binky_bass Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 Curious to know if anyone has heard of, or better yet played, a Zvetano bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 Hey Russ, here is a video of the one we both know : https://www.facebook.com/225369094171732/videos/2064324716942818/ Don't know why there's only the link and not the video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binky_bass Posted November 11, 2018 Author Share Posted November 11, 2018 Thank Tony, I've seen that video, in fact my query relates directly to that bass. I'd like to know more about the luthier and anyone's first hand experiance in Zvetano basses before potentially making an offer on that very bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 Good idea to buy it, so as it's a fretless, I'll get it afterwards. 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binky_bass Posted November 11, 2018 Author Share Posted November 11, 2018 Very tempted, we will talk I am sure if I secure it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 No doubt about it. 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 These are the data missing concerning this bass : 16.5mm strings spacing at bridge, 1 volume (push/pull for series/parallel), 1 tone (push/pull for dummy coil), 1 rotary selector (5 ways) and 1 dummy coil (under the ramp). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatcoupe432 Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Hey Russ , here a video of the bass you are looking at Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatcoupe432 Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Tv-RYJzin1vd3slS4fJwIWHlJkRtjsiA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 Thanks for that Tony. The problem with lines on a fretless is that you are playing with your eyes and not your ears, and we have here a demonstration of this issue as most of the notes he's playing are out of tune... Lines are there to help, but you have to learn to play in tune and hear your note sharply in tune. That said, I don't like the overall sound of the instrument and the 5 ways rotary switch is really useless as there's a tone control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binky_bass Posted November 12, 2018 Author Share Posted November 12, 2018 Due to the above, and a few other reasons, I have withdrawn my offer for this bass! Too many unknown variables for me. Still, it looks very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted November 17, 2018 Share Posted November 17, 2018 Who is that playing in the video? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatcoupe432 Posted November 17, 2018 Share Posted November 17, 2018 the guy in the video is the owner of the bass . i ve spoken to zvetano basses and some of is work is really beautiful . everything is made by hand . the only minus for me is that all these builders ( Like ramsey Basses ) they use cheap chinese electronics and thats a turn off . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted November 17, 2018 Share Posted November 17, 2018 There is no shortage of capable woodworkers these days, that's for sure. The Zvetano basses look decent enough, although a search through Google images shows a clear evolution of the builds - I bet I could accurately discern the chronology of the instruments just by looking at some of the finer details and more intricate craft involved in some of them. One of the problems with using a sound clip to sell a fretless bass is that you had better be able to play it. Even a really good fretless sounds bad if the player is sharp and flat. FWIW, I think lines are a great guide but they need to be used in tandem with learned ears to play in tune. Although I think the proportion of players I hear on unlined boards with bad intonation is higher than on lined boards, particularly during position shifts. The savants like Alain Caron who can blaze with 100% accuracy all day long on an unlined board are few and far between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binky_bass Posted November 17, 2018 Author Share Posted November 17, 2018 What put me off making a firm offer is exactly as Fiatcoupe432 says. The build looks good, but the luthier used cheap Chinese hardware and electronics to finish the build, this always makes me ask the question 'What else did they cheap out on?', so for me, with it being a largely unknown builder, I had to pass. I still love the look of the bass, but who knows what you might see once it's in hand and close up. Chris, you're absolutely right with the evolution of the design over time... I have to say this bass in question by far looks like the best this luthier has built (incidentally another red flag!) Zvetano could be amazing basses, but for me, too much of a potential costly risk to find out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.