GisserD Posted August 27, 2021 Share Posted August 27, 2021 (edited) Picked this up in bass direct today. Couldn't resist after a couple of hours playing it. Its got a super low action, amazing B, punchy as flip with 2 single coil EMG. I beleive it to be an early model. Spec: Flame maple body, Cocobolo top and back, Gloss natural finish,Flame Maple/Wenge through neck, Ebony fingerboard with maple edgeing It needs some work, but nothing that affects playability. Finnish related stuff. I plan to restore it to original as far as possible. Chuffed. X Edited August 28, 2021 by GisserD 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted August 27, 2021 Share Posted August 27, 2021 Sei make the best wooden necks in the business IMO. And the flame maple/wenge necks sound particularly nice. I was sorely tempted by a black four in a similar spec many years ago. Seems like yours has a couple of body cracks though?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GisserD Posted August 27, 2021 Author Share Posted August 27, 2021 21 minutes ago, Kiwi said: Sei make the best wooden necks in the business IMO. And the flame maple/wenge necks sound particularly nice. I was sorely tempted by a black four in a similar spec many years ago. Seems like yours has a couple of body cracks though?! Yes. Couple of cracks in the top. But nothing that can't be easily repaired. None of the work I intend to have done affects tone/playability. It's a superb instrument already. I'd just like to restore it to original condition. Shouldn't be much more than a good body refinish. I'd be happy to leave the neck as is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mokl Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 Thanks for removing the temptation of this from the BD website! Looks awesome - enjoy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 Fabulous looking bass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
three Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 I can strongly recommend Bow Finishers to the South of London - the original may have been a Bow finish? Sei build some absolutely beautiful basses - real artistry and artisanal skill - this looks like a fantastic example 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 2 hours ago, three said: I can strongly recommend Bow Finishers to the South of London - the original may have been a Bow finish? Sei build some absolutely beautiful basses - real artistry and artisanal skill - this looks like a fantastic example Ironically, they probably did the original finish to the bass. Martin used them up until he switched to Simms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 4 hours ago, Mokl said: Thanks for removing the temptation of this from the BD website! Looks awesome - enjoy Same here! Congratulations, that's a corker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soledad Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 Wow, I had one of Martin's very early ones, exactly like yours - a 5 headless, amboyna facing (think yours is that?) - had mine built back when he was working out of his flat in NW London (may have been Willesden, was a long time ago!). IIRC, I discovered the early Sei basses through a player I knew who was a part of the early '90s north London acid jazz scene. They were a seriously hot ticket for a while. I had Bartolinis fitted to mine but otherwise really looked ther same, sadly don't have any pics to hand. Was a truly epic bass, beautifully built and very nice to play - as you say a very clean musical and balanced B, I mean transition across B to E sounded seemless. Sold it on a whim... like we all do. As a side note Martin also took my '64 Precision in for a refret at that time (around '91 I think). I know he took very detailed measurements of the neck which I think he referred to later when he made some P style basses. Enjoy it... and try and keep it!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyJ Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 13 hours ago, Kiwi said: Seems like yours has a couple of body cracks though?! Those look like glue joints to me, where the wings join the through-neck. Very common when the top is glued before the wings are joined to the neck. I had a Human Base that was constructed that way too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 9 minutes ago, LeftyJ said: Those look like glue joints to me, where the wings join the through-neck. Very common when the top is glued before the wings are joined to the neck. I had a Human Base that was constructed that way too. But it's a one piece top, isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GisserD Posted August 28, 2021 Author Share Posted August 28, 2021 2 hours ago, Kiwi said: But it's a one piece top, isn't it? Yes it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GisserD Posted August 28, 2021 Author Share Posted August 28, 2021 2 hours ago, Soledad said: Wow, I had one of Martin's very early ones, exactly like yours - a 5 headless, amboyna facing (think yours is that?) - had mine built back when he was working out of his flat in NW London (may have been Willesden, was a long time ago!). IIRC, I discovered the early Sei basses through a player I knew who was a part of the early '90s north London acid jazz scene. They were a seriously hot ticket for a while. I had Bartolinis fitted to mine but otherwise really looked ther same, sadly don't have any pics to hand. Was a truly epic bass, beautifully built and very nice to play - as you say a very clean musical and balanced B, I mean transition across B to E sounded seemless. Sold it on a whim... like we all do. As a side note Martin also took my '64 Precision in for a refret at that time (around '91 I think). I know he took very detailed measurements of the neck which I think he referred to later when he made some P style basses. Enjoy it... and try and keep it!! Very interesting thanks. Yes one of the things that sold me on it is the tone of the B being the same as the E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GisserD Posted August 28, 2021 Author Share Posted August 28, 2021 3 hours ago, Kiwi said: Ironically, they probably did the original finish to the bass. Martin used them up until he switched to Simms. Because there's very little actually wrong with it. I might just get Bow or similar to do a refinish. There's actually no Luthier required really. But I like the idea of the original builder bringing it back to original condition. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 The "crack" is only in the top veneer?? Old antiquist's trick would be to melt some wax/ crayon into the "crack" with a hot iron/ cloth. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuddBass Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 Looks like an original rather than a Flamboyant to me... not that it matters, as I own both an original and a flamboyant and they are both great basses. Enjoy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GisserD Posted August 28, 2021 Author Share Posted August 28, 2021 54 minutes ago, MuddBass said: Looks like an original rather than a Flamboyant to me... not that it matters, as I own both an original and a flamboyant and they are both great basses. Enjoy! You may well be correct!!!! Theres remarkably little about sai bass on the Internet If anybody has any good info about these early models I'd be happy to learn about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 41 minutes ago, GisserD said: You may well be correct!!!! Theres remarkably little about sai bass on the Internet If anybody has any good info about these early models I'd be happy to learn about them. Without wanting to point out the obvious, for any info about the build of your very nice bass or potential repairs to it, I’d contact Martin at The Gallery, given that he built it and sold it originally. https://thebassgallery.com/pages/workshop 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GisserD Posted August 28, 2021 Author Share Posted August 28, 2021 36 minutes ago, ezbass said: Without wanting to point out the obvious, for any info about the build of your very nice bass or potential repairs to it, I’d contact Martin at The Gallery, given that he built it and sold it originally. https://thebassgallery.com/pages/workshop Yes already been in touch thanks tho! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 50 minutes ago, GisserD said: Yes already been in touch thanks tho! I knew I was stating the obvious. I’ll get my coat. 😆 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted September 1, 2021 Share Posted September 1, 2021 Coincidentally, I got my fretless from Bass Direct a few years ago. The Bartolini TBIBT preamp had issues soon after I got it, though, and I replaced it with a Delano Sonar 2. It's very light, and very shallow. One other thing is that the neck does move a little with temperature, so I always carry an allen key and a capo to adjust the truss rod if necessary (most of the time it isn't but I don't want to get caught out). Truss rod adjusts the wrong way, like early Warwicks - clockwise loosens it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GisserD Posted September 1, 2021 Author Share Posted September 1, 2021 1 hour ago, tauzero said: Coincidentally, I got my fretless from Bass Direct a few years ago. The Bartolini TBIBT preamp had issues soon after I got it, though, and I replaced it with a Delano Sonar 2. It's very light, and very shallow. One other thing is that the neck does move a little with temperature, so I always carry an allen key and a capo to adjust the truss rod if necessary (most of the time it isn't but I don't want to get caught out). Truss rod adjusts the wrong way, like early Warwicks - clockwise loosens it. thanks for the info. and that is a stunning bass ::) I have EMG pickups in mine, no idea what the preamp is tho. i might open it up and take a look. the neck on mine was dead straight, so in the shop i asked to ajust it which they had no problem with. It took me a few quarter turns to realise it was moving the wrong way!!! but no harm done. the only thing in the bag other than the guitar was an allen key, so maybe mine suffers fron movement too. only time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted September 1, 2021 Share Posted September 1, 2021 A nice looking bass, I was tempted but slightly put off at the time by reading the BD thread on here. I have bought from BD before and would prefer to always be able to test their basses first. I have resolved to own a Sei at some point but I'll probably go to the Gallery for one as they seem like a safe bet for them (albeit they are a little more pricey). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted September 1, 2021 Share Posted September 1, 2021 <I am turning into that bloke>. That is a fine looking axe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GisserD Posted September 1, 2021 Author Share Posted September 1, 2021 i had my 1st jam with her tonight and OMG its so good. The first thing i noticed was that It inspired me to play lightly as the tone was so good without digging in. and the eveness across the neck was better than all my other 5ers. The B is without doubt the best i ever played. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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