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NBD: I got Wunjoed again! 20+ Bass comparison and eventual purchase.


Shockwave
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Hey guys.

Wunjos does it again with another stunning player.

I went in on Saturday to try some basses after selling my custom. Basically trying to get down to one bass for the long haul as buying a house with the girlfriend takes priority. I have a Jon Letts bass coming at some point which I will be selling straight away to put into savings and wanted something Fenderish to tie me over to such a time where I can think about purchasing basses again. Which will be quite a while!

I went to Wunjos who have been great to me in recent times, ended up trying a bunch of basses, Fender American Standard Jazz and Jazz Specials, Fender Jaguar American Standard, Fender Troy Sanders Jaguar sig model, Fender Aerodyne jazzes (The new ones). None of them quite had "It" Didn't sound lively enough for me. Best one out of the lot was the Fender Jaguar American Standard. But I was determined to get something simpler that would benefit my band and hamfisted playing. I figured I wanted some of the later RATM Jazz tones, but I just wasn't feeling it. I apologised to the guys in the shop for wasting their busy time on a Saturday and went home.

Anyway, that night I was listening to some Code Orange Kids and Realised that this was really the tone I was really after in my band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpVa-x7YndY

Having said that, I went back to the shop this morning with my VT Deluxe to plug into, picked up more basses, all P type ones. Fender American Special, 2 Mexican P's with different fingerboard woods, Fender Cabronita, One of the Fender Aerodynes, A Fender Nate Mendal P, A Fender Mexican Classic 50's. Then Tom handed me a Fender 1977 Precision from with the window display, I hadn't considered as it was outside my price range but he insisted I try it.

I Abed the old Fender compared to the new ones and the playability was just better on the 77'. The sound was TIGHT but percussive, it brought out the metallic edge that I wanted. I was very impressed, I did have to overspend slightly to get it but I am glad I did. Sure it's not original but I prefer it that way, I would have probably changed a stock one anyway.

Out of the basses I tried I liked the sound of of the 50's Mexican P quite a lot, Playability was pretty good too considering the highish action I just couldn't see myself spending that much on something that was not American. The Mexican P with rosewood board was my favourite with regards to price/performance ratio, it blew the American Special out the water. Best bass overall that was not the 77' was the Fender American Standard Jaguar, amazing range of tones and a good price, I would highly recommend anyone to try it out.

Biggest disappointment was the Fender Troy Sanders Jaguar and Fender Cabronita, really disliked them, tone which is much too dark for my tastes.

So I came home with this lightweight Ash bodied Sunburst Fender. Plays great, Sound is AMAZING. Neck pocket appears tight, not a fan of the Schaller bridge to look at but is very solid and probably a real contributor to the tone. I may change it to a Gotoh 201 at some point but happy with it now. The pickup sounds great so i'll be sticking with it. The best thing about it is that I can just play it really heavy, thrash it and not worry about whether I will ding the finish! I whipped the dosh out and will be collecting it next weekend with a new set of Elixirs, Dunlop straploks and a setup down to the my usual low low low action.

Hats off to Tom and Laurence, they let me play through 20+ basses, some of them multiple times through my aboxiously overdriven pedal and I came out with the best I could (Not) Afford. Zero hassle transaction and just kept handing me the basses! I was determined to buy something I tried out properly before handing the cash over. Here are some quick pics at the shop.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/TPvCroW.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/1jz1wOE.jpg[/IMG]

Having said that, time to start saving money for the future, least I have a lovely bass to keep me company :) I am really looking forward to throwing this bass about a bit, stickers, possibly jazz pickup... Oooooh fun!

Edited by Shockwave
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[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1413145304' post='2575315']
I saw an interview in AP with Code Orange Kids (as they were then) a year or so back, so I had a listen. I honestly couldn't believe a nice bunch of kids could create something like that.
P
[/quote]

I cant believe that they were writing such amazing, heavy and raw stuff at 17/18 years old. Takes people years to get songs that good. (If your into that sorta thing of course)

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Popped into Wunjos before our gig yesterday. Guy in there saw me looking around, asked if he could help. I said I was just browsing as was in the area, playing at The 12 Bar later. So he asked if I wanted to try any basses out. I said I wasn`t buying but he was fine with that, so I tried a Rick 4003 (really nice it was too). So great attitude from Wunjos, and some really nice basses in there.

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I was at the counter when you tried that I was waiting for my bass to come from upstairs.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1413678562' post='2580906']
Popped into Wunjos before our gig yesterday. Guy in there saw me looking around, asked if he could help. I said I was just browsing as was in the area, playing at The 12 Bar later. So he asked if I wanted to try any basses out. I said I wasn`t buying but he was fine with that, so I tried a Rick 4003 (really nice it was too). So great attitude from Wunjos, and some really nice basses in there.
[/quote]

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I was also In there yesterday. I was out looing for a Yamaha TRBX505. I've never been in that shop before. I saw lots of basses I could have brought but didn't. I didn't try anything out though, I edned up going to Yamaha shop in Wardour street and got one.

Congrats on the new bass, it looks pretty settled in already.

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[quote name='Shockwave' timestamp='1413707406' post='2580964']
I was at the counter when you tried that I was waiting for my bass to come from upstairs.
[/quote]

I hope I did it justice then, or my reputation will be forever tarnished - though I blame the sloppy playing on the pickup cover, right in the darn way it was.

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Popped in Wunjos on Saturday with Mrs C on the way past. I was asked in both the bass and guitar shops that If I wanted to try anything just pick it up... very refreshing :) It is an excellent policy to make everyone who comes in the shop feel that they are welcome to try anything they like - it's also nice to be left to it when you say your just there for a look...

To anyone who hasn't been in Wunjos, all this praise might seem like a bit of band wagon jumping but it really is a cut above your average music shop in my experience. I'm not overly enthralled with their stock personally, but they are obviously going for brands and instruments they can shift quickly over any custom stuff likely to have a more specific appeal, which is totally understandable.

On another note... I noticed that there were literally hundreds of cardboard guitar boxes in the street outside, which presuambly was from that days new stock? I thought everyone bought guitars on the internet these days? If there are this many new instruments coming into Denmark Street every day then someone must still be buying from proper guitar shops....

Edited by CamdenRob
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