Enfield

[White Cloud]

Fellow bass chatters,

Enfield basses have recently caught my eye and given the 'Walesque' looks, specs, hardware and electrics I'm seriously giving a purchase consideration however, I've never even been in the same room as one let alone play them!

Can any members she some light? It's quite a lot of dosh after all!

[Chris2112]

They are really nice looking basses (though I don't like the new control knob design they have just come out with). What I would say is, as fabulous as they might look, I would avoid using that as the sole reason to make a purchase of that magnitude. I think Marcus Bell is still running their social media channel and I know that they usually have a few stock models to use as demonstrators, so maybe you could get a go on one of those once the lockdown is finished? 

Another thing, they make quite a big deal of their proprietary Super Quad pickups, which do feature a clever switching system to allow a multitude of different coil and output options.This is well worth reading up on because they'll form a large part of the character of the finished bass. What I would say is that I think they're a really smart idea but the tones I've heard from them haven't blown me away like I had expected, albeit I've never had a chance to play one myself. 

[TheGreek]

I have the SimS pick up system in one of my @Andyjr1515 builds - very impressive. I believe he's using them on his current project.

Nick Smith ( @doctor_of_the_bass) was their public face up till January of this year. He brought a couple of their basses to The Herts Bass Bash a few years ago. I think he had a few at his shop/studio in Peterborough. There are several demo videos on YT.

Quality is up there with the best of them - top quality hardware and amazing build quality - I haven't heard a bad word about them. They're in the £4K price range and on at least a par with the competition. If I had the cash I'd give them serious consideration.

[bassfan]

18 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

I have the SimS pick up system in one of my @Andyjr1515 builds - very impressive. I believe he's using them on his current project.

Nick Smith ( @doctor_of_the_bass) was their public face up till January of this year. He brought a couple of their basses to The Herts Bass Bash a few years ago. I think he had a few at his shop/studio in Peterborough. There are several demo videos on YT.

Quality is up there with the best of them - top quality hardware and amazing build quality - I haven't heard a bad word about them. They're in the £4K price range and on at least a par with the competition. If I had the cash I'd give them serious consideration.

Show us the bass please Mick. I’ve liked the look of those pups for a while. 😃👍🏻

[White Cloud]

Thanks gents.

I'm particularly keen on the graphite weave necked lionheart models ... 

[TheGreek]

40 minutes ago, bassfan said:

Show us the bass please Mick. I’ve liked the look of those pups for a while. 😃👍🏻

 

[4000]

I tried to play some at the last Bass Day I went to. Couldn’t get on the stand for some bloke who wouldn’t get off. Kept going back, same result. Gave up in the end.
I’m another who hasn’t been blown away by the tones I’ve heard, but I tend to like very individual sounding instruments rather than things that can do a great version of ‘bass a, b or c’. I’d still like to try some though, although I think for that money I’d still be buying a Sei.   

[bassfan]

57 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

 

I bet that has a huge tonal range.. 

[TheGreek]

Individual or Combination of J, P and H.

 

or

 

Edited November 20, 2020 by TheGreek

[NickA]

Played one at a bass bash. So many pickup options!  Liked it best set as a jazz bass .. it sounded like ..a jazz bass.

I guess if you want one baß to make all the standard sounds ( p jazz stingray h or HH ) then it's a good idea; but if there is one sound you want then buy the bass that does it anyway.

This so called MK4 Wal that's up for sale (;if you have £8k) is interesting because you get the woods and solidity of a Wal with a lot more sound options ... Doubt it sounds like a Wal, but probably does a LOT of other sounds, some of them unique.

[Shaggy]

There was a fabulous looking Enfield Cannon FS on this forum a couple of years back that I was seriously contemplating pulling the trigger on, but I sounded out a  BC-er who I knew had owned one, and whose opinion I’ve come to value.   He said they were beautifully engineered and finished basses, but the pickup switching options were almost too OTT - as with most basses one ends up using only one or two settings - and also battery drain was relatively high.  He’d moved his on.   Just opinion mind, and they seem to have found a solid niche in the market.

[BigRedX]

I haven't played one since they debuted the original models, but the 4-string had a very V-shaped neck profile. Things like that don't normally bother me, so it must have been quite prominent. The 5-string neck wasn't as bad as the extra width had the effect of smoothing out the V-ness.

IIRC the carbon-fibre necks are made by Simon Farmer of Gus Guitars.

[Chris2112]

And on that note, they aren't true carbon fibre necks either, they're actually mahogany with layers of carbon fibre 'skin' vacuum formed on with phenolic drawn through under pressure to bond the layers together. I think they look amazing and I'd love to try one out as I'm a real enthusiast for all things graphite, though I do wonder if they would be different with a fully carbon fibre neck fitted. I'd be interested in hearing from the guys at SIMS if they had considered going fully CF or not. 

[BigRedX]

1 hour ago, Chris2112 said:

And on that note, they aren't true carbon fibre necks either, they're actually mahogany with layers of carbon fibre 'skin' vacuum formed on with phenolic drawn through under pressure to bond the layers together. I think they look amazing and I'd love to try one out as I'm a real enthusiast for all things graphite, though I do wonder if they would be different with a fully carbon fibre neck fitted. I'd be interested in hearing from the guys at SIMS if they had considered going fully CF or not. 

Yes, done the same way as the Gus guitars and basses which have a 2mm carbon fibre skin over a wood core.

[White Cloud]

On 21/11/2020 at 09:49, Shaggy said:

 He said they were beautifully engineered and finished basses, but the pickup switching options were almost too OTT - as with most basses one ends up using only one or two settings

I think this is a very good point. I've owned Wal, Alembic, Vigier, Overwater, ACG and Jaydee basses (along with many more) and the same applied. I used 2 or 3 settings all the time.

I love innovative tech such as graphite and versatile electrics, however, having listened to the clips earlier in this thread I've got to admit to being a little underwhelmed. The Enfield's admitedly sound good but the tone seems very generic.

[Bigwan]

On 21/11/2020 at 12:57, Chris2112 said:

And on that note, they aren't true carbon fibre necks either, they're actually mahogany with layers of carbon fibre 'skin' vacuum formed on with phenolic drawn through under pressure to bond the layers together. I think they look amazing and I'd love to try one out as I'm a real enthusiast for all things graphite, though I do wonder if they would be different with a fully carbon fibre neck fitted. I'd be interested in hearing from the guys at SIMS if they had considered going fully CF or not. 

Aren't all carbon fiber basses/necks a skin over a core? Isn't the core usually a foam just to provide the base shape?

[EMG456]

6 hours ago, Bigwan said:

Aren't all carbon fiber basses/necks a skin over a core? Isn't the core usually a foam just to provide the base shape?

No, not necessarily. Original Steinbergers were moulded in the traditional glass/ carbon fibre way. 
A mould was first treated with a release agent and the gel coat was sprayed into it. Then carbon and glass fibres were layer in the mould in a very specific way and the phenolic fingerboard placed on top. The mould was then vacuum injected with the resin/ hardener mix. When that had all cured the neck or neck/ body was prised out of the mould. No wood or foam core.

I could be wrong but I suspect that the original GMT Status basses ie the ones where you couldn’t see the carbon weave on the neck were the same. I think the German Basslab instruments had fully hollow necks. 
 

So, many different construction methods.

[Bigwan]

58 minutes ago, EMG456 said:

No, not necessarily. Original Steinbergers were moulded in the traditional glass/ carbon fibre way. 
A mould was first treated with a release agent and the gel coat was sprayed into it. Then carbon and glass fibres were layer in the mould in a very specific way and the phenolic fingerboard placed on top. The mould was then vacuum injected with the resin/ hardener mix. When that had all cured the neck or neck/ body was prised out of the mould. No wood or foam core.

I could be wrong but I suspect that the original GMT Status basses ie the ones where you couldn’t see the carbon weave on the neck were the same. I think the German Basslab instruments had fully hollow necks. 
 

So, many different construction methods.

Every day's a school day!

[Misdee]

10 hours ago, White Cloud said:

I think this is a very good point. I've owned Wal, Alembic, Vigier, Overwater, ACG and Jaydee basses (along with many more) and the same applied. I used 2 or 3 settings all the time.

I love innovative tech such as graphite and versatile electrics, however, having listened to the clips earlier in this thread I've got to admit to being a little underwhelmed. The Enfield's admitedly sound good but the tone seems very generic.

My philosophy on prospective (expensive) bass purchases such as this one is, if you have to think about that hard  it you don't really want it. If you are going to part with such a large sum of money then let it be for something you have unbridled enthusiasm for. Keep your funds intact for something that you don't have nagging doubts about. 

[Woodinblack]

1 minute ago, Misdee said:

My philosophy on prospective (expensive) bass purchases such as this one is, if you have to think about that hard  it you don't really want it. If you are going to part with such a large sum of money then let it be for something you have unbridled enthusiasm for. Keep your funds intact for something that you don't have nagging doubts about. 

Good advice there. I almost bought a bass today but didn't for that reason

[Misdee]

8 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

Good advice there. I almost bought a bass today but didn't for that reason

Learnt from bitter experience...🙁

[Misdee]

By the way, White Cloud, I hope you still have that beautiful Vigier. Now there is a bass worth getting excited about!

[fleabag]

Anyone looking for a stunning Lionheart with the carbon neck  ( Black Raven neck they call it  IIRC ) could check this out.  Considering the price of new Enfields, this is a steal

https://www.facebook.com/groups/BassPlayersMarketUK/permalink/3783210605023873/?sale_post_id=3783210605023873

Edited November 23, 2020 by fleabag

[White Cloud]

11 hours ago, Misdee said:

By the way, White Cloud, I hope you still have that beautiful Vigier. Now there is a bass worth getting excited about!

Thanks for your excellent wisdom and kind words. 

I still have the Vigier. It's a stunning bass. There's a danger that when you own instruments of such calibre you start to take them for granted but I love it. You don't see many pop up on the used market, especially 5 strings!

It's mostly sat in its case since March because of Covid 🙄

[White Cloud]

7 hours ago, fleabag said:

Anyone looking for a stunning Lionheart with the carbon neck  ( Black Raven neck they call it  IIRC ) could check this out.  Considering the price of new Enfields, this is a steal

https://www.facebook.com/groups/BassPlayersMarketUK/permalink/3783210605023873/?sale_post_id=3783210605023873

Just sent a PM to the seller... Thanks for the heads up!