Eastwood Klira Beatle Bass

[BassApprentice]

I've never been drawn the the violin bass before, but if they do it in the darker finish that would look ace.

https://eastwoodcustoms.com/projects/klira-beatle-bass/

 

 

Edited August 13, 2018 by BassApprentice

[Happy Jack]

Ha! Go to their website and there's a really cool photo of three Kliras on a white background, no explanation given. Are they variants of the new bass they're building?

Nope. They are part of the collection of original basses owned by a Talkbass guy. They didn't contact him, didn't ask his permission to use his photo of his basses, basically cheapskated the whole way.

I gather that he is now ... erm ... in discussions with Eastwood.

[BassApprentice]

Yikes, a bit shady but that's the internet these days!

I can see him being annoyed but you have to appreciate the model Eastwood Custom are going for. Trying to build different basses and only doing it for people who really want them, I think it's cool. I'm intrigued to see how this model turns out anyway!

[Cat Burrito]

I own two Eastwood basses and rate them highly. I can't help but feel a Beatle bass is a fairly well trodden route so I wonder if it will have the same impact as some of Eastwood's bigger sellers but I am sure they know what they are doing. 

[Guest MoJo]

I was always of the impression that Eastwood were a supplier of Eastern made budget range instruments. Looking at the prices on their website, this doesn't appear to be the case

[12stringbassist]

 

2 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

Ha! Go to their website and there's a really cool photo of three Kliras on a white background, no explanation given. Are they variants of the new bass they're building?

Nope. They are part of the collection of original basses owned by a Talkbass guy. They didn't contact him, didn't ask his permission to use his photo of his basses, basically cheapskated the whole way.

I gather that he is now ... erm ... in discussions with Eastwood.

The guy concerned is a mate of mine and I have quietly advised him on how to deal with Eastwood over their misleading publicity for this model.

[BigRedX]

I don't know how accurate the custom shop stuff is to the original models. Does anyone here own an Eastwood custom shop guitar or bass who would like to comment?

However from what I have seen the standard product ranges are essentially what I would term "parts bin" instruments. That is something with roughly the same shape as the original it is copying but all the hardware etc taken from easily available generic production parts. Obviously Eastwood would say that this means their versions are better made and more reliable than some of the quirky original guitars and basses, but IME it is exactly those quirks that give the originals their unique character. Otherwise all you end up with is a standard guitar or bass with an eccentric shape.

[Austin7]

It's interesting.  But I'm not sure if there is anything about this that would make me prefer it to a Hofner Contemporary violin bass.  Still, if they included a case rather than just a gig bag, I might be a little more interested.  

Edited August 14, 2018 by Austin7

[uk_lefty]

Wouldn't be surprised if they get stopped from describing it as a "Beatle" bass either, pretty sure that something more generic like "Beat-bass" or "Mersey" etc might be less likely to get lawyers on the phone.

[NancyJohnson]

I like dipping into the Eastwood Custom site every so often.  It just throws light on how a manufacturer can actually work with the buyer from a pledging perspective and in part resurrect old designs.

Credit to them for making some nice looking tenor electrics.  The microtonal model they're listing as a current model looks nice too.

[BigRedX]

31 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

I like dipping into the Eastwood Custom site every so often.  It just throws light on how a manufacturer can actually work with the buyer from a pledging perspective and in part resurrect old designs.

But are they really resurrecting old designs or are they just sticking standard mass-produced parts onto a body shape that is roughly the same as the original instrument?

[NancyJohnson]

3 hours ago, BigRedX said:

But are they really resurrecting old designs or are they just sticking standard mass-produced parts onto a body shape that is roughly the same as the original instrument?

Does it really matter?

[BigRedX]

43 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

Does it really matter?

To me it does. A lot of the sonic and functional character of those old instruments comes from the fact that electrics and hardware wasn't the same as the average Fender or Gibson.

For instance I have a 60 Burns Sonic Bass. Other than the innovative heelless neck joint there's nothing at all special about the shape of the bass. The character is in the sound which all down to particular pickups fitted and the way they are wired up. You can't do that if you're using off-the shelf parts.

Edited August 15, 2018 by BigRedX

[NancyJohnson]

7 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

To me it does. A lot of the sonic and functional character of those old instruments comes from the fact that electrics and hardware wasn't the same as the average Fender or Gibson.

For instance I have a 60 Burns Sonic Bass. Other than the innovative heelless neck joint there's nothing at all special about the shape of the bass. The character is in the sound which all down to particular pickups fitted and the way they are wired up. You can't do that if you're using off-the shelf parts.

It's a weird one.  With Eastwood guitars, I'm initially drawn to the shape and in my head I kind of know that with a) my heavy handed approach to playing and b) my heavy handed approach to playing, sticking any of those Eastwoods (or any guitar really) through a decentish amp would sound OK.  (Have I ever told my Van Halen story here?  Maybe that's for another time.)  Bear in mind too that these are not Gibsons, Fenders or whatever, they're Eastwoods, they're copies, homages, nothing more.  We are just too hung up on things being Gibson or Fender or Warwick or Spector or whatever.

You only have to look (in the nicest possible way) at how precious members of this very forum are about gear.  There's this thing here where people seem to think that just because they have a Chickenbacker or a Tokai/Epiphone Thunderbird that they're going to sound just like a 4003 or an IV.  Not going to happen.  Man alive, all my Thunderbirds sounded a bit different from each other nd they were all Gibsons, similar, but different.  That said, we have to remember that tone is subjective.

Honestly, I really don't give a toot about whether a volume/tone potentiometers or the wiring is from 1965 or last week.  The main thing is whether they make the bass quieter or sound woolly when used.  Same goes capacitors.  It's a nonsense.  Once you're playing in a band environment, all those nuances are lost and you generally only hear the whump (and let's face it, it's a vanity thing, no one in the listening audience is really interested in how the bass sounds).

[uk_lefty]

I don't think people realistically expect the Eastwood's to be indistinguishable from the originals they imitate. Eastwood make it clear that they are modern copies made at a budget, compromises will be made on cost and some components etc that made the originals sound unique simply won't be available any more. They also copy guitars that would cost unrealistic (for most of us) sums of money to buy originals of you're ever lucky enough to find one. Some people won't want a copy or "homage" (a nice way of putting it, I think) and that's fine, they don't have to buy one.

I like Eastwood because they cater well for lefties and they make things that are that bit different, it's not fender copies but copies of things that were quirky. Hadn't seen this custom shop before though so will explore!

[NancyJohnson]

A while back (quite a while back) Eastwood Custom were open to suggestions as to which guitars they should do next, so I proffered an homage to the Charlie Lobue bass that Gene Simmons used to use in the early Kiss days (detailed below).  Always thought it was a great looking thing, really nice wide cutaways and easy access up the dusty end.  Eastwood actually replied, which was nice.  The guy said he also had fond memories of that bass and he'd add it to the list.  Beyond that, nothing, sadly.  I'd buy one and I'm pretty certain there's enough Kiss fans out there that would do so as well.  100%.

I'm wondering now.  Could we try and get Eastwood to do a Basschat model?  The Lakland owners group were able to do it.  There's more of us here.  I suppose it would just need to be something a little different (viz. You can buy Fender clones from just about everywhere.).

 

Edited August 15, 2018 by NancyJohnson

[Austin7]

4 hours ago, BigRedX said:

To me it does. A lot of the sonic and functional character of those old instruments comes from the fact that electrics and hardware wasn't the same as the average Fender or Gibson.

For instance I have a 60 Burns Sonic Bass. Other than the innovative heelless neck joint there's nothing at all special about the shape of the bass. The character is in the sound which all down to particular pickups fitted and the way they are wired up. You can't do that if you're using off-the shelf parts.

That's George Harrison playing some kind of Burns bass on "She Said She Said" on the "Revolver" album.  I just read that the other day.  Not sure exactly why Paul McCartney left the session on that song.  It was the last song recorded on "Revolver."  I'm going to have to say I don't know much about Burns basses, though.  They're not very well known in the U.S.  

[12stringbassist]

I have a Burns Bison.

I bought this one from a shop in Blackpool while doing a weekend there with an old band. I walked past the shop and it was there in a dark corner with lights on it. Oh God, it just looked gorgeous. This very retro bass looked just the part for the 60's vibe of the group and so I called in, as soon as I got a chance, to try it out. I wasn't disappointed at all with what I heard. It has just about every variety of tone built in that anyone could need. This bass is great for the studio. It is featured particularly nicely on 'I don't wanna talk about it' which is one of the slower, more atmospheric songs on the first Kerbcrawlers CD.

It's great for live use, too and the only thing that could be considred a 'drawback' is the emormous body size. It weighs a ton!! The neck reach is the longest that I've ever had to use. You want neck dive? You got it. Only an idiot can't control (or complains about) neck dive, though. It sounds more like a Rickenbacker should at times than any of my 4 Ric 4003's!

[Austin7]

I had no idea that a Burns could be so massive and heavy.  I like the look.  But I've never even seen one and I've seen many basses in my life.  I know someone from the Netherlands who has mentioned how much he likes them several times, though.  

Edited August 16, 2018 by Austin7

[Grahambythesea]

That Eastwood looks more like an Eko or a Teisco  than a Höfner. Personally I wouldn’t give it house room.

[BigRedX]

50 minutes ago, Grahambythesea said:

That Eastwood looks more like an Eko or a Teisco  than a Höfner. Personally I wouldn’t give it house room.

That's because it's based on the Klira (as the thread title says) and not on a Hofner.

[uk_lefty]

11 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

That's because it's based on the Klira (as the thread title says) and not on a Hofner.

Though they've called it the "Beatle bass" so someone who has never seen or heard of Klira could be forgiven very easily