Post by grayn on Jan 30, 2016 20:54:02 GMT
Having sold one of my guitars (the 6-string, high pitched variety), I had some cash and fancied another bass, for my small collection.
After trawling the internet and getting over excited by the amazing range out there, I decided to sally forth and try some out, for myself.
A couple of days ago, I headed out, to The Great British Bass Lounge.
The last time I went, it was called The Manchester Bass Lounge.
Like it's name, the Lounge's stock had expanded.
I tried out bass after bass, whilst chatting to Drew and swigging tea.
A couple of original design Overwaters had got my attention.
But after much deliberation, decided they weren't the bass for me.
I think the bass that most impressed me, in some ways, was the Cort A4 SP Custom.
For a Cort, it's pricey but for it's spec and amazing build quality, it is way under-priced.
I think I boggled myself, with a bit of bass overload and left empty handed.
This morning, I headed up to Promenade Music, in Morecambe.
Another Mecca, for the North West bass fraternity.
I'd ostensibly gone to check out some Marleaux basses.
But started out with a very tasty Japanese Jaguar bass.
This I liked, as I did, a couple of US Fender Deluxe Jazzes.
Going way down the price scale, I picked up a Bass Collection, Blockhead bass.
Wow! what a stonking, passive jazz bass, this is.
Playing and sounding rather delightfully.
I really recommend the Blockhead.
But I rather go for active basses.
Finally got to 3 Marleauxs.
2 Votan XS Deluxe models and a Consat.
The Consat really looks organic and hand made.
But it's not really my kind of bass and the pickups, although top quality, weren't for me.
The Votans are more my style.
Light, jazz-bassesque, lovely necks and great pickups.
They don't look as hand made, as the Consat.
One had a matt-satin, black-burst, slightly stressed body.
The other was gloss black, with a matching headstock.
And the black model was more appealing, to my eyes.
I came withing a hairs breadth of buying it.
But I didn't quite like the way it hung, with a strap.
And although up for a very reduced price, it wasn't worth the money, to me.
To many others, it really could be a dream bass.
So again, I left empty handed.
I decided to head back to the Bass Lounge, after a quick phone call, to Drew.
There were 4 basses there, I decided to concentrate on.
Fortunately, I could afford 2.
They were, an EBMM Sterling, with Piezo pickup(pre-owned).
The aforementioned, Cort A4 SP Custom(new).
A German, Warwick Corvette $$ (Double Buck), in Stealth black(pre-owned).
And a Sandberg California II VT-4(new).
I gave each a good play and honestly desired them all.
Anyway, as you'll see from the title, I came away with the Sandberg and Warwick.
The Sandberg is just my sort of bass.
Dead comfortable, great pickups and a real looker, IMO.
I've owned 2 other 'bergs, a Panther and a California TT.
Top quality basses and this VT-4 may actually be my favourite.
The only thing I'd change, would be to have a 3-band EQ.
Great, natural tone.
The Warwick Corvette $$ was, as many Warwick's are at the moment, going for a rediculously low price.
The stealth black finish is growing on me.
That big, growly tone is truly classic.
It has versatility, too.
What classic quality, this bass is.
SPEC:
MAKE Sandberg
MODEL California II, VT4
ORIGIN Germany
BODY WOOD(S) European Ash
COLOUR/FINISH Cherry sunburst, matt-satin
NECK/SCALE LENGTH 1 piece maple, satin finish, bolt-on/34inch scale
FINGERBOARD Rosewood, 22 medium jumbo frets, white dot inlays
WIDTH AT NUT/12TH FRET 39mm/56mm
ELECTRONICS 1x Delano Split-coil pickup, 1x Delano single-coil pickup. Sandberg 2 band active EQ. Controls for Volume (push-pull active-passive), blend, treble/bass eq’s.
HARDWARE Sandberg custom hi-mass bridge, Sandberg lightweight open gear tuners
CASE Sandberg gig bag
MAKE Warwick
MODEL Corvette $$ (Double Buck)
YEAR/CONDITION 2007, near mint
ORIGIN Germany
BODY WOOD(S) US Swamp Ash
COLOUR/FINISH Nirvana Black, oil finish
NECK/SCALE LENGTH 3 piece Ovangkol, oil finish, 34inch scale
FINGERBOARD Wenge, oil finish, 24 medium brass frets
ELECTRONICS 2 x active MEC MM-style humbuckers, MEC active 2 band EQ.
Controls for vol (push-pull active/passive), blend, treble & bass. 2 x 3 way switches, for pickup voicings (series / parallel / single coil)
HARDWARE Warwick black 2 piece bridge, lightweight tuners & straplocks
WEIGHT 8.0lbs / 3.6kgs
CASE Warwick Rockbag
i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/Duo.jpg
After trawling the internet and getting over excited by the amazing range out there, I decided to sally forth and try some out, for myself.
A couple of days ago, I headed out, to The Great British Bass Lounge.
The last time I went, it was called The Manchester Bass Lounge.
Like it's name, the Lounge's stock had expanded.
I tried out bass after bass, whilst chatting to Drew and swigging tea.
A couple of original design Overwaters had got my attention.
But after much deliberation, decided they weren't the bass for me.
I think the bass that most impressed me, in some ways, was the Cort A4 SP Custom.
For a Cort, it's pricey but for it's spec and amazing build quality, it is way under-priced.
I think I boggled myself, with a bit of bass overload and left empty handed.
This morning, I headed up to Promenade Music, in Morecambe.
Another Mecca, for the North West bass fraternity.
I'd ostensibly gone to check out some Marleaux basses.
But started out with a very tasty Japanese Jaguar bass.
This I liked, as I did, a couple of US Fender Deluxe Jazzes.
Going way down the price scale, I picked up a Bass Collection, Blockhead bass.
Wow! what a stonking, passive jazz bass, this is.
Playing and sounding rather delightfully.
I really recommend the Blockhead.
But I rather go for active basses.
Finally got to 3 Marleauxs.
2 Votan XS Deluxe models and a Consat.
The Consat really looks organic and hand made.
But it's not really my kind of bass and the pickups, although top quality, weren't for me.
The Votans are more my style.
Light, jazz-bassesque, lovely necks and great pickups.
They don't look as hand made, as the Consat.
One had a matt-satin, black-burst, slightly stressed body.
The other was gloss black, with a matching headstock.
And the black model was more appealing, to my eyes.
I came withing a hairs breadth of buying it.
But I didn't quite like the way it hung, with a strap.
And although up for a very reduced price, it wasn't worth the money, to me.
To many others, it really could be a dream bass.
So again, I left empty handed.
I decided to head back to the Bass Lounge, after a quick phone call, to Drew.
There were 4 basses there, I decided to concentrate on.
Fortunately, I could afford 2.
They were, an EBMM Sterling, with Piezo pickup(pre-owned).
The aforementioned, Cort A4 SP Custom(new).
A German, Warwick Corvette $$ (Double Buck), in Stealth black(pre-owned).
And a Sandberg California II VT-4(new).
I gave each a good play and honestly desired them all.
Anyway, as you'll see from the title, I came away with the Sandberg and Warwick.
The Sandberg is just my sort of bass.
Dead comfortable, great pickups and a real looker, IMO.
I've owned 2 other 'bergs, a Panther and a California TT.
Top quality basses and this VT-4 may actually be my favourite.
The only thing I'd change, would be to have a 3-band EQ.
Great, natural tone.
The Warwick Corvette $$ was, as many Warwick's are at the moment, going for a rediculously low price.
The stealth black finish is growing on me.
That big, growly tone is truly classic.
It has versatility, too.
What classic quality, this bass is.
SPEC:
MAKE Sandberg
MODEL California II, VT4
ORIGIN Germany
BODY WOOD(S) European Ash
COLOUR/FINISH Cherry sunburst, matt-satin
NECK/SCALE LENGTH 1 piece maple, satin finish, bolt-on/34inch scale
FINGERBOARD Rosewood, 22 medium jumbo frets, white dot inlays
WIDTH AT NUT/12TH FRET 39mm/56mm
ELECTRONICS 1x Delano Split-coil pickup, 1x Delano single-coil pickup. Sandberg 2 band active EQ. Controls for Volume (push-pull active-passive), blend, treble/bass eq’s.
HARDWARE Sandberg custom hi-mass bridge, Sandberg lightweight open gear tuners
CASE Sandberg gig bag
MAKE Warwick
MODEL Corvette $$ (Double Buck)
YEAR/CONDITION 2007, near mint
ORIGIN Germany
BODY WOOD(S) US Swamp Ash
COLOUR/FINISH Nirvana Black, oil finish
NECK/SCALE LENGTH 3 piece Ovangkol, oil finish, 34inch scale
FINGERBOARD Wenge, oil finish, 24 medium brass frets
ELECTRONICS 2 x active MEC MM-style humbuckers, MEC active 2 band EQ.
Controls for vol (push-pull active/passive), blend, treble & bass. 2 x 3 way switches, for pickup voicings (series / parallel / single coil)
HARDWARE Warwick black 2 piece bridge, lightweight tuners & straplocks
WEIGHT 8.0lbs / 3.6kgs
CASE Warwick Rockbag
i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/Duo.jpg
Jo whoever he is.
