| Author | Message | ||
| tmoney61092
Junior Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 29 Registered: 9-2008 |
What is better for neck laminates, purpleheart or ebony? or anyother wood that you think is the best(please tell!!!)? ~Taylor Watterson | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2120 Registered: 3-2004 |
For a long time, adding purpleheart to maple has been a standard for improving the density of a neck. This can both reduce the likelihood of dead spots and increase sustain. It will also affect the overall tone of the instrument in relation to other common neck woods like maple and mahogany. Ebony is even more dense than purpleheart and carries those changes further. At a minimum, your neck wood choices can do the following: 1. Affect the tone. 2. Affect the sustain. 3. Control deads spots in the neck. 4. Affect the overall weight and balance of your instrument. 5. Have an aesthetic impact, especially when you combine contrasting woods in multiple laminates. 6. Impact the cost of the instrument in a meaningful way. There are also some other construction decisions that will factor into these things as well, so it's more than just a wood choice. Because of this, there is no objective "best" that works for everyone. Describe your ideal tone and some recommendations will come your way. -Bob | ||
| tmoney61092
Junior Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 30 Registered: 9-2008 |
thank you for the information, I prefer a warm, rich tone that sounds sort of "soothing".What about combining 2 purpleheart laminates and 1 ebony(with standard maple of course)? | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2122 Registered: 3-2004 |
You'll see that a number of basses have been made that way if you search through the site. Defining the words we use to describe tone is always a problem. I'm not sure I'd call the tone "warm". While "rich" works, I'd use words like "deep" and "tight" to describe it rather than "warm". Of course anything can be made to sound warm with the application of a few glowing tubes. As such, the ebony or purpleheart with maple recipe seems like it should do just about anything with the right electronic tone shaping. I don't think a mahogany neck could ever be made to sound as tight as ebony. Personally, I wouldn't want an Alembic that didn't at least have the purpleheart in the neck. I have one with just maple and purpleheart and another with those two plus ebony. There are other differences in their construction, so it's hard to isolate the impact of the neck woods, but they both feel and sound great. I greatly prefer them to the all-maple-necked Alembics I have played in the past. Search the site, there are lots of discussions on the topic, enough to shock you into inaction. (Message edited by bsee on January 02, 2009) | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 1196 Registered: 2-2005 |
For a rounder sound you could consider adding mahogany to the neck laminates. See Dave Houck's bass, Karma, in the featured custom archive. It has mahogany, maple, purple heart and ebony. I also have a Brown Bass that uses mahogany, maple and walnut in the neck. It has a warmer tone than the similar SC basses with maple and purple heart. If you are looking to order a bass call up Alembic and discuss this with them. They should be able to give you a good idea of how the different wood recipes sound. Keith | ||
| tmoney61092
Junior Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 31 Registered: 9-2008 |
ah, i love this forum, so informative, thakn you all for your information, i wish that i could order a bass but i don't have near the amount of money to even think about it. ~Taylor Watterson | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 564 Registered: 11-2007 |
Absolutely Mahogany for warmth always! | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Advanced Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 298 Registered: 5-2007 |
Do any of you use Koa or Padauk for the neck? | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2127 Registered: 3-2004 |
I have seen and played non-Alembic basses with those woods in the neck. Padauk has a few different species, and from what I read, vermillion is an alternate name for one of the African species. If you search this site, I'm sure you'll find some instruments made with vermillion as a component of the neck. Vermillion is also used in bodies where the tone it generates seems to be just a little crisper/tighter/punchier than mahogany. My two Alembics both have vermillion cores and the tone is great. As I recall, it also makes a very attractive neck recipe when mixed with maple and purpleheart. Carvin made a big deal about featuring koa 20 years or so ago and represented an all koa bass as the holy grail of the day. I never bought one, but I saw and played a couple. I can't say that I remember them having any outstanding characteristics that set the tone apart from everything else that was out there. Maybe they were a little warmer than their maple-necked cousins. Padauk was a component of the neck of a very nice Ibanez that I played back in the early 90s. The SR-1500 was a mostly padauk instrument with EMG guts and was my main bass for a few years. The neck was very thin and shallow, so it moved a bit, but I can't say if this was the fault of the wood or the design. The tone was punchy with nice quick attack, but it didn't have the powerfully tight bottom or sustain of a deluxe Alembic neck. I preferred the tone to most 100% maple necks I have encountered, though. -bob | ||
| briant
Advanced Member Username: briant Post Number: 255 Registered: 12-2004 |
"thank you for the information, I prefer a warm, rich tone that sounds sort of "soothing".What about combining 2 purpleheart laminates and 1 ebony(with standard maple of course)?" I have two Alembics. One is just maple and purpleheart on the neck. The second is exactly this: maple with two purpleheart and one ebony stripe. The latter has noticably more low fundamental overtones. Both basses have the same electronics package (Signature) and both have mahogany core body woods. They have different top woods but with a neck through bass the top woods have much less impact on the overall tone. The bass with the ebony stripe has a maple top vs. a zebrawood top on the other - technically the maple top should be well more bright but it is in fact the opposite. I'm a huge fan of my maple, purpleheart, ebony neck bass. It sounds insane. I highly recommend it. | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 568 Registered: 11-2007 |
I have two basses that were handmade for me to my specs by an Italian luthier - both have one piece quarter sawn Padauk necks...it is a very stable and extremely resonant musical instrument tone wood. To my taste my necks are made quite thick and move much less than any maple neck I have ever owned! My fretted custom has a Cocobolo fingerboard on Padauk and it has a superb attack/sustain - especially for funk playing...the harder you play it the more it likes it!!! My fretless has a Ebony fingerboard on the Padauk neck and it is warmer but still extremely resonant. I love Padauk - it resonates in a similar fashion to Carbon Fibre necks imho!! John. | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Advanced Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 299 Registered: 5-2007 |
Thanks to Bob and John for giving me guidance | ||
| tmoney61092
Junior Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 34 Registered: 9-2008 |
thanks to all, i greatly appreciate all of the personal stories, it makes alot easier to choose, if i ever decide to get a custom Alembic(which would be like 30 years, unless my dad won the lottery) i am probly going to go with 2 purple heart and one ebony ~Taylor | ||
| crobbins
Intermediate Member Username: crobbins Post Number: 198 Registered: 6-2004 |
My 5 string Orion has, 5-piece Maple set neck with 4 Walnut pinstripes Ebony fingerboard How much does the fingerboard wood change the sound? | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 2130 Registered: 3-2004 |
Craig, I believe it matters. Maple boards tend to have a lot of attack and click. Rosewood tends to be a bit more mellow. Ebony has great bottom and plenty of brightness as well. Alembic uses a fairly substantial thickness of ebony, and I do believe it factors into the richness of the tone. Just my experience, not backed up by any science. -bob | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 571 Registered: 11-2007 |
I am amazed nobody ever seems to go for a Cocobolo fingerboard folks - believe me the one I have is very thick and resonates like metal. I believe Cocobolo to be a better fingerboard material than Rosewood, Ebony and Maple in many ways. It seems as if it is harder than any fingerboard I have had before. For slap players it has a sublime attack! John. | ||
| dwmark
Advanced Member Username: dwmark Post Number: 221 Registered: 1-2005 |
Mica told me (when we were talking over my custom) that a lot of people have sensitivity to coco fingerboards (as the wood isn't sealed). If you know you don't have sensitivity, it sounds like a great wood. dw | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 572 Registered: 11-2007 |
I would not want to argue with Mica but on hearing this advice here at the club forum before I put it to the luthier who does my builds and he said it was very rare to have a bad reaction to a Cocobolo fingerboard. I guess its horses for courses - I have never had any type of bad reaction from my fingerboard! It Definitely makes a noticeable differnce to the tone of the instrument as in most cases Cocobolo is a fair bit harder then Ebony! | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2052 Registered: 10-2002 |
here's an interesting wood toxicity site that seems to agree with Mica's statements. Graeme | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 573 Registered: 11-2007 |
Well - my fingers aint telling me no lies! I am sure that Mica is right in certain circumstances for SOME people - I dont like statements like "right" and "wrong" ...each person must find their own "right" and "wrong." Brian May was ridiculed for using Oak as one of the primary woods on his homemade guitar (because the snobby purists insist it cannot be used as a tonewood) before Queen became famous - but it sounded good enough to millions of Queen fans. Ebony IS a wonderful fingerboard choice, however, by limiting limit your choice to Maple Rosewood or Ebony you miss the chance to find out the qualities of other options. If it works for you as an individual...it works for you. I heartily recomend Cocobolo as a fingerboard..players should give it a try! John. | ||
| georgie_boy
Senior Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 627 Registered: 8-2005 |
Well said John!! | ||
| georgie_boy
Senior Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 628 Registered: 8-2005 |
Is Cocobolo really harder than Ebony???? | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2054 Registered: 10-2002 |
Alembic have used many different woods as fingerboards including Purpleheart and CocoBolo. Here's on of my personal favourites in snakewood.  Graeme | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 574 Registered: 11-2007 |
George - on average for a piece of kiln dried timber of 12-15% moisture content Cocobolo will be anything up to 20% heavier than Ebony. Further to this Cocobolo will, in many instances, usually be harder than ebony. This is in no way an exact science as each individual piece of wood has its own characteristics - but it is a good guide! There are many good books on the market about the properties and suitability of a wide selection of hard and soft woods. As an experienced furniture designer and builder (and now budding instrument luthier) I rely on the book "100 woods" by Peter Bishop...an exceptional read! John. | ||
| georgie_boy
Senior Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 630 Registered: 8-2005 |
Looks awesome!!!!!!!!!!!! Graeme, what sound would that tend to imprt on the instrument..if any? What about the wear factor? | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 2055 Registered: 10-2002 |
Don't know George. It was built for sale at station music in Germany. There's a comment in the COTM archive that suggests it's as dense as ebony so I'd guess it would sound similar and wear at the same rate. I have to say, even with roundwounds and being gigged twice a month (with rehearsals in between), the ebony fingerboard on my fretless rogue still shows minimal wear, even after nearly 4 years. (and more to the point, I love the sound). Graeme | ||
| white_cloud
Senior Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 575 Registered: 11-2007 |
Graeme, Ebony fretless boards should stand up to roundwound string use with ease for many many years! I love that Snakewood board..very sexy! John. | ||
| georgie_boy
Senior Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 631 Registered: 8-2005 |
Thanks gentlemen! I'm learning something new every day....and I like that! G | ||
| tmoney61092
Junior Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 36 Registered: 9-2008 |
wow, no i want to get one with snakewood just for the look, as john said, very sexy! |
