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Post subject: Why Basswood body?
Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 12:01 pm
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When I looked at what the body wood that my MIJ / MIM Precision had it turned out to be basswood. I thought that Fender was a Alder or Ash user,for their basses does basswood make it easier to make. And does this type of wood sound as good as either Ash or Alder bodied precision's.

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Post subject: Re: Why Basswood body?
Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:46 pm
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I think basswood is not a good wood for bass. I know some MM's are basswood but it must be some old wood or whatever because they (MM) have a tendancy to sound alright with basswood. BUT I have never owned a bass by Fender with a basswood body that I thought sounded good. Not good. Not resonant, and just generally not up to anything close to Alder, Maple, Ash or Poplar. Or even Walnut. I would not and don't buy basswood Fender guitars. The same thing holds true for the Strats and Teles I've owned that were made from basswood. There may be and I'm sure someone has a decent sounding basswood bass but I don't have one and have never phyisically heard one. It has always been hear-say. I think it's myth or someone feels bad that they have one and don't want to admit that it sucks! HA!!!!!! Sorry if that sounds harsh but I spent lots of dough trying to make more than 4 or 5 of them sound good by adding bridges, pick-ups etc. with no luck. So now I'm jaded. ja ja jaded...........


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Post subject: Re: Why Basswood body?
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 1:15 am
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stroker vance wrote:
I think basswood is not a good wood for bass. I know some MM's are basswood but it must be some old wood or whatever because they (MM) have a tendancy to sound alright with basswood. BUT I have never owned a bass by Fender with a basswood body that I thought sounded good. Not good. Not resonant, and just generally not up to anything close to Alder, Maple, Ash or Poplar. Or even Walnut. I would not and don't buy basswood Fender guitars. The same thing holds true for the Strats and Teles I've owned that were made from basswood. There may be and I'm sure someone has a decent sounding basswood bass but I don't have one and have never phyisically heard one. It has always been hear-say. I think it's myth or someone feels bad that they have one and don't want to admit that it sucks! HA!!!!!! Sorry if that sounds harsh but I spent lots of dough trying to make more than 4 or 5 of them sound good by adding bridges, pick-ups etc. with no luck. So now I'm jaded. ja ja jaded...........


I have a very resonant basswood bodied P-Bass style bass. I play it a lot and it is number 1 at gigs. I've never owned but one more resonant bass and I foolishly traded it off. I can feel the body vibrations all the way into my gut even unplugged. I have to agree with Wong that obviously some basswood bodies are much more resonant than either alder or ash. I've sold three less pleasing alder and ash Fender basses from my collection since perfecting that basswood bodied Frankenbass. I probably could sell everything else and get by. But one needs some backups and some variety, plus the resale market sucks right now.

Basswood is softer, lighter and easier to work with. Yes it is cheaper because it is so plentiful. Swamp ash and alder are getting to be in short supply along with all the other traditional tonewoods which explains why Fender Ensensada switched. My main basswood body gripe is that basswood bodies have poorer than average balance with a full scale maple neck which results in neckdive because basswood is lighter. Not all basswood bodied basses are going to sound great. Maybe one in five-thousand will be somewhat special.

Previously Fender was sending the Corona alder and ash rejects to Ensensada and now Ensenada gets their own shipments of blanks which have not already been picked over. I'd rather have a first rate basswood body than a third or fourth-rate alder or ash body which was previously the best you could hope for in a MIM bass. Japanese Fenders have often used basswood and several people I know actually prefer CIJ Fenders.

In the words of Sly Stone, "Different strokes, for different folks. And so on and so on and scoobie doobie doobie." Your mileage may of course vary. But one can not say all alder, all ash or all basswood bodies sound this way or sound that way. You have to judge each instrument individually. I've certainly tried many extremely sucky alder and ash basses.


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Post subject: Re: Why Basswood body?
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 3:35 am
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Thank you brotherdave, I have really enjoyed playing this bass recently if I could find out how to post pictures I'd show you how beat up it is, so no worries about dents & scratches.

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Post subject: Re: Why Basswood body?
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:13 am
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Yes- you can't say all things are a certain way all the time. I've had the sucko alder and ash also. I do think the ratio as to common woods used in Fender basses such as alder and ash relating to basswood-- the scale is tipped towards the alder and ash being the woods of choice in the grand scheme. I still think maybe the best thing is take that 440 tuning fork with you when you are checking out a bass. Who knows, you may just find the Holy Grail bass is made from aluminum coated chambered balsa wood . Wouldn't that be a hoot? :D


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Post subject: Re: Why Basswood body?
Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 2:46 am
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stroker vance wrote:
.... Who knows, you may just find the Holy Grail bass is made from aluminum coated chambered balsa wood . Wouldn't that be a hoot? :D


Basswood seems only SLIGHTLY heavier than balsa. And yes I used a tuning fork to find it.


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