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[Bass of the Week] Kauri Bass – Made of 50,000-Year-Old Wood

See the business listing for this bass builder here

Yes, this bass really is made of 50,000-year-old Kauri wood.

Robert writes,

I found the Ancient Kauri wood at a little general store out on Madeline Island, in the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior. There was a block of it sitting there and seemed to be glowing, lit from within. I have never seen anything like it, and I have dealt with a lot of great wood over the years. There was a business card next to it that said something to the tune of “Ancient Kauri Wood, Radio Carbon Dated at 50,000 Years Old”. And a phone number for AncientWood Ltd. in Ashland, Wisconsin.

Well, I picked up the wood and tap tested it for tone, and the block rung like a bell.

I called the shop later that day and spoke to Jordan Grunow, who I came to learn was a guitarist, and asked if he had anything suitable for a bass project. He said that they had a number of slabs cut and had come out of their specially designed drying kiln… and that I should come down and hang out for a while.

When I got there a few days later, Jordan showed me a few slabs, but this highly flamed piece called out to me and said……Jazz Bass!

Well, the rest of the journey was very fun.

I called all over and nobody from coast to coast was very willing to work with 50,000 year old wood… that was of course a bit pricey and perhaps a bit unpredictable. Until I spoke to Rob out at USA Custom. He was very excited and said.. “send it out, we will see how an edge of it responds to the lathe and then let you know”…. he called a few days later and said that the shop guys felt very confident and were really excited to do the job.

So I commissioned a Jazz Bass design, and at the same time requested that they build a 5 string neck out of fine Bird’s Eye Maple, and to put an ebony fingerboard on it…. After a discussion with Rob again about an inlay idea that I had, he sent the neck to Paul Bordeaux for some beautiful paua shell oval inlays. I can’t say enough about the fine work from these guys. They are all of the utmost competence. And the work is brilliant.

The finish is a special ultra transparent epoxy used for custom motorcycles, and was sprayed at Motorcycle Performance by the head spray booth ninja Jacki… who is also a renowned visual artist.

Pickups and Preamp are both Nordstrand. I went with the Split Jazz for an authentic look, and I have nothing but praise for them. Actually sound great with and without the preamp.

I sent a note to Jordan at Ancient Wood after a few days of playing this Ax, thanking him and the owner Bob for the great piece of history that has become a bass, and I sent the following blurb about the sound…

“The sound is fabulous, but so atypical… so focused, but really intense bottom, yet the character of the round wound strings that I prefer for electric still ring clearly and the overtone series is very nice. There is just a very different sound, and you need to hear it. I really like the Nordstrand split Jazz pickups and the Nordstrand 3 band active electronics…. but the pickups sound great in the passive mode, in fact, I prefer that sound with this wood. Deep, heavy, focused but very clear. Bass becomes a refined seismic event.”

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I think to say “Good Job!” to Robert here is a colossal understatement. 🙂

A build like this made from some of the most exotic build material you could find is more classified as “functional art”, because this is not the type of bass you’d take gigging. Not at all. This bass is a total showpiece, no question about it.

Don’t worry, you don’t need a bass built from ultra-exotic wood to be featured for Bass of the Week. Just email us a few photos of your build along with a short story of it to featureme@bestbassgear.com and you may be featured soon!

31 thoughts on “[Bass of the Week] Kauri Bass – Made of 50,000-Year-Old Wood”

  1. holy worm wood batman!!!! this is the killer RELIC!!!! but i’m surprised that the current administration hasn’t confiscated it yet for unsound environmental reasons. it is a wonderful piece of work.

    Reply
  2. Here in little old New Zealand where we grow the great and mighty Kauri trees, we can only harvest the timber if it has fallen. Usually these massive logs are hauled out of swamplands. I’ve sen quite a few locla basses and guitars built from Kauri and everyone raves about the tine, however they are heavy. That’s the only downside. This is an impressive bass. Great choice of pickups, preamp and other hardware and finish. Looks incredible.

    Reply
  3. It’s amazing what happens when you put all the right ingredients in the mix. Congratulations to all who contributed – from the concept through all stages of the build. This is a real treasure, one for the text books.

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  4. The stupidest shit idea ever, No wonder Fender came up with it. I could not imagne ever wanting a bass that has cosmetic wear and tear from factory. No mojo on that bass what so ever. I have road worn basses the I purchased from New and wore in myself… as it should be.

    Reply
    • Actually, I’m not quite speechless 😉
      After reading the article a second time, it turns out I know Motorcycle Performance, and their amazing spray ninja (ninjette?). Amazing work by all!

      Reply
  5. awesome, yet can not help to think how it have turned out without pre-amp, extra knobs and battery compartments. possibly even a p-bass with one set pick-ups to show off more wood/art and just a volume knob.

    Reply
  6. I built a semi holly tele with swamp kauri and have 2 more waiting to be finished. It does have a unique and great sound. The peat extracts the resin over time. Kauri is light weight with a high tensile strength (used by the British for spars). Kauri I recently completed a bass build using NZ Rimu, another NZ wood.

    Reply
  7. Ancient Kauri is the most gorgeous looking wood I have ever seen! As a luthier, I am dying to get my hands on a slab. Beautiful bass!!

    Reply
  8. I disagree about this bass being just a showpiece. If this was my bass I’d gig it until the cows came home! This thing was meant to be played, not just stared at.

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  9. Hi kids, Well I am glad you like the bass. I’d like to address a couple of comments: first, it is not heavy. Actually a bit lighter than a similar ax made of ash. Second, this is going to be gigged. It sounds too good to leave at home. Come on, Violinists haul around Strads all the time. This ax is a new world of bass sound. I am so glad that Jordan convinced me that the results would merit the journey. The impact of the sound is very similar to the visual impact. Groove on!!

    Reply
  10. Do you have any soundbites for this bass? In the studio A/B’d preamp on/passive, preferably
    in 96k or higher to get everything your talking about with the wood singing to you?

    Reply

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