Post by grayn on Nov 12, 2019 6:48:58 GMT
NBD: I went out today, ostensibly to check out a MusicMan Cutlass bass, in Diamond Blue, with maple fretboard.
But with a whole day at my disposal and visting a shop run by a friend, I had to check out a few alternatives.
My 2 main basses at the moment are EBMM Stingrays. A classic and a special.
So the Cutlass seemed a very nice alternative to the Rays.
I also played a mapleglo Rickenbacker 4003s, which despite it's rediculous hardware (bridge & string cover-rest),
felt very nice to play and was a nicely built bass. But I didn't like the sound of the pickups at all, thick, harsh and
a little crude.
I had a quick go on a couple of 5-strings, an MTD Kingston and an EBMM 'Ray. Neither convinced me to have another go
with a fiver. Alao had another try on a Marleaux Consat 4-string, I'd played before, but still didn't gel with.
The Cutlass was pretty much exactly what I expected. Like a passive Precision but IMO, better.
I was close to saying I'd have it, when Gary, the shop guy suggested a Jazz Bass.
Now I've owned/played a load of Jazz basses but had gone right off them, about 3 years ago.
But he pulled out a real nice one, although my intial comment was "not a pink bass!".
It was indeed shell pink, with an off white (mint?) scratchplate, being a Fender Limited Edition American Pro Jazz Bass.
But what grabbed my attention and got my juices flowing, was the all rosewood neck.
A thing of beauty that played as well as it looked.
But it had the narrow nut of a Jazz and it was pink!
I plugged it in and was surpised at how much I liked the tones available.
I mainly settled on middle pickup up 100%, bridge pickup and 75% and varying the tone from 100 to 75%.
Then I said to Gary, this would look much better with a tort scratchplate.
He agreed and produced one. We slid it into place and it transformed the looks of this bass.
Wow, now I was really interested.
So Gary said he'd replace the plate and put some Elixirs on for me. Yes please!
Trouble was the plate fitted everywhere, except there was a small gap between it and the chrome, control panel.
Shit!
So the original went back on, with the Elixirs and Fender are sending a tort plate for this series, for me to put on ASAP.
Got it home and have been blasting along to my tunes and loving it.
I've been playing actives for years but my ears are enjoying this passive bass.
And my hands are feeling very comfortable on this lovely neck.
Just need that tort scratchplate, to perfect the aesthetics.
But with a whole day at my disposal and visting a shop run by a friend, I had to check out a few alternatives.
My 2 main basses at the moment are EBMM Stingrays. A classic and a special.
So the Cutlass seemed a very nice alternative to the Rays.
I also played a mapleglo Rickenbacker 4003s, which despite it's rediculous hardware (bridge & string cover-rest),
felt very nice to play and was a nicely built bass. But I didn't like the sound of the pickups at all, thick, harsh and
a little crude.
I had a quick go on a couple of 5-strings, an MTD Kingston and an EBMM 'Ray. Neither convinced me to have another go
with a fiver. Alao had another try on a Marleaux Consat 4-string, I'd played before, but still didn't gel with.
The Cutlass was pretty much exactly what I expected. Like a passive Precision but IMO, better.
I was close to saying I'd have it, when Gary, the shop guy suggested a Jazz Bass.
Now I've owned/played a load of Jazz basses but had gone right off them, about 3 years ago.
But he pulled out a real nice one, although my intial comment was "not a pink bass!".
It was indeed shell pink, with an off white (mint?) scratchplate, being a Fender Limited Edition American Pro Jazz Bass.
But what grabbed my attention and got my juices flowing, was the all rosewood neck.
A thing of beauty that played as well as it looked.
But it had the narrow nut of a Jazz and it was pink!
I plugged it in and was surpised at how much I liked the tones available.
I mainly settled on middle pickup up 100%, bridge pickup and 75% and varying the tone from 100 to 75%.
Then I said to Gary, this would look much better with a tort scratchplate.
He agreed and produced one. We slid it into place and it transformed the looks of this bass.
Wow, now I was really interested.
So Gary said he'd replace the plate and put some Elixirs on for me. Yes please!
Trouble was the plate fitted everywhere, except there was a small gap between it and the chrome, control panel.
Shit!
So the original went back on, with the Elixirs and Fender are sending a tort plate for this series, for me to put on ASAP.
Got it home and have been blasting along to my tunes and loving it.
I've been playing actives for years but my ears are enjoying this passive bass.
And my hands are feeling very comfortable on this lovely neck.
Just need that tort scratchplate, to perfect the aesthetics.