Appendix A
Glossary of Related Terms
Alembic
Reprinted from Bass Player, "The Quest for Tone - From Alembic to Zon", by Michael Tobias with
permission. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
One of the first and finest of the alternative bass companies was founded in California nearly 25 years
ago. Since the early '70s, Alembic has specialized in building incredible handmade instruments. By
carefully selecting and laminating appropriate pieces of wood, Alembic's builders are able to construct an
instrument that has enhanced stability and even tone. They use neck-through-body construction to avoid
losing any energy to the neck joint. "Our goal is avoiding construction compromises that sap energy from
the string," says Ron Wickersham. "We want to reflect energy back from the ends of the string, to
enhance passive sustain and to produce even sustain over the largest possible frequency range. Our
approach is to eliminate, as much as possible, the effects of the materials from which the instrument is
constructed. We try to achieve a uniform terminating platform for the string, one that's as neutral as
possible, so the raw signal from the magnetic pickups contains the full gamut of sounds." Alembic favors
laminated necks made of maple and purpleheart. Ron's personal favorite for body wood is cocobolo, for
both looks and tone.
F bass
Canadian builder George Furlanetto builds the exotic F Bass, which is preferred by Alain Caron and other
top players up north. George feels that one of the most important elements of tone production is the way
the strings vibrate, which is a function of the woods used and the proportions of their combination.
George's favorite is a bolt-on maple neck with a maple fingerboard and an ash body. "This produces a lot
of snap," he says. "It has a very lively string sound, bright but not too harsh, with lots of lows and highs
and very little midrange. This combination produces a great slap sound; in fact, it's good for just about
anything except fretless. Of course, this preference will probably change as my musical tastes change
and my ears adjust."
Fender
As with most large, established companies, Fender is to some degree driven by the expectations of its
market. Over the years, we have all come to expect a certain look, feel, and sound from a Fender bass--
so much so that, in my opinion, Fender has defined the state of the instrument.
In pioneering the electric bass, Fender developed a consistent design and production philosophy that has
had a huge impact on the bass market. The standard Fender bass is made of a bolt-on maple neck--one
piece maple or maple with a rosewood fingerboard--and an alder body. Fender has tried many other
combinations over the years, but this one has proven to be the most popular.
According to John Page of the Fender Custom Shop, his builders are now experimenting with alternative
materials and both neck-through and set-in construction. (A set-in instrument has its neck glued to the
body.) When asked about hardware, John said he feels a bridge with a thin steel plate allows the bass to
"speak" better than one with more mass. He also thinks that a tough, thin finish is better for tone
production.
The main challenge facing the Custom Shop and Fender R&D in current and future designs is living up to
the legacy of Leo Fender. As John put it, they are trying to design instruments that are "uniquely familiar."
Fodera
Reprinted from Bass Player, "The Quest for Tone - From Alembic to Zon", by Michael Tobias with
permission. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Vinnie Fodera and Joey Lauricella have been building fine handmade basses at Fodera Guitars since
1983. Each instrument is made to order in their Brooklyn shop, and they allow the customer to choose
everything except body shape and electronics.
Vinnie likes a three-piece laminated-maple neck for looks, tone, and stability. He prefers Honduras
mahogany topped with exotic hardwood for the body, although he has also used ash, alder, maple, and
walnut to tailor instruments to the requirements of his customer. He notes that when you laminate body
woods of similar weights and densities--like a swamp-ash body with a 1/4" chestnut -burl top--the bass
does not sound substantially different from one without the top.
For finishing, Fodera would prefer to use nitrocellulose lacquer; this isn't practical, however, because of
environmental concern. (Nitrocellulose lacquer has a solvent base that is an air pollutant.) Consequently,
Fodera is currently using a water-borne urethane lacquer. Vinnie usually specifies brass for his custom
bridges, although he has used other metals on certain instruments.
Modulus Graphite
Reprinted from Bass Player, "The Quest for Tone - From Alembic to Zon", by Michael Tobias with
permission. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Geoff Gould, as Modulus Graphite's founder, was the first to fabricate a graphite neck, which was first
used as OEM equipment on an Alembic bass. Graphite is a dimensionally stable material, and one of the
main reasons to use it is that it forms a neck so stiff and rigid there is virtually no energy lost to the neck.
Modulus builds basses that have both through-body and bolt-on necks made of graphite.
Sustain can be increased by adding mass or rigidity; at some point, though, additional mass can deaden
an instrument--not to mention make it uncomfortable to play. That's why graphite, with its superior rigidity,
offers builders new possibilities. Graphite, when combined with certain woods, can yield spectacular
results. Geoff's favorite bass is a combination of cocobola and alder with a graphite neck; he feels this
yields a full, round, yet extremely articulate low end and clear, sparkling treble. Geoff also believes an
extended scale length contributes to clarity; consequently, all Modulus basses have a standard scale of
35" (1" longer than the scale of most basses).
Music Man
Reprinted from Bass Player, "The Quest for Tone - From Alembic to Zon", by Michael Tobias with
permission. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
The first Music Man basses were designed by Leo Fender several years after he sold Fender to CBS in
1965. Today, Music Man instruments are made by Ernie Ball at the company's factory in San Luis
Obispo, California; I checked in with production manager Dudley Gimpel to get his views on tone.
Music Man uses swamp ash, poplar, and alder for bodies. They feel ash produces a woody tone, rich in
harmonics, with a somewhat rolled-off low end. Poplar, on the other hand, offers a fat, well-defined low
end: "This is the wood that means punch yet produces plenty of highs to cut through," says Gimpel. Alder
is seen as a compromise between the two, with great midrange and presence.
Music Man makes only bolt-on instruments. "I'm convinced bolt-on necks were originally designed for
ease of manufacturing," notes Gimpel, "and the resulting sound turned out to be not only acceptable but
unique in character." The necks on Music Man basses are made of maple and have fingerboards of
maple, rosewood, or pau Ferro (for fretless). Rosewood produces a stronger fundamental than maple,
Dudley says, but maple is smoother and brighter.
On the subject of hardware, Gimpel feels that "mass is a factor, but it's not a matter of more or less;
rather, it's a matter of finding the right amount to suit your purpose. And as far as finish goes, the bottom
line in manufacturing is to make a beautiful yet durable product. Our goal is to provide a finish that sounds
good, offers lasting protection, and displays well on the dealer's wall."
Pedulla
Reprinted from Bass Player, "The Quest for Tone - From Alembic to Zon", by Michael Tobias with
permission. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Michael Pedulla believes instrument making, like instrument playing, is an art. "We all try to meet the
needs of individual players in various ways," he says. Michael likes to focus on the overall tone created by
different combinations of materials, and he makes several models at his plant in Massachusetts. The
mainstay of the line has a three-piece maple through-body neck with an ebony fingerboard and maple
body wings. To add some sweetness and warmth to this bright combination, Pedulla recently switched
from a bridge made of white metal (zinc or aluminum alloy) to one of machined brass. The fretless version
of this bass, known as the Buzz, is widely respected for its quick attack, low-mid response, and "growl."
Pedulla's newest model has a five-piece neck made of maple and bubinga; Michael feels this combination
centers the tone a bit lower in the frequency range. His favorite body combination is a bubinga top with a
soft-maple back.
Rickenbacker
Reprinted from Bass Player, "The Quest for Tone - From Alembic to Zon", by Michael Tobias with
permission. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
This venerable company, which traces its roots back before World War II, pioneered the development of
the neck-through bass in the late '50s. Rickenbacker basses, in the hands of such notable players as
Chris Squire and Paul McCartney, added a new dimension to the sound of rock & roll.
Rick has long been known for its 4000 series, which features a laminated maple neck and maple body
wings. The company has also been successful with other combinations, including a maple neck with
walnut body wings and a maple neck with vermilion body wings (their brightest combination).
John Hall of Rickenbacker feels that the right wood combinations help their basses to cut through in
difficult playing situations. He notes that Rick laminates as many as six pieces in the neck to help balance
performance and stability. (He says he hears little or no difference attributable to the number of
laminates.) John also feels it's important not to focus on just one aspect of construction, noting that the
way everything is combined is probably more important than any single factor.
Rickenbacker has been experimenting with a new synthetic finishing material, in order to be in
compliance with The tough emissions requirements mandate in southern California while still producing
beautiful instruments. They have also developed a new bridge that improves tone while remaining
consistent with Rickenbacker tradition.
Sadowsky
Reprinted from Bass Player, "The Quest for Tone - From Alembic to Zon", by Michael Tobias with
permission. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Roger Sadowsky is renowned for building high-quality basses that epitomize the "New York Sound." He
favors bolt-on instruments in several combinations: An alder body with a maple neck and a pau ferro
(morado) fingerboard is what he calls "my re-creation of an early-'60s L-series Jazz Bass, which is, for
me, the ultimate vintage bass." Roger also likes the combination of swamp ash with a maple neck and
maple fingerboard for funk, and he says a thin maple top on an ash body with a maple neck and pau ferro
fingerboard produces a "middle-ground bass with the best look."
Roger's affinity for bolt-on instruments is based on his perception that they have more punch and cut as
well as a tighter low end. He generally prefers non-laminated bodies; the exception is his bass with a
figured-maple top. (Since the top is only 1/8" thick, he feels it doesn't have much effect on the sound.)
Roger also like to put a separate maple fingerboard on a maple neck, rather than having a one-piece
neck; he says this makes the neck stiffer.
Stevens Electric Instruments
Reprinted from Bass Player, "The Quest for Tone - From Alembic to Zon", by Michael Tobias with
permission. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Texas-based builder and repairman Michael Stevens worked at the Fender Custom Shop from 1987 to
1990. As might be expected, his favorite combination is an alder body with a maple neck and rosewood
fingerboard. "I like wenge for necks, too," he says, "either solid or laminated, and light-to-medium-weight
ash for bodies. I've also made some quilted-maple bodies with good success."
Stevens feels that punch comes from the stiffness of the neck: a soft neck absorbs string energy, robbing
the instrument of tone. The ability to cut through is also enhanced by a stiff neck (on the bass, not the
bass player). Michael favors set-in necks because they are more solid than bolt-ons, but he doesn't like
the sound when the bridge is connected to the neck, as it is on a neck-through. He likes to use graphite
laminate under the fingerboard. Concerning hardware, Stevens says that lighter bridges are better
because they don't interfere with body vibration; his are made from aircraft-grade aluminum. He also feels
that tone is improved by running the strings through the body.
Stuart Spector Design
Reprinted from Bass Player, "The Quest for Tone - From Alembic to Zon", by Michael Tobias with
permission. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Highly respected bass-maker Stuart Spector is now working with luthier Joe Veillette in Woodstock, New
York. They favor the tone of multiple-ply maple necks and solid soft-maple body parts. On a neck-
through, this combination seems to yield a balance between brightness, bottom, and a rich midrange.
They also use a massive machined-brass bridge.
Recently, Stuart and Joe have been experimenting with laminates of fancy maple of softer backs (such as
swamp ash). In their configuration, this seems to produce a tone akin to that of an old P-Bass. They've
also been trying composite reinforcement of laminated maple necks; they feel this enhances the low-end
resonance while retaining the wood tone.
Steinberger
Reprinted from Bass Player, "The Quest for Tone - From Alembic to Zon", by Michael Tobias with
permission. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Ned Steinberger, designer and founder of Steinberger Sound, entered the field of bass-making from a
radically different direction. Approaching instrument design as an engineering problem, he pioneered the
headless bass made of composite materials. In Ned's opinion, the most important elements of tone are
(1) strings, (2) structure, (3) pickups, and (4) electronics. At the heart of his analysis is the way the
structure of the instrument affects string vibration.
Steinberger initially made instruments that were all-composite, using a combination of carbon and glass
fiber in a polymer resin, molded to shape. By designing an instrument that was extremely rigid and
somewhat massive, without being cumbersome, he came up with a bass that generated a unique,
brilliant, and very articulate tone. Ned also likes to concentrate mass at the bridge because that's the one
place where every note on the instrument ends; he feels this contributes to the clarity of the sound.
Ned says the neck is more critical to tone than the body--although both are important. The original L-
series Steinbergers, which were 100% composite, had the most radical tone. To respond to a wider
variety of preferences, wooden bodies were added to the Steinberger catalog; the current line features a
selection of wood/composite and solid-composite instruments that offer a wide range of tones.
Zon
Reprinted from Bass Player, "The Quest for Tone - From Alembic to Zon", by Michael Tobias with
permission. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Joe Zon is another pilgrim on the quest for tone. He specializes in blending graphite necks with traditional
woodworking. His line includes basses with both bolt-on and set-in necks. In Joe's opinion, the body
material has the greatest effect on the voicing of the instrument. His favorite combination is a graphite
set-in neck with an all-wood body. "This design achieves the perfect balance between the warmth of
wood and the definition of graphite," he says. Joe feels the combinations that work the best in a band are
the ones that give an instrument a stronger voice in the lower midrange. " It's a more articulate tone that
seems to be better able to cut through the wash of sound."
