Player Magazine Q & A (in English)

[Bryan L Williams]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Trying to be a wise guy?

I think from what I have seen, the pseudoplatanus is slightly harder and tighter grained than the rubrum as far as basic properties go.

The rubrum here is more plentiful and cut mostly on the slab. Some logs are quartered on occasion for Guitar blocks. When quartered, the edge shows little or no flame in comparison to the slab or grade cut commercial logs with the flame is more prominent on the sides that show when used as a core. That's the visual.

On the tone, depending on the top/back woods, I think the softer rubrum is more favourable. I also want to point out that the macrophyllum is equally desirable for weight and tone. If quilted, the figure is mild but attractive. If flamed, it can be even more attractive than the rubrum around the edges.

I know you don't use European Maple in your electric basses, but I could not resist asking you...especially since you play large violi...I mean double basses also. Plus, you really know about Maple, so I just had to ask about how you thought rubrum compared with its European relatives. So, in the tone department, it sounds like rubrum might generally fall somewhere between Acer pseudoplatanus and Acer macrophyllum?

When would you recommend rubrum over macrophyllum as a core wood in a Smith bass?