What would you do? (Custom Builds)

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Tom Albano

Narrow it whats your fav?

Too hard to pick one. Among my favorites would be Cocobolo top and back, Tiger Maple or Walnut Core; Zebrawood Top and Back with Mahogany or Walnut Core, any of the Black Tiger or Black Tiger Elite wood choices; Bubinga Top and Back with Tiger Maple Core; Tiger Maple or Quilt Maple Top and Back with Walnut or Mahogany Core; etc.

.....See, I told you it was too hard to pick.

[Tom Albano]

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

Too hard to pick one. Among my favorites would be Cocobolo top and back, Tiger Maple or Walnut Core; Zebrawood Top and Back with Mahogany or Walnut Core, any of the Black Tiger or Black Tiger Elite wood choices; Bubinga Top and Back with Tiger Maple Core; Tiger Maple or Quilt Maple Top and Back with Walnut or Mahogany Core; etc.

.....See, I told you it was too hard to pick.

I hear you, I know.... when I think of nice tone, I seem to keep coming back to walnut body with ebony board, one of the nicest sounding basses Ive owned had that combo, maybe it was the electronics.... Im not sure, the bass as a total had such an incredible tone, BUT I have owned more than one bass with a mahogany body and ebony fretboard and Im never disappointed, so I see that as a kind of standard for me generally I guess.
There are just too many variables

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Tom Albano

...I seem to keep coming back to walnut body with ebony board...

Well, for me, an Ebony FB is a must, period.

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Tom Albano

....one of the nicest sounding basses Ive owned had that combo, maybe it was the electronics.... Im not sure...

Always play your bass unplugged first to see just what the woods sound like or contribute to the overall sound. If you are happy with that, plug it in, play it, and then see what the electronics do for ya.

[Tom Albano]

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

Always play your bass unplugged first to see just what the woods sound like or contribute to the overall sound. If you are happy with that, plug it in, play it, and then see what the electronics do for ya.

Ive heard that plenty, Im currently looking at 2 Smith basses in my price range and I wont get to try them out before I buy, they dont have ebony boards!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ken-Smith-BSR5JD...#ht_538wt_1167

nice thick mahogany lam in that neck!

or this

http://photos.integritybassandguitar...?gallery=77205

I like the simplicity of this bass....

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Tom Albano

Ive heard that plenty, Im currently looking at 2 Smith basses in my price range and I wont get to try them out before I buy, they dont have ebony boards!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ken-Smith-BSR5JD...#ht_538wt_1167

nice thick mahogany lam in that neck!

Looks more like Walnut laminate in that neck.

[Tom Albano]

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

Looks more like Walnut laminate in that neck.

seller lists it as mahogany, I think it is also .... looks nice.

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Tom Albano

seller lists it as mahogany, I think it is also .... looks nice.

Mahogany Neck Lam? Based on the pic, I think the seller is wrong.

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Tom Albano

....they dont have ebony boards!

I personally don't like Pau Ferro FB's. But that's me. To each his own. For me it's Ebony.

[Tom Albano]

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

I personally don't like Pau Ferro FB's. But that's me. To each his own. For me it's Ebony.

I like the ebony snap or the tightness of tone it brings, but I have had Pau ferro boards before, pulled this from the Alembic site

"Pau Ferro translates to "iron wood" from Portuguese, so you know the stuff is tough. It's nearly as hard as Ebony, but it has a slightly sticky feel because of the higher resin content of the wood.
If you are looking for a "no-brainer" growly sound for fretless, Pau Ferro is your wood. It's not as versatile as Ebony, but if your tone doesn't require that flexibility, you may be better off with the automatic growl of Pau Ferro.
Care for Pau Ferro is the same as that for Ebony."

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Tom Albano

Ive heard that plenty, Im currently looking at 2 Smith basses in my price range and I wont get to try them out before I buy, they dont have ebony boards!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ken-Smith-BSR5JD...#ht_538wt_1167

nice thick mahogany lam in that neck!

or this

http://photos.integritybassandguitar...?gallery=77205

I like the simplicity of this bass....

That was about the only time we used Mahogany in the neck and made about 50 basses or so like that.
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/models...olt-on%29.html
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/models...srjserial.html

In the early 1980s, I made one or two 5pc necks with mahogany as the thinner feature wood. I don't know if I made any others but if I did, it was a thin center of 1/4" or so. Maybe a few at most if at all. That was over 25 years ago and can't remember.

Mahogany is stable but not so flexible as Maple or Shedua like we use now. Walnut is another dark stable wood but not so flexible. Neck wood need to give a little so they don't split or crack if they take a hit. Maple is about the best wood I have found for neck materials.