Impressed by Bacchus jazz basses. Any thoughts/experience?

[Mike]

A very positive trip to the Bass Gallery today where Will couldn’t have been more helpful and helped me find some jazz 5s that my small hands can cope with! I liked the Bacchus Woodline DX5 (active) and a Handmade DX5 (passive). The neck sizes really suited my hands, and I quite fancy getting the passive Handmade and putting in a Sadowsky preamp. Just wondered if anyone here had any more info or experience with them - seems quite hard to find online!

 

Thanks in advance!

[Guest Marcoelwray]

A Friend of mine own a woodline (handmade one?) In translucent orange. It's dope. For the price I didn't find a better JB alternative.

[ped]

They’re lovely. I had a 02-strong model, 36” jazz. Fantastic build and sound. Only sold it because it had a beautiful pearl binding around the top but no forearm cutaway. Also had a Twentyfour model which was superb, too. Think I sold it to buy a car a while ago. 

So yes I highly recommend them 👍🏼

[BassBunny]

I've had 2 and they were both superb. Excellent build quality and great vfm.

[CameronJ]

All the Bacchus basses I’ve seen online have looked fantastic. Been eyeing up that red one on the Bass Gallery site for a while now!

[Grahambythesea]

There are quite a few on Reverb, but they are all at shops in Japan and therefore you face a hefty import duty and high shipping costs.

[Mike]

1 hour ago, CameronJ said:

All the Bacchus basses I’ve seen online have looked fantastic. Been eyeing up that red one on the Bass Gallery site for a while now!

Stay away!!

[mybass]

I posted up last week about a 33” scale Woodline Bacchus I looked at via Joe at ‘The Guitar Den’ near Petersfield. Very well made and finished. This line is constructed in the Philippines under Bacchus admin and frankly for £650 with a soft case, not too shabby at all. Looking at Bacchus basses on EBay will show a huge variety of models but all overseas sales, mainly Japan.

Edited December 14, 2018 by mybass

[ped]

@bass_japan_directUsed to import these for customers, not sure if that's still the case?

[mybass]

I think they do arrange that from Japan. Guitar Den imports them to the U.K. but in what quantity I’m not sure. I think if a particular Japanese made bass is needed it has to be ordered due to them not being mass produced in Japan anyway, all-hand done.

[ped]

Yeah I ordered my TwentyFour directly from a chap at Deviser Japan (who I think own the bacchus brand?) and he tracked one down for me. The 02-Strong Jazz I got from Ishibashi U-Box.

[Grahambythesea]

With regard to my comment of import duty, it is being removed from 1st February 2019 following anEU agreement. Probably need to get in quick before we leave the EU on 29th March2019, assuming that we still do. 

[Guest Marcoelwray]

 

[CameronJ]

5 minutes ago, Marcoelwray said:

 

I want it!!

[Guest Marcoelwray]

15 minutes ago, CameronJ said:

I want it!!

So buy it !

https://japanguitar-handmade.com/fr/tous-les-produits/44-basse-electrique-bacchus-woodline-dx5-sakura-custom-2017

[CameronJ]

9 minutes ago, Marcoelwray said:

So buy it !

https://japanguitar-handmade.com/fr/tous-les-produits/44-basse-electrique-bacchus-woodline-dx5-sakura-custom-2017

I just saw the price and it made me want to cry.

[NikNik]

I recently bought one from Japan. It's a Woodine Global (Indonesian) Special with an oil finish. The flame on the back of the neck is stunning!

It's absolutely effortless to play. Has a pull-up Turbo boost on the tone control which sums the two pups in series.

[itu]

I think that Bacchus is a serious Japanese bass brand. Their woodworking is at such a high level, that I could invest on them with confidence. Overall, Japan has quality standards somehow built in to their community. My (limited) understanding is that Bacchus, moon, Sadowsky et al. who produce these jazz-on-steroids, play in a different field than Fenders, maybe custom shop excluded.

I'll try to express the previous in another words:

My expectation for Japanese quality level is very good, so I won't get a bad product, if not otherworldly flashy either. Americans (the F-word and some others), on the other hand may have a good day or not. So their quality is more prone to occasional defects that lower the overall expectations. I just have seen far too many pricey US basses that do not meet with their expected quality: neck pockets, loose parts, soldering problems, messy electronics, low quality components... I have felt like the quality check was not done properly or at all. Cost cutting?

[BlueMoon]

16 minutes ago, itu said:

My expectation for Japanese quality level is very good, so I won't get a bad product, if not otherworldly flashy either. Americans (the F-word and some others), on the other hand may have a good day or not. So their quality is more prone to occasional defects that lower the overall expectations. I just have seen far too many pricey US basses that do not meet with their expected quality: neck pockets, loose parts, soldering problems, messy electronics, low quality components... I have felt like the quality check was not done properly or at all. Cost cutting?

I have some experience with both Moon and Atelier Z Jazz Basses, although not yet with Bacchus. You are correct with their (Japanese) quality control and attention to detail. Superb workmanship and "not in your face" looks. I love them.

[Grahambythesea]

11 hours ago, NikNik said:

I recently bought one from Japan. It's a Woodine Global (Indonesian) Special with an oil finish. The flame on the back of the neck is stunning!

It's absolutely effortless to play. Has a pull-up Turbo boost on the tone control which sums the two pups in series.

Beautiful looking bass that looks as though the trouble of importing was worthwhile. Can you tell us about the on costs, VAT, import duty, carriers handling charge, postage. I’m looking at one that wants £138 postage which seems outrageous even from Japan.

[NikNik]

Bass cost around £600, discounted from £1k due to slight swirl on control plate. £111 for shipping. HMRC took circa £150 and Parcelfarce took whatever they take.

[Grahambythesea]

Thanks that information is really helpful. So it’s around £870 for an absolute cracker. Do you think HMRC charged to VAT on the delivery or is that VAT plus import duty?

[mybass]

I think its import duty plus the VAT on that for everything you've paid for regarding the bass, as in the bass cost and courier fees. (I think there is a Basschatter who is quite knowledgeable about this subject).

[NikNik]

I am having trouble replying to this site via Android. If I reply, I get multiple quotes.  Anyone else getting this? 

[NikNik]

Import duty is due plus VAT on the freight,  which is a dodgy freaking move!

If you can pull anything off form under HMRC, good on you.