NBD! Atelier Z DAL-5 - becoming an Atelier fan!

[carlsim]

So... it wasn't today, it was Friday and a joy to behold and play it is. Feels great, sounds punchy and funky (shame it doesn't have a tone control in passive mode) but overall, very pleased with the bass.

 

I will add that I was a little disappointed in the condition it arrived in from the supplier (who I won't name but some of you may have seen the bass for sale there, in direct line of sight... ). It had an inspection sticker on it but it was filthy. There was some kind of liquid stain over the scratch plate, under the strings near the bridge was covered in grime and dirt and overall, it looks like it had come in to the shop in that state and gone straight back out again with no checks at all. I had to strip the pickguard, control plate, strings etc and give everything a thorough polish and make adjustments to the truss rod and lower the action (a bit too much turn up at the nut end for my liking). I would have thought a 30 minute check over and clean would have been a standard procedure. Oh well... it's proper sorted now, nice and clean, fresh strings and plays and sounds like a demon.

 

Atelier Z - you have a devoted follower.

 

One thing - the sticker is pretty tatty. Do I remove it or source a replacement? If a replacement, anyone know where?? The Atelier shop only ships within the far east as best as I can tell...

 

[Cairobill]

Yep - after selling all but one of my basses I've been giving serious thought about a 'central' bass. I'm pretty sure it needs to be a J bass and also pretty sure it needs to have 5 strings....and these Atelier Zs look like prime candidates

[LeftyJ]

That looks beautiful! Is that an ash top on an alder back? 

 

When I wanted an original Atelier Z strap for my Baby Z-4J I ordered it through Ikebe as they appeared to be the only one that had them in stock. They may have replacement parts too! 

For overseas orders, they have a contact form on their site to inquire if the item you want is eligible for international sales (some items can be domestic market only). I got a very quick and polite reply from Noriaki Sato, who was great! 

 

Great strap by the way, very reminiscent of a Mono "the Betty", but made by Music Area (who also produce gigbags for Dingwall, for example). 

Edited March 12 by LeftyJ

[BlueMoon]

5 hours ago, carlsim said:

One thing - the sticker is pretty tatty. Do I remove it or source a replacement? If a replacement, anyone know where?? The Atelier shop only ships within the far east as best as I can tell...

Try Danny Stewart at www.bassjapandirect.com

[bubinga5]

Very cool Carl. The DAL's are the best Atelier's imo. You can always tell one because of the Alder body/Ash top forearm detail. That and the 70s pickup spacing..The necks are just fabulous also. 

 

You could get a sticker replacement from a custom sticker producer surely.Just scan it..  I had months of trying to getting anything from Johnny from Atelier Z. No hope.. I wouldn't bother with Danny Stewart either imo. Hes only interested in selling basses and getting commission which I found quite rude to be honest. I asked him if he could get a replacement preamp from Atelier Z, he wasn't interested..So a sticker.. maybe not.. 

 

Killer bass though Carl.  

Edited March 13 by bubinga5

[BlueMoon]

8 hours ago, bubinga5 said:

I wouldn't bother with Danny Stewart either imo. Hes only interested in selling basses and getting commission which I found quite rude to be honest. I asked him if he could get a replacement preamp from Atelier Z, he wasn't interested..So a sticker.. maybe not.. 

That's strange.

 

He got a few for me with no issues at all.