Mr. Foxen Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 (edited) One of my amps sold, and freed up some fun money, one of those things I've been intending to get for ages since I sold my last one in a poor bit. Spoke to him a bit on Facebook chat (dude never seems to sleep), for some details. [quote]WISHBASS Custom Instrument Order Form Make checks or MO to wishbass, 612 McCreary, Winston Salem, NC 27105 Name___Oli Foxen_____________________________________________ Address Email Instrument___Fretted Bass____________________________________________ Body Style__Scarab (see attached pic of previous one for general theme)____________________ Number of Strings____4________________________________________. Neck Wood_________________________________________________ Reinforcement None(x) Steel( ) Adjustable Truss rod ( ) Fingerboard wood___purpleheart_________________________________________ Side Dots __N__Fretted __Y__ Body Wood___Gnarly dark stuff and purpleheart___Top______________Back_____________ Controls_________Just a volume is fine, but can I get a double size cavity, so I have the option of tinkering? Front / Back: Rearmount controls, Cover plate__Any___________________________________________ Bridge___Standard__________________________________________________ Tuners________standard_____________________________________________ Pickup (s____Bridge P bass spaced a bit like on the bass in attached pic Other Hardware______None________________________________________ Finish____None, rough shaped only______________________________ Notes.____Going for gnarliest whorley wood you can find, looking like it has been found in a swamp. Bark inclusions welcome, but smooth where my arm will rest would be nice. Shape pretty much like the scarab in the pic, top horn longer than bottom, like it is lunging a bit, and the bottom by the bridge like that, don't really like the hole cutout thing on some scarabs, like the alembic omega thing, rather have like in the pic. General pointy theme, like an evil beetle is what we are after.[/quote] Pics attache were this scarab: Edited August 31, 2011 by Mr. Foxen Quote
TheGreek Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 Wicked looking bass - he's now doing Fretted basses as well - I looked into this after seeing a number of his basses on eBay - very reasonably priced. I'd be interested to hear your feedback when it arrives.. Quote
charic Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 Sounds interesting... What the last picture though Quote
xilddx Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 You need to put your address on that form mate. Also, I thought he only made fretless? Quote
Truckstop Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 Coooooool! I used to have a Wishbass Singlecut Peanut 6 and it actually had a real tone and very very lightweight. Very aggressive, mine was! Wish I hadnt sold it now... Truckstop Quote
Mr. Foxen Posted August 31, 2011 Author Posted August 31, 2011 Last picture is my Mockingbird. Has an awesome growl on the bridge pickup, so figured gun for that. I sent him a full pic of it and he said 'Strange looking bass'. He farms out fretting and doesn't offer it on his site, after people started expecting boutique quality basses for Squier prices, the note on the front of his site reads like a proper grumpy old man. I'm getting it in white and doing the finishing myself, anticipate a lot of sanding, and feeding it oil until around Christmas. Basically it is finish time that costs serious money when you buy a bass, jsut need to bear in mind you are pretty much buying a blank. Quote
Gust0o Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 The controls look like a BC Rich Mock - is that so? This will certainly be interesting! Quote
Gust0o Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 [quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1357270' date='Aug 31 2011, 10:55 AM']Last picture is my Mockingbird. Has an awesome growl on the bridge pickup, so figured gun for that. I sent him a full pic of it and he said 'Strange looking bass'.[/quote] Ah-ha! Thought I recognised it - looks like a USA model, certainly with the fancier electronics. I am envious Odd he thought that the Mock was the 'strange looking bass', given the Scarab's unique looks Quote
Mr. Foxen Posted August 31, 2011 Author Posted August 31, 2011 [quote name='Gust0o' post='1357275' date='Aug 31 2011, 10:58 AM']Ah-ha! Thought I recognised it - looks like a USA model, certainly with the fancier electronics. I am envious [/quote] It is actually a Japanese one, built for their domestic market, imported by Lorne, and done a tour of Bristol bass players. Turns out it rocks a low A tuning like nothing else I've tried. Quote
Gust0o Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 I have a slightly more budget Platinum with Wizards - I do think they're a great little bass shape; if I could find a Year of Birth '81 USA I'd be delighted Quote
derrenleepoole Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 Wishbass! The bass luthier that is the butt of much derision I like what he does, in a weird sort of way - got to admire the stubborn originality! Some I've seen/heard on Youtube sounded awful. On the other hand, bassists who have bought them and then spent time actually getting the instrument to a more 'boutique' finish have sounded ace. It would interesting to see what you get. Good luck Quote
Mr. Foxen Posted August 31, 2011 Author Posted August 31, 2011 (edited) The pretty much reflect what you put into them, both in finish and sound. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bass-Fretless-4-String-Aromatic-Cedar-Scarab-Wishbass-/130567955786?pt=Guitar&hash=item1e6674e54a"]This one is on ebay for the impatient.[/url] Edited August 31, 2011 by Mr. Foxen Quote
cheddatom Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 I've always liked wish basses but never played one. I'm confused though, are you going for the "gnarliest whorley wood you can find, looking like it has been found in a swamp. Bark inclusions welcome" which sounds ace, or are you getting it in white? Quote
cheddatom Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 [quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1357347' date='Aug 31 2011, 11:54 AM']In white as in unfinished.[/quote] I always thought white meant painted white?!? Anyway it sounds like a cool bass. I've never seen basses with a bit of bark left on the wood, i'd love to see some pics of that if anyone can link me? Quote
KevB Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 And people moan about Fender bridges not being sophisticated enough for accurate set ups.... Quote
Mr. Foxen Posted August 31, 2011 Author Posted August 31, 2011 [quote name='KevB' post='1357376' date='Aug 31 2011, 12:07 PM']And people moan about Fender bridges not being sophisticated enough for accurate set ups.... [/quote] Wishbass don't have frets as standard, or 'precision' written on them. That way, the intonation problems are your fault (although one harmony central review complains about the intonation being off on a fretless). This one is having a bridge and frets by custom order. Quote
Truckstop Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 Cant believe how busy he's been. I had #368. He's now done another 1,000! Quote
Mr. Foxen Posted August 31, 2011 Author Posted August 31, 2011 He has cut the sides already, but no pics yet, yay, and boo. Quote
nick Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 [quote name='BassBod' post='1357265' date='Aug 31 2011, 10:50 AM']You're a brave man Oli.........[/quote] Looking forward to seeing this Oli, liking the shape. Good luck! Quote
ficelles Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 I had one (pics below)... you have to remember everything he says about it being roughly finished and be prepared to put some work in yourself if you're fussy! Mine I liked, it had bags of character and sounded great, but it was physically quite large - those headstocks are pretty hefty bits of wood. I didn't keep it as I had a pre-moving clearout and it got earmarked as I had too many basses at the time, but actually if it was still kicking around I reckon I'd be playing it... Btw don't forget you'll be paying import duty, but even so they are excellent value. Damn, now you've made me want another ficelles [attachment=88407:wishbass1.jpg] [attachment=88408:wishbass2.jpg] [attachment=88409:wishbass3.jpg] [attachment=88410:wishbass4.jpg] [attachment=88411:wishbass5.jpg] Quote
Mr. Foxen Posted August 31, 2011 Author Posted August 31, 2011 This is my original one, that I refinned myself, I've got a bunch more experience doing it now, so this one should come out better. Quote
ficelles Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 Missed that you'd already had one... so you are not a Wishbass virgin Nice refin, will be interested to see what you do to the new one! ficelles Quote
Mr. Foxen Posted September 2, 2011 Author Posted September 2, 2011 I got my knot hole and bark inclusion: Quote
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