Chris2112

Well to me, it's a neck that lets you get around quickly. Not just comfortable to the hand in one position but well carved/moulded and with a smooth finish that isn't tackey. I like finished necks but they have to be glassy smooth to pass muster. If you've ever felt a Les Paul neck and noted that rough, almost sticky finish and clearcoat - that's the opposite of fast to me!

If that's how you feel I suggest you never look up a Rickenbacker 🤣🤣 I was interested in these basses because I wanted to know if the wild looks were a gimmick or if there was something deeper to the thought and engineering. I found it to be a case of the latter, and it fascinates me with what can be achieved when you decide to start with a blank slate.

Getting those pictures loaded in was harder than it should have been! 😅

Evening all, I thought a few here may be interested to see and read about a new bass that arrived for me a couple of weeks ago from Germany, a 2001 Basslab L-Bow. This is a company that I've been interested in for a long time because I have something of an affinity for 'high tech' basses. I've been into those sorts of instruments since I was sixteen, when I got my first Kubicki Ex Factor. Over the years I've sought out basses of a similar ilk; designed by forward-thinkers who sought to create a great instrument by rewriting the rulebook. Basslab had always been on the periphery of my sphere of interest because it seemed like I was unlikely to just see one in the wild. In the UK, I can recall just two being for sale on the forums I regularly visit and that's going back nearly twenty years. However, they seemed like such a unique proposition that I always had a tab on that page in my mind. Well, just recently I found out that for over a year my work had been failing to pay me an unsocial hours payment for overnight work. With that in mind, I decided to casually look and see if there were any interesting basses around. I spotted this very cool 2001 L-Bow on the Basslab website and made some enquiries with the company. I was soon speaking to the builder, Heiko Hoepfinger, who was handling the sale on behalf of the owner. After a couple of weeks of discussion in setting up the deal, payment was made and the bass was shipped. A couple of weeks of the bass sitting in customs followed and I picked it up as soon as I could. Despite it's wild looks it has an instantly familiar feel. It may appear 'alien' but in terms of form and function it is nailed on to perform. The instrument is hollow, being made of the 'tunable mixed composite' material with some carbon fibre inside for reinforcement/shielding. The body skin is around 3-4mm thick with the rest of it being hollow. Interestingly, Heiko indicates that the shape and construction was chosen specifically with tone and feel in mind, so the unusual looks are nothing more than a byproduct of putting function first. The famous 'bow' connects to the headstock and gives the impression that the neck is extremely strong, stiff and resonates freely. The 'bow' is actually angled backward from the plane that the neck is on so it doesn't obscure your vision when looking down at the neck. The neck is of a medium thickness with pronounced, flat shoulders in an almost squared 'D' profile. It is very reminiscent of a first generation Status Stealth bass I used to own and is very fast. The fretboard is flat, coated in the same finish as the rest of the bass and adorned with a single bass clef inlay at the 12th position. It's an unusually fast and easy neck to play. I can usually get on well with pretty much any neck but I prefer some shapes to others (my favourite being Spector NS necks). I really like this one. The bass is extremely light, probably between 3 to 3.5kg at the most. It balances very well on a strap and in the classical position. On the right knee with out a strap the small lower horn can lead to a fairly insignificant neck dive, however I never play without a strap and I only discovered this in testing. The upper strap button is on the back of the 'bow', ideally placed to allow for the optimum balance. Because of this, I'd recommend a locking strap. The body is small and sculpted and I absolutely LOVE the relaxed position it allows for my right wrist. I can easily play however I should fancy over both pickups without any feeling of stress or strain. The controls are offset on the lower bout, being mounted in a curve that keeps them out of the way of your plucking hand but still easily visible and in reach. The ergonomic facets of the bass merit the most discussion because they are inherently tied to the physical experience of playing the bass. It is probably the most comfortable and least physically demanding bass I've ever played. The tone on the other hand is superb but perhaps more 'tradtional' than you might expect. Whilst you can spec your Basslab instrument with whatever you should fancy, mine happens to have Kent Armstrong pickups and a Da Capo preamp fitted. It produces a rich, bright and superbly focused sound. The low B string is extremely rich and resonant and the sense of volume across all the strings and positions is just uncanny. I am extremely fond of basses that have this quality. Chords on the L-Bow are just uncanny for their richness; the intonation is almost eerie and the clarity between notes is fantastic. The overall tonal character is modern, bright and open sounding with a very strong midrange. The output between the neck and bridge pickup is superbly balanced, such that I find myself using the neck pickup blended in now more than I ever have done before. I've been absolutely obsessed with the music of Casiopea over recent months and I have been giving this bass a workout to some of their albums. If you see one of these basses around or get a chance to try it, I'd recommend that you do! I am looking forward to playing it with others and whilst I expect a few surprised looks when I first get it out of the fitted soft-case that it came in, other musicians will surely warm quickly to the tones it produces. Space to store instruments is the primary limiting factor in stopping me from buying basses, however I can safely say that this will one be a keeper so I can now count myself one space short. Now, let me edit in some pics... [MEDIA=imgur]aDp0KFJ[/MEDIA] [MEDIA=imgur]gES4XMu[/MEDIA] [MEDIA=imgur]66Xmz1O[/MEDIA] [MEDIA=imgur]jUgtmSq[/MEDIA] [MEDIA=imgur]ASVnU4p[/MEDIA]

That Pedulla is just lovely.

It's a nice looking bass and indeed, quite rare. I have joked in the past that Stanley loved his so much he put it in a case and didn't revisit the idea for thirty years! Alright, he didn't shelve them immediately but he wasn't exactly 'spellbound' for long the first time around. I actually thought that the next model, released in 2001, was more attractive, aside from the rather ugly back plate. Again, these were massively expensive at the time and didn't seem to form a part of Stan's regular arsenal.

The prices are up in the air at the moment. Asking prices for Status basses have ballooned in recent weeks since Rob announced a sort of retirement, as speculative sellers look to see if they can cash in, or if the bubble will hold.

I think they're both great albums. Better than anything that came after, even though their subsequent output was generally good. Songs like 'Heresy' and 'Superconductor' are up there with their best.

Truly, the heroes of the Somme would weep to imagine such conditions.

Well, the record finally shipped! It had reached a point where Jeff had stopped promising the release it by a certain date. Evidently, things needed a last minute polish and other things had to be taken care of. Even, it hasn't been plain sailing as the first batch of CD's ordered were sold out right away and the second delivery was delayed, but they're now back in stock. I had written a short review earlier to post to Talkbass, I'll just copy it direct here... "In any event, I had wanted to make a separate post for a proper review of 'Jack Songs'. I will try to keep it relatively brief in a sense because there is an element of surprise to be had which will probably cause a good degree of delight for the listener. I will try to inform on some of the background of the record without giving too much away about what you will actually hear. My own journey with this record goes on nearly as long as it has been in production. In about 2013 I gave up playing bass for a short while and started playing guitar. I came back to the bass in late 2015 or early 2016. I can't quite recall how or why, but when I came back to playing bass I suddenly felt a very strong desire to just listen to loads of Jeff Berlin recordings, particularly his later works with Danny Gottlieb and Richard Drexler, ones that I hadn't paid as much attention to as his earlier works. I went to check out what Jeff was working on at the time and noted that he was running a 'Gofundme' campaign to raise funds for his Jack Bruce record. That was actually the first time that Jeff and I spoke, when I noted that I'd be interested in the project but I wasn't sure it was for me. I was huge fan of Jeff's work but wasn't so keen on Jack Bruce's music. Honest to a fault, Jeff told me that I might be better saving my money if I didn't think it would be to my taste. I ended the conversation by saying that I would back the project because I believed in Jeff's ability and vision and his promise that the record would be his interpretation rather than straight covers. I have followed the project since that point and I am overjoyed that the record is now available to listen to. The recording process has been well-chronicled online and I have no doubt that the investment of time, money and plain hard work from Jeff has been immense. Before you listen to a single note of this record, take a moment to appreciate the effort that Jeff has put in to deliver this result. Wild arrangements, an incredible guest list, lush recordings and brilliant playing all await within. It has been a struggle, a labour of love and dedication, to see this record here now. Those who have followed the process since it's inception will recall moments of disaster like Pledgemusic collapsing along with the ever-encouraging enthusiasm that Jeff had for doing this. It is safe to say that if Jeff hadn't driven the project forward at every step it would surely have collapsed at some hurdle long ago. The endeavour of making your own record these days, as a small artist with big ambitions and a vision for something more than just radio-friendly computer pop, cannot be overstated. The tracks on 'Jack Songs' lean more towards Bruce's solo work, a smart move you might conclude, because he was the harmonic engine of Cream. Though most people will know him best for being part of Cream, his solo work was more adventurous and musical. Jeff previously did a very entertaining cover of 'Crossroads' on his 'Pump It!' album. His proved there not only his technical ability but also his ability to speak with an authentic blues voice. He doesn't retread the same ground here and there is relatively little 'Cream' content, much in the same way that Jack Bruce did much more on his own than he did with Baker and Clapton. Now, I'd be lying if I said I cared about the blues, I don't. As far as musical styles go it is not for me but I've always enjoyed Jeff's ability to add a little blues flavour or phrasing into a line where it suits without becoming tired. The track listing and arrangements on 'Jack Songs' will illustrate to you that this is not an album of straight blues though it does have some bluesy bits. Jeff had mentioned in interviews that he had been inspired by a re-imagining of some Beatles work when he was conceptualising 'Jack Songs'. As a result, the songs on this album are not straight covers. They don't go as far as to be 'reimagined' versions but they are deft and dense rearrangements of the original works. In choosing this approach, Jeff has freed himself of the constraints of the originals whilst maintaining a respectful deference to how Jack had written them. As such, I think any fans of Jack's records will be surprised and entertained by how Jeff uses musical quotes and altered arrangements to recontextualise the music on 'Jack Songs'. This is a record of significant musical depth that will require several listens to dissect and appreciate. If value for money is a concern of yours, consider that you will have plenty to listen to here. The guest list is extensive and whilst some of the appearances are very brief, they do add great flavour and character to the record. The bass relay on 'Smiles Story and Morning Grins' is great fun and I let out an audible laugh when the final whistle goes to call an end to that section. This is really a record where the guests are left to shine, and having the most extensive guest list of any of Jeff's albums, it makes sense that space was left for them to take the limelight when the moment calls for it. If you want to hear some great bass (and keys) playing from Jeff, you'll get it here! But you'll also hear some great performances from the likes of Scott Henderson, Alex Lifeson, Billy Sheehan, Ron Thal, Gary Husband, Geddy Lee and Johnny Hiland and many more. Jeff gets the biggest, punchiest bass tone he has used in years and it absolutely anchors the band throughout. I don't want to say much more because, having been so long in the making, you may feel the same sense of curiosity as I do about what 'Jack Songs' is about. If you do, I'd urge that you check it out! Ultimately, what may come next may be even more exciting. Jeff recently took delivery of a 24 fret Cort Rithimic bass which he has stated would be used for his next project. He has talked for years now of doing a record of classical pieces and in recent years has studied composition and arrangement. If that really is what he is planning then I'm signing up now. We are lucky in that one of the true luminaries of our instrument is still actively engaged in making great music and playing more. Lets just hope it isn't another eight years in the making this time!"

Christ, they're playing twee music for old folk on a boat, not fighting in the trenches. Stimulants indeed 🙄🙄

flip me, I'd pay three times that for one.

I've played on low output active basses and high output passive basses. There is no hard and fast rule for any particular type. I find my impression of the output tends to be affected more by how much natural compression and treble the pickups produce. FWIW I like a hot, rich signal. Leave that wooly vintage fluff for the oldies.

I thought this was going to be a seven string bass thread! 😂😂

AIUI the 'solid' construction method of Steinberger etc was strong but heavy. Some of the thinner or hollow forms are obviously lighter but also stiffer. Status were, I believe, the pioneer in carbon fibre monocoque design with the Stealth that used a thin wood frame with layers of carbon fibre cloth laid up on top to form the 'skin' prior to curing and finishing. Basslab took things even further since they use some carbon fibre in their builds but most of the instrument is made of a 'tuned composite material', effectively a resin that allows for even more unusual shapes.

Funny seeing RHCP at the MTV awards last night with Kiedis thanking MTV for supporting them for 'a thousand years'. It certainly feels like it. I can scarcely believe that this is a band that peaked about 23 years ago. They sound about a day older than God now.

I had heard that some prospective customers had turned up at Bass Direct trying to buy a P bass and Mark tried to convince them to buy something else, something better, or something that he was more interested in. Seems like a good bloke, on that account.

I'm guessing he may have gone back since Martin Sims wound up Enfield Guitars.

That could skip over a 'worst bass solo' thread and take the top spot in a 'worst piece overall' thread 🤣

Given the enduring trend for old tat in both the guitar and bass world, I doubt anyone with a load of cash parked in some smokey old Fenders or Gibsons has much to worry about.

I always thought 'Maxwell Murder' was a dogturd of a solo in a dogturd of a song. Never mind that the bass solo itself sounds very goofy, but the song itself goes on longer because if it! Awful.

I couldn't have said it better. I like Berthoud's videos and the fact that he upsets a load of old fuds whenever he posts something always makes the comments section/forum threads quite funny.