JohnFitzgerald Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 I've had this bass a little while now - around 6 months. From day one, I always thought it looked very pretty, but now I'm looking at it rather closer. When I ordered this, I knew 'some' of the details. Exclusively from musicstore.de or DV247, the same business in reality, it's a Fame Baphomet 6. There was no chance of viewing due to it coming mail order, and the pics on the website show some quite plain wood. Described as made in the "M Guitars" workshop in Danzig, that's Mayones in Gdansk, Danzig being the German name for Gdansk. In reality it's an old model Mayones from around 2003-2005 Anyway, it arrived, and it was stunning, much more highly figured than the stock photo. It's described as Bubinga, but that looks like flaming to me. Is there such a thing as Flamed Bubinga ? Details are thin on the ground. I can find one reference to such a thing on a Benavente bass and not much else besides that. Any thoughts ? - This is mine. Front view [attachment=255930:1.jpg] Rear view [attachment=255931:2.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Don't know about "flamed bubinga" but bloody hell John that's pretty :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OliverBlackman Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Looks a little like a flamed Zebrano? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassApprentice Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Very, very nice. I imagine your title will attract the attention of some of the resident luthiers so they might be able to give you a better answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 All the bubinga I've seen has been a lot more red than that. It looks interesting, but I guess you're wanting to know how to correctly describe it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Are you unhappy with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnFitzgerald Posted October 20, 2017 Author Share Posted October 20, 2017 [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1508522447' post='3392789'] Are you unhappy with it? [/quote] Lord no, I'm delighted with it. I think I won a watch as I was expecting something far more plain looking, No, I'm just curious as to what it really is. If it's flamed Bubinga, that's fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnFitzgerald Posted October 20, 2017 Author Share Posted October 20, 2017 [quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1508518773' post='3392754'] Don't know about "flamed bubinga" but bloody hell John that's pretty :-) [/quote] Awfy chuffed David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 (edited) Any wood can be flamed. For the record, I had a burl bubinga Warwick Thumb NT Custom 4, lovely looking too, but a nightmare to play ! Looking at your wood, I'm quited sure it's not bubinga because it's too yellowish. Simply ask the guys at Mayones and you'll know... Edited October 23, 2017 by Hellzero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZilchWoolham Posted October 21, 2017 Share Posted October 21, 2017 Shedua seems closer in colour. Don't know if it's ever used for solid bodies, though. How heavy is the bass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnFitzgerald Posted October 21, 2017 Author Share Posted October 21, 2017 [quote name='ZilchWoolham' timestamp='1508552822' post='3392934'] Shedua seems closer in colour. Don't know if it's ever used for solid bodies, though. How heavy is the bass? [/quote] I think you have it spot on. It's now decribed as Bubinga, but 'was' described as Ovangkol. I'ts 100% Quarter sawn Ovangkol. Thank you !! (Mayones won't tell me anything. They really don't say much at all about making these). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZilchWoolham Posted October 21, 2017 Share Posted October 21, 2017 It's definitely a stunner! I wonder how the re-branding came to be. Was it an old Mayones that didn't sell, or was it commissioned directly to be branded Fame? And why are they so reluctant to talk about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnFitzgerald Posted October 22, 2017 Author Share Posted October 22, 2017 (edited) [quote] It's definitely a stunner! I wonder how the re-branding came to be. Was it an old Mayones that didn't sell, or was it commissioned directly to be branded Fame? And why are they so reluctant to talk about it? [/quote] I wouldn't know ho it came to be, but suspect it's been commissioned to be made as Fame. I don't that they're reluctant to talk about it, as such, however, you really won't find much online other than a comment that they're made in the "M Guitars Manufactory in Danzig". My own suspicions are that if you're making instruments for someone and they're selling for really quite a bit less than your own brand, you'd keep relatively quiet about it. Just my thoughts. Here's a pic from Mayone website from the 2005 NAMM show - looks the same to me, with the exception of the pickups. [attachment=256028:2005-namm-show-first-mayones-namm.jpg] Edited October 22, 2017 by JohnFitzgerald Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted October 22, 2017 Share Posted October 22, 2017 I don't know if it would be called flamed, but I have an example of that sort of figuring in bubinga hanging on the wall at the other end of the room. A 1987 Thumb. Not as extreme as yours but still quite unusual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnFitzgerald Posted October 22, 2017 Author Share Posted October 22, 2017 [quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1508695826' post='3393870'] I don't know if it would be called flamed, but I have an example of that sort of figuring in bubinga hanging on the wall at the other end of the room. A 1987 Thumb. Not as extreme as yours but still quite unusual. [/quote] Unusual in a lovely way, I'd say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowhand_mike Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 (edited) [quote name='Hellzero' timestamp='1508527346' post='3392833'] Looking at your wood, [/quote] seriously no-one is going to jump on this? <----or that lovely looking bass btw Edited October 23, 2017 by lowhand_mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 [quote name='JohnFitzgerald' timestamp='1508686114' post='3393774'] Here's a pic from Mayone website from the 2005 NAMM show - looks the same to me, with the exception of the pickups. [attachment=256028:2005-namm-show-first-mayones-namm.jpg] [/quote] I used to have one of those, the body wood was amazaque, which google suggests is another name for ovangkol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 Here are some pictures of my Warwick Thumb NT 4 Burl Bubinga. Enjoy : [url="https://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=954518WarwickThumbNT420083.jpg"][/url] [url="https://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=901603WarwickThumbNT4200821.jpg"][/url] [url="https://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=475602WarwickThumbNT420086.jpg"][/url] [url="https://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=550616WarwickThumbNT4200817.jpg"][/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 That's actually bubinga pomele, burl wood is basically rotting wood that happens to look pretty, but generally soft and unsuitable as a solid oil finished body. Can't say I've ever seen bubinga burl? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 [quote name='Kev' timestamp='1508778550' post='3394370'] That's actually bubinga pomele, burl wood is basically rotting wood that happens to look pretty, but generally soft and unsuitable as a solid oil finished body. Can't say I've ever seen bubinga burl? [/quote] The word "pomele" or "pommelé" doesn't exist in any English dictionary, the correct one being "burl" even if it's related to ancient English, sorry. I know that American speaking people use the word "pomele" or "pommelé" for "burl", but this is not correct. The burl wood is not a soft wood at all. Here is what Eric Sloane says about it in his book "A Museum of Early American Tools" : "Burl wood is very hard to work with hand tools or on a lathe because its grain is twisted and interlocked, causing it to chip and shatter unpredictably. This "wild grain" makes burl wood extremely dense and resistant to splitting, which made it valued for bowls, mallets, mauls and "beetles" or "beadles" for hammering chisels and driving wooden pegs." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manton Customs Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 (edited) [quote name='Kev' timestamp='1508778550' post='3394370'] That's actually bubinga pomele, burl wood is basically rotting wood that happens to look pretty, but generally soft and unsuitable as a solid oil finished body. Can't say I've ever seen bubinga burl? [/quote] You're confusing burl (or burr over here) with spalted wood (which is rot/mould) Edited October 23, 2017 by Manton Customs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorR Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 (edited) Bubinga and ovankol/shedua are closely related woods - different varieties of the Guibourtia species Guibourtia arnoldiana is Bubinga while Guibourtia ehie is ovangkol/shedua. Don’t often see that sort of flaming used with bubinga in instruments though it is a known pattern. Wal have used that sort of flame as a feature of their shedua tops. One of the wonderful things that a photo doesn’t show is how the flame seems to extend below the surface of the wood and how it shimmers and changes under lights. It is quite stunning and you’re really lucky to have such a beautiful bass. Here’s my shedua topped Wal sitting under some modest stage lighting... More woods info here... http://walbasshistory.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/wal-woods-part-2-bodies.html Edited October 24, 2017 by TrevorR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorR Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 [quote name='JohnFitzgerald' timestamp='1508599045' post='3393220'] (Mayones won't tell me anything. They really don't say much at all about making these). [/quote] [quote name='ZilchWoolham' timestamp='1508604310' post='3393284'] It's definitely a stunner! I wonder how the re-branding came to be. Was it an old Mayones that didn't sell, or was it commissioned directly to be branded Fame? And why are they so reluctant to talk about it? [/quote] [quote name='JohnFitzgerald' timestamp='1508686114' post='3393774'] I wouldn't know ho it came to be, but suspect it's been commissioned to be made as Fame. I don't that they're reluctant to talk about it, as such, however, you really won't find much online other than a comment that they're made in the "M Guitars Manufactory in Danzig". My own suspicions are that if you're making instruments for someone and they're selling for really quite a bit less than your own brand, you'd keep relatively quiet about it. Just my thoughts. Here's a pic from Mayone website from the 2005 NAMM show - looks the same to me, with the exception of the pickups. [attachment=256028:2005-namm-show-first-mayones-namm.jpg] [/quote] There’s a bit of blurb/puff about the Fame Brand and this bass on the DV247 site from a couple of years ago which gives some context... “The Fame brand is relatively new in the UK and its ‘straight from the factory to the retailer’ model results in low prices throughout its extensive catalog, particularly the made in China guitars, basses, amps and PA gear which offer cash-strapped musicians a chance to get on stage for a comparatively small outlay. Not everything the brand retails is sourced in the Far East though; Fame also offers a range of guitars and basses built in the Mayones factory in Gdansk in Poland, where instruments are hand crafted by a small team of experienced builders who specialize in non-automated building methods in their relatively small factory. There is no computer controlled machinery at all; the woodworking, spraying and finishing are all done by hand. These methods result in a certain level of individualisation in the finishes and pickup choice and any instrument can be customized to order.” http://magazine.dv247.com/2015/03/23/fame-baphomet-6-nt-bass-review/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted October 25, 2017 Share Posted October 25, 2017 [quote name='Manton Customs' timestamp='1508788720' post='3394476'] You're confusing burl (or burr over here) with spalted wood (which is rot/mould) [/quote] I am getting confused for sure! Maybe I was just confusing burl in other woods with Buckeye Burl, which is certainly soft and patterns are caused by rot. Thanks for clearing that up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted October 25, 2017 Share Posted October 25, 2017 [quote name='Hellzero' timestamp='1508767619' post='3394274'] Here are some pictures of my Warwick Thumb NT 4 Burl Bubinga. Enjoy : [url="https://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=954518WarwickThumbNT420083.jpg"][/url] [url="https://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=901603WarwickThumbNT4200821.jpg"][/url] [url="https://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=475602WarwickThumbNT420086.jpg"][/url] [url="https://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=550616WarwickThumbNT4200817.jpg"][/url] [/quote] WOW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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