 12:24 PM']What wood is naturally dark and suited for the top of a bass? So far I know of Wenge and Mac Ebony, anything else similarly dark?[/quote]

Got to be walnut - or do you want darker??

(Click on my basses in my sig)

Edited September 24, 2008 by EBS_freak

[thedontcarebear]

Is the Spitfire finished with a dye/burst of some kind?

[franzbassist]

+ 1 on some walnut. Also rosewood and some cocobolo.

[thedontcarebear]

I never think rosewood is that attractive kind of like a wenge top (like wenge necks but not really tops).

Isn't cocobolo very red looking?

[thedontcarebear]

Although not too dark, is this spalted maple?

[franzbassist]

[quote name='thedontcarebear' post='290786' date='Sep 24 2008, 12:40 PM']I never think rosewood is that attractive kind of like a wenge top (like wenge necks but not really tops).[/quote]

You asked about dark, not attractive! lol

[quote]Isn't cocobolo very red looking?[/quote]

Some maybe, but look at this!

[thedontcarebear]

[quote name='walbassist' post='290793' date='Sep 24 2008, 12:45 PM']Some maybe, but look at this!

[/quote]

That is pretty nice, quite mac ebony-like.

[ZMech]

[url="http://www.alembic.com/info/woodsamples.html"]http://www.alembic.com/info/woodsamples.html[/url] this might help. Should give you a good idea of most woods found in basses, and some pretty good bass porn too if you click on the thumbnails. Check out the ziricote, that might suit your needs.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='thedontcarebear' post='290780' date='Sep 24 2008, 12:36 PM']Is the Spitfire finished with a dye/burst of some kind?[/quote]

There is a suble burst around the edge. In between the pickups is actually dust (oops) - it doesn't go lighter in the middle. It's only the edges that have been given a tinted edge. You like? Or not your thing?

[thedontcarebear]

I do like that, especially with the faux binding ala PRS, looks very good.

[Happy Jack]

[url="http://www.gardeningthoughts.co.uk/acatalog/ronsealwoodstain.html"]http://www.gardeningthoughts.co.uk/acatalo...lwoodstain.html[/url]

[thedontcarebear]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='290830' date='Sep 24 2008, 01:30 PM'][url="http://www.gardeningthoughts.co.uk/acatalog/ronsealwoodstain.html"]http://www.gardeningthoughts.co.uk/acatalo...lwoodstain.html[/url][/quote]

I think someone doesn't understand the naturally dark bit of the title!

[The Funk]

Walnut and Macasser Ebony. Yum.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='thedontcarebear' post='290828' date='Sep 24 2008, 01:28 PM']I do like that, especially with the faux binding ala PRS, looks very good.[/quote]

that's a maple laminate!

Edited September 24, 2008 by EBS_freak

[thedontcarebear]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='290881' date='Sep 24 2008, 02:33 PM']that's a maple laminate![/quote]

Yeah, same kind of thing I had got in my ACG before.

Edited September 24, 2008 by thedontcarebear

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='thedontcarebear' post='290889' date='Sep 24 2008, 02:39 PM']Yeah, same kind of thing I had got in my ACG before.[/quote]

Slightly different... you can get a binding, a laminate, or where the bound part is masked off whilst spraying. When the masking is removed, you get a faux binding.

Either way, same effect, just achieved in different ways.

So, you looking at a new build or something?

EDIT

Just seen your pic - that looks like a laminate.

Edited September 24, 2008 by EBS_freak

[thedontcarebear]

I am sure it is the same as my ACG I was having made if it's a laminate!

And yeah, trying to get an idea for what to do for a new bass.

[TDM]

Doug at Blackmachine uses (the non stripy variety)ebony tops on his guitars:





No paint/stain and only oil finishes I think

Or African Blackwood maybe?

Edited September 24, 2008 by thedonutman

[thedontcarebear]

That african blackwood is nice, seen lots of blackmachines before, and don't get why someone would want an ebony top, not very nice to look at!

[Lfalex v1.1]

Some cuts of Zebrano can be quite dark. Zebrano (Zebra Wenge) is an excellent tonewood, the only downside is it is vey dense and often needs to be chambered to keep the overall body weight down. This isn't such an issue with tops and caps.

[G-77]

[quote name='thedontcarebear' post='290786' date='Sep 24 2008, 12:40 PM']I never think rosewood is that attractive kind of like a wenge top (like wenge necks but not really tops).[/quote]

ive never been keen on Rosewood fretboards , like it as a top on my kingbass (right) the kingbass on the left is also rosewood top.

[thedontcarebear]

Gonna go with striped ebony, front and back.

[OutToPlayJazz]

Glossed dark rosewood is about the darkest. Looks almost black in certain light. Some cocobolo finishes are quite dark as well.

Here's RetroRon's new rosewood KingBass from Stati.com & my cocobolo SII...

Rich.

[G-77]

Purple heart, go on you know you want to ;-)