Woody Bass Guitars

[KingPrawn]

I have for a while, found it very diffcult to make a connection purely from a aesthetics point of view with those big woody basses. Really highly polished, like the dinning tables of the 80's & early 90's before Ikea took over home furnishing. In fact some of those huge basses you could share a meal at and have room for the odd surprise guest or two.

I am sure the hardware , electronics and picks are amazing. But why would you want to put a rare piece of rain forest round your neck, that has been polished so much, the audience are blinded by the reflection from the stage lights

There are woodland gritters all over canada and south America missing large parts of their homes, wondering wheres the side of me house gone. Only two be told its been turned by some bloke into a table, with strings attached.

i do not include all woody basses. i like the simple ones , some beautifil Warwicks and Mayones basses out there. But these monsters need to be stopped.

[url="http://www.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=sei%208%20string&rlz=1W1ADSA_en&cts=1280303487864&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi"]http://www.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q...sa=N&tab=wi[/url]

Above is a link to a fine example of what my rant is about.

[geoffbyrne]

Don't necessarily agree with that.

My all-time favourite body shape would be that of the Fender Jazz (Don't assume from that I like Fender Jazz...es...es - I just like the body-shape) and there's plent of acreage in that.

And my fav. colour would be a deep burnished reddish-brown, like a well-ripe chestnut! Any wood which achieves that would be a fine veneer top.

In amongst all your images in that link I see another one of my all-time favourite basses - the Ibanez Studio 8 string. How did you find it?

G.

[EBS_freak]

Each to their own.

Edited July 28, 2010 by EBS_freak

[KingPrawn]

WOW I see why your tag is "Freak". Completely missed the point of my light hearted comments.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='KingPrawn' post='907876' date='Jul 28 2010, 09:40 AM']WOW I see why your tag is "Freak". Completely missed the point of my light hearted comments.[/quote]

Not really light hearted. Your post just seemed a little pointless - was it just a case of stirring up a paint vs tabletop argument?

Edited July 28, 2010 by EBS_freak

[xgsjx]

I like a nice big lump of wood, maybe not coffee table sized but something with nice features to the wood do it for me.

What I don't like is shiny polished wood that looks like a Formica print. The finish has to be either matt, waxed or something else with little sheen to it .

Just realised I like the 3rd option from what KingPrawn & EBS Freak don't like.

Ritter have a finish that I love on this bass.





But I wouldn't say no to this shiny wood lump.

Edited July 28, 2010 by xgsjx

[KingPrawn]

Hello again Freak

"Stirring up" i like the paint pun. let me assure you my comments were purely light hearted. i was completely unaware of any agenda between paint and table top. i did not mention any prefrence for paint, i also did not mention any argument based on environmental ground. i fear you have assumed or read into my comments far to deeply.

This is a great example of why i seldom delve into this area of the forum. It is full of "freaks" who read far to much into comments and take offense where there is none to take.Then to add insult or give some air of superior being they feel the need to correct a fellows typing/spelling mistakes. It must be great being so elite.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='KingPrawn' post='907923' date='Jul 28 2010, 10:20 AM']Hello again Freak

"Stirring up" i like the paint pun. let me assure you my comments were purely light hearted. i was completely unaware of any agenda between paint and table top. i did not mention any prefrence for paint, i also did not mention any argument based on environmental ground. i fear you have assumed or read into my comments far to deeply.

This is a great example of why i seldom delve into this area of the forum. It is full of "freaks" who read far to much into comments and take offense where there is none to take.Then to add insult or give some air of superior being they feel the need to correct a fellows typing/spelling mistakes. It must be great being so elite.[/quote]

Perhaps the edit will make you happier.

[OldGit]

[quote name='KingPrawn' post='907923' date='Jul 28 2010, 10:20 AM']This is a great example of why i seldom delve into this area of the forum. It is full of "freaks" who read far to much into comments and take offense where there is none to take.Then to add insult or give some air of superior being they feel the need to correct a fellows typing/spelling mistakes. It must be great being so elite.[/quote]


Oh please don't paint us all with the same brush... However your post did read like an argument looking for someone to argue with.
Pretty basses Vs functional basses is a well worn path and the description of a "coffee table" will annoy some people. In that absence of any hints it's not surprising that some people may take the post at its face value.


Meanwhile:
There are lots of people on here who like both, me included. I also like a nice bit of grain shining through a traditional sunburst or other translucent finish.
It depends on the bass and context...

[4 Strings]

Wasn't the OP talking about the use of rare woods from places where there should be rare trees? I'd go along with that argument, I would certainly enjoy my bass less if I knew it was a contribution to abuse of our environment and making someone/thing homeless.

Assuming the wood comes from a place where it is plentiful and being replaced and if someone can make that wood look fabulous and shiny and someone likes it like that, well, as someone else said, each to their own.

Mine tend to be boringly black.

[xilddx]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='907887' date='Jul 28 2010, 09:47 AM']Not really light hearted. Your post just seemed a little pointless - was it just a case of stirring up a paint vs tabletop argument?[/quote]
very, very odd OP.

Looks rather argumentative too. I don't really see much humour there, if there is some, it is well disgused.

To KINGPRAWN: Woods are very tightly controlled now and it is very rare that a musical instrument manufacturer of any note would willingly contravene the law. Most of the weird spalted, burl stuff is no different to any other wood in terms of its ecological impact.

Some people like the look of those woods on an instrument. I don't, I like solid colours. I don't have any problem with making guitars out of wood, as long as the woods used are sustainably sourced.

[cytania]

Way I figure it is that bass is the primal, earthy low end so the instruments are woody, metallic and dark. Leave the light and airy to electric guitars in silver and fiesta red.

[Tinman]

[attachment=55221:boelite5bac.jpg][attachment=55220:boelite4full.jpg][attachment=55219:boelite4bod.j
pg]

I make sure I use a coaster with mine

[Paul_C]

[quote name='xgsjx' post='907902' date='Jul 28 2010, 10:03 AM'][/quote]

that is genius - I'm going to have to make something similar in future

[Randy_Marsh]

bit of spalted maple a la spector. Banging

[OldGit]

[quote name='4 Strings' post='908184' date='Jul 28 2010, 01:42 PM']Wasn't the OP talking about the use of rare woods from places where there should be rare trees? I'd go along with that argument, I would certainly enjoy my bass less if I knew it was a contribution to abuse of our environment and making someone/thing homeless.

Assuming the wood comes from a place where it is plentiful and being replaced and if someone can make that wood look fabulous and shiny and someone likes it like that, well, as someone else said, each to their own.

Mine tend to be boringly black.[/quote]


Most of these exotic facings are from managed woodlands. There may be bits in luthiers wood piles left over from before the world got sensible.


And I thought he was talking about Canadian Gritters. I didn't really know what that was, not being Canadian. I assumed it was something like the blokes that drive those gritter lorries, and they live in wooden shacks in Bamph or Brum or something, and someone has cut holes in their huts.
Now I realise he meant critters.


However the first line does talk about aesthetics and I assume that's his main point.