Why play a single cut?

[bootleg]

Curious what they deliver. Certainly challenging aesthetically, do they affect tone and playabilty?

[ambient]

No, they may be more stable, if the neck joins the body at the 12th fret.

They sound the same to me anyway as any other bass.

Some aren't true single cuts either, especially the bolt on neck ones.

Some look very cool, especially the Fodera's, others look plain ugly, especially some of the newer makers who've jumped on the bandwagon.

Edited November 12, 2014 by ambient

[discreet]

AFAIK the accepted wisdom is that the neck is stronger and more stable due to the extended body contact, but whether this affects the tone or not I don't really know... I've never played one or wanted to own one...

I don't much like the look of 'em, which makes me shallow, I know.

Edit: Gah, beaten to it - and at this time of the morning, too!

Edited November 12, 2014 by discreet

[icastle]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1415753786' post='2603531']
AFAIK the accepted wisdom is that the neck is stronger and more stable due to the extended body contact
[/quote]

So they say, but I've yet to have the neck of any bass I've ever owned just fall off...

[stingrayPete1977]

Why play anything of any shape really?

[LukeFRC]

don't.... I might be utterly wrong here... but on some single cuts (the ones that were designed to answer a specific problem rather than designed for the single cut aesthetic) isn't the idea that if you join and support the neck to the top horn it means you can shape more wood out of the back of the neck at the dusty end improving hand access to that end.

there's been a SC acg i've been tempted by a few time on here... I don't know if I would have the balls to play it out though...

[CamdenRob]

I have never got on with single cuts... they are up there with gold hardware and PJ pickups as crimes against bass aesthetics. The only one I've ever considered was a Brubaker that came up on bassdirect a while back.

Looked a bit like this;

[JTUK]

Why not..?? if you think you have the gig for it..??

[Conan]

The shape works very well..... on a Sperm Whale. I hate it on a bass guitar.

But then again, what is a Les Paul if not a single-cut?

[chris_b]

I'd play a single cut.

If I was in the market for a new bass and one came up that I liked the look of, sounded great, played well and at the right price I'd jump at it.

Err. . . but that's what I did when I bought all my basses.

[lowdown]

Ugly (to some)? Maybe. Any difference in tone? who knows, more than likely not.
Had mine built to spec, and it works (great) for me.
People generally like it when they pick it up.

I just fancied one at the time, and it turned out better than I expected.
Been using mine for around ten years, really the only fretted Bass I use.
No neck dive, balances well when standing or sitting in pits/studios etc.
The whole thing feels really solid with great upper register access.

[attachment=176198:17082006996.jpg]
[attachment=176199:170820061004.jpg]

[Dad3353]

One could just as easily ask 'Why a double-cut..?', no..? How about the Danelectro Longhorn..? What about 'stick' basses, with no wings at all..? Why, indeed, is there a cutaway at all..? There's none on a Hofner 500/1, and Sir Paul seems to get on OK. They're just shapes, aren't they..? There is more to bass than the Fenders, surely..? Whether one appreciates their aesthetic is just personal taste, that's all.

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1415797565' post='2603851']
There is more to bass than the Fenders, surely..?
[/quote]

Get back in line you.. we'll have none of this revolutionary talk...

[Dad3353]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1415797692' post='2603855']
Get back in line you.. we'll have none of this revolutionary talk...
[/quote]

[size=4] [/size]

[icastle]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1415776699' post='2603563']
don't.... I might be utterly wrong here... but on some single cuts (the ones that were designed to answer a specific problem rather than designed for the single cut aesthetic) isn't the idea that if you join and support the neck to the top horn it means you can shape more wood out of the back of the neck at the dusty end improving hand access to that end.
[/quote]

I think that's something that I've seen mentioned, but if you use a run thru neck you can achieve the same thing.

[Cairobill]

Single cuts understandably divide opinion as most of them look revolting.

However, I became intrigued after trying a few Fodera imperials - to my eye the Imperial shape manages to play against type and look extremely cool. Pretty much every other single cut shape makes me want to throw up. Since I couldn't afford a new Imperial, I got an Adamovic Halo which is a rare bass that pulls off a good look for a single cut in my view.

[url="http://www.adamovic.nl/2basses/Custom/Ha.htm"]http://www.adamovic....s/Custom/Ha.htm[/url]

Feel wise I would say that a good single cut gives the neck a different feel, especially in the upper register compared to bolt ons and neck-throughs. The whole bass feels 'fused' together and certainly on the Imperials I've tried (and my Adamovic) gives terrific sustain and response, especially in the upper registers.

That doesn't mean that I don't use bolt ons (I have a few bolt ons that are just amazing, esp my stingray) but I certainly prefer chording, playing complicated upper register stuff etc more on the Adamovic, which is by far the most playable bass I own.

Edited November 12, 2014 by Cairobill

[UglyDog]

Singlecuts divide opinion, yes. But then again so do Ferraris, the offside rule, doughnuts and Belgium. I like most SCs, many other people do too, a lot of people don't. <shrug> World would be dull if we all liked the same stuff. So my answer to the original question is, "why not?".

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1415796108' post='2603817']
But then again, what is a Les Paul if not a single-cut?
[/quote]
Or a Tele, for that matter.

[Kiwi]

I like the look of only a few single cuts - the Fodera Beez Elite being one and the Adamovic bass is another. So many are poorly executed.

Play them because you like the look of a specific bass rather than because of any snake oil benefits or general principle.

[icastle]

I don't like Les Pauls or teles... so you know probably know where I'm going with this.

Purely a personal thing, but I think SC's always look like the luthier got bored and decided to leave a big lump of wood behind.

[Cairobill]

God I love telecasters!

[DorsetBlue]

I don't generally like them but I was rather smitten with deksawyer's ACG when he was thinking about selling it. I wasn't sure about 5 stringers at the time, which is why I went for a less risky option of my ACG Graft in the end.

[Dood]

Toot toot, I'll just leave this here...

[xilddx]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1415779844' post='2603592']
I have never got on with single cuts... they are up there with gold hardware and PJ pickups as crimes against bass aesthetics. The only one I've ever considered was a Brubaker that came up on bassdirect a while back.

Looked a bit like this;


[/quote]

It's both pretty, and ugly. It's pretty ugly.

[xilddx]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1415832635' post='2604395']


Toot toot, I'll just leave this here...
[/quote]

I'm sorry dood, to me it looks like a morbidly obese geezer wearing stilettos. Sorry mate

[xilddx]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1415833095' post='2604405']
I'm sorry dood, to me it looks like a morbidly obese geezer wearing stilettos. Sorry mate
[/quote]

Not you, the bass.