Do you have a chambered ash Fender bass? What do you think of it?
Hi! I was hoping someone who owns a chambered ash Fender bass could share their thoughts on the build quality, structural integrity, and seasonal stability of the chambered ash body type.
Here's the "why," in case context matters:
I'm considering a Mod Shop Jazz Bass and am struggling a bit with some of the options. I'm sure I want a roasted maple neck and have a heavy lean toward the Vintage II '66 pickups. My main hangup is whether to go with alder, roasted ash, or chambered ash for the body.
The alder finishes I like best are almost too typical... like it wouldn't be worth going Mod Shop. It'd look great, sure! But if I go 3-tone sunburst, I feel like I might as well just get an off-the-shelf or used model at that rate. To me, Mod Shop should be unique or the cost isn't justified.
I think the roasted ash is rad but worry it might be "a bit much" if paired with a roasted maple neck (kinda "log cabin coffee table"), especially if I get a bad roll on the color tones. There's still a strong chance I go this direction; it has the potential to look amazing.
The 2-tone sunburst in chambered ash with a roasted neck seems like a home run, but I'm not really sure how comfortable I feel about a chambered bass, which is what brings me here...
- I'm not concerned about the tone differences of chambered vs solid.
- I'm most interested in the structural integrity and long-term durability of a chambered ash electric bass, especially since it seems like a lot of wood is removed.
- I came across one account of a heavily chambered Telecaster where the wood around the pickguard screw holes was apparently thin enough that the screws wouldn't hold properly after removal.
- I also live in an area with significant temperature and humidity swings, so seasonal stability is something I need to consider, as I've read that chambered instruments might have more issues in such environments.
So, if you have a chambered ash Fender bass, what do you think of it, especially if you've had several or owned one for a few years?
Thanks!