OutToPlayJazz Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 I've been scouring the 'bay for some cheap basses to rent in packages to pupils. Obviously there's the "Boston" packages at around £80-90 a go, but I was looking at these Wesley basses... The transparent ones look ultra cool for kids to play! Any experiences of "Wesley"? [url="http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Wesley-Guitars"]http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Wesley-Guitars[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 My guitarist's girlfriend was looking to buy him a bass for his birthday with a budget of £100. I suggested a 4-string Wesley. When it arrived we all thought it looked great and then I had a go on it. I was very pleasantly surprised by how it played. Beats many £300 basses. Extremely good value for money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiOfBass Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 yeah i have a friend who got one of those acrylic wesleys to learn abit on, it was better than my first guitar, just alot more weight. looked decent too, just not on me- pinks not my colour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 (edited) I've used these out live before on several occasions. really impressive. I've got another see through blue one on the way that i got for £35 on fleabay. Heavy though - not Warwick heavy but still heavy - thick padded strap recommended i don't believe a bass has to be expensive to be good. this is the cheapest bass I have ever owned but not the worst. the most expensive was a Warwick thumb NT5 which would've retailed around the £1800 - £2000 mark Edited August 6, 2007 by Delberthot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 My friend bought a Wesley acoustic bass from a friend for £30. It's real comfy to play and has a satisfactory tone for playing about the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 I bought one of the transparent Wesleys that someone had converted to fretless to see if I could cope with no frets. I don't know if it was the fact that previous owner had taken the bass apart to remove the frets but the set-up was terrible (even for a very cheap instrument). Nothing that a couple of hours work couldn't sort out, but for someone without the knowlege (or access to someone who does) not very useful. As an instrument it's pretty well constructed given the price. However the options for upgrading may be limited as with the acrylic body it is harder to make good new screw holes (and you'll still be able to see the old ones). I couldn't even fit straplocks to mine, as the straplock screws wouldn't go into the old strap button holes and the old screws wouldn't fit the straplocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 Looks like they share some features Staggs do - possibly from same factory ? I'd say as a cheap backup bass you can't go wrong. As a main instrument ? No thanks. EDIT: I'd fancy this though.. kind of a Jaguar meets Stingray. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WESLEY-MARK-II-COUGAR-SONIC-BLUE-ELECTRIC-BASS-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ290146104924QQihZ019QQcategoryZ4713QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WESLEY-MARK-II-COUGA...oQQcmdZViewItem[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 [quote name='Machines' post='42063' date='Aug 6 2007, 05:26 PM']Looks like they share some features Staggs do - possibly from same factory ? I'd say as a cheap backup bass you can't go wrong. As a main instrument ? No thanks. EDIT: I'd fancy this though.. kind of a Jaguar meets Stingray. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WESLEY-MARK-II-COUGAR-SONIC-BLUE-ELECTRIC-BASS-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ290146104924QQihZ019QQcategoryZ4713QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WESLEY-MARK-II-COUGA...oQQcmdZViewItem[/url][/quote] I'm sure Wesleys are much nicer than Staggs. I don't think it's right that beginner musicians should have Staggs available to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MythSte Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 My stepdad has a Wesley Les Paul guitar copy, and its a very nice guitar indeed! As much as that helps, i guess its a reputation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 [quote name='paul, the' post='42074' date='Aug 6 2007, 05:44 PM']I'm sure Wesleys are much nicer than Staggs. I don't think it's right that beginner musicians should have Staggs available to them.[/quote] Machines is right, though - some, at least, are from the same factory - Stagg do an identical JagRay. I recently helped my girlfriend choose a budget acoustic for her dad, who's taken up playing again after a 30-odd year break, and we ended up with a Stagg dreadnought - which was a lovely guitar for its ridiculously cheap price. Most cheap guitars just suffer from poor or no setup. As far as Wesley's concerned, last year I impulse-bought their Europa Rick-ish thing, and unfortunately it had loads of problems - most obvious being a shagged active preamp that did nothing but give a low volume distorted buzz. Also it had a lousy fret job (all different heights & razor-sharp ends) and a neck that won't adjust to give enough relief for a particularly low action. I sent it back, they denied there was anything wrong with the preamp (that's what active preamps are like, they told me! ) & they sent it back grimy & scratched, the backplate off & taped to the back, and the dodgy frets "fixed" by raising the action so I could nearly stick my hand under it. They also failed to refund the postage I paid to return it to them, despite me mailing them repeatedly. As has been discussed elsewhere on here, buying any cheap instrument is a gamble - & it looks like most Wesleys are OK & I got a duff one, however, their customer service & after-sales was bloody awful & I personally wouldn't buy from them again, and wouldn't recommend them on that basis. Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 [quote name='Machines' post='42063' date='Aug 6 2007, 05:26 PM']Looks like they share some features Staggs do - possibly from same factory ? I'd say as a cheap backup bass you can't go wrong. As a main instrument ? No thanks. EDIT: I'd fancy this though.. kind of a Jaguar meets Stingray. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WESLEY-MARK-II-COUGAR-SONIC-BLUE-ELECTRIC-BASS-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ290146104924QQihZ019QQcategoryZ4713QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WESLEY-MARK-II-COUGA...oQQcmdZViewItem[/url][/quote] I keep eyeing them up, I really like the look, and standard replacement parts would cheerfully fit, so could probably make a very reasonable bass out of one. As long as its not plywood or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 It says that they're Alder which really does shock me, I was expecting some variety of chipboard. See here for full specs: [url="http://www.wesleyguitars.co.uk/storefrontprofiles/DeluxeSFItemDetail.aspx?sid=1&sfid=44184&c=519508&i=231364992"]http://www.wesleyguitars.co.uk/storefrontp...amp;i=231364992[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Probably dragging this right off-topic, but Stagg do this bass with a maple board & natural finish: Looks like a project waiting to happen, doesn't it? J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordAvon Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 I bought a white les paul guitar copy (I dabble with guitar), I love the look of the Les Paul style guitar (oh for a les paul bass in black). Anyway, I'm lucky enough to have a line 6 variax 700 electric (in red) and I have to say the wesley LP copy was crap. The intonation was *miles* out, the action was crap and it just sounded week. I speant about half a day setting it up, and got it better, a lot better, but I sold it pretty quick... I had a fretless stagg, and it sounded pants, but it's action was a lot better (I can't comment on the intonation as I just couldn't get on with fretless). I guess for a *first* guitar/bass the wesleys are good, but having played good guitars, I wouldn't buy a wesley again. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tait Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 [quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='42202' date='Aug 6 2007, 09:09 PM']I keep eyeing them up, I really like the look, and standard replacement parts would cheerfully fit, so could probably make a very reasonable bass out of one. As long as its not plywood or something.[/quote] i keep thinking that, but then telling myself its probably a piece of crap and i've got better at home. love the look of them though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
16Again Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 i inherited a wesley europa ( the rickenbacker lookalike) and im in the process of stripping the paint off and defretting it and give it some new pups and a new paint job, i'll post pictures when im finished but for the money these things look ok but i havent played one yet but id listen to what bassassasin says! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 (edited) Return of an old thread! I played a friend's Wesley acoustic recently. Great for the money! Edited December 29, 2007 by paul, the Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tait Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 [quote name='paul, the' post='110410' date='Dec 29 2007, 12:57 AM'] Return of an old thread![/quote] sorry, my bad! i did a search for "jaguar bass" and found this thread, forgot i was reading an old thread and posted on it. oops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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