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Put down a deposit on a Wishbass


Mr. Foxen
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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 by Mr. Foxen
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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.

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[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 :)

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[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.

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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 :)

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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 by Mr. Foxen
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[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?

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[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.

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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]

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