Question Bongo body wood?

[oddjob]

So, to conclude, if I'm gonna be very insistent, maybe I could order "special" custom made Bongo with ash body and ebony fretboard?

The last question is: HSp or HHp? (that I must decide alone)

Same response Only if BP decides to do a special run - Dargie IIs had a special run ebony board (and are the only ones currently with them) - and then you have the 1 or 2 Ash body special Bongo floating out here - There are a few mahogony body Bongos as well as a few with one piece rosewood necks (all of which were special runs)... everything else is basswood (with a solid finish) with a rosewood board (or pau ferro for fretless) with no order options (regarding wood).

 

[shakinbacon]

on a related note

why does basswood get demeaned as a tonewood on a regular basis? Maybe not here, but I've seen it on Youtube and various equipment geek forums.

Here are a couple of examples:

"Let me describe basswood to you.
Basswood is an extremely light wood (Its probably weaker than MDF), tears/breaks far too easily, and doesn't sound particularly good.
I can't believe anyone in their right mind would make a bass from it.
I know it's fairly common to see guitars made from basswood, (Which I think is already a mistake, but....eh. I had a basswood guitar once) but I can't imagine anyone in their right mind making a basswood bass. It will not last.
I repeat: It will not last."

"Basswood sucks.

Stephen is right. Almost anything you can think of that comes from a tree would be better. Basswood is a tone sucking mush of a wood. Electric guitars use it because it is cheap and light, however. I would never pay money for a basswood guitar unless I was dirt poor.
Swamp Ash is a far better wood for tone and durability."

 

[Grand Wazoo]

koogie2k has gone to war with his bass, dropped it, dragged it across the stage floor, dented it, probably stepped on it by mistake and aside the hard looks (according to him) it still plays like the first day he bought it so the above description by "other forum geeks" is.....

 

[Jimmyb]

why does basswood get demeaned as a tonewood on a regular basis? Maybe not here, but I've seen it on Youtube and various equipment geek forums.

Here are a couple of examples:

"Let me describe basswood to you.
Basswood is an extremely light wood (Its probably weaker than MDF), tears/breaks far too easily, and doesn't sound particularly good.
I can't believe anyone in their right mind would make a bass from it.
I know it's fairly common to see guitars made from basswood, (Which I think is already a mistake, but....eh. I had a basswood guitar once) but I can't imagine anyone in their right mind making a basswood bass. It will not last.
I repeat: It will not last."

"Basswood sucks.

Stephen is right. Almost anything you can think of that comes from a tree would be better. Basswood is a tone sucking mush of a wood. Electric guitars use it because it is cheap and light, however. I would never pay money for a basswood guitar unless I was dirt poor.
Swamp Ash is a far better wood for tone and durability."

It gets derided mainly because the internet is full of experts, who know more about anything than anyone else.

I can't figure out why these experts have never got around to starting their own guitar company, or releasing what will most likely be the world's biggest selling songs....

 

[Powman]

It gets derided mainly because the internet is full of experts, who know more about anything than anyone else.

I can't figure out why these experts have never got around to starting their own guitar company, or releasing what will most likely be the world's biggest selling songs....

I completely agree with this statement.

If anyone cares to read about how this wood was chosen, they would find out that various woods were tested and the best results came from basswood.

Sterling's own words: "None of the (non-wood) materials panned out, but it's still my dream to find new ways to tune the resonance of an instrument. I also met with Callaway Golf to explore titanium but that didn't work out. We tried ash and basswood - I think we tried alder, too - and the basswood was the most balanced wood. It just clicked."

 

[syciprider]

I remember BP saying something about taking sustainability (of the material used, not the musical quality) into consideration during the design as well.

Anyhoo, I'm glad BP went with basswood otherwise the Bongo would've ended up as nothing more than an ergonomically improved 24 fret Stingray with a beefy preamp.

 

[slow roasted]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using basswood as a tonewood IMHO. Many of the great Japanese basses of the '80's and 90's used it ( and many folks still build with it) , and some of these basses are quite prized now by owners and collectors. A lot of folks take cheap shots at this wood and poplar in particular, because of something they read, or maybe overheard from a repairman or any other so called "expert".

One of the best sounding P's I've ever played had a basswood body. Every one who played it wanted to buy it from me. I traded it for a vintage F bass worth four times what I payed for it! And I still miss that bass.....

 

[keko]

Well, this thread become more and more interesting to me..., but first of all let's make myself perfectly clear, ...I got nothing against basswood at all!

Just try to discuss about possible improvements of body woods choice at the first place!

I tried some new competition basses with "sandwich" body construction and I must admit that is very interesting choice, especially could be useful for Bongo design, 'cause it's body is whole painted, so nobody could see what's down under!

Allow me just two examples, I won't name any company, just the wood construction and want to hear your opinion about that guys:

1. Mahogany center block, top and bottom maple laminate!

2. Mahogany block, top and bottom wenge laminate!

With this first one I was really delighted!
Anyway, this center block is not so important for the sound, but this maple top is what makes music, well, that's my impression!