Sibob

Looks lush! Love that fingerboard! Si

For sure, definitely scratches my Gibson itch without needing to buy a Gibson lol Jake has some very Serek shapes in the Sacramento, MW2 & Armitage, as well as another other 'tribute' shape in the Lincoln. Si

Really good guy too, really knows what he's doing! This Expat is excellent, I'd like a US model, but that's a few years down the line methinks I look forward to seeing the MW2 in the Serek thread later maybe Si

Exactly right! That's some full-fat enabling right there Ordered direct from Jake. He had built it as a rare stock item and I snuck in there as it was luckily my perfect spec, so managed to get around the built-time. There are some UK shops who intermittently get them in stock, Bass Gallery & Bass Direct, but they pretty much sell as soon as they hit the shop. I know Paul's Bass Matters has a Midwestern II currently in stock: https://www.bassmatters.nl/en/1696/Serek-Midwestern-2 Si

They're really very cool, have a chat with Jake for sure! Si

I mean they're utterly different, I've been playing the Serek more, but I've got a run of shows coming up that will have the Elrick on. Both are brilliant Si

My Serek Midwestern is here and just really bloody brilliant. I already have a Fender Mustang, so I’m not exactly new to the shortscale thing, but this Midwestern is a whole new ball game. It arrived at 11am and I was able to take it to a gig that same day, and it nailed it, so much fun to play. It also sounds fantastic, I specifically wanted the B90 pickup, I figure that it’s part of the Serek sound and brand, the various other pickup options are great, but this B90 is the one! Mine has the dummy coil, which is great for recording, but actually live, the standard wiring is perfectly fine. Build quality is excellent, as you’d expect, and even though the build is largely Walnut, it’s still very comfortably lightweight. All in all, i’m Very happy and couldn’t recommend Jake (Serek) enough as a luthier! Cheers Si

Well after spectacularly failing my gear abstinence challenge (well I managed 5 months), I went strong and wrong: Serek Midwestern - Amazingly fun shortscale, seriously, one of the most fun basses I’ve ever played, sounds amazing, incredibly comfortable, and top-level build quality : Elrick Expat Evolution 5 - Yes it’s one of the ‘cheaper’ standard models, but it really is boutique, incredible 5 string with all the quality US spec appointments, but without the frills, super solid bass: It’s been a mildly tough start to the year personally, and so I thought I’d treat myself. I’ve wanted builds from both brands for a while, and so with my Lakland basses, I’ve now completed my ‘Chicago Triumvirate’ (Lakland, Serek and Elrick are all built....granted the Expats are Czech built, but finished etc in the Windy City). Si

I much prefer a beefier C, otherwise it feels too flimsy and suffers tonally imo. Si

On my set, 50, 65, 85, 105 and the B is 135 Si

I have a B-G set on my Lakland 5 string, but they’re the 50-130 (so a little lighter than your proposed gauge). They don’t actually feel as heavy as the gauge suggests, they’re a fairly soft string (on account of them being tape-wounds), and they’re really low tension, so again, very easy to play. Si

Cool looking bass, contender for worst ever headstock?! Si

Well let’s call it like for like though, ultimately, in that example, only Cellists would feel annoyed in most cases I think. Assuming the Cello part is effectively covered by other string instruments (so as to create a similar timbre), then those who simply enjoy the music, and not the mechanics of how it’s made will simply not care if Cellists are missing Si

This is interesting, you knew you weren't seeing Rocco, and the keyboard player did a good job at playing the lines and so ‘bass’ was still present in the songs, but you were still disappointed. Does this suggest that we (and I count myself with this), are more interested in the instrument/player than in the concept of low-end contribution to the music as a whole? I remember going to see Bernard Purdie at the Jazz cafe, trio with the organ player providing the bass via pedals. I was disappointed at first, but soon forgot about it when I realized the thing I loved was still very much present. I took a guitarist friend to see Richard Bona, and for that gig there was no guitarist, he was disappointed and really couldn't get over it lol. Also, I don’t think it shows any representation of their views of the bass that they didn’t replace him, that’s actually quite offensive to the rest of the band suggesting that IMO. I suspect there simply wasn’t time to bring in a dep! Si

There's a few distinctions to be made here: 1) Lakland used to call their 'Precision' the Bob Glaub signature. This stopped around 2014 I think when Bob moved over to D. Lakin Basses (a previous founder of Lakland), now defunct. Since 2014, Lakland's has been called the 44-64 as a result, on account of it originally being based on Bob's '64 Precision. 2) There is a distinction to be made between the Skyline series (made in Indonesia, previously Korea) and the US custom and US Classic series (made in Chicago). I had a P/J Skyline with a Jazz neck (called the 44-64 Custom P/J) and it was very cool, but I ultimately sold it to purchase a US 44-94. I also had a straight 44-64 Skyline (ie full fat Precision spec), and it was excellent, but just a tiny bit heavy, so I sold that and ordered a lighter-weight US Classic 44-64 which is excellent, best Precision I've ever played, sounds perfect with La Bella flats. There's not many straight Skyline 44-64's around second-hand, people hold onto them. Lakland still put them out, but not in great numbers, presumably because they find people prefer the 44-64 Custom (jazz neck, p/j) Si

I never liked flats on a Jazz, neck pup sounded great, bridge pup less so IMO, hence why I stick to flats on a P and rounds on a Jazz lol Si

Love it, very cool! Everyone should have a Shoreline Gold Bass! Love the lack of inlays! Si

I mean, this is so far from reality it’s funny lol. Perhaps your perception of Rock has those characteristics, but i’d politely suggest that issue lies in your outlook (only defining Rock as ‘classic rock made by old white guys’), rather than the actual landscape. Si

There’s nothing wrong with the JMJ’s, by all accounts they're great, but it is worth noting that a new one will tend to come in around £400-600 more expensive that a used Japanese Mustang. Si

Is there a particular reason you’re interested in the JMJ over perhaps a second hand Japanese Mustang for example? Si

Ok, that's me disgraced and out of the running haha. It's been a slightly tough start to the year, and quite frankly I allowed myself this purchase to add a bit of fun back in That said, as I mentioned at the start, and as a few others have mentioned, as an exercise in restraint it's been good. 5 full months of zero bass purchases is good going for me! So as it stands, I have one bass incoming and one (most likely two soon) basses up for sale, and so I now fall into the optimistic (but wrong) "does that still count" group of us 😂 Who's still in? Si

Buying a gift for someone else is fine. Replacing a broken piece of kit is fine Si