Get your STATUS-GRAPHITE basses out!

[fretmeister]

[quote name='BassBus' post='1207307' date='Apr 21 2011, 05:44 PM']These Energys are interesting basses. Did you have the mods done for you?[/quote]

Yes. Paul_C of this forum, aka Arrowheadguitars did it for me. Fretted has a dimarzio will power p bass pup with it's own vol and output. Fretless has a Seymour quarter pounder with vol and tone and output. I like to run 2 rigs at once and control them from the bass.

Generally I use the p pup for the low end amp and the j for the high/fx amp, but on the fretless the Seymour sounds so amazing that is usually use that alone.

[Chris2112]

Now, this is what is known as a 'frisk'...



I present to you one of the most stunning looking basses Status have made in ages. Now, the big shame here is that this is how Status basses should be made. Rob would sell thousands of these things if this was how he made them. Proper paddle through neck, old skool looks, old skool vibe. If he was knocking these out as a standard item I'd place an order for a new one right now. But I'm not about to pay over the odds for 'special editions'.

I've been thinking of buying a Wal bass if I can't find a Status Kingbass, or ordering a fretless ACG - so we are talking about basses of serious quality here. I'd love if it Status would make their S2 basses like this again but as it stands I don't really love the new S2 basses like I love other Status items.

[lozbass]

Wow! That is absolutely lush! I couldn't agree more - the classic and original - love the old Status brass bridge plate and logo. I'd have the old plastic knobs on it though. Great to see this (though it's invoked GAS).

[Chris2112]

Yes, I cannot stress how much I love the old S2 basses. They are great. I would be on the phone to Rob today ordering a new one if they were made like this. I love the touches like the GMT pickups, the two piece bridge etc etc. The new ones are great basses but they aren't a patch on the old ones. I could do without the slightly tacky looking script above the neck pickup and I'd prefer plastic controls too. If only Rob would bring these back properly.

[BassBus]

When you refer to this as "frisk" I think you're being a little unfair here. Rob's basses have evolved through the years as they should. Life cannot stand still. Your feelings seem to be in the minority judging by the increase in the waiting time over the last few years.

Status basses are custom instruments and as such are available with almost any custom option Rob can provide. The anniversary bass is being produced to celibrate the 30th anniversary of the company. If you want a bass in this form they do come up for sale from time to time. Indeed there was a very nice example that sold very recently.

When you say you are considering a Wal, is that a new one. If so then the price of that will not be that much less than the price of the 30th Anniversary Series II. I have 1984 and 2008 Status basses and they are every bit as good as each other in their own way.

By the way, there is a Kingbass for sale on Statii.com right now for a very good price for the model.

[Wil]

The modern S2 I owned was absolutely sublime... fit and finish were beyond anything I've ever played before or since (including an early Wal). The sound wasnt for me, mind, nothing wrong with it, I just prefer the character of wood necked instruments.

[Chris2112]

[quote name='BassBus' post='1211635' date='Apr 26 2011, 01:13 PM']When you refer to this as "frisk" I think you're being a little unfair here. Rob's basses have evolved through the years as they should. Life cannot stand still. Your feelings seem to be in the minority judging by the increase in the waiting time over the last few years.

Status basses are custom instruments and as such are available with almost any custom option Rob can provide. The anniversary bass is being produced to celibrate the 30th anniversary of the company. If you want a bass in this form they do come up for sale from time to time. Indeed there was a very nice example that sold very recently.[/quote]

Yes, the basses have evolved through the years. A Stealth bass would have been unimaginable years ago. The Kingbass mk1 is the best design Rob has done IMO. But I don't believe the S2 has 'evolved' and gotten better. Sure, a modern S2 is a great bass but the old ones are so much better. I preferred the look the of the full graphite paddle with the wooden wings attached. They sounded better too, far crisper and more aggressive. The two piece bridge was a better item than the monorails. The old square neck profile was unique and I really enjoyed it. The basses might have been a bit heavier but the pros outweighed the cons.

You say Status are a custom builder and this is of course true, but for a faithful recreation of the old S2 here we are seeing a massive price tag and I doubt it'll be offered as a standard model. The new S2 sales would take a hit, I am sure of it. But I reckon if Rob retired the 'new' S2 and brought back this classic model S2 sales would increase. And it's not a step back, because the older model was better. Sure, it might have been a bit heavier and more expensive to produce but the old S2's are some of my favourite basses of all time, the new S2's are just really good.

As for the Wal thing, I'd probably want an 80's/early 90's model. I'm looking into that as an option for consolidating my collection.

[Wil]

All the things you mention though are rather subjective. I'd rather an S2 sound warm than crisp, for instance. I do prefer the looks of the early ones, but it's all a matter of taste really.

[Chris2112]

[quote name='Wil' post='1211726' date='Apr 26 2011, 03:11 PM']All the things you mention though are rather subjective. I'd rather an S2 sound warm than crisp, for instance. I do prefer the looks of the early ones, but it's all a matter of taste really.[/quote]


And therein lies the rub - I've never thought of Status as being a particularly warm or organic sounding basses. Both my Stealth and Matrix basses were crisp and clear. The Stealth was particularly stunning. I love bright tones, but on the other hand I also love burpy, organic sounds. ACG and Wal do that for me. So in my current dilemma, I wonder; do I chase a headless slap machine (of which it would share a role with my Kubicki as my Kubicki is fantastic at this sort of thing) or do I go for a fretless ACG bass? Or even a fretless Wal?

Hmm...

[BassBus]

As Wil says it is very subjective, down to a matter of opinion. Nowt wrong with that. If you go for a Status you will get that crisp, clear sound. That's down to the graphite. I would argue though that Status basses can't be warm. My S2 fretless has a lovely warm sound. It is a bolt on though which lends itself to a warmer sound. Wooden basses such as Wals and ACGs are always going to be warmer than a bass with graphite. Put fretless into the equasion and that warms it up even more.

The neck profiles of the earlier status basses were much more rounded. It was around '86/'87 that the square profile was introduced. That's what caught the feel of my left hand. That square profile is standard to this day.

Edited April 26, 2011 by BassBus

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1211292' date='Apr 25 2011, 10:51 PM']Now, this is what is known as a 'frisk'...



I present to you one of the most stunning looking basses Status have made in ages. Now, the big shame here is that this is how Status basses should be made. Rob would sell thousands of these things if this was how he made them. Proper paddle through neck, old skool looks, old skool vibe. If he was knocking these out as a standard item I'd place an order for a new one right now. But I'm not about to pay over the odds for 'special editions'.

I've been thinking of buying a Wal bass if I can't find a Status Kingbass, or ordering a fretless ACG - so we are talking about basses of serious quality here. I'd love if it Status would make their S2 basses like this again but as it stands I don't really love the new S2 basses like I love other Status items.[/quote]

I'm convinced the difference in sound between the "classic" Status sound of the 80s and the current Status sound is to do with the newer basses having a truss rod whereas the older ones were completely rigid and I feel they're brighter and more aggressive (and also more clattery to my ears).

The 30th Anniversary as shown at the London Bass Show had a standard modern neck- thru (with a truss rod) set into a graphite tone block (where the modern S2 Classic has a walnut block as standard) and I suspect probably sounds more like a modern Status than an 80s one.... although this may have been a prototype and the neck construction may change for the (limited) production run.

We've had this discussion before Chris, I still prefer the more modern Status sound to the "classic" Status sound but although I don't often use my "classic" sounding Statii I'd never get rid of them.


(Edit: What's with all the brackets in my post? )

Edited April 27, 2011 by Fat Rich

[Wolverinebass]

On a personal level, I wished they'd make more all graphite instruments. The constant volume of different Kingbasses has now started to grate a bit on me. I mean, how many models do you need? Naturally they're brilliant instruments, but do we really need 7 different versions when the options are all there anyway?

Don't get me wrong here, my buzzard is the best instrument I'll ever play and status make fantasitc cakes so to speak, but I'd be holding out to see what Rob's new B1 is going to be like.

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='Wolverinebass' post='1215562' date='Apr 30 2011, 09:47 AM']On a personal level, I wished they'd make more all graphite instruments. The constant volume of different Kingbasses has now started to grate a bit on me. I mean, how many models do you need? Naturally they're brilliant instruments, but do we really need 7 different versions when the options are all there anyway?

Don't get me wrong here, my buzzard is the best instrument I'll ever play and status make fantasitc cakes so to speak, but I'd be holding out to see what Rob's new B1 is going to be like.[/quote]

There's an all graphite Chris Wotsisname from Muse S2 Classic coming fairly soon which will be a quite a bit different to the prototype S2s that are out there already, but it might be a long wait for the a new B1 as Rob's a busy man at the moment.

Edited April 30, 2011 by Fat Rich

[BassBus]

How many different models does any custom builder produce? Probably just as many as Status only Status has graphite factored into the equasion which adds to the choice. That's what a custom builder does, gives you what you want and players seems to want all these options. It's not as if there are that many stock basses built. Rob doesn't seem to have time.

[Wolverinebass]

I remember I had to get my Buzzard fixed and Rob told me that there would be a new kingbass and then something with a large body similar to the buzzard. That was in 2007. So clearly he's got a lot on. Plus developing new instruments must take ages. I just wished it was something totally mental and brutal sounding. An explorer shaped all graphite?

The Chris Wolstenholme thing sounds interesting, but if it's just a graphite skin, I wouldn't be interested. Sure it'd still be great though. I certainly thought your 5 string graphite S2 was very, very impressive.

[sgh]

My new Kingbass 30th Anniversary

[BassBus]

Shows how much I pay attention. I never noticed until now that there is no graphite showing on the front of the body. All adds to the beauty of the instrument. That orange sunburst is gorjuss.

[OutToPlayJazz]

[quote name='Wolverinebass' post='1215669' date='Apr 30 2011, 11:53 AM']The Chris Wolstenholme thing sounds interesting, but if it's just a graphite skin, I wouldn't be interested. Sure it'd still be great though. I certainly thought your 5 string graphite S2 was very, very impressive.[/quote]

All of the "all graphite" instruments feature a graphite shell over either solid foam filling, or an alder block. Even the original S2000 was made in this way. To my knowledge, the only full composite instrument was the 4000/5000 series which was made of some kind of polymer but not graphite.

But there is something about the sound of the all graphite instruments. It has even more of the graphite 3D "shimmer" and growl than the full wooden/laminated bodies.

Rich.

Edited May 25, 2011 by OutToPlayJazz

[stenobass]

[quote name='sgh' post='1243496' date='May 24 2011, 10:24 PM']My new Kingbass 30th Anniversary


[/quote]

What a beauty!!! I am not that fan of sunburst finishes, but this one is really nice!

[Mark Dyer]

The day it arrived, Jan this year, hard to put down...

Must take some better photos sometime...

[zero9]

[quote name='Fat Rich' post='1213308' date='Apr 27 2011, 11:08 PM']I'm convinced the difference in sound between the "classic" Status sound of the 80s and the current Status sound is to do with the newer basses having a truss rod whereas the older ones were completely rigid and I feel they're brighter and more aggressive (and also more clattery to my ears).[/quote]

Don't forget the difference in pups. The 'vintage' series II's (and Stratas) had Kent Armstrongs.

[wildus]

[quote name='Mark Dyer' post='1245400' date='May 26 2011, 11:39 AM']The day it arrived, Jan this year, hard to put down...

Must take some better photos sometime...[/quote]
Nice lefty looks a bit like mine

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='zero9' post='1245579' date='May 26 2011, 01:51 PM']Don't forget the difference in pups. The 'vintage' series II's (and Stratas) had Kent Armstrongs.[/quote]

I think some of the earlier pickups were single coil with a hum cancelling coil in a soapbar rather than full humbucker, pretty sure my old Series 1 is anyway.

But unplugged I think the rigid neck basses sound more "Status" than the later truss rod ones, mine certainly do!

[Chris2112]

They do. I don't think they need truss rods at all, they're a ridiculous idea on graphite necked basses.

[BassBus]

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1248542' date='May 28 2011, 07:04 PM']They do. I don't think they need truss rods at all, they're a ridiculous idea on graphite necked basses.[/quote]
From my own experience I'd disagree. When my S2000 arrived it had 30-95 strings on it, together with a load of buzz on the neck whenever I played it. Imediately put on a set of 35s and no buzz whatsoever. Therefore, the truss rod adds the flexibility to use whatever guage of string you wish. So I'd hardly say they are a "[i]ridiculous idea on graphite necked basses[/i]" Rob does know what he is doing. As far as I know, the graphite used for Status necks these days is a lot more flexible than it was in older graphite necks.