Muzz Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Sooo, after much searching for a present for myself for my 50th (and a well-documented disappointment with a well-known brand bass which I won't go into again), I happened on a part-finished stock bass on Jon Shuker's site. The bass was nice, but the neck wasn't what I'd have chosen, but a few emails to Jon, and he made me a neck to my spec and put in the hardware I wanted, and best of all, in three weeks from start to finish! The main reason I hadn't gone to a luthier for a build was the looooong lead times for a scratch build, but this way I got the best of both worlds. It's a Horn, in American Black Walnut, with a 5-piece maple/wenge neck, and a lovely birdseye board (I'm a sucker for birdseye boards), and I spec'd a dual-P pickup arrangement (EMG 40Ps) with a John East U-Retro. I think it's a thing of beauty, and best of all I gigged it for the first time last night and it does everything I want it to. I'm a very happy bunny. Had a great day in Derbyshire with the family on my birthday picking it up, and it was great to see Jon's workshop and stock/showroom - some loveliness there, for sure! Anyway, here's the pics: [attachment=160591:photo 1.JPG] [attachment=160592:photo 2.JPG] [attachment=160593:photo 3.JPG] [attachment=160594:photo 4.JPG] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgmh315 Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 That's a lovely looking bass, fantastic neck. Can't wait to be fifty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madshadows Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 That's an absolute beauty, lovely looking neck, congrats John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenbassuk Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 Congratulations on a fantastic birthday present. .. I have owned 2 Shuker before one of which being a 4 string Horn. Absolutely cracking instruments. Did you spy mine whilst at Jon? In a word Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number6 Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 What a cracking instrument and a great birthday treat! Well done :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocco Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 Not my bag at all, but that is a fantastic looking bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 That's a corker. What a treat for your 50th. Happy Birthday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted April 20, 2014 Author Share Posted April 20, 2014 (edited) Cheers guys. I had a 50th party/gig, and SWMBO did a corking job of organisation so that I didn't get any presents, just cash, which went to the Birthday Bass Fund. It all adds up... [quote name='zenbassuk' timestamp='1398007735' post='2429461'] Congratulations on a fantastic birthday present. .. I have owned 2 Shuker before one of which being a 4 string Horn. Absolutely cracking instruments. Did you spy mine whilst at Jon? In a word Enjoy! [/quote] Hey Ben, Yep saw yours (the body, at least) while at Jon's, but I didn't spend half as much time there as I'd have liked: always aware that burbling on to Jon is taking time away from his builds, so I was as brief as I could manage. Not that brief, though... I've had a couple of Shukers before; a Horn (the green one with the offset Delanos) and a Series One, and while neither worked for me, it was purely in terms of pickups and EQ - the build quality and design were second to none, so I was determined to get 'my' Shuker at some point, and this is it. Gigged it again last night, and while it's a bass with a specific design in terms of pickups and EQ, the combination has produced THE most versatile bass I've ever used (and I've had a few in my time) - we do stuff from Bruno Mars to ACDC to Cee Lo Green to Foo Fighters to KC and the Sunshine Band to Luther Vandross to Johnny Cash to Paul Simon to Journey, so there's a lot of different tones needed in that lot, and I can get them with just a couple of adjustments to the EQ (and my hands). I usually take a couple of basses and switch between them, but I don't need to any more. Oh, and it's nice and light, and it plays beautifully. Definitely happy. Edited April 20, 2014 by Muzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Glad you found what you were looking for. Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza 2905 Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 Lovely bass Muzz, congratulations. I had the same idea, - to treat myself to a 'special bass' when I turn 50. However I saw a s/h Dingwall Lee Sklar in Bass Direct, towards the back end of last year, and just [i][b]had[/b][/i] to have it for Christmas! I'm 47 now.......... but I won't finish paying for it until after I turn 50! Oh dear! Still, at least I don't have to wait for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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