Epiphone Jack Casady Signature Bass - Video Review

[Dazzle]

Hi guys and gals, I am new to this site and have only been playing bass for a little over a year. Last month I turned 40 and decided to treat myself to something special so I got one of the Limited Edition Epiphone Jack Casady bass guitars in gorgeous Silverburst. I was so impressed by it that I did a video review on YouTube here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRx3PMjTgQo&feature=youtube_gdata_player
and thought it might be of interest / use. As I play in a band (Grounds for Divorce - check our videos on my YouTube channel and our Facebook page), you can also hear the JC Bass being played with the rest of the band in the more recent videos, in particular the one entitled "Stephen, break out the V" (where I have a go at Sweet Emotion by Aerosmith) and also in the one of "Rain" by The Cult. We normally have another guitarist and a female backing singer who couldn't make it to these rehearsals so there was a little something missing from our normal sound but it should give you the general idea. Hope you enjoy the review and it is of use / interest as it is a stunning guitar! All the best, Darren.

[brensabre79]

Welcome to Basschat Dazzle. Lovely bass

[Dazzle]

Thanks man - appreciate that! Please excuse the playing in the video as I'm not terribly proficient but just play for fun - guitar is my main instrument.

[gareth]

these are great basses

i am seeing them more and more being used by bands

they not only look really cool, they sound cool too

[stinson]

They are really cool, unfortunately found mine just a bit too uncomfortable to play

[basskit_case]

[quote name='stinson' timestamp='1348000892' post='1808041']
They are really cool, unfortunately found mine just a bit too uncomfortable to play
[/quote]

Me too, lovely looking basses though

[Cosmo Valdemar]

I want one. Thanks for the video!

[Dazzle]

Hey, no worries folks and thanks for the feedback. I have to confess that "because it looks cool" was my main reason for getting interested in buying one in the first place!! I was a bit worried to be honest that it might not be great for the kind of music we play in the band (classic rock covers) - it turns out to be perfect for it - bonus!!!

[Raggy]

Really good review that. I'm tempted to take a look at one of those.

I loved the way the camera was vibrating on certain notes. Must be pumping out some nice deep bass

[Mr Fretbuzz]

Sounds good .. think I prefer the 50 setting but still undecided about the Jack Casady v Hagstrom Viking

[Dazzle]

[quote name='Raggy' timestamp='1348079701' post='1809053']
Really good review that. I'm tempted to take a look at one of those.

I loved the way the camera was vibrating on certain notes. Must be pumping out some nice deep bass
[/quote]

Ha ha - that's exactly what was happening! Didn't realise at the time until I watched it back but that's the first time I've ever been able to see a bass tone as well as hear it! You'll notice the effect is much more when the switch is set to 500 - it really boosts the output and drives the amp (which was turned to around 3 on the volume at the time - the beauty of a 15 inch extension cab!).

[Mr Fretbuzz]

Thomann have the Silverburst in stock but sold out of the gold :-(

I'm going to get one for Christmas . The trapeze breaks on the Viking :-(

[brensabre79]

[quote name='Mr Fretbuzz' timestamp='1348079847' post='1809054']
Sounds good .. think I prefer the 50 setting but still undecided about the Jack Casady v Hagstrom Viking
[/quote]
The Hagstrom is short scale though
Jack wins!

[neepheid]

I am going to have to re-investigate these - I tried one in a shop a while back and left rather unimpressed. Must have been the amp, because I've seen a few vids now with these basses sounding rather good.

[brensabre79]

The low impedance pickup/transformer arrangement takes a bit of getting used to I think - you have to forget the settings you would use with a normal bass. I think it was designed to get more top end out of the semi-acoustic bass - normally they can be quite muddy with conventional HiZ pickups on. These pickups are also designed to get Jack Casady's rather distinctive sound so you might have to experiment a bit more with EQ to get something else from it. I heard someone say it was a one trick pony, with a great trick!

[Dazzle]

Definitely wouldn't agree with the "one trick pony" assessment - the varitone switch gives it at least 3 very different tricks and that's not including messing about with the tone control. IMO you could play this quite well in an acoustic duet / trio arrangement then flick easily to balls-out full on rock and everywhere in between. I would agree that it does have a very vintage tone alright which is warm and clear rather than muddy. As pointed out earlier, play with the amp a little and you could also have it as bright as you want. It really is very versatile. The trouble with these YouTube vids is that mine are recorded using a small hand-held camcorder and tiny mic and then invariably payed back through laptop speakers - they really don't do anything for any kind of tonal comparison at all.

[gub]

Great review and lovely bass

[0175westwood29]

well thanku for reigniting my gas for a gold top version!!

good review man! and dnt knock your playing! much more helpfull than someone w*"king and not really letting you hear the bass!

andy

[Dazzle]

Thanks mate - you're very kind and the feedback is appreciated, have only been playing for about 18 months but really enjoying it - finding it very different to the guitar!

As for the gold top - absolutely stunning and it was one of those that got me interested in the first place - they look really well.

[0175westwood29]

[quote name='Dazzle' timestamp='1348163199' post='1810294']
Thanks mate - you're very kind and the feedback is appreciated, have only been playing for about 18 months but really enjoying it - finding it very different to the guitar!

As for the gold top - absolutely stunning and it was one of those that got me interested in the first place - they look really well.
[/quote]

Damn good for 18months dude, i tried guitar but it wasnt doing it for me!

[brensabre79]

[quote name='Dazzle' timestamp='1348157679' post='1810196']
Definitely wouldn't agree with the "one trick pony" assessment
[/quote]

Me either, I've heard it said, but I think with a bass like that you need to mess with the amp, and get the sound by playing it. Its a great bass IMO, and you play it well

I have GAS for a gold top too. It won't be this year though!

[cocco]

Saw one of these in dawsons yesterday. Really want one now, but the black one.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

I would love one of these. One day, I will have one. Gorgeous to play, very unique tone - hard to describe, but as everyone else has already said, it sounds 'natural' and very honest.

[Spangle]

I've just started playing Bass on an Aria I've been loaned and was interested in The JC as it's the one currently used by Mani and seems like a great bass for the money. After hearing it on your video Dazzle i was sold, I now just need to raise the funds