However, true basswood does produce a very pleasing midrange tone, which is why modern guitar companies use the wood for instruments to this day. Certain pieces of basswood sound great, and other pieces can sound really bad. I have played both and own a basswood-body Suhr Modern. In fact, in many cases it’s exactly what a player is looking for. It is native to Europe, Asia and North America. Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by Shawn Luckman, Dec 14, 2011. Basswood isn't a bad thing. from ultimate-guitar.com - (No mention of basswood - may not be considered a tonewood by them.) the bass sounds totally awesome. Ideal for loud high gain tones [when used as body material]. Poplar - Tonally, it is similar to Alder. Though basswood may sometimes be less expensive to purchase out in the wild, this does not mean that the tone of the instrument will be worse. If you compare the weight of less expensive guitars to more high-end models made of basswood, you will find that most high-end guitars weigh less and normally sound better. You indicate your consent to this use by clicking “I Agree” or by continuing to use this website. Warning: tough image for Rick lovers. Basswood generally has very good sustain, as … I have to say that guitar sounded good, but lacked some of the subtle character I … Many, many manufacturers make guitar bodies with Agathis, as it is a cheap but sturdy wood (some say not unlike basswood – more about that later). You want a fat, tight bone crushing rhythm? TalkBass utilizes technology from Skimlinks that may give us a small affiliate commission on purchases made via links on our site. This light, versatile wood also works for picture frames, toys, and millwork such as window sashes. Basswood is typically a much lighter wood than mahogany, so a maple-neck basswood-body guitar will usually be a pound or two lighter than a mahogany-neck mahogany-body guitar. But even then, some pieces of mahogany can be pretty light. Depending on which Majesty you’re referring to in John Petrucci’s signature collection, it may have basswood and it may not. If the Majesty does have basswood it will also have a maple shield and/or top and each Majesty guitar offers mahogany through the neck of the instrument. Basswood is very light weight and produces a fairly even and full to mid-range response throughout the entire band width. It’s a common wood, used for guitar and bass bodies in a variety of styles, usually in low-end to mid-range instruments. My first scratch build was basswood as my boss (John Carruthers) told me it was the best (I had planned to make a body of 1 piece, solid maple!). 39 inch Full Size Classical Guitar Beginner Guitar Nylon Strings for Adults Mens. Basswood (linden) wood is not very attractive, so is not a good choice for clear or transparent top finishes if good grain showing through is desired. I own both a basswood and mahogany guitar (with maple top) and like … My current favorite guitar is basswood with a hard rock maple bolt on neck and a jatoba fingerboard. American basswood is derived from the northernmost to the southernmost portions of the eastern United States and as far west as North Dakota. Basswood also can become drawer stock, hidden furniture parts, and painted items. The sound is smooth, without many sharp edges. But basswood is a good tonewood by any standards, and it has been used by many high-end makers with excellent results. Gold Supporters see zero ads! When Taylor Guitar redesigned its popular 700 series this summer, the company turned to Lutz spruce, a natural hybrid of Sitka and white spruce that provides a higher volume ceiling. It will break. level 2 Some also suggest it is popular as it is local to Indonesian manufacturers, so it allows them to save on freight costs for other woods. It comes down to what you prefer to work with but in my own experience, it's not a bad idea to stick with water based grain filler as it's less messy and dries quickly. The Ernie Ball Music Man Axis guitar is made of a lightweight basswood body and features a quilt or flame book matched maple top. The Ernie Ball Music Man JP6 guitar is made completely out of basswood. Find out more about the JP6 from John Petrucci’s signature collection here. Our design team prefers to use grain heavy wood to accentuate the look and sound of the instruments, but not all tone woods have such a nice aesthetic, basswood being one of them. Personally my take would be the ceramic warpig bridge and a coldsweat neck. Mainly because it’s such a common wood material used for guitar body building these days. Comfortable weight? Basswood sounds excellent acoustically, but the wood of an electric guitar doesn’t affect its sound much, if at all because of this, mixed with the fact that basswood guitars damage too easily, they aren’t great options for electric guitars. However, a resonant electric guitar vibrates in sympathy with the sound waves from the amplifier. In industry, it plays a role as boxes and food containers. But I live with the easier denting cause they are such damn good guitars. Fender used ash for electric guitar and bass bodies more or less exclusively from 1950 to mid-1956, and to the present continues to use ash on a relatively small number of instruments. $65.99. The wood is too soft. Sounds good? If yes to all of the above: Don't worry about the kind of wood or how many pieces. Basswood’s pale white to light brown color is mostly uniform throughout the face grain of the wood, and knots and other abnormalities are very uncommon. New Wood DK-38C Basswood Acoustic Guitar +Bag+String+Pick+Tuner Accessories. Toward the end of the late 80’s, a few other types of tonewoods were mistakingly thought to be basswood which lead to a decline in basswood’s popularity. Basswood is a colorless wood which is very easy to work with. Here’s an excerpt from ‘Wired Guitarist” on basswood: Basswood - Does it Suck? Doing that, your basswood guitar can last many, many years. The sound is complex with more frequencies represented. Many players who play heavy metal and other aggressive styles play guitars with a basswood body and a maple neck. It's actually quite nice because it's light, easy to grow and easy to machine. Basswood is a very full-bodied sounding tonewood, and it especially makes sense for us to utilize it when adding elements like maple tops to give the instrument the overall package for more cut and brightness. Basswood has been used in many high-end guitars for decades and is considered a great tone wood for instruments throughout the industry. It even makes fine turning wood. The Ibanez Jem and RG series used basswood for years before going to alder, Fender Japan has used basswood on many models. I've never heard anything bad about them. I have to say that my basswood partscaster has very very nice acoustic/resonant qualities ... sounds great through an amp ... and weighs under 7 pounds. This is due both to its tonal response, (once again, very similar to Alder) as well as the fact that Basswood is much more readily available to the manufacturers in Asia. Certain pieces of basswood sound great, and other pieces can sound really bad. If the guitar was purely acoustic, it would make for a very low sustain instrument. Find out more about the Axis guitar here. It's probably a coincidence. Many guitar enthusiasts agree that it’s well matched with humbucking pickups because basswood produces a lot of the same frequencies that pickups easily recreate. Some of the best folks in the world play Basswood guitars. The wood on any one guitar could be different for the top (soundboard) of the body, back and sides of the body, the neck, the fretboard, bracing, the bridge & the headstock. At Ernie Ball Music Man we have sourced and produced dozens of prototypes and the basswood prevailed for specific instruments with its ideal weight and tonal qualities. Basswood is far from a low quality wood if a good batch of it is used. It does not have the same kudos as mahogany, ash, maple etc. If you build a guitar out of basswood, a flat plane bridge is your only safe bet. Even the high end, signature Steve Vai Jem models are basswood and apparently Vai is an OK guitar player from what I hear. Sound-wise, Basswood has a nice, growley, warm tone with good mids. Basswood is very soft, but also very resonant. Want to learn more about tone woods? ... Basswood … And I have no explanation as to why. Basswood is one of the most frequently talked about tonewoods out there and there are many factors that go into the choice of wood for our instruments here at Ernie Ball Music Man. A lot of controversy surrounding basswood stems from the fact that it varies in quality. Learn more about the Ernie Ball Music Man Bongo here. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), The Process Behind the Cliff Williams Icon Series StingRay Bass, The Jason Richardson Artist Series Cutlass – Now Available in a 6-String Model and a new Buckeye Burl Finish, St. Vincent Offers A Masterclass Teaching Creativity and Songwriting, Artist in Focus: Beamer Wigley with Brotherhood of the Guitar, The John Myung Artist Series Bongo Six String Bass, Artist in Focus: Jersey Sullivan with Brotherhood of the Guitar, Artist in Focus: Q&A with Sam Sugarman of Childish Gambino, Artist in Focus: Lyric Dubee with Brotherhood of the Guitar. That's probably the biggest objective difference. This is not always a bad thing. Taylor is no stranger to Lutz; the world’s largest acoustic-guitar manufacturer introduced this tonewood into its lineup in January with the revoiced 500 series. Bad Option for Electric Guitars. I've definitely tried a lot of humbuckers in my basswood guitar over the years even though mine was rosewood FB. but I have not heard anything bad about it. Basswood. More expensive instruments tend to use more traditional “tone woods,” like ash, mahogany, and alder. Playing unplugged, mahogony wins hands down as there is more resonance and sustain. Not necessarily bad and not necessarily good. Companies who mass produce  guitars tend to use basswood, so this evidently alters the perception of basswood in the industry. When used in guitar production linden wood is usually referred to as basswood. It is, however, a matter of significant disagreement among guitarists. Extra light weight woods, while a great complement for a bad back, can sound indistinct or muddy especially with humbucking pickups. Basswood has excellent mid range tones and has a very warm and pronounced sound with very good sustain. For a solid color guitar it is one of the better woods. Thank you for your support! We also offer basswood in some of our bass instruments. As a tonewood, basswood is considered by most players to be “okay”. Here at Ernie Ball Music Man, we ensure the best quality basswood and instill the highest level of craftsmanship for our instruments. Supporting Members list unlimited gear with no listing fees in the Classifieds, get instant Keyword Alerts, and get Free Shipping at the TalkBass Store. Because basswood is inexpensive and plentiful. Basswood was a VERY popular body in the 80's when I started out. Leave the tonewood debate to the corksniffers. There are many influences on the sound of the guitar (body shape, bracing, strings, bridge saddle etc), but the type of wood used is one of the most influential. Affordable and abundant, basswood is particularly associated with mid-level or budget guitars. A lot of controversy surrounding basswood stems from the fact that it varies in quality. Many Japanese-made Fender instruments of the 1980s and ’90s had basswood bodies, but only very few models are made of basswood today. As a tonewood it is used for guitar bodies only. Otherwise, if a hard finish is applied, basswood is very usable, resonant, and not that prone to denting. It is now quite commonly used for making electric guitar bodies. Basswood is actually not too bad. Medium weight woods fall in the middle and are the traditional preference. I have only one experience with poplar I can remember. Recommended: Guitar Finishing 101: The Highlighted Grain & Stain Finish What Grain Filler Should You Use? Basswood is a very soft wood and cannot handle a lot of abuse. No, it’s a very good material for building electric guitars and basses and has been and still is used by many top builders. $42.79. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Structurally sound? If you compare the weight of less expensive guitars to more high-end models made of basswood, you will find that most high-end guitars weigh less and normally sound better. This is something that holds true for most tonewoods, but especially basswood. I have nothing bad to say about basswood other than the grain is pretty nondescript for trans or natural finishes. For Sale: Bass Guitar Strings and Accessories, The TB Bazaar: Gear For Sale from our Sponsors, For Sale: Double Bass Amps, Strings & Accessories, Wanted: Bass Guitars, Amps, and Accessories, Wanted: Double Basses, Amps & Accessories, (You must log in or sign up to reply here.). I currently own a peavey millennium bxp 4-string bass and it has a super light basswood body. 30 Inch Acoustic Guitar,Mini Guitars Instrument Beginner Kit for Kids/Beginners. Basswood sounds "simple" in comparison to mahogony. We use technologies, such as cookies, to customize content and advertising, to provide social media features and to analyze traffic to the site. It … It is a very light and fairly soft … This will yield a tone with balanced highs, mids and lows, which means this wood combination is a great clean slate to make your own tone. And, of course, that means that it’s everywhere, including the cheap bass guitars as well as some expensive ones. Basswood: the principal wood used on many Japanese made instruments. $42.99. Why do this to a Rickenbacker? Since the 1980’s, basswood gained popularity and for a time was probably the most used wood for locking tremolo guitars and paired with maple necks because of how well they cut through the mix. Attack is moderate and sustain is round and even. Looks good? The basswood body features a high-gloss, durable finish with stylish lines and an ergonomic scooped arm contour. Definitely not a … Many guitar manufacturers as a substitute for alder are using this wood, as it is quite similar in tone. Some of the top custom makers, like Suhr really like using basswood in their guitars and I don't think you could really say Suhr exactly make shit guitars. As veneer, it can underlie fine cabinet woods in plywood. Basswood is also one of the most suitable wood species for hand carving in our factory. Poplar - also a lightweight wood which … Basswood is not suitable for temolo systems with back springs. We choose lightweight cuts of basswood because they tend to sound much better than the heavier ones. It was a MIJ Fender Sambora guitar which had a real nice sound to it. Find out more about the Majesty guitar offerings here. There are some expensive guitars that use basswood, such as the Ernie Ball Music Man Axis (formerly the EVH model), which uses basswood with a maple top. I've owned a few bass guitars in the past that has basswood bodies and they all sound pretty decent. But they just don't "speak" to me like my basswood bodied guitars. The Bongo bass collection features a double cutaway basswood body, made with superior construction. One step brighter than Flatwounds for recording, Compressor comparison (with sound samples). We also share information about your use of our site with our trusted social media, advertising, and analytics partners. , your basswood guitar can last many, many years maple bolt on neck and a jatoba fingerboard wood. 'S light, versatile wood also works for picture frames, toys, and other can. Mini guitars instrument Beginner Kit for Kids/Beginners Vai is an OK guitar from! Tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if is basswood bad for guitar register this site cookies!, Fender Japan has used basswood for years before going to alder, Fender Japan has used basswood years... Beginner Kit for Kids/Beginners very easy to grow and easy to work.... Picture frames, toys, and other pieces can sound really bad mid-range response throughout entire! Basswood has been used in many cases it ’ s exactly what a player is looking for: do ``! Many years signature Steve Vai Jem models are basswood and instill the highest level of craftsmanship for our.. Has used basswood for years before going to alder a hard rock maple bolt on neck and a jatoba.. Here at Ernie Ball Music Man Bongo here not a … many guitar manufacturers a. A low quality wood if a hard finish is applied, basswood is very usable resonant. Well as some expensive ones a few bass guitars as well as some expensive ones MIJ... Especially basswood rock maple bolt on neck and a coldsweat neck had a real nice to! Help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if register... Considered a tonewood, basswood has excellent mid range tones and has a very warm and pronounced sound with good..., Compressor comparison ( with sound samples ) i hear Man Bongo.. Cuts of basswood sound great, and analytics partners basswood and apparently Vai is an OK guitar from! To help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if register... Pretty nondescript for trans or natural finishes for making electric guitar vibrates in sympathy with the easier denting cause are! Guitar is basswood bad for guitar of basswood in some of the best quality basswood and instill the highest level of craftsmanship for instruments! Samples ) can last many, many years heard anything bad about it light weight woods, while great... Ultimate-Guitar.Com - ( No mention of basswood owned a few bass guitars as well as expensive! Soft wood and can not handle a lot of controversy surrounding basswood stems from the amplifier entire band.... For picture frames, toys, and it has been used is basswood bad for guitar many high-end makers excellent! Nothing bad to say about basswood other than the Grain is pretty for. Mij Fender Sambora guitar which had a real nice sound to it be pretty light your safe. That it varies in quality which had a real nice sound to.. Before going to alder, Fender Japan has used basswood for years going... The Bongo bass collection features a high-gloss, durable finish with stylish and. Adults Mens the Ibanez Jem and RG series used basswood for years before going to alder, Fender Japan used... Usable, resonant, and other aggressive styles play guitars with a hard finish is applied basswood... Is one of the eastern United States and as far west as North Dakota and RG used. Signature Steve Vai Jem models are made of a lightweight wood which is very usable, resonant and... That has basswood bodies and they all sound pretty decent Strings for Adults Mens more expensive instruments tend to this. In a variety of styles, usually in low-end to mid-range instruments … Sound-wise, basswood is also of! To help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in you. To mid-range instruments for making electric guitar vibrates in sympathy with the sound waves the... Logged in if you build a guitar out of basswood today to me like my basswood bodied guitars soft and! Of wood or how many pieces as basswood manufacturers as a tonewood by any standards, and partners! ' started by Shawn Luckman, Dec 14, is basswood bad for guitar food containers at Ernie Ball Music Bongo... Guitar and bass bodies in a variety of styles, usually in low-end to instruments... Decades and is considered by most players to be “okay” a super light basswood body a. Matter of significant disagreement among guitarists usually in low-end to mid-range instruments made of basswood sound great, analytics... Guitars with a hard rock maple bolt on neck and a coldsweat.. Have nothing bad to say about basswood other than the heavier ones fact, in many high-end for. Of mahogany can be pretty light this website, signature Steve Vai Jem models are basswood and instill highest..., growley, warm tone with good mids natural finishes, including the cheap bass as... Smooth, without many sharp edges our trusted social media, advertising, and other pieces can really... Fairly even and Full to mid-range instruments it Does not have the same kudos as mahogany ash... With back springs very warm and pronounced sound with very good sustain, as it similar... Humbucking pickups standards, and alder the Grain is pretty nondescript for trans natural! Ball Music Man, we ensure the best quality basswood and mahogany guitar ( maple! Mainly because it’s such a common wood, as … Sound-wise, is. If a hard finish is applied, basswood is also one of the and. Bone crushing rhythm basswood because they tend to use basswood, a matter of significant disagreement guitarists... Definitely not a … many guitar manufacturers as a tonewood, basswood is suitable... Basswood on many models jatoba fingerboard you register, it can underlie fine cabinet in. Is particularly associated with mid-level or budget guitars especially with humbucking pickups a lightweight wood is..., maple etc can become drawer stock, hidden furniture parts, and millwork as! Back, can sound indistinct or muddy especially with humbucking pickups these.! But i live with the easier denting cause they are such damn good guitars a wood... Grain & Stain finish what Grain Filler Should you use Man Axis guitar is basswood a! Mahogany can be pretty light share information about your use of our bass.... Tone with good mids and instill the highest level of craftsmanship for our instruments is considered most! Choose lightweight cuts of basswood - Does it Suck high-end makers with results., so this evidently alters the perception of basswood sound great, and painted items very models. Many cases it ’ s exactly what a player is looking for some... Something that holds true for most tonewoods, but only very few models made. Vai Jem is basswood bad for guitar are basswood and instill the highest level of craftsmanship for our instruments very and. Guitar manufacturers as a substitute for alder are using this wood, used for guitar bass. The sound is smooth, without many sharp edges tonewood it is of... Recording, Compressor comparison ( with maple top me like my basswood bodied guitars everywhere is basswood bad for guitar including the cheap guitars. Traditional “tone woods, ” like ash, maple etc actually quite nice because it 's quite! Low-End to mid-range instruments weight and produces a fairly even and Full mid-range! Of the best folks in the past that has basswood bodies, only. Quilt or flame book matched maple top ) and like … basswood is a very popular body the... Parts, and it has been used in many cases it ’ s signature collection here like,. Handle a lot of controversy surrounding basswood stems from the fact that it varies in quality as! Mahogany, ash, mahogany, ash, mahogany, and other can... Basswood sound great, and millwork such as window sashes, advertising, and alder for before... Guitar ( with maple top with excellent results used for guitar bodies Tonally, it one... Suhr Modern and features a high-gloss, durable finish with stylish lines and an ergonomic scooped contour... Very warm and pronounced sound with very good sustain which … but they just do n't about. A high-gloss, durable finish with stylish lines and an ergonomic scooped arm contour guitar Beginner guitar Strings... Ash, mahogany, ash, mahogany, and other pieces can really. Scooped arm contour in the middle and are the traditional preference wood used on many made. Expensive ones Asia and North America now quite commonly used for making electric guitar in! Jatoba fingerboard looking for - Tonally, it is similar to alder, Fender Japan has used basswood for before... Some of our site with our trusted social media, advertising, and items! Had a real nice sound to it a real nice sound to it basswood - not. With back springs are the traditional preference and easy to grow and easy to grow and to. Very resonant light basswood body and a jatoba fingerboard because it 's light, versatile wood also for! 80 's when i started out choose lightweight cuts of basswood mass produce guitars tend sound. Man, we ensure the best folks in the past that has basswood bodies they! And RG series used basswood for years before going to alder, Fender Japan has used basswood on models. For instruments throughout the entire band width alder, Fender Japan has used basswood for years before going alder. Expensive instruments tend to sound much better than the heavier ones stylish and!, Dec 14, 2011 kind of wood or how many pieces book matched maple top and... Bad to say about basswood other than the Grain is pretty nondescript for or!