I have two fretted five strings, which is one more than I need, so I am selling this beauty from Franz Bassguitars, hand made in Bavaria by Xaver Tremel. It is new old stock, so it does show some minor player wear.
The Merak is Xaver's interpretation of the classic Jazz Bass shape, and I love how understated it is, apart from the cool chestnut scratchplate that just hints at the custom nature of the instrument.
The bass plays beatifully. The asymmetric neck is slim and fast and it's effortless to move around the fingerboard. The Delano pickups combined with the Glockenklang 2 band EQ are a well regarded combination: punchy and versatile. The slighltly curved body also means the bass hugs your body. The bass weighs 9lbs 2oz and balances perfectly.
Specs as follows:
BODY | European Alder, chambered and curved, with English Chestnut scratchplate
FINISH | body: black matte laquer, neck: hard oil/wax
NECK | 3-piece European Maple with carbon fiber reinforcement
FINGERBOARD | European Maple with Compound Radius 10”-16”
FRETS | 24
SCALE LENGTH | 34.5”
TUNERS | Gotoh ResOLite
BRIDGE | ETS
STRAPLOCKS: Dunlop
ELECTRONICS | Glockenklang 2-band active/passive
CONTROLS | Volume, balance, bass, treble (active) /tone control (passive)
PICKUP | 2 x Delano JC split coil humbucking pickup
The bass is now strung with ACG nickel rounds, not the La Bella white nylons in the pictures below.
To buy new would cost 2890 euros (about £2550), so this is a good saving (31%) off retail.
I drive up and down to Cardiff almost every other weekend, so can easily deliver to anyone along that route too.