is it my imagination?

[eb2]

I think the correct way to look at is to think if it is of crap quality it is plywood.  If it is of good quality it is a multi-wood laminate.  In the right Chinese factory, the seem to be using quality laminate construction.

Not to veer too far off, but apparently our Chinese friends are doing very accurate reproductions of German WWII uniforms and equipment.  Perhaps a nice Col Klink Luftwaffe outfit to walk around your favorite ME262 in?  I think China is fascinating.

[Dave W]

I think the correct way to look at is to think if it is of crap quality it is plywood.  If it is of good quality it is a multi-wood laminate....

  Ain't that the truth!

[Freuds_Cat]

There's cheap plywood, there's high quality aircraft-grade plywood and a lot in between.

The Kubicki necks are made of a bunch of thin layers, but that doesn't make them plywood. Is the grain of each layer at a right angle to the adjacent layers? Are the layers bonded in the type of heat/high pressure process used in plywood making? I don't think so.

OTOH that Epi control cavity pic looks like plywood, not cutting tool marks.

Nothing's necessarily wrong with plywood, it's just been long associated with some cheap guitars and basses where it was used to cut costs.

If it sounds good, that's fine.

Yeah, I'm with you on all counts here Dave. The bass does sound good regardless, but it is definitely plywood.  The grain of each layer is at a right angle to the adjacent layers. The feathering of each second layer is caused by the 90 o shift in the direction of the grain not by the routing bit.

I agree there is a big difference between laminated body and neck woods and plywood, apart from other things the direction of the grain from one layer to the next.

Doesn't matter, she cost bugger all, looks nice, plays well and overall sounds good. It is a long way from a late 60's EB-3 but then I dont have that expectation of her.

[Freuds_Cat]

nice pup job though.

what is the measurement from the 12th fret to the center of the bridge pup?

318mm

[sniper]

318mm

thanks for the measurement and i'm considering the same mod.

point being, i was pleasently suprised and i like my little Epi.

[Freuds_Cat]

My main issue with this isn't really the plywood. Its the fact that on the Epi website it tells you that you are getting a Mahogany body but you are not.




Even the EB-0 bass package declares the body Basswood.




Maybe its plywood made from Basswood? 

[sniper]

i agree with you whole heartedly, but i would realy like to KNOW what i've got. bets are on basswood when i find out.

couldn't be any worse than an old kalamazoo caliber but even that wasn't too bad a bass from what i've read as i have never played one; it is serving its purpose though and doing it rather inexpensively.

 

From the Warmoth site:

"Basswood (Tilia americana):
This is a lighter weight wood normally producing Strat® bodies under 4 lbs. The color is white, but often has nasty green mineral streaks in it. This is a closed-grain wood, but it can absorb a lot of finish. This is not a good wood for clear finishes since there is little figure. It is quite soft, and does not take abuse well. Sound-wise, Basswood has a nice, growley, warm tone with good mids. A favorite tone wood for shredders in the 80s since its defined sound cuts through a mix well."

 

[Dave W]

My main issue with this isn't really the plywood. Its the fact that on the Epi website it tells you that you are getting a Mahogany body but you are not.


Even the EB-0 bass package declares the body Basswood.


Maybe its plywood made from Basswood? 

There is mahogany plywood, although typical hardwood plywood doesn't have hardwood core layers. I've never heard of basswood plywood.

I haven't seen any Asian factories ever claiming to use genuine mahogany (Swietenia species) anyway. I know some of the upper end instruments have used khaya (African mahogany) which is a good wood and actually in the same family. From everything I've read, the lower priced guitars sold as mahogany are probably lauan or nato.

I agree that Epi shoudl be clear about what they're selling.

[Barklessdog]

which is a good wood and actually in the same family.

Actually they are totally different species of trees with a similar type of wood-

African mahogany

Of particular note, when specifying mahogany, caveat emptor. While the Latin botanical names for various wood species are fixed, common names are often changed for species imported into the U.S. under the guise of marketing. One species may be named mahogany based on a similar appearance, although no genetic relationship exists. African Mahogany, from the family Khaya ivorensis or K.anthotheca, is primarily found in the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Nigeria. Sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum) is also marketed as African Mahogany and grows in the countries of Cameroon and Zaire

[Pilgrim]

I dunno - I'm not where I can look at it, but the EB-0 I'm selling has the clear cherry finish and it sure looks one piece to me, as does the body on the EB-3 I just bought.  Both are well assembled and the EB-0 required minimal adjustment to get it set up for my taste. 

I have a Kay KB-2 SG-clone that's definitely laminate, and it sounds like a bass.  The fretless I custom-painted turned out to have a laminate body, but the sound is great as far as I'm concerned.

I'm not convinced that different woods make much difference in sound, nor that laminate is a reason to avoid a bass. Others may disgree on both counts.
 

[Dave W]

Actually they are totally different species of trees with a similar type of wood-

African mahogany

Of particular note, when specifying mahogany, caveat emptor. While the Latin botanical names for various wood species are fixed, common names are often changed for species imported into the U.S. under the guise of marketing. One species may be named mahogany based on a similar appearance, although no genetic relationship exists. African Mahogany, from the family Khaya ivorensis or K.anthotheca, is primarily found in the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Nigeria. Sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum) is also marketed as African Mahogany and grows in the countries of Cameroon and Zaire

Both the swietenia species and khaya are in the Meliaceae family. Different genuses (genera?) and species, of course. But they are "all in the family."

I've never heard of sapele being marketed as anything but sapele.

[sniper]

simply judging from my uncovered control cavity , i don't think mine is ply as it is really smooth on the routed sides (wish i had my camera!!!) but i doubt it is Mahogany. i was thinking of Basswood or its Chinese/Asian equivilant.

however, the first EPI EBO (the Malaysian/Indonesian one) i had was "layered" on the sides of the neck routing much like the pictures of the cavity sides posted earlier. i will take some snaps then i get moved back to Springfield in Feb. i loaned my camera to daughter to take pics of Jaden and he took his first steps last week.

almost time to order high heeled laceup boots from Seattle and spandex from Germany so i can start his bass lessons.

[doombass]

Those pics clearly explains why they skipped the see through cherry finish on the Chinese EB-0. On my Korean made (Dec '97)
you can clearly see the wood grain which looks like Mahogany but probably is something else.

[Freuds_Cat]

Not specifically Gibophone related but a lot of the Indonesian made instruments coming into Oz claim to be made of Agathis. Some descriptions say it consists of 21 different types of tree ranging from Malaysia down through Indonesia, Australia to New Zealand (Called Kauri).  Strangely  I have read a few different descriptions where it is describes as a Mahogany type wood and others claiming it to be Basswood

Interestingly the 3 or 4 Indonesian varieties all get listed as endangered. 

[Dave W]

From what I've read, the "agathis" in those lower end guitars is actually a common Asian pine species. NTTAWWT.