Annoying Twit Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 IMHO, this is utterly gorgeous. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tanglewood-Curbow-active-fretless-bass-/201078902721?pb=2&&pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&autorefresh=true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allighatt0r Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 These basses were also produced under the Cort name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Undead Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 Nice looking, but a pain in the ass to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted April 24, 2014 Author Share Posted April 24, 2014 (edited) Yep. I've seen Curbows before, but the fretless-ness, the darkness of the ebanol fretboard, that body finish, and even the veneer (? - some other material) on the headstock just make this look so much better than any Curbow I've seen before. I"ve got no boy toy budget at all, having bought another bicycle yesterday. Even then, I"ve just had to put a lowball bid on this. @Evil Undead. Why would this be a pain in the posterior to play? Edited April 24, 2014 by Annoying Twit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 [quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1398355974' post='2433356'] @Evil Undead. Why would this be a pain in the posterior to play? [/quote] They aren't, she's telling fibs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 Actually screw it, if I don't win something else I've been lowballing that ends tomorrow then I'm in for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 (edited) Some people say they can be a little difficult to balance on your leg when seated, though I've never really had a problem with my fretted 5 string Curbow. EDIT: The serial on that fretless and on my Tanglewood (Cort) Curbow both start with '00' meaning it's an early one dating from 2000 and it'll have an EQ that remains active when the slap switch is engaged (later Curbows only have a preset EQ available when the slap switch is on which means they're less flexible). It'll also have a Mighty Mite rather than a Bartolini soapbar pickup - some owners actually prefer the Mighty Mite as it's reputed to be less trebly than the Bartolini. Edited April 24, 2014 by HowieBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted April 24, 2014 Author Share Posted April 24, 2014 [quote name='lemmywinks' timestamp='1398374371' post='2433577'] Actually screw it, if I don't win something else I've been lowballing that ends tomorrow then I'm in for this. [/quote] I've put a lowball on it, but don't have the boy toy budget to expand on it. If anyone is serious about this and wants to know, they can PM me and I'll tell them my bid. But, my bid is low enough so that it's not going to make any difference in the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted April 29, 2014 Author Share Posted April 29, 2014 Ah, outbid already. But I knew that would happen. My budget for a fretless bass is currently -£80. Note: that's a negative sign. But, I've bought the bicycle and bits that I needed to, and now a fretless bass is the next personal purchase. I recently had a go on a Squier VM Jazz fretless, and really liked it., particularly the ebanol fretboard Then there's a the possibility of a Japanese bass like a Westone Thunder. Or, there's whatever might turn up over the next few months while personal purchase budget builds up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Yeah it's getting to be more than I'd want to pay too with 5 days to go. I bought and sold my Cort Curbow for £180 and I think this will top that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted April 29, 2014 Author Share Posted April 29, 2014 (edited) I'm mentally predicting this will go for £200. And if it does, IMHO it will be well worth that. Anything £150 and under will be a bargain. If I bid on it and won it for that, my new running shoes budget would be £-230. That's taking the negative budget a bit too far Edited April 29, 2014 by Annoying Twit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 There's something else I have my eye on too which isn't helping! Gonna have a pedal sale soon to raise some money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the boy Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 [quote name='Evil Undead' timestamp='1398355924' post='2433354'] Nice looking, but a pain in the ass to play. [/quote] I'm guessing on the strap it's ok but on the knee it would be a pain in the ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the boy Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 [quote name='Evil Undead' timestamp='1398355924' post='2433354'] Nice looking, but a pain in the ass to play. [/quote] I'm guessing on the strap it's ok but on the knee it would be a pain in the ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Undead Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 [quote name='the boy' timestamp='1398809575' post='2437949'] I'm guessing on the strap it's ok but on the knee it would be a pain in the ass. [/quote] Bingo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Coffee Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Same issue. Its a pain when seated, just the shape of it. Pity cuz it is nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 [quote name='the boy' timestamp='1398809602' post='2437950'] I'm guessing on the strap it's ok but on the knee it would be a pain in the ass. [/quote] Don't guess. Try. I've played the Cort version sitting down, and I can't recall having any comfort issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 I didn't have any problems with my Cort version either, in fact it's a really comfortable bass which is lightweight and compact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Another +1 for no problems playing when seated (and no strap); there's enough of a lower horn to hook it over your thigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burg Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 I had a Tanglewood Curbow for years. You soon get used to the unusual shape. The necks are a bit flimsy though. This one is very pretty, I'd be interested in how they got luthite to look like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Probably the same process as the other finishes they offered, I had a gold leaf one. I'd imagine it's like the Photo Flame finishes you see on some Fenders and Yamahas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 IIRC only the Cort version is Luthite, the Tanglewood version is wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 BigRedX has the right of it the Tanglewood is wood. I've never had any bother playing my Cort sitting either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted May 2, 2014 Author Share Posted May 2, 2014 There are certainly enough people out there claiming that the Tanglewood Curbow basses were made of luthite. I looked into it further. It seems that the first Cort built curbows in the country were branded Tanglewood, and were luthite. After Cort started selling Curbows under its own name, Tanglewood introduced the Canyon series bass, which looked similar but were made of wood, not luthite. There are lots of owners of the Tanglewood Curbows describing the body as luthite. Are they wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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