NBD: Reverend Mercalli 5

[BillyBass]

My Christmas present arrived, a Reverend Mercalli fiver in wine red flamed maple, with a roasted maple fretboard and neck.

 

The neck is wide but shallow (47mm at the nut and the string spacing is 19mm at the bridge, apparently).

 

It needed a little tweak of the truss rod and the usual new bass set up stuff but after doing all that, I've had about 30 minutes on it.

 

I am impressed. It weighs under 4kg, there is no neck dive, the neck feels lovely, though the width threw me off at first (my only other fiver has a narrower neck).

 

The B string is much better than my other fiver (a Charvel Pro Mod JJ) and the weight and absence of neck dive means I think this will be my go to fiver.  I'm guessing the 6 bolts connecting the neck to the body and the string through option are the reason for the improved B string, I'm not sure but the B string it came with is a 125, and it doesn't feel loose or sound flubby. 

 

I love Reverends! This is my third.

 

 

[BassBiscuit]

That profile shot looks nice...

 

[BassApprentice]

Love Reverends - going to be mighty tempted by the flamed maple version with gold hardware that was released the other week.

[BillyBass]

1 hour ago, BassApprentice said:

Love Reverends - going to be mighty tempted by the flamed maple version with gold hardware that was released the other week.

I'm not a fan of brown basses but the 'Coffee burst' with gold hardware does look good doesn't it.  Merchant City Music will pre order this for you for £1149, so the price has gone up.

[BillyBass]

Another pic, showing off the scarlet 'wine red' flamed maple top.

[Terry M.]

I soooo badly want to try out one of these. I'm a fan of wide necked five string basses with minimum 19mm bridge spacing 🤩

[BillyBass]

On 29/12/2024 at 19:46, Terry M. said:

I soooo badly want to try out one of these. I'm a fan of wide necked five string basses with minimum 19mm bridge spacing 🤩

This does have that but the neck is quite shallow so it doesn't feel big in your hand.  It is a very comfy neck.

[edstraker123]

I played a used 5 string in a local shop yesterday and really liked it . I've only got small hands too and it didn't feel uncomfortable. I'd have bought it in a heartbeat but the price they wanted (£800 )was too much for the condition it was in as it was full of buckle rash and playing marks. 😢

[Terry M.]

What's access to the uppermost frets like on them?