Kazan

I just got one of these. Highly recommended. Well put together and very unusual for a 1960s bass (200 made 1963-64). Has a more modern tone due to the combination of 35" scale (has to be the first production instrument with this) and the very unusual pickup placement for that era - further back than a P-bass and almost getting to the Stingray position giving it a pretty pronounced midrange. Wonderful slim neck profile. The bridge is crazy and unlike any other I've seen but still fully adjustable. I just finished doing a bit of fret work on it and it plays perfectly with quite low action. Also light and very comfortable - does neck dive a bit - more that it likes to sit horizontally - doesn't go to the floor. Not a big deal to me and worth the compromise though I know that's a deal breaker for some.

Recent addition: 1964 Maton Ibis Bass (Australia)

Thanks so much, Tyler! Great experience all around!

Please add your feedback here.

Perfect deal from start to finish. Problem free international shipping, true expert packing and great communications! Highest recommendation. (I was the buyer)

1965 Meazzi Hollywood Jupiter Bass (Italy) Long scale, solid body, original active preamp (on bridge pickup only - battery under the "Hollywood" badge). Has mercury kill switch to disconnect the battery and mute when put upright in the stand. Slider controls are master volume and pickup blend. The two knobs are separate tone controls for each pickup. Pickups have adjustable polepieces (similar set-up as on the Hagstrom/Guild pickups). Lots of other interesting and odd details (i.e. rear mounted jack, rosewood binding to hide the fret tangs). Very good sounding and gig worthy bass. Tuning machines and bridge are comparable quality to same period Fender hardware. Only downside is it is heavy. Quite rare - I looked for years and only know of 3 others. The guitar version is comparatively more common. There was at least one Bass VI version made as well.

Currently have a GK MB Fusion which is okay. If I were getting another, of those I've tried, I've liked both the Mesa and the Streamliner (though that one is fairly heavily voiced). My favorite remains the first (which I thankfully still have) - Walter Woods. Just has more fidelity, dimension and heft than any of the others I've tried thus far.

Certainly believable. He's quite accessible. I've spoken with him before but not asked about that point in particular (though he clearly remembers that bass). He's played the bar circuit around Santa Cruz for decades.

FWIW I was told by Mark Brown (guitar tech for the DBs) that that studio track was actually the T-bird. Not sure if that's really true as it sounds very P-bass like to me but the T-bird with just the neck pickup can sound close sometimes (pickups in that bass were replaced with later, hotter late '60s T-bird pickups and it had a P-bass bridge mounted on a plastic spacer.

I used to own that very same T-bird. Yet another of those that I never should have sold or traded... I know it was used to record quite a few of the tracks but don't know about Toulouse Street specifically.

Yes, I've never seen the resistors (there were two) used on any of the reissues, custom shop, etc basses. Not surprising!

Saw them on this tour in San Francisco. One of the best shows I've ever seen. Black Uhuru opened IIRC.

Well stated. This is why more often than not originals have had the resistors removed. In fairness, I had a '60 which still had them and it was a really good sounding bass all the same - the difference is fairly nominal but is real.

I'm a fan of the white nylons/copper - REALLY love them on fretless - though have noticed a drop in output and it sounds like they are less loud than the DRs here as well (easily compensated for). Useful comparison. Thanks!

I believe you're right. I just find him annoying and pedantic. He does make good, if obvious, points. I still believe one can be a pro while having a day job as well (I did 10+ years playing an easy 200 shows a year and had a better paid job that whole time - that was playing professionally despite his definition).

So if he makes more income from his YouTube videos than from playing, is he no longer a "professional musician"?

These are the softest tension strings I've found (I have other basses with the Thomastik flats and Elixirs as they've both been mentioned). Sound great, too - far brighter and more full range than what I used to associate with nylon wrapped strings. I particularly like the copper ones. Good to be aware that with the wrap that the ferrous content is less so the output is lower (easily compensated with gain) and, as with most wrapped and coated strings, there can be ground buzz issues as the strings are effectively insulated from the bridge and you.

Just bought a 1966 Jazz Bass from Jordi. He was great to deal with in every way. I would be happy to do so again and recommend him without hesitation!

1964 Thunderbird in Inverness Green Metallic - amp is also 1964: 1964 Epiphone Embassy Deluxe: 1965 Meazzi Jupiter: Russian Padalka: 1959 P: 1957 King Mortone:

Just as with short, medium and long-scale regular basses, it's largely just personal preference. One thing I like about the scale on the one I do have (Padalka - photo below) is with it being 34-36" a number of off the shelf strings fit (i.e. all the DR normal long-scale strings and some others as well) so no need to have to order or have made specific strings.