TRBboy Posted July 9 Share Posted July 9 Hey folks! I'm looking at this Sunset Series Pirhana P5 to use as a modding platform. They seem very similar to some of the Harley Benton instruments.... I just wondered in general if anyone here has any experience of these Fazley basses? From what I can glean online, the very basic models are not great, but these 'higher end' models (if you can call them that), seem to get more favourable reviews. The main thing for me is the neck I guess, the rest of it is fairly inconsequential (aside from overall weight). Anyway, if you have any feedback on them, let me know! 😊👌 Thanks, Oli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meterman Posted July 9 Share Posted July 9 They look alright online, and the prices are very enticing but a mate bought one of their 4-string P knockoffs and it took him a lot of work to turn it into something that isn’t even reliable enough to use as his backup bass for really dodgy pub gigs. Sharp fret ends on almost every fret, dead spots on the neck, crappy electrics, useless tuners... He salvaged the body, pickguard and neck but replaced or did serious work on everything else. However, he did only buy it because it was bright yellow and less than £100. Harley Benton could have saved him a lot of time for not much more money. Having said all that, I know someone else who has one of their super cheap violin basses, you know - the Chinese copies of the McCartney job - and that is surprisingly good. Thumps like a Hofner at a fraction of the price. You might get a good one, or you might get a stinker? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted July 9 Share Posted July 9 Wonder what the weight is? Harley B Jazz i think are often on the heavy side. I love the simple look of the Hot Rod P... https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/right-handed-bass-guitar/fazley-hot-rod-bass-fmh182sg-surf-green-electric-bass-guitar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted July 9 Share Posted July 9 27 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said: Wonder what the weight is? Harley B Jazz i think are often on the heavy side. I love the simple look of the Hot Rod P... https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/right-handed-bass-guitar/fazley-hot-rod-bass-fmh182sg-surf-green-electric-bass-guitar Just weighed the surf green Fazley guitar I converted to a short scale bass, with a 30.25" all maple neck and chunky bridge it's 9lb. Based on that I'd guess 9.5lb to 10lb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRBboy Posted July 9 Author Share Posted July 9 1 hour ago, kodiakblair said: Just weighed the surf green Fazley guitar I converted to a short scale bass, with a 30.25" all maple neck and chunky bridge it's 9lb. Based on that I'd guess 9.5lb to 10lb. Thanks for that, is it a basswood body like the Pirhana too? A guy on FB said his J5 in the same series is mega light 😅 I guess that's part of the gamble with super cheapo instruments 🤷 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted July 10 Share Posted July 10 14 hours ago, TRBboy said: guy on FB said his J5 in the same series is mega light 😅 Compared to a Northern Ash jazz bass it probably is mega light. That said I doubt the Fazley is 'Basswood', it's just a blanket term for several lookalike timbers. Most East Asian basswood is Lime/Linden since it's plentiful over there, about 20 varieties. Limes are generally heavier and harder than American Basswood. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted September 18 Share Posted September 18 Hehe, whoops, finger slipped. Got about 15 weeks to cancel, I guess... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted September 19 Share Posted September 19 I've just mostly finished a light modification job on a Fazley Sunset Series Piranha 5 in olympic white. Bought it as I was enjoying playing a Harley Benton Deluxe Series PJ-5 in hot-rod trans red that I did-up during lockdown, but I fancied something that was a pure P instead of a PJ simply for aesthetic reasons. Having done the same set of mods to each I'd say they're both great basses for their meagre asking price and as long as you're comfortable with some basic fret work (ends and polishing rather than levelling and crowning), shielding, and a bit of drill-and-dowel action where holes don't line up, they're fun to meddle with and result in a very playable instrument that you won't mind taking anywhere. The initial plan was to get a 3-ply parchment guard made, but the stock pickup (and hence the hole in the guard) is bigger than anything I can find on the market, so I need to decide whether I'm changing the pickup before I have a new guard made. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted October 18 Share Posted October 18 Just in case anyone was fussed, this is how it turned out with the catchily-named Delano PC 5 AL/M2-AS and a guard that isn't made of resin-bound corned beef. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted October 18 Share Posted October 18 Hee hee, 10 weeks to go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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