Basswood Body Soloist

[Doughboy]

I'm thinking of getting a Basswood body maple cap soloist w/ a flame maple neck. I've never had a basswood body before & have no idea what they sound like. John Suhr claims that a basswood body, maple cap & maple neck is THE holy grail of tone.

Anyone here have 1st hand experience with such a combo?

 

[AutoBat]

It's a solid choice of shredders.

 

[Doughboy]

It's a solid choice of shredders.

What if you're not a shredder. I like high tech playing, but also like a warm thick, but clear & defined tone. I've heard that basswood can sound weak & thin.

 

[AGWAN]

I always thought Basswood was a junky wood. used on cheap and toneless guitars.

if I'm wrong please correct me.

but I avoid Basswood and agathis like the plague.

 

[Doughboy]

I always thought Basswood was a junky wood. used on cheap and toneless guitars.

if I'm wrong please correct me.

but I avoid Basswood and agathis like the plague.

It can't be that junky if John Suhr says the following:

Basswood Back / Quilt or Flame Maple Top – Okay, this may be the Holy Grail of tone. The Basswood response is extended by a 3/16" Maple top adding more clarity and grind to the fatness of the Basswood, this combination is our favorite! Usually colors chosen will be opaque on the back with transparent colors on the top – LP style. It's most excellent with a one-piece Maple neck.

 

[AGWAN]

well, I'm not a fan of Suhr.

maybe if I played one. I'd think differently.

but all I see on the site is cheesy looking guitars with ugly headstocks.

 

[JaySwear]

basswood has a horrible rep that it really doesn't deserve. cheap basswood (used on $150 guitars that want to advertise "real SOLID wood") is pretty terrible. lots of knots, soft, and all over the place as far as how many pieces used, etc. good basswood is awesome. absolutely love it. it's a light wood, it's almost always clear as glass, and lets the pickups really shine through. it doesn't color the sound too much itself, and i've found that all my guitars with basswood bodies really responded to pickup changes.

LOVE basswood. if i get the chance to order myself a 3rd warmoth then it'll most likely be basswood.

my RG570 was basswood. not too trebly, and was perfect for 80's hair metal with the bridge pickup. the neck was clean and clear, not muddy at all. same with my peavey wolfgang standard, which had a flame maple top and basswood body. maple neck, of course. most usable neck pickup sounds i've ever had in a guitar!

 

[Disco Scottie]

well, I'm not a fan of Suhr.

maybe if I played one. I'd think differently.

but all I see on the site is cheesy looking guitars with ugly headstocks.

My Suhr is THEE best bolt-on I've ever played. Ever.

You need to look with your hands and ears, not your eyes...

 

[Mor Paul]

LOVE basswood. if i get the chance to order myself a 3rd warmoth then it'll most likely be basswood.

*counts fingers*
Soloist
Tele Deluxe
Tila Tequila

 

[JaySwear]

LOVE basswood. if i get the chance to order myself a 3rd warmoth then it'll most likely be basswood.

*counts fingers*
Soloist
Tele Deluxe
Tila Tequila

:icon_biggrin: i was thinking more thinline or tele custom. it'll have a tele bigsby, whatever it ends up being. i've got the telecaster fever. and the only cure is more telecaster.

 

[AGWAN]

well, I'm not a fan of Suhr.

maybe if I played one. I'd think differently.

but all I see on the site is cheesy looking guitars with ugly headstocks.

My Suhr is THEE best bolt-on I've ever played. Ever.

You need to look with your hands and ears, not your eyes...

its a good thing that is exactly what I said then, isn't it?

 

[Disco Scottie]

well, I'm not a fan of Suhr.

maybe if I played one. I'd think differently.

but all I see on the site is cheesy looking guitars with ugly headstocks.

My Suhr is THEE best bolt-on I've ever played. Ever.

You need to look with your hands and ears, not your eyes...

its a good thing that is exactly what I said then, isn't it?

Indeed! If I were nearby, I'd bring mine over for you to check out. Unfortunately there aren't a ton of stores that stock them, so it's tough to get a hands-on. I bought mine barely used off of eBay for a super cheap price, figuring I'd give it a shot, and if I didn't like it I could probably sell it for a few extra bucks. I quickly discovered that this guitar will be buried with me. Not only is the guitar great, the Suhr pickups are amazing as well.

I'm curious about your opinion of them, visually speaking. I know you don't like the headstock shape, but what else about them makes them "cheesy?"

 

[Doughboy]

I'd have to say that next to my Warmoths, I'd only consider buying a Tom Anderson or a Suhr, as an off the shelf brand name guitar. The reason I haven't is that they are still not exactly to my specs like a Warmoth & they cost 2x as much. But if price was no object, I'd have many Anderson & Suhrs in my collection.

 

[AndyG]

Ibanez has been using basswood forever ... and those old Roadstars were decent guitars.  I think what sets basswood apart from the "Strat" woods like alder and ash is its midrange charateristics.  That's why it is considered a shredder guitar wood ... it has a "bite" in the 1-2kHz range.

The only bad thing I've ever heard about basswood is that because it is a softer wood, it tends to dent easily.   But for what its worth, I have an old Roadstar RS530 (basswood) that I put a Warmoth Goncolo Alves neck onto, and it sounds amazing.

 

[swarfrat]

I've also known local jazz guitarists who swear by the stuff.

 

[AGWAN]

I'm curious about your opinion of them, visually speaking. I know you don't like the headstock shape, but what else about them makes them "cheesy?"

its all a matter of taste. for me the headstock is HUGELY unnatractive. but after that its just the coloration finish combo's. and the near fender-ness.

I have odd tastes. and I generally try to avoid most traditional guitars appearances.

they lack aesthetic creativity.

which I am aware says nothing of the build quality.

 

[Doughboy]

I'm curious about your opinion of them, visually speaking. I know you don't like the headstock shape, but what else about them makes them "cheesy?"

its all a matter of taste. for me the headstock is HUGELY unnatractive. but after that its just the coloration finish combo's. and the near fender-ness.

I have odd tastes. and I generally try to avoid most traditional guitars appearances.

they lack aesthetic creativity.

which I am aware says nothing of the build quality.

I don't know. This Suhr is HUGELY attractive

 

[AGWAN]

yep. not creative. I'm sure its a great guitar.

just... I yawn

the yawn might leave if i held one. but... for now...

Zzzz

 

[Disco Scottie]

I'm curious about your opinion of them, visually speaking. I know you don't like the headstock shape, but what else about them makes them "cheesy?"

its all a matter of taste. for me the headstock is HUGELY unnatractive. but after that its just the coloration finish combo's. and the near fender-ness.

I have odd tastes. and I generally try to avoid most traditional guitars appearances.

they lack aesthetic creativity.

which I am aware says nothing of the build quality.

I don't know. This Suhr is HUGELY attractive

Oh yeah.

I hear where you're coming from, Agwan. We all have likes and dislikes... but I see lots of Warmoth builds that look like they could have come out of the Suhr catalog.  :glasses9:

 

[Doughboy]

yep. not creative. I'm sure its a great guitar.

just... I yawn

the yawn might leave if i held one. but... for now...

Zzzz

More to your tastes?