Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Dreaming... for now => Topic started by: tomhug on August 10, 2014, 10:17:05 AM
-
Generally speaking, which of the Standard Woods would contribute the least to the overall weight of a bass build?
California Walnut
Bubinga
Vermillion
Purple Heart
Flame Maple
Birds-eye Maple
Lacewood
Zebra wood
I'm specifically interested in the effect a top veneer would have on a 5-string Essence.
I also realize that the neck sandwich and the body wood will have a vastly more significant impact on final build weight.
-
Lacewood is the lightest and Purple Heart and Vermillion are heavier. Maple is variable: eastern hard maple is heavy; western big-leaf maple not so much. I had Bubinga bass and it was medium weight.
No experience with Zebrawood. Of course, my experiences may not be typical.
VMG
-
Guy I worked for had an Ed Reynolds bass with maple neck through solid bubinga body; it was a feather-weight, as I recall. (Very Alembic-like, actually, oval inlays & everything; does anybody know if Ed ever worked at the Mothership?)
Peter
-
Speaking from experience - avoid vermillion and purple heart - !
They have very rich colors, but are very dense / heavy.
You are correct - the neck recipe and the body core wood have a greater impact and the top veneer probably contributes least to overall weight.
Overall size / thickness of the body will also be a factor. An Essence has a smaller body than many of the other models, so you're looking in the right place there.
Sometimes a little more weight can be offset by overall balance.
For me, I'd rather have a heavier instrument that balances well than a lighter one with neck dive, etc.
-
Here's the average density of the standard woods:
California Walnut
Specific gravity = .60-.70
Bubinga
Specific gravity = .65-.80
Vermilion
Specific gravity = .65-.75
Purpleheart
Specific gravity = .75-.90
Western Flame Maple
Specific gravity = .55-.65
Eastern Maple (Bird's-eye)
Specific gravity = .65-.75
Lacewood
Specific gravity = .45-.65
Zebrawood
Specific gravity = .65-.75
You're right, the top laminate is only 1/4 thick, so while you will notice a difference in weight between the heaviest and lightest top woods, the neck and the main body wood will have a larger impact on the weight (and tone) of the bass.
Here's an example with the Essence bass. The original all-Maple Essence basses weighed about 8 pounds on average for a 4-string. My Essence is 10.75 pounds with a 7-piece Maple/Purpleheart neck, Cherry body and Kingwood top. This is in stark contrast to the 6.75 pound Zebrawood Essence in our showroom that has a Mahogany body, and a Mahogany, Walnut and Birch neck that feels like it is filled with helium!
-
Hey Mica, do you have any pics of this featherweight Essence?
-
Mica,
I'm surprised at the weight of your Essence. It didn't seem that heavy to me when I played it at the Chicago get gathering. It must be the size that makes it appear lighter.
Keith
-
...or the balance...
-
Mica,
I remember your beautiful Kingwood Essence at the Chicago gathering.
Keith I however seem to remember Mica\s bass as having a compact mass to the bass when Mica handed the bass to me briefly. Balanced (as referenced) yet dense... I\m sure it sounds great with those combinations of wood/body size.
-
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/402/196680.jpg)
It's purdy!
Another thing that makes my bass a bit heavy is the chunky neck carve I requested.
-
That is purdy! I have a soft spot for zebrawood since my first Alembic has a zebrawood top. I've also always wanted a super lightweight Alembic. What's the scale length on that one? Thanks, Mica!
-
Regular ol' long scale there.
Zebrawood on this top is very handsome - you can't really tell in this still image, but it's shimmery like crazy. Very nice example!
-
Sweet looking bass Mica. Is that your favourite Alembic body style?
-
I do love the Essence very much, but my heart belongs to the medium scale Series I Point body!
-
mica-
im ready.
J