Basswood is only for cheap rubbish guitars? Suhrly not?

imalrightjack

Apologies for the title's crap pun but a friend of mine has cast a sneering judgement on a new guitar of mine that he has neither seen nor heard because it has a basswood body (with a sonokeling top - whatever that is).

If basswood is good enough for £3.5K Suhr guitars, I can only presume it's down to how it's used, rather than simply being 'crap'.

I've owned enough cheap mahogany guitars that didn't sound great to know that weight means nothing. This Ibanez sounds terrific and is incredibly light. Maybe even light enough to wield effectively as a club to beat the ignorant bastard with...

Anybody else in the basswood is simply crap camp or anybody enlightened have an opinion?

jpttaylor

Can't say that I've ever (knowingly) played a basswood guitar but I think the Squier Classic Vibe '60s Telecaster uses it and they get pretty much universal praise.

stickyfiddle

I think my MIJ paisley Tele is basswood. It's maybe a smidge heavier than perfect but it's an excellent guitar.

Deijavoo

Basswood is widely used in high end guitars as you noted with Suhr. Obviously quality will vary but to just disregard basswood wholesale is a little bit silly if you ask me.

Whitecat

There are different flavours of basswood too and not all is equal.

Ibanez is a famous historic user of basswood.

Basswood is also the default wood on Dennis Fano's flagship Novo model, the Sectis, which is around £3.4k. If it works for him...

Deijavoo

http://www.andersonguitars.com/support/bodywood.cfm

Richardj

My (limited) understanding is that it is a fairly neutral tonewood. fairly easy to work although sometimes a bit soft and breaks out easily if the machining is a bit off.

I have a similar ish view in that I don't see why it is looked down upon for being used in a million far eastern guitars (predominantly not expensive) and is also used on exotica like high end Ibbys and Suhrs etc. Obviously there must be better and worse grades, but still....

Gassage

The reason tends to be that under a clear or semi transparent finish, Basswood has a very very very boring grain. None, really- so much so it makes Korina look like the belle of the ball.

As a tonewood, I have been told it's great though.

ChrisMusic

It's wood, a natural product of mother nature, and I suspect Basswood is a generic term to cover a family of woods, a bit like mahogany and rosewood.  There are different grades too, and consequently different costs to acquire.  So NO not simply anything.  Although life is so much easier when seen from a perspective of blunt prejudice !

My Tom Anderson hollow drop top is basswood.  Stunningly good guitar.  Tom knows a thing or two about wood and guitar construction.

So quite simply ~ ignorance and prejudice.  edit: ~ I should have also added ~ misguided snobbery against Asian made guitars !

Eliminate those across the board, and get people to think, learn, and understand, and what a much better world we would all live in.

Bogwhoppit

Reminds me of a friend who thought Cubase was only used for recording the bass guitar track....and...basswood was only used for making bass bodies.

Yes, he was educated. In fact head of History at a private school...and a good musician.

historyisjunk

My favourite guitar is probably my MIJ Tele which is definitely basswood.
I think it can vary as much in weight as ash- happy to be corrected by knowledgeable guitar builders, but my Tele is very light & sounds beautiful.
Lots of the great old Japanese guitars were basswood & as you say some quality makers like Ibanez, who made your guitar, are still using basswood. I didn't know about Suhr, but there you go.

I think it was (maybe still is) quite cheap, it is also fairly soft so was probably a good choice for mass manufacturers who wanted to get the most out of their tools. It doesn't look that exciting either, but neither does alder usually.
Personally, if I was in a position to have a Fender made specially for me I'd go for basswood.

Just a thought, it is now quite acceptable to have Fender guitars made from pine (like the very first Tele)- a few years back I think a lot of people would have said this was some kind of cost cutting scam & pine is for floor boards & sheds.

Enjoy your Ibanez.

randella

Gassage said:

The reason tends to be that under a clear or semi transparent finish, Basswood has a very very very boring grain. None, really- so much so it makes Korina look like the belle of the ball.

As a tonewood, I have been told it's great though.

I've played a few (and own one) Floyd superstrat(s) made from basswood which have a pretty even tone response and thus suit humbuckers and very overdriven amps to a tee.  Nice and light too if you get the right piece.

To concur with the above, the grain is non-existent, dull as ditchwater.

Neil

I have an idea the reason a lot of oriental guitars are made of basswood is that it is indigenous in that region. 

The same reason US Fenders were usually made of Alder. 

thomasross20

My suhr pro s4 is basswood and sounds fantastic. I bet your mate just likes to complain because of his small winky lol.

hubobulous

Your friend is a fool I'm afraid.

I have 3 Suhr basswood bodied guitars and 3 Satriani JS guitars which too are basswood - Satriani's choice of body wood for over 20yrs.

As a body wood it is indeed balanced across frequencies and works well with or without additional wood 'caps'.

John Suhr states basswood with a maple cap as his favourite combination and with all due respect to your friend, he probably knows a little more. But saying that, tone is subjective so your friend may just not like what basswood offers.

suspiciousminds

My sonic blue '96 jagstang is basswood and i love it.

Teetonetal

Well having not heard or played your guitar before casting judgement, you mate is an idiot regardless. Probably jealous too.

Sporky

No matter what [something] your [something] has, someone will tell you it's [something].

These people deserve our pity, for they don't mean to bring us down, it's just that they're small-minded and miserable and can't think of nice things to say.

Next time he (or anyone else) says something like this, complement him on his shoes with a smile. Unless they're really horrible, in which case find something else to say something nice about.

thomasross20

Wisdom, @Sporky!

Handsome_Chris

@Sporky, I think you have a lovely smile.

jeztone2

I thought it became popular because it was tonally neutral, had a fine grain so it was easy to put a mental 80's paint job onto & was lightweight.