Here’s some more insights 
Gotta say that Glenn is only talking about tone in metal music though 
3 Likes
Yeah, I get too lazy to back read often., my bad
2 Likes
He made some good points (also for tone in general). I personally agree with him on this subject but as always YMMV.
2 Likes
Maybe all the nuanced tone qualities matter more to some as they are playing for themselves in their house. A lot of hobbyists don’t play with bands, don’t mix down their bass in a tune, or, if they do, is a small percentage of their playing time. Maybe they just want to hear certain tonal characteristics in their home practicing recording.
It’s not all about the final mix for everyone.
5 Likes
Sure. And the little differentiating characteristics of instruments factor a lot in to how we feel about them, both tangible and intangible things really.
By the same token, it’s really unlikely to be something worth religiously debating. Of all the hills to die on…
3 Likes
Just for comparison’s sake, here’s a YT video I found some time ago about making a guitar out of CONCRETE:
Hope yall enjoy!
Cheers
Joe
4 Likes
I saw one of these old Soviet basses I was looking at has a neck made of beech and the body might have been, too 
I read a Dutch company did it, too, and most of them are warped and unplayable at this point (likely supposition…). Another said they had a guitar that was so heavy it was “like strapping on a grand piano” 
I’ve seen the concrete guitar video, but I don’t remember if YouTube recommended it or if it’s a repost
What tonal qualities do these materials impart? I never hear about anyone talking about the tone of the old lucite/acrylic instruments of the 60s or 70s or whenever. Just how they looked or were “cool” 
The last person I spoke to only regretted selling his when he did, due to their value now. Some companies are using carbon fiber; how does it sound? Do people find them sterile in some way? What did people think of that brass Ibanez? Other than it being heavy af… There’s an aluminum guitar kit on Etsy right now.
Wood is certainly a cheap, readily available, and easy to work material for making musical instruments, though. I came across an interesting article when searching for “how many trees are in a guitar”
It’s only one article but I think it does highlight some important issues regarding the use of woods.
People just like to argue about stuff, it does’t matter if it makes a difference, they just want people to validate their beliefs 
The most I care about a body wood is how it looks if it doesn’t have a solid finish and how it balances the bass. Fingerboard wood I don’t care about unless it’s on a fretless and then I like non-wood products like Ebanol better.
2 Likes
Like I said on another post, I passed on two basses this week. One because it was heavy, due to the Mahogany body, and the other because it was a $200 p bass, with a pine body. And pine dings really easy.
I think the woods make a huge difference in the instrument, just not for tone. A quarter sawn neck is highly resistent to moisture for instance.
3 Likes
Warwick did a run of basses with pine ( sorry Carolina) body which would ding if you looked at it the wrong way @Wombat-metal .
1 Like
I have no experience with it as a tone wood, but I built a log cabin once and pine dings if a fly lands on it, so I extrapolated
2 Likes
Most Rockbasses in fact, and they are still making them this way. I’ve owned two.
2 Likes
I didn’t know that @howard . I’m sure my Infinity RB was marketed as maple but not I’m going to have to check it out
3 Likes
Yeah it’s not all of them but it’s a lot of them. All of the Streamers I think (even the NT, though the core of the NT is obviously not Carolena)
edit: nope the NT is Alder.
1 Like
The Infinity is alder too with a maple veneer top so I dodged a bullet with both my Rock Basses . Thanks for the heads up though as I do occasionally browse the RBs on eBay etc
FWIW I didn’t have any problems with my Streamers at all. And the Carolena is super light; 3.4kg total for my Streamer LX4. Loved it.
1 Like
The Idolmaker I passed on is just shy of 5 kilos
2 Likes
Ouch! Yeah solid mahogany on a warwick with that raised top contour… not destined to be light
1 Like
People pay good money to get guitars built that look like they been dinged and damaged over the years. For $200 you could have gotten a decent P bass, for a great price, and aged it quickly yourself. I mean, if it were a Squire or Peavey or something worthwhile. If it was a $200 bass that is not worth $200, then I agree with you.
Actually, I agree with your arguments completely, I am just offering another vantage point to the 2nd bass you passed on. I completely agree you should not get something that is too heavy and can cause back and shoulder and knee and feet pain if played for long periods.
But a cheap bass. you can beat up and and get looking aged rather quickly could be a plus, at least in some eyes.
I play the shit out of my Ray4. I play it most of any bass. I have had it at least 18 months by now, and it doesn’t look all that used.
obviously it doesn’t look brand new, and also, I don’t take it outside and go play gigs all the time, or anytime (yet), but the only real signs of use are the sheen that has overtaken the matte finish where my plucking arm rests on the body, a small area where my thumb wears out the pick guard print, and the neck is worn in from playing, but otherwise, its still mint.
and I obviously don’t want to bash it all over the place to destroy it, but I won’t mind when I get a ding in it.
I have one USA Fender that was built to look like it has been used since the 50’s. Most all my other basses are pretty much MINT with the acceptation to my LTD FRX-TA (Tom Araya Slayer bass), it came with a couple scuffs and dings, and to me, its what a Slayer bass should have.
I don’t want to destroy all my basses, and I don’t suggest anybody else does, but I don’t want to preserve ALL of them (some, yes), and I like to have a couple cheaper beaters that I can get beat up a little, cuz you know I have been, so why not have a bass with scars that match mine.
Again, I agree with what you are saying, and respect yours and everybody else opinion about woods for some reasons, almost ANY reason, OTHER then the fact they produce a better tone then another one does.
1 Like
Yeah, my Thumb weighs in the region of 10lbs !
I don’t find it too bad with a decent strap but I do play sat down the majority of the time