Model: 5 string J retrofit bass
Body woods: Factory made poplar.
Neckwoods: Rock maple, curly maple, and purpleheart with maple fingerboard
Hardware: Solid brass with nickel plating, tusq saddles.
Finish: Factory metalic red, tru-oil and shellac finish on neck
Pickups and electronics: Bartolini 9W5 J. Passive volume, volume, tone.
Location: Jamaica Plain, MA
Year: 2005
Special features: "Make it cheap and quick" -Ebay J bass copy body grafted to a 35" scale headless neck
Owner comments: David, Overall I think it is a good bass, it works for what I had in mind but there are some things to keep in mind:
- It is heavier than any of your other basses, it is actually about the same weight as a Sadowsky and lighter than a Fender Roscoe Beck. This was done "feeling" the bass and not actualy weighing them.
- The neck is very similar to the one of the other basses. I can make the transition flawlessly but it is somehow different in shape, thickness and width so that I get tired much sooner and I have to use more strenght to play it. I am using it a lot as practice bass, so my left hand gets stronger.
- The sound is much more a Jazz bass than my other basses [both have only one pick up] so from that point it is right on the money, if you are using the same electronics on other basses I would recommend log pots. It is dead quiet in recording but it is "difficult" to get a consistent sound when playing with different amps. Being a 5 string it is not a jazz bass sound but it is very close. It sounds like the Fender Jazz5 or a Sadowsky on passive mode.
- All the work you did on the body is great. I like the deeper neck pocket and maybe you could even go 22 frets with the same neck. The wood knobs are just beautiful.
All in all I would recommend the bass especially given the cost. It has no balance problems, has a consistent "industry standard" tone. The neck issues are personal and minor ones. Put it in the photo gallery!!
David
I just want to share with you the fact that wherever I take the red bass I have people coming to me asking info and/or complimenting me about it.
maybe it is the color, maybe it is the shape, I do not know. I still like better the other two -but from the response, it has something catchy... put a pic of it in the bass gallery just to see the response!
12.23.2004