Ash Sire v alder

[lownote]

I've got a swamp ash/maple Sire v7 and I can't get a sound I'm happy with, however I twiddle the knobs. I've had alder v7s before and had no trouble finding my noise. I had no idea ash and alder would be so different. Any one else found this?

[Wilco]

Are they both standard V7's? One's not a Vintage V7 is it?

[Lozz196]

Having had ash and alder Precisions I found that the ash ones had more presence in the highs, and less in the low-mids, so sounded a lot more aggressive/punchy.

[bubinga5]

No
The preamp is so powerful and comprehensive, i find it hard to understand you cant get a tone you like with the same preamp, but because its ash, its that different.. If it was a passive bass, you might be able to hear nuances in tone. Even if the pickup spacing is 70's there isnt a huge difference..

i dont believe ash or alder make a huge difference in tone. The preamp and pickup windings have way more influence on tone.

Edited July 11, 2017 by bubinga5

[lukeward2004]

I agree with Bubinga above, the preamp makes it for me - I'm able to Dial In pretty much anything from a jazz bass tone with it. Can't say I hear any difference but I do find the rosewood fingerboard is a little less aggressive than the maple board version

[police squad]

can of worms, well and truly opened!!

I don't sit on the fence with this topic. I have my views and my ears but IME I can tell the difference between ash & alder, active or not, maple or rosewood.
Then plug in a steinberger (old one) and there's a totally different tone compared to anything made of wood

Edited July 11, 2017 by police squad

[jazzyvee]

[Thunderpaws]

Buy an eq Pedal?

[BaconCheese]

I have an alder and an ash V7 and they are very different, that is how it is supposed to be. If there was no difference, everyone would use alder as it grows much quicker than ash and is therefore much cheaper.

[yorks5stringer]

[quote name='police squad' timestamp='1499768403' post='3333410']
[b]can of worms,[/b] well and truly opened!!

I don't sit on the fence with this topic. I have my views and my ears but IME I can tell the difference between ash & alder, active or not, maple or rosewood.
Then plug in a steinberger (old one) and there's a totally different tone compared to anything made of wood
[/quote]

Are they woodworms?

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

have you checked that the battery isn't on its way out?

How about the strings?

Are the pickups too high or too low?

Edited July 12, 2017 by Jean-Luc Pickguard

[police squad]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1499881097' post='3334312']
Are they woodworms?
[/quote]

lol
very droll Terrance, very droll.......................................Dave........................vodka & tonic please

[AdamWoodBass]

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' timestamp='1499886300' post='3334352']
Are the pickups too high or too low?
[/quote]

+1 on that, I upgraded the pickups in my VM Squier recently and at first it just didn't sound right. Adjusted the pickup height and it instantly made a HUGE difference, now it sounds incredible!

[AdamWoodBass]

I am intrigued by this thread though, I've been looking for an unbiased comparison on the Ash v Alder V7s.

[bubinga5]

I think the finger board has more difference on tone than the body does

[grenadilla]

I get the idea that poplar is the more mellow, then alder, ash, and maple (not used for Fender bodies but most Rickenbackers are maple ). It is real hard to predict how a bass will sound...

[Rich]

I wasn't bothered about the body wood; I chose my V7 for purely aesthetic reasons, as I love maple/pearl block necks.

[CameronJ]

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1500206165' post='3336178']
I wasn't bothered about the body wood; I chose my V7 for purely aesthetic reasons, as I love maple/pearl block necks.
[/quote]

I'm very much the same when it comes to choosing a bass. Couldn't care less what the body wood is unless it's a natural top with a nice grain/pattern, but body colour and fretboard are big factors for me. If a bass doesn't sound the way I want it to I'll blame the pickups and preamp long before body wood.

[timhiggins]

I[quote name='BaconCheese' timestamp='1499799312' post='3333725']
I have an alder and an ash V7 and they are very different, that is how it is supposed to be. If there was no difference, everyone would use alder as it grows much quicker than ash and is therefore much cheaper.
[/quote]
I agree i hear a big difference between the two, although the pre-amp does allow plenty of tone shaping i still can tell very easily the ash from the alder
the ash is a lot more twangy and punchy and will cut through the mix easily , the alder i find has a more traditional sound, especially in passive
i prefer a maple neck on both which i find has a little more zing