Enfield basses - your verdict

[marcus bell]

Been looking at the sims website of Enfield bass guitars this morning, just been thinking how great they look

[Kiwi]

They look too much like a Wal to me...and they were launched when Wal was in decline too.

[Roland Rock]

I have difficulty reconciling the space-age pickups with the classic styling on many of them, but I'm sure they're great basses.

[NJE]

I remember playing one of the Wal look-a-likes at a guitar show, lovely bass, but two things stuck me immediately. First was the G string, no-matter how I played I kept pulling it off the edge of the board, I dont know if it was a misaligned bridge or just the way they build them but I have never had that problem wth any other bass. The pickup was superb but I think in a real life situation it would drive me absolutely insane fiddling and selecting the confusing array of combinations. other than that, beautifully made and a pleasure to play (as long as I stayed off the G string).

if it was me, i would get a Wal for that money and I would say that it would probably hold its value better than a Sims.

Edited December 17, 2013 by NJE

[Prime_BASS]

In reality you'd probably only use one, two maybe three different combinations and the coloured lights make it easy to know which pickup is doing what. Great technology though IMO and the fusion P bass looks by far the best.

Never tried one though.

But if it was my own dosh, I share the same sentiments as above.

[chris_b]

My verdict is that they are far too expensive and nothing I've seen makes me want to find out whether I like them or not,

Edited December 17, 2013 by chris_b

[Dingus]

[quote name='NJE' timestamp='1387285667' post='2310200']
I remember playing one of the Wal look-a-likes at a guitar show, lovely bass, but two things stuck me immediately. First was the G string, no-matter how I played I kept pulling it off the edge of the board, I dont know if it was a misaligned bridge or just the way they build them but I have never had that problem wth any other bass. The pickup was superb but I think in a real life situation it would drive me absolutely insane fiddling and selecting the confusing array of combinations. other than that, beautifully made and a pleasure to play (as long as I stayed off the G string).

if it was me, i would get a Wal for that money and I would say that it would probably hold its value better than a Sims.
[/quote]

The problem with the G string slipping off is a common problem on a lot of basses ( and a pet hate of mine) , and it's caused by how the nut has been cut. t is fairly easy to remedy by getting a new nut cut and installed with slightly different allocation of the string spacing.

I've never played these basses myself , but they do not appeal to me in the slightest . They might look like a Wal but they sound nothing like one, and their design philosophy is any many ways the opposite of what Wal were about. the electronics in Wal basses were brilliant because they sounded unique , were infinitely flexible , but were also, critically, simple, practical and easy to use. These Enfields are unneccessarily elaborate , with unremarkable results in terms of the sounds available. Lots of modern hi-tech basses can sound like that , but nothing else sounds like a Wal.

I know these are an attempt at a new design , but the invitation to compare these with Wal basses is irresistible, and entirely of Enfield's own making. Given a choice between one of these and a Wal ,I would be on Paul Herman's waiting list quicker than you could say " Percy Jones".

Edited December 17, 2013 by Dingus

[Dingus]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1387290893' post='2310302']
My verdict is that they are far too expensive and nothing I've seen makes me want to find out whether I like them or not,
[/quote]

Yes, exactly.

[cocco]

I don't like them at all. Ugly pickup, ugly shape. Over complicated and over priced.

[Bigwan]

Would like to try an Enfield, but I can't help but wonder what the design would have looked like if Wal basses had never existed...

Every musicman I've ever played had the g string problem you mention.

[henry norton]

[quote name='NJE' timestamp='1387285667' post='2310200']
if it was me, i would get a Wal for that money and I would say that it would probably hold its value better than a Sims.
[/quote]

+1 on that - in fact the basic price for a Wal is a few hundred quid less than their Wal lookalike but looks asides, they're very different basses. You'd also have to wait 18 months or thereabouts for a Wal...

[AL-the-Bassman]

i think they look awesome, and cool pickups
BUT
very pricey.
i've yet to play one, but they do sound very nice, like an ernie ball on steroids

[Dingus]

[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1387295177' post='2310385']
Every musicman I've ever played had the g string problem you mention.
[/quote]

Really ? I am particularly aware of this phenomena, and I have never come across any Musicman that suffered from it. In fact, they are one of the basses with the most generous excess at the edge of the fingerboard in my experience .

Edited December 17, 2013 by Dingus

[Bigwan]

Actually that's an exaggeration - every 5 string musicman. Both my '98 Stingray 5 and my Bongo 5 had the issue, but it may have been me being cack handed...

[Dingus]

[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1387297600' post='2310422']
Actually that's an exaggeration - every 5 string musicman. Both my '98 Stingray 5 and my Bongo 5 had the issue, but it may have been me being cack handed...
[/quote]

Sorry , I had , for some reason , automatically presumed you meant four strings.

Yes , you are absolutely right in that case. Every five string Musicman bass I have ever played does indeed suffer from this problem , and it drives me crazy, too. The problem with EBMM five strings is that, though they have many great qualities, the neck profile and related string spacing are a neccesarry but not completely satisfactory compromise. The neck shape feels great and not too broad or cumbersome if you are used to a four string , but the trade-off is that the string spacing is fairly tight, and even with that tight spacing , there is still not enough room at the edge of the fingerboard to prevent the strings slipping off. That is enough to ruin these otherwise generally y excellent basses for me, I'm sorry to say.

Edited December 17, 2013 by Dingus

[BigRedX]

Nothing at all like a Wal in either concept or execution.

I've played a lot of the original models (the Cannon) and sound-wise they are fantastic. What I wasn't so keen on was the bolt-on neck and the plethora of string trees on the headstock - neither of which are acceptable IMO on a bass at that price point. I also wasn't very keen on the acute V-shape profile of the neck on the 4-string model, although on the wider necked 5-string it wasn't quite as bad.

They are very much designed to the personal preferences of Martin Sims and the Cannon model in particular is a "take it or leave it" design.

The original Super 8 pickup with it's John East design pre-amp is fantastic. IMO it's probably the only time you'll get a P-J combination where you can actually get both pickups matched in volume without sacrificing overall output level. If only they sold this system separately so it could be put into the bass of your choice then it would be a complete winner.

[Dingus]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1387310266' post='2310607']
Nothing at all like a Wal in either concept or execution.

[/quote]

Enfield basses do indeed indeed sound nothing like a Wal , but if it did they might actually have sold a few more.

It is undeniable, however, that the Enfields are derivative of the Wal in terms of overall aesthetics. Everything about Enfield basses , on a superficial level at least, is contrived to be reminiscent of or evocative of Wal basses in some way or to conjure up some association with that esteemed brand.

Edited December 17, 2013 by Dingus

[Roland Rock]

Am I the only one who doesn't see the similarity between Wal and Enfield?

Edit: Actually, looking at the cannon and Wal side by side I can see it

Edited December 17, 2013 by Roland Rock

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1387314203' post='2310673']
Enfield basses do indeed indeed sound nothing like a Wal , but if it did they might actually have sold a few more.

It is undeniable, however, that the Enfields are derivative of the Wal in terms of overall aesthetics. Everything about Enfield basses , on a superficial level at least, is contrived to be reminiscent of or evocative of Wal basses in some way or to conjure up some association with that esteemed brand.
[/quote]

Why should the Enfield sound like a Wal? It wasn't designed that way at all.

I think maybe the difference of opinion comes from our experience of the instruments. Mine comes from actually having played the basses, and is that the electronics are remarkable, but I didn't much like the look or feel of the instrument. Yours appears to have come from looking at some photos of the bass and noting that the shape is reminiscent of the Wal, and therefore you are disappointed that the concept of the sound is so completely different that it isn't a complete clone.

If you want something that sounds like a Wal, then buy a Wal. The Enfield basses are equally remarkable in their electronics but are designed to do something completely different. To get hung up on their similar shapes is to miss the point entirely.

[JTUK]

The Enfield is based around the 'interesting' pickup. The idea is the pickup position can authentically get you anything from MM, P to a Jazz
and I think it does. Whether you'd want a bass to do that within the build of the Enfield is another thing.
IMO, I think it is a cleverly executed idea but doesn't quite come off. The pickup is a huge block and visually odd.
The rest of the bass is quite a heavy clunky type thing whch does what is says well, ..but it all comes across
as a mish mash to me...
Sims does quality work for other makers and the Enfields follow that standard ..but it stops there for me...

[Dingus]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1387317421' post='2310736']
Why should the Enfield sound like a Wal? It wasn't designed that way at all.

I think maybe the difference of opinion comes from our experience of the instruments. Mine comes from actually having played the basses, and is that the electronics are remarkable, but I didn't much like the look or feel of the instrument. Yours appears to have come from looking at some photos of the bass and noting that the shape is reminiscent of the Wal, and therefore you are disappointed that the concept of the sound is so completely different that it isn't a complete clone.

If you want something that sounds like a Wal, then buy a Wal. The Enfield basses are equally remarkable in their electronics but are designed to do something completely different. To get hung up on their similar shapes is to miss the point entirely.
[/quote]

I am indeed basing my opinion entirely on appearances and implied associations, you are absolutely right, but that is an opinion which these Enfield basses are very deliberately inviting. The similarities to a Wal are not coincidental . Purely from a marketing point of view, if you are going to evoke another make and model of bass , it makes sense to go the whole way and imitate to some extent the functional appeal of that product i.e its' sound, A quasi-Wal clone would have garnered more interest, that's for sure.

[chris_b]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1387318633' post='2310755']
....The pickup is a huge block and visually odd....
[/quote]

It's a turn off for me as is any bass with a fugly ramp.

[busccini]

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1387284456' post='2310173']
They look too much like a Wal to me...and they were launched when Wal was in decline too.
[/quote]here ist another bass model wal like from germany this model was made wenn wal decline too
http://www.hotwire-bass.de/inlaw-bass.html

[muttley]

Just looked at the website. Nice basses with interesting pickups but [size=4][b]APOSTROPHE ALERT!!![/b][/size]

[visog]

Sound good to me although so many options could be baffling. Pity this guy didn't try out the options in fingerstyle.

I think they look like the Geddy Lee style Wals... I think they're quite expensive though so try before you buy I guess.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcWbVd36Y0I[/media]

Edit: Actually I've just seen more vids under the Username. Definitively worth checking out.

Edited December 23, 2013 by visog