Is Basswood really soft?

[fabtone777]

Is Basswood durable?

I noticed that alot of MM guitars are basswood, but isn't basswood a pretty soft wood? I know it has a really nice Humbucker sound, but how well does it hold up over time? Is it durable enough to handle being tossed around a lot in that rock and roll sort of way?

 

[hbucker]

Yes it's really soft. The only place it's ever been an issue for me is on the strap buttons. The screws tend to get loose and even strip out the holes. Not good.

Putting in slightly larger screws helps.. If you're one to really throw your guitar around while you're playing, basswood probably isn't the thing for you unless you put the eye screws in instead of buttons.

I've heard that others have had a hard time with basswood bodies and trem posts loosening up. I can see that as a possibility over time with all basswood if it isn't a high enough grade. But if there's any kind of top, like maple, on the body, this shouldn't be an issue at all.

I am a firm believer that basswood is a great tonewood. It's durability is a factor though and makes me wonder how much someone would be willing to spend on a guitar with a basswood body: $2.5k? $3k? $4k? Or at some point do you just say, "No way am I spending that much for a guitar, no matter how nice it is, if it has basswood body."

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

My 1994 EVH has has the strap button on the upper horn screw strip out completely, but other than that I have never had a problem. Its also helped by the fact EBMM use really long screws to attach the strap buttons to the guitar.

All my basswood EBMM's are well gigged and travelled (flown etc) and they are not showing other signs of cracking or problems.

 

[Dodgeball]

I 've had strap button issues before which are easily fixed by sticking some more wood like a matchstick (a dud of course) into the hole so there is more wood for the screw to bind to. Works a treat.

I've also experienced problems with control/trem covers where the screws have stripped - again, same fix. Just stick the match in and snap off the excess, then re-screw.

I also had the trem posts work loose on an Ibanez RG750 from 92 (prime build quality) it was about 11 years old when that happened but some filler is enough to solve the problem.

The possible problems posed by a basswood body are easily remedied - I wouldn't let it bother you.

Maybe Jon has some pro tips for dealing with the more serious of basswood issues???

 

[Lew]

Is this common or one off's?

 

[jongitarz]

Every time I have had to repair a strap button, the owner had put a straplock or something on the guitar, and screwed up by putting in short screws etc. I have repaired more basses for this problem, so I don't buy into the soft wood theory.

My 2 cents.


If this is a problem, using a piece of dowel is what I do.

 

[Warg Master]

I a gree with jon...

I have heard of a general fix for problems with your holes (hehehehhe) Pour some kind of wood filler/wood glue (can't remember which) into the hold and put the scew inthere and let it dry...it will dry in the shape of the screw and hold it in place... the screw should still be removable... I just can't remember which type of glue......

 

[PurpleSport]

I'd be careful with wood glue....that's pretty strong stuff when it dries out and cures.

Your best bet, IMHO, is to use ordinary white Elmer's glue (the exact same kind you probably used as a kid in school) and toothpicks, preferably the flat ones because they're slim and the easiest to work with for strap button fixes.

Simply coat the toothpicks in the glue, stick as many of 'em as needed in the hole (one or two usually does the trick if it's just loose), break 'em off, use a damp cloth to wipe up any excess that burbles up, let dry, drive screw back in, voila! Solid as a rock, cheap as can be, and water soluble in case you really screw up.

Has worked for me many times over the years, plus, I've seen this exact method used by some heavyweight repair guys, too.

 

[dwf1004]

PS speaks the religion.

Yours truly, the low tech nutcase that I am, fixed an issue with my back strap screw loosening dangerously bad, like I could almost pull it out bad, using the same method. (my strap buttons are off, I use the DiMarzip Clip-lock straps right to the six, etc.)

Low tech, but it's not been an issue since I did it. Preach on, Brother PS!

 

[brentrocks]

i did the wood glue thing on one of my LPs.....it worked great. i even had to swap the strap-lock one time and had no problems. i went easy on the glue though.

brent

 

[Lew]

I asked this in the last wood thread ,even if it is really soft,it ain't just going to strip on it's own accord,without screws being taken in and out,or being too tight in the first place?
Tim did the screw just pop out or had you at some point replaced the button?

Sorry for being blunt and maybe I'm naive but I don't see these stripped holes apearing over night,I had to really go to town to get a T-to strip its holes(alder).
And as for trem posts stripping that's just damn near terrifying!

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

I had removed the screw a couple of times to replace it with Schaller straplocks, but kept the original EBMM screw. What happened was, I was playing and all of a sudden, the screw and strap button was about half an inch out of the guitar! I filled the hole with matchsticks and PVA glue, and all had been well since. That was about 18 months ago.

 

[Lew]

Damn that had to hurt!

I think im going to buy the new planet waves straplock sysyem where the piece fit's over your exsisting button.

I replaced a button with a schaller on my silo spec and found it made the screw sit a tiny (i mean TINY)bit less deep than the EB buttons,the screws for which were 2 times as long as the schallers

 

[fabtone777]

Sounds like I am being overly concerned about nothing. Anyway, how often does the trem post thing happen? I never heard of that, but it makes sense. I assume EB uses only high grade basswood, so maybe this isn't an issue. I don't divebomb a bunch or anything, so maybe it will be a non-issue.

 

[dwf1004]

Nah, they use second rate, first guy didn't want it materials, sold to Jon and the gang by Akbar in the back of the lumber yard...

I would venture to say that ANY wood, basswood, ash, maple, WHATEVER that is used by EBMM is nothing more than the finest and top of the line materials that one can use. On top of that, I would pretty much guarantee that if there are any kinds of issues of that sort that would warrant concern, they're already aware of it, and insert something into the process that works against it happening, or prevents it completely.

I think, short of you taking that guitar to your arch enemy's head with brute force (if you do, we want pics!), you should have nothing to worry about.

 

[Lejon]

I owned an Iba****Z JS1000 once, which has a basswood body also. The strap buttons got loose too, After I replaced the screws with some little bigger ones which i mounted with some wood glue, it was rock steady.

Using threading additives is quite normal in my case, because my second passion is my Harley Davidson

 

[Lew]

What DWF said,

A bunch of people use basswood,John petrucci(ebmm),Van halen(EVH and wolfgang),the JS ,VAI and PGM ibz.and if it works for them ...

I also have it on good authority that the 2-3 grand EVH fender/charvels have basswood bodies.

I like this following description from USACG

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BASSWOOD - A nice resonant wood. Normally associated with Metal and Hard Rock guitars. Has a fat bottom and can sometimes (depending on pickups) have a mushy bottom end. But overall sounds pretty darn good. But if you look at it to hard it may dent because it is quite soft!
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