Franz Bassguitars "Merak" fretted 5 £1850 Hampshire

[franzbassist]

I have two fretted five strings, which is one more than I need, so I am selling this beauty from Franz Bassguitars, hand made in Bavaria by Xaver Tremel.  It is new old stock, so it does show some minor player wear.

The Merak is Xaver's interpretation of the classic Jazz Bass shape, and I love how understated it is, apart from the cool chestnut scratchplate that just hints at the custom nature of the instrument.

The bass plays beatifully.  The asymmetric neck is slim and fast and it's effortless to move around the fingerboard.  The Delano pickups combined with the Glockenklang 2 band EQ are a well regarded combination: punchy and versatile.  The slighltly curved body also means the bass hugs your body.  The bass weighs 9lbs 2oz and balances perfectly. 

Specs as follows:

• BODY | European Alder, chambered and curved, with English Chestnut scratchplate
• FINISH | body: black matte laquer, neck: hard oil/wax
• NECK | 3-piece European Maple with carbon fiber reinforcement
• FINGERBOARD | European Maple with Compound Radius 10”-16”
• FRETS | 24
• SCALE  LENGTH | 34.5”
• TUNERS | Gotoh ResOLite
• BRIDGE | ETS
• STRAPLOCKS: Dunlop
• ELECTRONICS | Glockenklang 2-band active/passive
• CONTROLS |  Volume, balance, bass, treble (active) /tone control (passive)
• PICKUP | 2 x Delano JC split coil humbucking pickup

The bass is now strung with ACG nickel rounds, not the La Bella white nylons in the pictures below.

To buy new would cost 2890 euros (about £2550), so this is a good saving (31%) off retail.

I drive up and down to Cardiff almost every other weekend, so can easily deliver to anyone along that route too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 9, 2020 by franzbassist

[fiatcoupe432]

That's very very sexy

An amazing instrument and a great price too

Glwys

I wish I had the funds

[silverfoxnik]

19 minutes ago, fiatcoupe432 said:

That's very very sexy

An amazing instrument and a great price too

Glwys

+1

Thats a very cool looking 5er!

GLWTS Gareth 

[KingPrawn]

Beautiful build quality. GLWTS

[franzbassist]

Working from home today so I just shot a quick video on the iPad to show what it can do.  I realised after filming that I’d left the VPF slightly up on the Minimark  802, but it should give folk an idea of the tones that come from the bass.  I should add the low B is very even in tone compared to the others.

Listen with headphones!

 

Edited November 11, 2019 by franzbassist

[HazBeen]

How can this still be here? Mind boggling.

[Hellzero]

First clever video ever, no b*llshit, just the sound of the bass. I really love this. And it sounds very well too !

By the way, Gareth, what strings are (or were) on the bass ?

[franzbassist]

Returned to Germany for Xaver to sell.