Is this the shape of things to come?

[KingPrawn]

Once I got over the initial “wtf” moment. I’m thinking why not? If this bass were used on a song I’d heard. Would I know it wasn’t a traditional looking bass?

 

[Velarian]

€1,887 though?

[amnesia]

Hideous design...but what would I know? Most of my basses don't even have parallel frets...

[BigRedX]

Sounds just like any other bass guitar. Therefore the best method to use when selecting a bass is to get one that looks nice (subjective) and one that suits your playing technique (down to the individual player).

[odysseus]

That is ugly as sin. But then, so am I.... 

[Rich]

As good as it appears to be, it is totally blown out of the water and into matchstick sized smithereens by the extraordinary teeny-tinies built by our own @Jabba_the_gut. They have to be heard to be believed. Here are a couple of shots of his amazing instruments from one of the South West Bass Bashes. 

[Bassassin]

Haven't listened to the demo yet but looking at the design and construction of the instrument, this is a fascinating design concept. It's a genuinely spectacular leap of imagination to look at a basic BBOT bridge and go - let's make the entire bass like that!

 

Slightly more seriously - I don't find it attractive to look at but if this was £160 (as a BBOT bass realistically should be) rather than £1600-odd, I'd be all over it!

[yorks5stringer]

The body can hardly be termed ergonomic...(talking about the bass)!

[Maude]

It must made out of 'Tone Tin' surely, or else it would sound terrible?

🙈

[fleabag]

And it's a big fat NO from me.

 

Even his playing sucked

[Barking Spiders]

Not just a big fat no from me but a clinically obese one at that. That design is as ugly as f***.  To make it worse, that directionless, dull as ditchwater new age noodling doesn't sell it either.

[acidbass]

Further proof that the concept of tone woods is a myth.  Strings make a sound by vibrating in a magnetic field!

[KingPrawn]

21 hours ago, fleabag said:

And it's a big fat NO from me.

 

Even his playing sucked

Completeley understand the reaction. I think hes a guitarist. Do you think you could find its sweet spot?

[KingPrawn]

8 hours ago, Barking Spiders said:

Not just a big fat no from me but a clinically obese one at that. That design is as ugly as f***.  To make it worse, that directionless, dull as ditchwater new age noodling doesn't sell it either.

See recent response. As bass players do you think we could make it sound better? Or does it have to be wood?

[nilorius]

I think you are wrong.

[Barking Spiders]

46 minutes ago, KingPrawn said:

See recent response. As bass players do you think we could make it sound better? Or does it have to be wood?

I'm big on looks whatever it is and particularly basses & guitars. That design is plain fugly. The tone isn't that great either but I dunno whether that's lack of ahem..wood related tone...or the cheesy new age noodling

[nilorius]

Hary Potter.

[40hz]

All it needs is some cheese, sour cream, lettuce and beef inserted into it.. . What do you mean it's a bass? . . . 

[Grahambythesea]

In a word - NO!

[Maude]

It's hard/impossible to see in that clip, but does the neck heel end like a traditional bolt on, with the bridge and pickups mounted on the metal body, or does it continue through the body like a neck through and the bridge and pickups mounted on the wood centre through a metal skin? 

 

If it's not neck through then it is a very different take on building a bass. If it is neck through then it's just the same old same old, but with a fold of metal rather than a pair of side wings fixed on. Kind of like taking a Steinberger 'cricket bat' bass and fixing anything you like to the sides for cosmetic appeal. 

 

[Doctor J]

The pickup is movable, as I recall. It's interesting but not so easy on these eyes, at least.

 

 

[Burns-bass]

52 minutes ago, Maude said:

It's hard/impossible to see in that clip, but does the neck heel end like a traditional bolt on, with the bridge and pickups mounted on the metal body, or does it continue through the body like a neck through and the bridge and pickups mounted on the wood centre through a metal skin? 

 

If it's not neck through then it is a very different take on building a bass. If it is neck through then it's just the same old same old, but with a fold of metal rather than a pair of side wings fixed on. Kind of like taking a Steinberger 'cricket bat' bass and fixing anything you like to the sides for cosmetic appeal. 

 

It’s a neck through. You can see it in some of the promo images. Personally I really like it, but it’s overpriced for what it is. 
 

Anyone stop brave enough to have a crack and build something different deserves our support!

[Velarian]

Looks like a neck through. The bottom edge looks like it would be really uncomfortable to play sitting down. 

[martthebass]

Tone is very subjective, but for me I'd be hard pushed to find a use for the tone he's getting out of that thing.

[BigRedX]

It's an interesting idea very poorly executed. 

 

Like it or not people buy an instrument first and foremost with their eyes. If they don't like how it looks they are very unlikely to ever pick it up and find out how it plays or sounds.

 

I'm very much a fan of instruments made out of different materials and in interesting shapes (after all I'm a Gus user), but this is just boring and needs the attention of someone with an eye for product design.