Shuker Uberhorn

[Owen]

I just got this and there seems to very little out there regarding info when I was trying to research it, so I thought I would post my initial thoughts. All Shuker stuff is fully custom so there is not really much point in discussing the finer details of my own bass, but I thought some of the more generic Uberhorn features were worth noting.

The body shape is very comfortable indeed. It is like a jazz that has been genetically modified to be slimmer and more graceful. The whole thing balances fantastically well seated and standing.

The main issue I would like to highlight is the standard Uberhorn scale length - it is 33". Mine is a 5 string (bought second hand on here). I have been playing 5 strings for almost 21 years. I bought the first on my honeymoon - it was a 3 hour detour. How my wife of 7 days laughed! I have always found anything less than 35" scale to be disappointing in the B dept. Just for reference I must have gone through a good 20 basses in that period so at least have hands on experience. The sub 35" B always let me down because it never sounded as if it was the same instrument. Once I fell off the E onto the B things would get just that bit muddier. My present Uberhorn came up here just after I had sold a bass so I had money sitting waiting for the right moment - lethal. I had also just the day before that commissioned an Uberhorn body to go on a neck I have and I could not stop myself from trying out the real deal.

Does the 33" B speak with the same sound as my 35" basses? No. However it does speak with the same voice as the rest of the bass. It has a sonic integrity from the top all the way to the bottom, it is all obviously the same instrument speaking whatever register is being used. Is this due to the 5 piece laminated neck (bolt on)? I don't know, but I can say that I will be happy to use it and not flinch every time I go below low E. Is a 35" B better than a 33" B? Before trying this I would have said yes. Now I would say that it is just a different flavour.

The smaller scale makes it really easy to play sitting down. Everything feels very close I am really enjoying it.