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In Search of the Perfect Custom Bass, Part 2 - Exotic Bodies

by Lane Baldwin

In the first installment of this series, we began our search for the perfect custom bass with a general discussion of the preparation necessary to ensure a positive experience. We continue now with a look at the body woods used for custom basses, their characteristics, and their impact on the sound and playability of your new prize.

Before we begin, I'd like to thank Roger Sadowsky of Sadowsky Guitars (www.sadowsky.com) and P.J. Rubal, National Products Manager for Spector Basses(www.spectorbass.com), for their assistance in researching the information provided. Roger and P.J. kindly spent many hours educating me in the finer points of fine woods. Look for upcoming articles on both companies and their excellent basses.

What kind of wood to use
Many builders, Sadowsky included, believe that neck wood has more to do with tone than body wood. However, the body wood still impacts tone. The right wood can also make for a drop-dead gorgeous bass that you'll love to own and play for many years to come. Below is a list of the major woods used for bass bodies with a summary of the characteristics of each.

Alder - the mainstay of Fender® and other manufacturers, alder is very light and produces a full sound. When combined with a maple neck, it produces a tight, bright sound that's great for old-school funk.

Ash - The most-used variety is Swamp Ash, which has been used by Fender® since the '50s. Fairly light, it produces an excellent tone, balancing brightness and warmth and has a lot of "presence". Another variety is Hard Ash, which is heavier than its swamp brother and produces a bright tone with tons of sustain.

Basswood - very soft and therefore does not stand up well to constant use/abuse. Produces a very warm tone.

Koa - medium to heavy weight, this Hawaiian wood is available in limited supplies. It produces a very warm sound, but is slightly brighter than Mahogany.

Korina - available in black or white varieties, Korina is medium weight and produces a warm tone similar to Mahogany.

Maple - heavier than Alder or Ash, Maple is very bright with great attack and bite.

Mahogany - medium to heavy weight, this wood produces a very warm tone with good sustain.

Poplar - similar to Alder in tone and only slightly heavier, Poplar is relatively inexpensive but, due to it's gray and green grain, is best used for solid finishes.

In addition to the woods mentioned above, you can also get some extremely rare (spell that "expensive") specimens. Some builders have been able to get hold of "reclaimed" wood from the Great Lakes. This wood was carried on ships that sunk more than a hundred years ago. According to some, this wood is pre-aged and has incredible tone. Be prepared to wait a long time, however. This wood is extremely rare and the waiting list is rather long.

Another example of the truly rare is Stuart Spector's Mastodon Bass. Built from Cypress wood approximately 32,000 years old, it may well be one of the rarest basses on the planet. So far, only one has been built and had a selling price of $20,000. Stuart kindly donated all profits to the World Wildlife Fund. (See a picture and learn more at http://www.spectorbass.com/NewFiles/32kbass.html.)

Topping it Off
Often, you'll hear bassists (and guitarists) describe their instrument as being "flamed maple" or "African Bubinge", but that can be misleading. Many of today's custom instruments are not made of a single piece of solid wood. Rather, the main body is cut, shaped and routed, and then a thin veneer of the exotic wood is glued on top. This is an important distinction so be sure to discuss this with your builder. Varieties include Maple (quilted, flame, burl, birdseye or spalted) Koa, Lacewood, Sitka Spruce, Brazilian Rosewood, Walnut, Wenge and Zebrawood.

Quilted and flame Maple are the two most often seen, but all the woods listed can produce beautiful instruments. Quality is graded on a scale of one to four A's, with AAAA being the best and most expensive. Some manufacturers also have a AAAA+ grade, which has no blemishes at all. Always, always, always make sure what grade you're getting before plunking down your money.

The Shape of Things
Obviously the shape of the bass should be pleasing to the customer, but it should also be comfortable to play. The instrument should balance properly to avoid fatigue and should provide proper clearance in the upper register. Even if you're a "meat and potatoes" player who never, ever plays above the ninth fret (high E on the G string), you never know what the future may hold - including (Gasp!) selling your custom beauty. Years down the road you may be hit with the jazz bug, or the solo bass bug, or any of a host of "ailments".

Certain basses, such as my own Fretless Wonder (a hyper-custom Renaissance fretless 5), won't balance on their own. To solve this problem, Rick Turner devised a strap extender. Once installed at the neck/body joint, the extender provides perfect balance, allowing me to actually play the instrument standing up. Make sure that, one way or the other, the bass will balance properly.

Homework
Now that you know a little more about the woods that can go into making a custom bass, it's time to get out there and play a few hundred of them. Talking about tone, weight, etc., is fine but nothing compares to actually sitting down with one and getting to know it. Keep your notebook handy and write down your impressions of each. Also note such things as pickups, fingerboard wood, electronics and neck/body joint. We'll cover each of these in upcoming parts of this series. The next article (Part Three) will cover neck designs and woods.

Remember: the preparation you make in advance of your purchase will increase your chances of getting exactly what you want - and pay for! - in a custom bass. Until next time, keep thumpin'!

Lane Baldwin