Doctor J

Well, that took longer than expected 😂 I had to get some penetrating oil to get a saddle screw and a knob locking screw moving. Never underestimate the power of old biocrud to get into every nook and sieze up things you would not believe. The pots also needed some cleaning but they're all smooth and scratch free now. Not an inconsiderable amount of work, but it's done now. General impressions, this is a really nice bass, a clever tweak of a great design. It's very comfortable with some nice features. The backplate has inserts for machine screws, a simple but tasteful touch which I wasn't expecting from the big F. The bridge is a decent unit which allows for quick string release. The Kubicki preamp is quirky, it must be said, but also quite practical and useful once you understand what it's doing. Knobs are vol + pickup blend, treble + bass and a four way rotary switch. In the cavity is a small mid boost control which, after some testing, I've set at about 80%. The four way switch is the key to the whole thing. 1st position is passive, where the volume and blend work as expected, but the bass control becomes a standard passive tone roll-off. Classic Jazz bass. Position two is active, so you get volume, blend, bass and treble. There are no detents in the bass and treble controls and, while they're labelled as cut and boost, it feels like there is a lot more boost than cut in both. They're quite musical, though and pleasingly subtle. Position three is active again but with the mid boost engaged. It undoes a lot of the natural J scoop and gives it a healthy growl. Nice. Fourth position is a kill switch which turns it off. No output at all. I'm sure, some day, I will find a use for that. I might try it with a wall of distortion and use it rhythmically. It all works well with the silver Lace Sensors. They're clean, with healthy but not outrageous output. I like the smaller headstock, it suits the smaller body well. And the tuners look like branded Schallers, I think? Overall, I like it a lot. I grew up with a J bass so it's homely, but it's a more comfortable shape. It sounds like a standard Jazz bass when you want it to, but also has Jazz-on-steroids on tap and neither gets in the way of the other. I put all the parts back together on Sunday evening with a quick setup and, now everything has settled down, will do a thorough setup later on. It's good but I think it has potential greatness when properly set up. Plus (no pun intended) I'm not scared to catch something nasty off it anymore 😂

Time flies. That one came out 18 years ago 😂

You were the one able to play in time with the drummer, then?

My bass playing is about the same but my DIY game is ready to go semi-pro.

Yeah, explore options where you're not screwing new holes into the wood. As someone who is prone to compulsive bass purchases (not as bad as others, but still prone 😁), additional thumb rests or gaping random holes for thumb rest screws are an absolute deal-breaker. If you think you might ever sell this instrument on, find a non-permanent way to do it.

Fake as a very fake thing. The logo is atrocious.

2071 perhaps and they have travelled back in time?

It's pretty weak, to be honest. If you've got his earlier albums, and I do, there's nothing new or notable here. It feels like quantity over quality.

Nice!

World Divide by Sentinels Neurosis by Sentinels Extinct by Instinct by Sentinels Idylls by Sentinels Coexist by Octavision While Time Disappears by Our Oceans The Striped Album by Cory Wong Live at First Ave by Cory Wong That'll do for today

I've got about 7 albums bookmarked for purchasing today. The new Our Oceans is top of the list, along with some other bands I've only discovered in the last couple of months, but will post the full list when I'm done.

Very cool.

I would ask why.

Disguise the problem? Nah. Explore the ability to sort it, not hide it.

The sunburst and headstock logo don't look right to me. Alarm bells are ringing on this one. Where the bottom of the neck goes from round to flat to fit in the pocket also looks wrong to me. I would walk away from this. Fake.

Yes, best wishes to you.

Wow! That is beautiful.

Well done @Dad3353, richly deserved

An example of Japanese craftsmanship. It wouldn't be my cup o' tea but you can't knock the skill involved in making this. http://www.str-guitars.com/html/product-300.html

Japanese Gotoh tuners on it like my Alembic? 😉 You're comparing mass-produced with hand-crafted. No matter where they're made there will be a difference in that. I would share the opinion that Japanese craftsmanship is as good as it gets. Explore some of the non-mass production instrument builders (a fairer comparison with Ken Smith) and prepare to be impressed.

I'd well believe it. I'd go for a STR or Sugi over most brands, but that's just me. There is no reason at all why a Japanese manufacturer cannot make an instrument to the very highest of standards and, in my experience, they're right up there. There's still a stigma out there for some reason, which I find mystifying.

Who said they're better? Surely they're capable of being equal to the best, though? Again, if not, why not? They build within an established shape, so what? What difference does a shape make to how good or bad an instrument is? The analogy of a souped-up Mondeo is not really accurate though. These aren't after-market parts bolted onto a regular production item, these are custom built from the ground up. We're living in an age where old production line Fenders, assembled by largely unskilled, cheap labour and cheap parts are worth several times that of a one-off artisan piece made by experienced and skilled luthiers, purely because they're old. Nobody furrows their brow over that. Strange times 🙂

Fodera sell incredibly expensive basses with regular cheap EMGs in them so I'm not sure what your point is? Don't you think the best luthiers at Ibanez in Japan are capable of the same level of craftsmanship as the guys at Fodera? If not, why not? They're not regular production pieces.

J-Custom here with flamed maple binding, just a work of art.