Epiphone Jack Casady and Gibson Midtown

[Musicman20]

Hi all

I've been on the hunt for a semi acoustic style bass for a while now.

I really like the large Gibson/Gretsch style bodies, and these two basses nail the classic style I'm after.

I unfortunately have zero experience with any of them. I am trying to avoid buying without trying, but there seems little chance of that now, more so with the Midtown.

Can anyone comment on these basses? More so the Midtown, as I love their sunburst model!

Will they nail a very classic smooth/warm/thumpy tone? I realise part of that is technique and strings.

[Grand Wazoo]

Lee Sklaar likes these ones:

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/warwick_rb_starbass_4_vs.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/warwick_rb_starbass_4_vs.htm[/url]

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' timestamp='1391084034' post='2353003']
Lee Sklaar likes these ones:

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/warwick_rb_starbass_4_vs.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/warwick_rb_starbass_4_vs.htm[/url]
[/quote]

However the Rockbass version is only 32" scale while the Warwick ones are the full 34".

[MoonBassAlpha]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1391084151' post='2353005']
However the Rockbass version is only 32" scale while the Warwick ones are the full 34".
[/quote]
Not necessarily a bad thing if you're after a smooth, thumpy tone...

[BigRedX]

My 34" scale MiK Pro Series Star Bass is hardly lacking in either smoothness or thump.

Plus it's got plenty of note definition all the way down to low B. Something few sub-34" scales basses can claim.

[ahpook]

i don't know about the midtown, but the jack casady, suffers from atrocious neck dive.

if it didn't sound so damn good i'd have sold it ages ago !

[Musicman20]

I realise I should have jumped on the MIK Pro Star Bass when they were on sale!

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1391088716' post='2353094']
I realise I should have jumped on the MIK Pro Star Bass when they were on sale!
[/quote]

Yes you should,

I wish I'd bought the Daphne Blue one as well...

[Musicman20]

I have however been offered a gold Epiphone JC or Gibson Midtown in sunburst (2013 without the horrible cut out!) at very reasonable prices....hmm!

[neepheid]

By "horrible cut out" do you mean the bottom cutaway being deeper than the top one?? The JC has that.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1391093949' post='2353193']
By "horrible cut out" do you mean the bottom cutaway being deeper than the top one?? The JC has that.
[/quote]

That's the one. For some reason I don't mind it on the JC. I think because it wasn't there before on the Midtown, I prefer it without!

[Prime_BASS]

Having owned the JC before, much prefer it for the classic smooth, woody, thump that people use P basses for, plus with flats it comes out even more so, the varitone I feel is more usable than actually turning the tone knob down, but that's just me,

Nice all round bass for the price.

Not tried the midtown bass so can't comment.

Only one semi acoustic I want and that's the dean cabbie bass.

[skej21]

Having played a number of Jack Casady (five different of the gold, one silver burst and three black!) and the Ltd Ed Pelham Blue Gibson midtown bass for prolonged periods of time (a good few hours on each!), I'd have a JC every day of the week. They sound great, half the price and the minimal issues (mainly neck dive) are just as noticeable on both models. I think with a nice set of flats, the JC would be a really killer bass with a thunderous sound!

Also, the VariTone switch has some great scope for tone. The '50' option is a really nice, vintage tone and the '500' is just a full on, balls-to-the-wall tone.

Lovely instruments!

Edited January 30, 2014 by skej21

[jaybass 70]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1391123755' post='2353676']
Having played a number of Jack Casady (five different of the gold, one silver burst and three black!) and the Ltd Ed Pelham Blue Gibson midtown bass for prolonged periods of time (a good few hours on each!), I'd have a JC every day of the week. They sound great, half the price and the minimal issues (mainly neck dive) are just as noticeable on both models. I think with a nice set of flats, the JC would be a really killer bass with a thunderous sound!

Also, the VariTone switch has some great scope for tone. The '50' option is a really nice, vintage tone and the '500' is just a full on, balls-to-the-wall tone.

Lovely instruments!
[/quote]

This ^^^^^ I tried them both in dawsons liverpool and I really wanted the gibson when I went in and I walked out with the jack , you cant beat the sound of the jack ,, ITS HUGE !!!!! Love it :-)

[Musicman20]

Thanks all. I'm still deciding haha!!!

[krispn]

The JC has a great feeling neck and out thumps a p bass. If you're seriously considering a semi hollow I'd recommend the JC over Gretsch/Gibson. In saying that the Warwick sounds pretty sweet too from the demo's I've heard and seems to do the vintage thump and that more scooped 'modern' sound with both volumes rolled up very well!

Slightly off topic but a p bass fitted with that JC pick up and the varitone would be an interetsing experiment!

[Back to Bassics]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1391088716' post='2353094']
I realise I should have jumped on the MIK Pro Star Bass when they were on sale!
[/quote]

There are still a few on sale here. (And isn't the MIC 5 34"?)

Almost popped for one but kept putting it off because they really sound too much like Warwicks for me. The gold one sure was pretty though. Don't like the Epi JC at all. Luckily I found a Hagstrom Viking just in time.

[Guinness21]

Personally I much prefer a thinner body on these types of basses, I think it produces a better sound. That being the case I'd go for either the warwick star bass or hofner verithin bass, possibly the new coronado.

[Mr Fretbuzz]

I looked and tried both before I bought my Pro Star Bass. I'd go for a gold JC for looks and value.