Antiquity

[knirirr]

Recently, I noticed that PMT have started selling a house brand, "Antiquity". Here are some examples:

 

https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/products/bass/bassguitars/electricbassguitar?manufacturer=10814

 

I can't find much online about them, though I saw a mention that they are made in the Harley Benton factory. Has anyone tried anything from the range, and, if so, do you have any comments on the quality (or the width) etc. ?

[Lw.]

More bass shaped objects from the kids in China. 

I do like their improvised Zebrano finish on the natural one though - adds a bit of fun I guess 😂

[Bassassin]

Taking the natural/blocks J as an example, I can't think why anyone would choose this over the equivalent HB, which is made from nicer-looking timber, has a bound neck and is £30 cheaper - excluding the minimum £5.99 (Parcelfarce) that PMT charge for delivery.

 

If it was from the 'Harley Benton Factory' you'd think it would be the same bass.

[soldersqueeze]

What's up with the phrase "bass shaped object"? It's unmistakably a bass. A real, recordable and gigable instrument. 

 

If someone actually wants to play music any of these basses will be all the instrument they ever need.

[NancyJohnson]

I like the headstocks.  Very Mike Lull.  Shhh.

[snorkie635]

On 05/04/2023 at 14:22, knirirr said:

Recently, I noticed that PMT have started selling a house brand, "Antiquity". Here are some examples:

 

https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/products/bass/bassguitars/electricbassguitar?manufacturer=10814

 

I can't find much online about them, though I saw a mention that they are made in the Harley Benton factory. Has anyone tried anything from the range, and, if so, do you have any comments on the quality (or the width) etc. ?

Never tried or even seen one. Probably, they'll do the job for someone though. My first bass cost £50 brand new and was pretty bad, but I loved it, as no doubt, someone will one of these. More people getting a 'start' on bass has to be a good thing, whether they begin on a diddly-bo or an Alembic. My understanding is that HB basses work well enough.

[Machines]

My Dad has one of their prototype Telecaster copies. Only looked at it quickly but it seems quite decent. That said, they seem to be more expensive than other cheap starter copies, and time will tell if they can compete with Harley Benton which are quite a bit cheaper.

[fleabag]

Wowser - more J and P copies.  That wasn't predictable at all.

[Lw.]

2 hours ago, soldersqueeze said:

What's up with the phrase "bass shaped object"? It's unmistakably a bass. A real, recordable and gigable instrument. 

 

If someone actually wants to play music any of these basses will be all the instrument they ever need.

Have you played one? How do you know that?

 

They certainly look like basses, but looking at the natural one you can see they're made to an extremely low price point.

 

When something is that cheap, someone or something is being exploited. The retailer, factory & distribution are all taking a profit out of that so it only leaves the customers being sold a dud, the workers being exploited for low wages or the environment be savaged. Or a combo there of. 

 

People really need to think more before buying this cheapest of the cheap landfill fodder. The world deserves better than this.

 

Thomann/HB can churn out ok quality at this price point because they ship an obscene amount of boxes so benefit from economies of scale. PMT do not. They look like basses but at this price point outside of HB, they will be absolute garbage. Hence, bass shaped object. 

[Shaggy]

I’m surprised that Seymour Duncan haven’t taken issue with the trade name....

[soldersqueeze]

3 hours ago, Lw. said:

Have you played one? How do you know that?

 

They certainly look like basses, but looking at the natural one you can see they're made to an extremely low price point.

 

When something is that cheap, someone or something is being exploited. The retailer, factory & distribution are all taking a profit out of that so it only leaves the customers being sold a dud, the workers being exploited for low wages or the environment be savaged. Or a combo there of. 

 

People really need to think more before buying this cheapest of the cheap landfill fodder. The world deserves better than this.

 

Thomann/HB can churn out ok quality at this price point because they ship an obscene amount of boxes so benefit from economies of scale. PMT do not. They look like basses but at this price point outside of HB, they will be absolute garbage. Hence, bass shaped object. 

 

 

Honestly, no I've not played one. We all know I don't need to though, they'll be perfectly playable and sound just fine. Cheap Chinese basses have been totally fine for over a decade, it's hard to buy a junk instrument nowadays. There's a PMT down the road from me however so I'll give one a go at the weekend and report back if I'm wrong ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

 

If folk want to justify having thousands tied up in wall hangers and babble on about toan and the soul of an instrument I don't care and I won't wander into threads on the subject, but these won't be landfill. For those who spend more time writing and playing than fetishising overpriced coffee-table grade endangered woods these will do the job no problems, I assure you. 

[iconic]

The P profile n bits n bobs look very similar to a Glarry, even the colours....?

Edited April 13, 2023 by iconic

[velvetkevorkian]

47 minutes ago, iconic said:

The P profile n bits n bobs look very similar to a Glarry, even the colours....?

Entirely possible they're from the same factory, they're all basically just rebadged versions of what you can see on AliExpress.