msb Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 (edited) I have an Eastwood hollow body that has some features that look very similar to the Harley Bentons. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn they are built in the same factory. The Eastwood is not noisy , to be honest I was quite surprised at the build quality. It sounds good , but my hollow body Gretsch is a much , much nicer instrument. There’s simply no comparison. The Eastwood popped up on kijiji for a really great price and I couldn’t resist. Years before I had an Epi Rivoli with a Dimarzio Model 1 humbucker. Sold that and missed it , so I jumped on the Eastwood. Edited July 21 by msb 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 There are tons of Longhorns around , sometimes they can be found for a song. These are tiny , and weigh nothing. They have lipstick pickups that can be a bit noisy. You learn to live with that. New prices are getting more expensive , but these really are fun little things to play. So if you see one for a good price I would suggest getting it. Despite playing one for over 25 years now I still can’t decide if they’re butt ugly or cool as heck. This completely changed my concept of just what it is that made a bass good. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithy Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 4 hours ago, Sibob said: All I can tell you is that my mates one is quiet 🤷♂️ Mine is quiet as well. But admittedly QC might be a hazard. Beside this it´s a real nice bass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 8 hours ago, msb said: There are tons of Longhorns around , sometimes they can be found for a song. These are tiny , and weigh nothing. They have lipstick pickups that can be a bit noisy. You learn to live with that. New prices are getting more expensive , but these really are fun little things to play. So if you see one for a good price I would suggest getting it. Despite playing one for over 25 years now I still can’t decide if they’re butt ugly or cool as heck. This completely changed my concept of just what it is that made a bass good. Well that's all very well, but in what sense are these 'semi-hollow' ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 For a budget semi-hollow, I'd suggest Ibanez. They have a variety of semi-hollow and completely hollow basses. AG200 rings a vague bell but I'm not sure of the actual model numbers. I have Duesenberg Star bass, which is in theory semi hollow but has a big block the width of the neck all the way through it. If you're looking for something that will be audible when not plugged in, this isn't it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb Posted July 21 Share Posted July 21 (edited) 39 minutes ago, pete.young said: Well that's all very well, but in what sense are these 'semi-hollow' ? Danos are hollow , with a block under the bridge. Edited July 21 by msb 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obrienp Posted August 15 Share Posted August 15 (edited) Plus one for Guild NS Starfire 1. I just got one and I am seriously impressed with it. It seems to cover both vintage semi boom/thump and P Bass. So far I just have the original 45-105 D’Addario roundwounds on it, which I think gives it more tonal range than putting flats on. There does seem to be a noticeable jump in the transfer between A and D string, which I put down to the Light/Medium strings, as the split pickup is set fine. I might just put a set of D’Addario 45-100 roundwounds on. Build quality on these Starfires is excellent. I honestly can’t see any imperfections and the set up was pretty good straight out of the box. The split P bass style pickup might seem out of place on a semi but it really works. I think a conventional humbucker would remove some of the tonal flexibility and make it a bit muddier. I love the Jazz bass style neck too and the short scale length, plus light weight make this an easy bass to play for extended periods. Downsides: it does seem sensitive to electrical interference; E.g. if you have your mobile in your trouser pocket. I might try spraying some graphite paint onto the inside of the back through the sound holes. I can’t get perfect intonation on the E string. It could do with a bit more travel in the saddles on the tune-o-matic style bridge but I am using the original strings. The binding can dig into your forearm, where it rests on the edge, after a while of playing. I have cured this by sticking some of that foam edge protector stuff (to stop toddlers braining themselves on tables) on the front top edge where my arm rests. It may look a bit odd but it pays off. I would prefer the strap button to be on the top horn, rather than on the neck heel. This is pretty common on semis though. It doesn’t so much want to neck dive as to swivel to the horizontal when you let go of the neck. I am wondering whether to just screw a strap button onto the horn but I am a bit worried the ply isn’t strong enough. It would be better if it had a reinforcing block there. It may do, or at least kerfing: I haven’t tried putting a mirror inside yet to have a look. Edited August 15 by Obrienp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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