The best wood for a bass body depends on what you care about most. Alder is the balanced, all-round choice. Ash is brighter and more open. Basswood is the lightest and has a warm, even midrange. Mahogany is warm and thick, and usually the heaviest of the four. Your pickups, electronics and hands shape the sound more than the wood does, so for most players the honest deciding factors are weight, feel and the look you want.
We build every McGrath bass body in one of these four woods in our two-person shop in San Diego. Here is how we think about each one.
How much does body wood change the sound?
Less than the internet suggests, but not nothing. On an electric bass, the pickups, the preamp and your amp do most of the work. The body wood adds a subtle tilt to the attack and sustain, and you will hear it most when playing unplugged or through a clean, flat rig.
Where wood makes a clear, measurable difference is weight and balance. A heavier body can feel solid and planted. A lighter one is easier on your shoulder over a long gig. If you are torn between two woods for tone, let weight break the tie.
Alder: the balanced all-rounder
Alder is the classic choice for P and J style basses for good reason. It has a full, even voice with a strong fundamental and nothing sticking out too far. It works with almost any pickup and sits well in a band mix.
For reference, our in-stock McGrath P in Coffee has an alder body and a 34" scale and weighs 7.8 lbs. Our Thunderhorse 5-string in Black Sands is also alder, with a 32" scale and three pickups, and weighs 9.2 lbs.
Choose alder if you want a safe, versatile body that does everything well.
Ash: brighter and more open
Ash tends toward a snappier attack, a little more top end and a slightly scooped, open midrange. Players who use a lot of fingerstyle funk, slap or bright roundwound strings often like what it adds. It also has a pronounced grain that looks great under a stain or translucent finish.
Choose ash if you like a lively, articulate sound and want the grain to show.
Basswood: the lightest option
Basswood is the lightest body wood we offer. Its voice is warm with a smooth, focused midrange, and it takes active electronics and multiple pickups very well. It is also a fine surface for paint, which suits Madelyn's hand-painted art finishes.
Our in-stock Thunderhorse 5-string in Lavender uses a basswood body. Even with three pickups, the McGrath Switch, the Tilt EQ and a 34" scale, it weighs 8.8 lbs.
Choose basswood if comfort and low weight matter most, or if you are planning a painted finish.
Mahogany: warm and thick
Mahogany has a dark, rounded voice with plenty of low mids and a soft top end. It suits vintage-flavoured tones, rock and anyone who rolls the tone knob back. It is usually the heaviest of our four woods, so it pairs well with a shorter scale or a 4-string if weight is a concern. You can see an example in our first mahogany bass.
Choose mahogany if you want warmth first and don't mind a little extra weight.
How to choose
- Want one bass for every gig? Alder.
- Love slap, bite and visible grain? Ash.
- Back or shoulder trouble, or long sets? Basswood.
- Chasing a dark, vintage tone? Mahogany.
Then match the wood to the rest of the build. Pickups matter more than wood, so read our guides on choosing bass pickups and active vs passive electronics. Scale length also affects weight and feel; see short, medium or long scale.
Common questions
Which bass body wood is lightest?
Of the four we offer, basswood is the lightest. The Bass Builder shows an estimated weight for your exact build as you design it.
What about the neck and fingerboard woods?
Every McGrath neck is roasted flame maple with dual carbon fiber reinforcement, with a roasted maple or ebony fingerboard and stainless steel frets. The body is where you choose between alder, ash, basswood and mahogany.
Does the wood matter if I'm getting a hand-painted finish?
Yes, for weight and feel, and a little for tone. Under Madelyn's paint the grain won't show, so pick on weight and sound rather than looks.
Design yours
You can pick your body wood, along with layout, pickups, scale and finish, in the Bass Builder. Builds start at $1,999 and currently take about 4 months, with a 25% deposit to reserve your slot. We confirm every spec with you personally before we start, so if you are unsure which wood suits you, just ask. Want something sooner? Browse our in-stock instruments.
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