Let's talk "sustainable material "

[strummer]

I read the BMW stuff regarding the Bongo, and also Sterling hinted some time ago that they were initially trying to find a different meterial for the Bongo.
Now, I don't know sh*t about sustainable material but i figure we must have some knowledgeable folks around here.
There is a finnish company who makes guitars out of something they call flaxwood, surprisingly enough based on flax. I think a japanese company has also had geetars built of some kind of nature-friendly composite?
Anyway, I really like the idea of a bass made from environmentally friendly not-wood.

 

[corrosiontrav]

I've read about this for some time too. I don't think we outght to be too concerned yet over the wood, I mean guitars and insturments in general take up a very small percentage of the worlds wood consumption.


But anywho, I know Parker guitars were making necks out of composites and doesn't Modulus as well?

 

[Freddy-G.]

I used to have a Cort Curbow 5 string. It's made of something called Luthite. Seems that I read somewhere that the material is poured into a mold. Weird. The fingerboard is made of Ebonal. I have a feeling that's not organic either. Maybe that was the direction that the Bongo design team was headed toward for awhile.

 

[Figjam]

Luthite is crap, IMO.


I dont see the need in using non wood stuff, as mentioned, basses/guitars take up a tiny percentage of wood usage.

 

[maddog]

I'm kind of confused on this thread but interested to see what people have to say so I thought I'd ask for some clarification.

Is the intent to replace wood with an environmentally friendly wonder material or to be used to compliment wood-based instruments?

EDIT: Or just to replace the current application of composites with something more eco-friendly?

What's wrong with a wood-based instrument (other than the occasional expansion/contraction from temp and humidity changes). What is this wonder material going to do better than wood, I guess is what I'm asking.

Finally, don't forget that wood is sustainable and completely environmentally friendly. It just has to be managed and harvested in a way that supports those two objectives.

 

[higher1]

There are a few different possibilities here:

graphite

luthite

among others I have not had enough coffee to think of yet.

THe problem with those existing materials is their inherent plastic sound. A bandmate
of mine had an ib**ez luthite bass that I played on certain songs with drop tunings. it was OK for what it was being utilized for, it playes well. But I would NEVER have bought one of these on purpose.

On the topic of graphite necks with wood bodys:

Now heres a situation that works, for me anyway. I have a moses graphite neck that was on one of my EBMM beauts for a short period of a year and a half. It sounded great and felt comfortable and stable. I would buy a MM bass with a stock graphite neck if it were offfered. sure would look hella sweet with a black SR5 body, even the bongo would benefit from having a wood body/grahpite neck combo.

my bottom line: NYET on the fake wood body, YAY to a fake wood neck.

 

[Figjam]

I would buy a bongo with a graphite neck, if it didnt have a rosewood fingerboard

 

[bovinehost]

As best I recall, it was not only about sustainable materials but the ability to 'tune' the resonance of the body.

Sterling wanted to find something that didn't require slavery to wood, sure, but would also allow the entire instrument to be adjusted for ultimate tone.

Unfortunately, so far, that material turns out to be wood. He hasn't given up just yet, so we'll annoy him when he gets back from vacation.

 

[SteveB]

Everytime I start thinking about this subject, my mind goes down the road of plastic-like composites, which probably aren't environmentally friendly.

Also, when I think of composite materials I think density and weight.

So, I guess I'm useless in this discussion.

 

[bovinehost]

So, I guess I'm useless in this discussion.

I'm sure I am, too, except for remembering that Sterling wanted to be able to tune the resonant frequencies. It wasn't entirely about sustainable materials, although that was a part of the equation.

When he returns from NAFTA-land, he can tell you what materials were tested and why they didn't work. He's told me before, but those were late night conversations fueled by certain adult beverages, and I don't want to misquote him.

When in doubt, remain quiet.

But it's a good question, and I look forward to the discussion.

 

[Psychicpet]

absolutely good topic. Good point by Steve B, how eco-friendly are some of these composite materials? I do think however that the use of basswood is not entirely bad. it seems quite quick to grow and is not endangered and with proper harvesting wouldn't pose a threat to the local eco system it's plucked from. So the use of basswood is seemingly sustainable(from my narrow horticultural/arbourous knowledge) if not poetic in the least.
but I think it would definitely put the F U in funky if a Bongo was to be made out of graphite like a Status Stealth or the weirdo-kooky Basslabs stuff from Deutscheland(sp?)

 

[Aussie Mark]

I'm guessing that manufacturing synthetic plastic-like substances does a lot more damage to the planet than utilising renewable plantation timber.

 

[EasyTiger]

I know Gibs*n have their smart wood guitars, which are made out of different wood to their standard guitars, a wood that ment to be more readily avaible then most woods, but you don't see many of them around. Proberly beacuse a Les Pa*l sounds like it does because of the woods used in it.

Modulus basses use graphite compisit on the necks of all their basses, some have a full graphite neck, while some use a graphite strip through the middle of a wooden neck so help the neck stay straight, but I don't know if this would be considere enviromentaly friendly, because I don't know the process.

If there's was some sort of "Enviromentaly Friendly" Music Man, that I thought would really make some sort of difference, I'd buy one straight away

 

[EasyTiger]

I dont see the need in using non wood stuff, as mentioned, basses/guitars take up a tiny percentage of wood usage.[/QUOTE]


But some companys are using woods that are much harder to come by then your Ash and Alder. Warwick and companys like that use some really strange African woods that aren't that comon. I love the look of the woods that warwick use....pitty most of the basses are a bit phallic

(EDIT) and don't sound as good as my Ray

 

[maddog]

But some companys are using woods that are much harder to come by then your Ash and Alder. Warwick and companys like that use some really strange African woods that aren't that comon. I love the look of the woods that warwick use....pitty most of the basses are a bit phallic

(EDIT) and don't sound as good as my Ray

I'm not so sure that much worry is needed for some of them strange African woods.

According to the following links, bubinga and wenge aren't considered rare or exotic in africa:

http://www.exotichardwoods-africa.com/wenge.htm

http://www.exotichardwoods-africa.com/bubinga.htm

I'm perfectly happy with basswood. Basswood, 2 syllables. Bongo, 2 syllables. Both start with the letter "b". It was meant to be.