JAMES TYLER 4 STRING

[7string]

After I'd had my Fender Urge Mk1 on sale for a couple of days, I thought I'd look around a few websites and look for a replacement. Originally, I thought of a 5 string, something a bit more traditional (see the "Urge to change" thread).

I started to look down the lists of basses on Bass Central, Bass NW and was leaning towards a Sadowsky Metro. However, right at the bottom of the "New arrivals" list at The Gallery lurked a James Tyler described as "4 string, black, rosewood board, Bartolini soapbars".

After nearly choking on my tea, I nervously clicked the link.......then took another swig of tea. A Tyler bass....... a real Tyler bass....... but the guy doesn't make 'em anymore..... I've only ever seen one advert for one ever (and believe me I look at a lot of adverts). Surely, The Gallery hasn't got a real Tyler in

So I e-mailed Alex at The Gallery and asked for some more photos.












OK, so at this point you might think it could be anything. But have a look at the headstock...




[b][size=4][color="#FF0000"]YUP, IT'S A TYLER ALRIGHT !![/color][/size][/b]


This explains just how good James Tyler guitars are:

[size=2][color="#000080"]“If you have to sell every other electric guitar you own to raise funds for a Tyler, do it.” - Guitarist Magazine[/color][/size]

A mate of mine has a Studio Elite guitar and it even makes me sound good. It plays like nothing else....

The basses, though, are as rare as the proverbial rocking-horse poop. They've played by the session guys in Nashville for the last 10 years or so (Michael Rhodes, Neil Stubenhaus and Mike Brignardello all have Tylers). Mike Brignardello describes his Tyler sound as "it's mid-range is tightly focussed. It sounds like a high-tech P".

This was too good to miss. Luckily, I have a very understanding wife so the Tyler is now mine I tell you all mine !! I still have to sell the Urge though.

Yup, I'm excited... I'll write full review when it gets to Glasgow... and after I stopped choking on my tea

Edited June 14, 2008 by 7string

[ped]

Lovely. Does it have a Demeter pre-amp too?

Looking forward to a review
ped

[7string]

I don't know the moment, I'll open it up when it arrives. I'll also send an e-mail to James Tyler and see if he has any info on it.

I forgot to put the Tyler web address up it's [url="http://www.tylerguitars.com"]www.tylerguitars.com[/url] Don't forget to visit the store

[ped]

HA! Very funny! I thought I had won when the window was shaking!

Neil Stubenhaus is one of my fave players, always admired his sound. I have a dvd of him playing his Tyler somewhere.

[7string]

Yup, he's got a cool white one with black edges.

I'm just amazed that I managed to get hold of one

[BossHog]

[quote name='7string' post='214158' date='Jun 7 2008, 12:26 AM']Yup, he's got a cool white one with black edges.

I'm just amazed that I managed to get hold of one [/quote]

Hey,

You will not be disappointed I played a five string 35" for a couple of years and there fantastic sounding basses, a good friend was the Tyler agent in the U.K. at the time and I ordered it blind on the back of every six string guitar he brought into the country sounded bloody amazing so I took the plunge and hoped Jim Tylers magic transfered to the bass. My only regret is I ordered it with Lane Poor pickups which were very noisy combined with the Demeter preamp a problem I also encountered with Lane Poor in Modulus Flea basses. It looks a killer instrument if you drop me a PM I can put you in touch with someone who can probably shed a little history on the bass. The headstock is a real love/hate thing personally I love them, there was almost as much mass behind the nut than in front of it with my five string, anyway enjoy a very nice bass.

Best

Mick

[budget bassist]

Damn, the purple to red burst quilted maple top on the studio elite SE HD looks almost edible! Yum!

And i hope you enjoy the bass doesn't look much, lets hope it sounds amazing though!

[99ster]

I've got a guitarist friend who is a very serious player (& has been for 30 years+) - has a collection of 60+ fantastic guitars. He rates his Tyler as being one of the very best things he's ever played. I'm sure you'll be a very happy camper!
The only thing I struggle with is the head-stock design - for me that's f-ugly! But it could well be contributing a fair bit to the tone...who knows?

[7string]

I'm not surprised your friend rates his Tyler so highly. The one my mate's got is finished in "Burning Water" which, in the flesh, looks darn amazing.

I accept that the headstock is a bit OTT, but when it's a Tyler it doesn't matter

After a bit of scouting about for Tyler bass stuff, I ran into an old advert on TB offering a Tyler bass for sale. It looks really close to the one I've bought, so I mentioned that in a thread thread. One reader has commented that the bass was sold overseas (so outside the USA), so maybe it is the same one.

Here's the wording for that sale which gives another impression of the bass:

[color="#0000FF"][i]About two years ago I saw and heard Neil Stubenhouse, and was totally blown away by the enormous sound he and his Tyler bass put out. I’ve always had a real fascination over Tyler basses since, in part due to the onboard Demeter preamps.

I purchased a used Tyler recently, and found that initially I was not that taken with it. After playing it for several days and taking it to a practice, I began to appreciate its comfort and amazing sounds. Now I'm completely enthralled with the bass. It is an older model (guessing built around '95) black four string. It has 21 frets on a pau ferro board. The neck is maple. The neck is a 1.5" jazz style neck and is also shaped asymmetrically. The edges of the board and frets are rolled and it's easily the nicest neck I've played.

The hardware is black. It has cloverleaf style tuners and a drop-d tuner, a Badass II bridge, 2 Bartolini soapbar pickups. The preamp is a Demeter, with three toggles for frequency shifting. The controls are volume/pan/boost and along with the three frequency toggles are active mid, treble and high controls. The bass weighs in at 8.2 lbs.

The action is low and the intonation is set perfectly. The slight asymmetrical shaping on the neck and the craftsmanship of the frets/rolled edged along with the Demeter make this bass a standout. The rest of the bass is excellent quality but nothing phenomenal and possibly this is the reason I was not blown away with the bass upon its arrival.

I read one review of a Tyler some time ago where the person commented the neck was fat and chunky, or something to that effect. I cannot imagine how that could be, given the neck on this bass. Sheer perfection. :-) [/i][/color]

At the moment, I feel like it's Christmas and I'm waiting for a present to turn up.

[ped]

Interesting, good find. I suppose the chances of it being the same one are quite high. It sounds like a 'working man's bass' to me, it should be a real winner. and FWIW I think the headstock looks great.

[7string]

Here's a pic from that advert.

Edited June 7, 2008 by 7string

[ped]

Well it looks the same - Do they have serial numbers?

[GreeneKing]

Is the shape of the headstock meant to represent something?

Peter

[paul, the]

I quite like that last pic (in a slightly ironic '90s way). I'd be dubious of any revered bass that was too attractive.

[7string]

The James Tyler name goes onto the top of the headstock as well, so you can read what bass you are playing

[EBS_freak]

Ugliest headstock and decals in graphics, but Tylers are as good as the hype (well, at least the guitars -I haven't tried a bass). Congrats on the find.

[7string]

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='214322' date='Jun 7 2008, 01:24 PM']Is the shape of the headstock meant to represent something?

Peter[/quote]

No idea I'm afraid !!



I've had some info from over on TB.

The bass I've bought is the same one for which I posted the ad and picture for. It's serial number 198 and was originally bought in California. From there it was sold to a TB'er in Vancouver (who confirmed it was his). From there it was sold via TB to a player in the UK (I do have a name but I haven't verified it yet). That's was just over a year ago and now it's a commission sale in The Gallery. Nice to have a bit of history !!

[cetera]

Lovely purchase..... Tyler instruments have an outstanding reputation!

[7string]

I sent the dosh to The Gallery today by special delivery.

Had a word with Alex this morning and the bass has been duly fettled ready for it's journey north. Can't wait

[7string]

Well, the Tyler was meant to be with me today.

Unfortunately, Business Post put it on their vehicle going to Gloucester instead of Glasgow . Had it been at the Glasgow depot I would have just gone down there to get it as it's not too far away. Gloucester, on the other hand, is about 300 miles from here.....

Oh, well. Tomorrow it is

[Mokl]

[quote name='7string' post='217607' date='Jun 12 2008, 01:51 PM']Well, the Tyler was meant to be with me today.

Unfortunately, Business Post put it on their vehicle going to Gloucester instead of Glasgow . Had it been at the Glasgow depot I would have just gone down there to get it as it's not too far away. Gloucester, on the other hand, is about 300 miles from here.....

Oh, well. Tomorrow it is [/quote]


I live near Gloucester, I could pick it up for you, if you like

[7string]

Thanks for the offer

I just hope it gets here tomorrow and they don't take it another place beginning with 'G'. The box has Glasgow on it, a full postcode and barcode tracking. How difficult can it be to get it on the right truck.....

[GreeneKing]

Hehe, My Warmoth flew here from the States and was then put on the next flight back! It's done more airmiles than I have!

I'm looking forward to the review.

Peter

[paul, the]

At BP.

Oh, the suspense, though!!

Gotta be feeling it.

[7string]

Yup, it arrived at last !!



So the question is.... are Tyler basses worthy of their reputation....

[size=4][b][color="#FF0000"]YES THEY ARE !![/color][/b][/size]

The case has seen a few miles, but the bass looks much better than it did in the pics I got from The Gallery or Talkbass. These pics aren't bad, but the bass has had a good clean and polish this evening so I'll post some more soon.

On the surface it isn't that spectacular, just a black bass with a lot of controls and an oversize headstock with James Tyler emblazoned on it several times. However, pick up the bass and immediately the weight is the surprising thing. It weighs just 3.5kg (I think that's about 7lb 9oz). As someone how own's a Conklin which weighs 14lbs that's a relief.

Then there's that neck. It's really a bit of a Goldilock's neck. Not too shallow, not too deep. It's not a smooth 'c' shape either. There's a definate a 'v' in the neck but to me it seems to be off-centre, there's a little more meat towards the E string. In short, it's a wonderful neck to play and I can see why those who have played a Tyler remember the experience.

The fingerboard is pau-ferro (also known as Bolivian rosewood) and makes a great playing surface. There's just something about the feel of it, difficult to explain, but if you see a bass with a pau-ferro 'board then try it. Whilst on the subject of the 'board the frets are fine, quite low, but it's the fingerboard edges which make the playing experience special as well. The edges are 'rolled' so the neck flows into the fingerboard, there's no ledge where the 'board finishes, no sharp, vertical cut at the edge of the 'board. It's so comfortable to play.

At the top end, there's a set of Hipshot ultralite tuners. I haven't had a bass with these before but they work well and look smart and that's fine be me. The tuners are, of course, attached to "that" headstock. OK, it's large and "James Tyler" is written across it a lot. Now I'll move on...

The body of this bass has a familiar shape to it, but has a couple of surprises on the back. The heel has had some meat taken out of it to make playing up high little easier and as a result. the neck plate sits at an angle. There's some shaping on the inside of the lower cutaway as well so all the high frets are available. There's also a generous belly cut as well which does take a big chunk out the thickness of the body. Not that it's very deep anyway as it's under 4cm (1 1/2 inches) at it's thickest.



The bridge is a Badass II and this is the first time I've played a bass with one of these. It's certainly substantial, but the length of the base of the bridge came as a surprise. It's just a lot longer than the saddles could travel. I'm not saying that this is a bad thing at all, it just came as a surprise. The bridge has ample adjustment any way you want to go. Luckily though, this had gone through the hands of Martin and/or John at The Gallery, so the set-up was spot on.



Now onto the electronics. I have to say up front that I do not have any technical info on the pre-amp so I'm just try to describe what I hear. I do want to get hold of the spec and if I do I'll add it to this review. I do know that the pickups are Bartolini's (or at least are in Bartoloni casings) and that the pre-amp is definately an 18-volt Demeter circuit.



One thing I'm really happy about is that there's a master volume control as I hate 2 volumes for 2 pickups. I really don't want to have to turn 2 pots when I've finished playing and just want some silence! As well as the master volume there's a master boost as well. After playing around with the controls this afternoon, this eq is both very subtle and very powerful. The tone of any given note can be altered to make it thinner or thicker. There are no gaps in the range of frequencies that this pre-amp controls. Have a problem up high up can adjust it, have a problem down low you can make it boom or just turn it down a tad. The boost is great as well and just gives more of everything. I have a lot of learning to do with this pre, but so far it's very, very impressive.



In closing, I really, really do love this bass. The neck is to die for, it balances great, the playability is great and there isn't a bad sound to be found in that pre-amp. I have to admit that I bought this bass purely on Tyler's reputation for quality, because these basses are in the hand's of some of Nashville session masters (Michael Rhodes, Mike Chapman and Mike Brignardello who was once in Giant with Dann Huff) and because I know the guys in The Gallery are great as well. I now understand why these basses do not come up for sale very often, it's because those who have them keep them because they're amazing instruments. This bass is an instrument I will never sell. Remember when you see that headstock don't laugh. This is one serious bass.

Edited June 13, 2008 by 7string