Help to Identify Body Wood

[derick]

Hi, I have purchased a late 1981 L-1000 this week, I would like some help in identifying the body wood.







The bass itself is nearly pristine, but the original case is beat up and shows dirt and markings that look suspiciously like dog piss.

[Craig]

Hi, I have purchased a late 1981 L-1000 this week, I would like some help in identifying the body wood.







The bass itself is nearly pristine, but the original case is beat up and shows dirt and markings that look suspiciously like dog piss.

I would guess Poplar, based upon this 1981 Ad sheet:



Contact Memo at the factory (repairs@glguitars.com) and see if he will look it up in the factory log.

Hope this helps.

[derick]

I would guess Poplar, based upon this 1981 Ad sheet:

Contact Memo at the factory (repairs@glguitars.com) and see if he will look it up in the factory log.

Hope this helps.

Hi Craig, thanks for weighing in. The ad lists "Safety String Posts," I had never noticed that before.

Yes, poplar is a possibility. Another possible option is soft Maple, which was sometimes used but not officially offered. At this point I'm leaning toward maple, simply because I see no hint of a greenish or grayish cast that is common with poplar.

This specific bass also has a rosewood fretboard, which also isn't listed as a possibility on the Ad sheet. This isn't much of a clue, but the bass weighs 9 lbs. 9 oz. Excellent idea to contact G&L and see if they will look it up in the logs, thank you for that.

[Craig]

Here's a post of Gabe's which might help, too:
Let's talk Wood!!! Mucho Pictorage from a Gabe post-1/07/07.

[derick]

Here's a post of Gabe's which might help, too:
Let's talk Wood!!! Mucho Pictorage from a Gabe post-1/07/07.

Yes, that is very helpful. I decided to go back and examine for comparison the one G&L I own that I was sure was maple, a 1991 SC-3. But, based on Gabe's images, it could well be poplar. I bought this guitar over 10 years ago, it was stripped to raw wood. The color, grain, and amount of dings and indentations in the wood point toward poplar, I think.







I wish I had taken more pictures before I rattle-canned it.