Sagawa Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 [color="#000080"][b]What's the general consensus in Basschatland on Bisons? I've never played one but rather like the thought of them. Any opinions?[/b][/color] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Ugly little whatnots. They appear in Felixstowe occasionally, in a tiny little shop near the train station. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Well, [b]I[/b] like them. So there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Alsatian Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 (edited) I had one for a bit and it's a very versatile bass with its pickup configurations - I was really impressed with the sound. The neck was a little thinner than a P, but not Jazz-thin and it seemed longer than its 34" scale due to the enormous cutaways. However, I wasn't in love with the shape/size of the body - didn't feel particularly comfortable, so I let it go. I'd have loved to have transplanted its electronics into another bass! Here's a really crap demo I knocked up for the auction - clippy and sloppy, but it gives you an idea of how each of the pickup configurations sounded. You'll hear, in order: Wild Dog A - bridge pickup Wild Dog B - bridge and middle pickup (Jazz Bass-ish) Treble A - bridge pickup Treble B - bridge and middle pickup (Precision Bass-ish) Bass A - neck pickup (my fave) Bass B - neck and middle pickup (another goodie) Split A - neck and treble pickup Split B - all three pickups 'Wild Dog' and 'Treble' sound similar in mode A, but different in mode B - I think they're a series/parallel effort. Edited August 16, 2011 by Green Alsatian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pow_22 Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Ive got one of the MkI reissues and abolutely love it. The mark II's are a bit poorer build quality and the more recent ones seem very flimsy. Its my main bass and is the coolest looking bass ive had (mines the all black version) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 I had one of the reissues, don't know which Mk it was but this is going back about 7 years. It was matt black and I quickly realised it wasn't the bass for me and moved it on for a very minimal loss as it was still mint. I couldn't get to grips with the way the neck sat in relation to the body so it seemed like the headstock end was miles away compared with a jazz or a P bass. I have the same problem with Thunderbirds, I guess you get used to it but overrall I found it a disappointment and was happy to see it goe elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of the Wear Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Probably me being shallow - but I agree with Bilbo. A small part of the joy of playing bass is sitting down to play and picking up an instrument that you think looks attractive - and these just don't do it for me. Perhaps I should get over myself and try playing one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisonboy Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Well as my name suggests-it is possible that am a bit biased when it comes to Bisons - but if you don't like the shape then that is shame! - I fell in love with the shape a long time ago and when Bertbass went to buy one for me - I didn't drive back then-from Bonners in Eastbourne way back in the mid 80's and came back empty handed because it was not in good condition- I knew I had to find a good one at all costs. It turned out that the Eastbourne one was a Baldwin Bison - with a shorter scale than the original 33 1/2" scale. I found an original Burns Jazz Bass ( now reissues as the Marque Bass) that has a simiar 3 pickup configuration inc Wild Dog - but it was not a Bison! Well time went by - and Burns London had not been born(born 1992), and i had no idea about Jim Burns Actualizers (1979-1983) so after contacting Paul Day - the guitar Guru - he put me in touch with Jack Golder at Shergold Guitars and afer various visits, and testing of various part finished basses, a custom proper scale length Bison was born - a handmade repro of a 1964 Bison Bass - in Black with tortoiseshell scratchplate, rezotube bridge and pick ups and big scoll headstock by the men who made them for Burns nback in the 60's! My favourite bass that i own still to this day. - the sounds maybe not as many as the original/ new reissues Black Bisons wild dog etc. but hey a 5 way selector switch worked for Mr Fender! Since then i have acquired many basses including an original Burns Baby Bison, and I have had and sold an early 2000's club series Bison, which is a good instrument but in Red which didn't quite cut it visually for me, and i eventually went back to my Custom Bison - well just because! So in conclusion - if you like the shape you deserve to at least try one of the reissues, and if you come accross a Baldwin Bison, it will probably be overpriced and the scale will be shorter than the 34" reissues or the 33 1/2" originals, and if you come accross original burns bison - whichever model - just do yourself a favour and buy it - OR let me know so i can(especially if it is Black). and finally if you come across any Shergold guitars, basses or twin neck s- then again just buy it - you will not be disappointed - [url="http://www.shergold.co.uk/"]http://www.shergold.co.uk/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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