hubrad Posted May 10, 2009 Posted May 10, 2009 (edited) Hi y'all, While my headless(!) Ibanez was off the road for refurb, [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=44673"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=44673[/url] I got this excellent Crafter as a stopgap. [attachment=25004:crafter_...ress_5FL.jpg] Other band members were well impressed, and at the time my wife said I should keep it even just for the look of it! Honest, she's not that shallow. The gap is now well and truly filled, so I'm thinking that somebody else should get to enjoy the Crafter. I spent about £150 getting the EMGs to upgrade it - 40P5 and 40J - but can reinstate the original pickups, which were perfectly ok, I'm just used to EMG quality. Vol, Blend and Tone with a dummy 4th pot. 18V 2xPP3. Original wiring was 2 Vol and 2 Tone. Also the original strings were rubbish, so now strung with Picato flats 45-105 and a 130 Elite which I had lying around at the time. I did half a dozen gigs and a couple of practices on it; condition is pretty much as new. 34" scale, 19mm spacing at bridge. I'm thinking of £220 with the original pickups, £370 with the EMGs, incl mainland shipping. HUGH Edited February 27, 2011 by hubrad
john_the_bass Posted May 11, 2009 Posted May 11, 2009 What's the fingerboard on these? I've seen some Crafter fretless basses that have a sort of shiny epoxy/plastic board with what seems to be a very sharp edge
hubrad Posted May 11, 2009 Author Posted May 11, 2009 Yes, it's that Ebonol stuff. Seems to work very well in both sound and feel. Comfortable to play; I didn't notice any sharpness, but then my hand doesn't really touch there.. I'll have a look when I get home on that point. Can't comment on durability as I've only had flatwounds on there, but Ebonol is supposed to be a sort of synthetic ebony, so long lasting. Nothing like hope, eh?
Eight Posted May 11, 2009 Posted May 11, 2009 My Curbow has an ebanol fretboard and I absolutely love it. Lovely "mirror" finish when polished and it feels very nice to play.
hubrad Posted May 12, 2009 Author Posted May 12, 2009 [quote name='Eight' post='485074' date='May 11 2009, 02:10 PM']My Curbow has an ebanol fretboard and I absolutely love it. Lovely "mirror" finish when polished and it feels very nice to play.[/quote] Yup, that was my experience. Hard and smooth.. works like a dream.
hubrad Posted May 20, 2009 Author Posted May 20, 2009 All it needs is a set of those new Rotos in black and you have a full stealth bass!
voxpop Posted May 20, 2009 Posted May 20, 2009 [quote name='hubrad' post='484335' date='May 10 2009, 03:12 PM']Hi y'all, While my headless(!) Ibanez was off the road for refurb, [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=44673"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=44673[/url] I got this excellent Crafter as a stopgap. [attachment=25004:crafter_...ress_5FL.jpg] Other band members were well impressed, and at the time my wife said I should keep it even just for the look of it! Honest, she's not that shallow. The gap is now well and truly filled, so I'm thinking that somebody else should get to enjoy the Crafter. I spent about £150 getting the EMGs to upgrade it - 40P5 and 40J - but can reinstate the original pickups, which were perfectly ok, I'm just used to EMG quality. Vol, Blend and Tone with a dummy 4th pot. 18V 2xPP3. Original wiring was 2 Vol and 2 Tone. Also the original strings were rubbish, so now strung with Picato flats 45-105 and a 130 Elite which I had lying around at the time. I did half a dozen gigs and a couple of practices on it; condition is pretty much as new. 34" scale, 19mm spacing at bridge. I'm thinking of £220 with the original pickups, £370 with the EMGs, incl mainland shipping. HUGH[/quote] Hi Hugh, I will have the EMG 40p5 off you if the bass sells with the original pickups. Thanks Marc
hubrad Posted May 20, 2009 Author Posted May 20, 2009 [quote name='voxpop' post='493090' date='May 20 2009, 11:07 AM']Hi Hugh, I will have the EMG 40p5 off you if the bass sells with the original pickups. Thanks Marc[/quote] Nice one Marc; Anyone out there fancy the reinstated-to-original bass? Very nice it is, too! If you prefer some alteration to the wiring or pickups this could also be arranged...
bythesea Posted May 20, 2009 Posted May 20, 2009 Keep looking at this and wishing you could stretch the neck by an inch... but I keep looking anyway
hubrad Posted May 21, 2009 Author Posted May 21, 2009 [quote name='bythesea' post='493644' date='May 20 2009, 07:43 PM']Keep looking at this and wishing you could stretch the neck by an inch... but I keep looking anyway [/quote] If you're up for the experiment, I did do this once before.. basically you just move the bridge back by an inch(!) It'll probably overhang slightly, but this is one beauty of unlined fretless.
hubrad Posted May 30, 2009 Author Posted May 30, 2009 [quote name='bythesea' post='493644' date='May 20 2009, 07:43 PM']Keep looking at this and wishing you could stretch the neck by an inch... but I keep looking anyway [/quote] .. or if you want the ultimate in 5 string fretless 35" check this (not mine!) out: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=50448"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=50448[/url] rather more expensive, undoubtedly, but worth every penny and will last you a lifetime.
Kongo Posted May 30, 2009 Posted May 30, 2009 I'll keep an eye on this one. I'm looking for a 5-string fretless for some delicate playing with my band on a new song that could use some "Bass crooning" that fretless delivers so well. Amp head first though.
hubrad Posted June 7, 2009 Author Posted June 7, 2009 Some better piccies.. Full frontage: [attachment=26642:front.jpg] A fine rear view: [attachment=26640:back.jpg] Close up of the front; shows a bit of inevitable polishing (half a dozen gigsworth) where I tend to rest my thumb! The original pickups look just the same but without the EMG logo. [attachment=26641:bodyfront.jpg] One of the head.. the silk of the Elite B string was just going over the nut there: [attachment=26643:headshot.jpg] Hmm.. time to paint the skirting boards!
BigBeatNut Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 [quote name='hubrad' post='493088' date='May 20 2009, 11:04 AM']All it needs is a set of those new Rotos in black and you have a full stealth bass! [/quote] That ... plus the new pics ... has set me thinking (again) ..... Andy
hubrad Posted June 8, 2009 Author Posted June 8, 2009 [quote name='aj5string' post='507623' date='Jun 7 2009, 06:10 PM']If only it were lined![/quote] You got a pen and a ruler, doncha? Go line-free.. it hurts far less than you might think!
aj5string Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 I have a unlined fretless... would really like a 5 string lined tho... ah well
hubrad Posted July 23, 2009 Author Posted July 23, 2009 Ah well.. I always found that lines made me paranoid!
hubrad Posted November 1, 2009 Author Posted November 1, 2009 late bump! This is still on the go, after some mild interest. I keep having a little play on it at home; just as nice as ever.. C'mon folks, embrace the fear!
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