Hello! I'm Oda, the Bass player!
This might come out of the blue, but have you ever heard the term “exotic wood”?
When it comes to woods commonly used for electric guitars and electric basses, alder, ash, mahogany, basswood, maple, rosewood, ebony, and walnut are the standard choices, right?
So, what does “exotic” mean? Literally translated, it means “foreign-style” or “unusual.”
While there isn’t a strict definition, it often refers to woods that are highly rare and have a unique appearance.
So, in this post, we’ll be introducing some “recommended Basses made with exotic woods” from the unique selection of instruments currently in stock at our store!
MGBass Extreman 5 Strings
“Padauk,” whose most striking feature is its eye-catching, vivid red color
This particular instrument also stands out for its deep, rich, and beautiful “red” color!
Over time, padauk gradually develops a subdued, reddish-brown hue. One of its charms is that it gains character the more you play it, allowing you to enjoy its gradual transformation.
As a tonewood, it is hard and dense, and is said to possess acoustic properties similar to those of rosewood.
While it doesn’t feature the flashy grain patterns typically associated with exotic woods, we’ve included it here as an example of a less conventional wood.
MGBass Africa 5 Strings
“Buckeye Burl”—a wood that makes a striking first impression
It features an irregular, mysterious pattern that looks almost like a painting, yet this natural color is achieved without any staining. High-end brands often take advantage of this unique grain by finishing the wood in vibrant colors.
“Buckeye” is a member of the horse chestnut family. “Burl” refers to the “knots” that form on tree trunks or at the base of the roots. This is why such irregular and complex patterns emerge.
Since no two pieces of wood have exactly the same grain pattern, each instrument has a very distinct character!
Because it is a very soft wood, it is primarily used as body top material for guitars and Basses.
This model features “Purpleheart” for the neck.
As the name suggests, it’s characterized by a vivid purple color. It’s an extremely hard wood, and is said to produce a sharp attack and rich sustain.
MGBass Desert 6-string
“Ziricote,” known for its striking black-and-white contrast
This model uses Ziricote for the fingerboard.
It’s also known as “Siamese Persimmon,” but it’s actually not a persimmon tree—it’s a tree from the Bignoniaceae family.
While the part closer to the center of the tree (heartwood) has a black hue with a wavy grain pattern, the outer part (sapwood) is white; therefore, depending on where the wood is cut, an unusual figure like this black-and-white pattern appears.
It is an extremely hard and heavy wood, and its tonal and textural characteristics are said to resemble those of ebony.
The whitish portion of the body top is “curly maple,” the dark portion is “wenge,” and “wenge” is also used for the neck.
MGBass Infinity 4-string NAMM Edition 2024
Extremely rare “Bastone Walnut”
This wood is a hybrid of two types of walnut—"Claro Walnut" and "English Walnut"—and, unlike standard walnut, features a dynamic, irregular, and undulating grain pattern.
It is also characterized by its greater hardness compared to standard walnut. Since this wood is not found in the wild but is created through natural crossbreeding, it is extremely scarce and a rare material that is rarely seen!
momose MJ24-MU-BC-TOCHI
Exotic to Western Eyes! “Tochi”
Even within the momose series, which actively incorporates Japanese woods, Tochi is a highly popular choice. Its major appeal lies in how the reflection of light changes depending on the viewing angle, making the grain appear to emerge in three dimensions. Additionally, since the wood itself has a white base color, it produces exceptionally vivid colors when finished with paint or other coatings.
In terms of sound, it is said to have just the right weight and moderate hardness, offering an easy-to-handle character without any strange quirks.
Ibanez BTB846SC
Actually, “Poplar Burl” is a species prone to burl formation
Poplar is found worldwide, and because of its light weight and soft texture, it’s often used for the bodies of lower-priced guitars and basses.
In fact, like back-eye poplar, it’s a species that’s prone to developing burl patterns. Since it’s easier to source than back-eye poplar, it’s also used as a top material for instruments in the relatively affordable price range.
Because it’s a fairly soft wood, it absorbs dye deeply, often resulting in a fantastical, deep-toned finish.
Fodera Monarch Elite 5
“Spalted Beech”: A Variety of Unique Characteristics
“Beech” is a tree in the Fagaceae family and is a wood commonly used for drums in musical instruments.
Wood that exhibits black, band-like patterns is called “spalted.”
These black patterns form when the wood is damaged for some reason, allowing rainwater to seep in and enabling fungi to take hold.
Because of the grain pattern formed in this way, the wood has low strength and has traditionally been considered difficult to work with in the lumber industry. However, since its high aesthetic value has come to be appreciated, it has increasingly been used in high-end furniture and craft products.
In the guitar and bass industry, it is primarily used for body tops. Whereas the “Buckeye Burl” and “Poplar Burl” mentioned earlier feature irregular grain patterns caused by knots, spalted wood is truly a natural painting created by fungi.
As a form of accidental art created by nature, it is a highly popular exotic wood.
Stradi Symphony VI
“Oak,” which is quite rare for electric Basses
Although it is not generally classified as an exotic wood, I’d like to highlight it here because it’s extremely rare in guitars and basses.
This model features “flamed maple” for the body top and “oak” for the body back.
Oak’s greatest characteristic is its hardness and weight, due to its very high density. In the musical instrument industry, this wood is often used for drumsticks and percussion instruments, taking advantage of its durability and high density.
When used for guitar or Bass bodies, it is almost always chambered; this Bass, for example, features a deep-chambered design with two layers of oak.
While oak possesses a clear, strong attack, and fast response similar to ash, it is not commonly used due to its weight and the difficulty of working with it.
This model, which fully utilizes oak’s characteristics as a tonewood while boasting artistic beauty, truly showcases Stradi’s exceptional instrument-making craftsmanship.
In this post, we’ve introduced models made with exotic and rare woods from our current in-store inventory. Each one has a completely different character—they’re truly one-of-a-kind!
The grain patterns, created by nature’s whims, make each instrument a truly unique piece—one of a kind in the world. Beyond their striking visual impact, the fact that the tonal nuances vary depending on the wood used is part of the fun of choosing an instrument.
If you’re thinking, “I’m intrigued by the look of this one!” or “I’d like to feel the weight and hear the sound for myself!” please feel free to stop by our store for a test play!
We’re also happy to answer any questions via email or chat!