ESP 406-SM

[ape]

Hi, hmmm well Ok how to start this lol. I've not done any kind of review before so you will have to bare with me but was suggested by another forum member that I write one for this bass with people looking for a cheap 6 string bass.

Well I guess the first thing that struck me with this bass (and yes I know its a little shallow) was the looks, nickel hardware and a lovely spalted maple top, I was looking for a 6 string to try so went into a music shop in Notts and asked to try a 5 string yamaha and the ESP, now I know pbviously the Yamaha was only a 5 string but I thought I'd at least get a general feel for it and know how it sounds, I cna't remember the model of the yamaha but know it was about £350. I played the Yamaha and was not at all impressed I couldn't get a tone out of it that I liked it just seemed very flat so then onto the ESP well I plugged in and was blown away it was exceptionally easy to play for a 6 string seeing as I've never had a 5 string before let alone a 6 and the quality of sound was fantastic, so I obviously gave it back to the man in the shop took a deep breath and asked how much it was he went to go and find out while I stood waiting expecting him to come back and say about £1100 so I could leave it alone and not buy something new. However when he came back and told me £650 I knew I had to buy it, I thought there had been some kind of mistake in honesty so went and did some research and by accident found it cheaper on their own website at £600 so obviously talked the shop into letting me pay that for it.

After taking it out for the first time to a gig through my mark bass amp and with some volume it just got better. So no after my rambling what I can I tell you about it, well unfortunately I can't find the specs anymore for the bass as it looks like it has been superseded by the b416sm which looks identical to me with a higher price tag but of course could be wrong, what I can tell you is that it is a 24 fret, 35" scale, neck through body with which looks like walnut stringers, rosewood fingerboard, nickel coloured hardware, EMG pickups and a 3 band active EQ. It has a fairly flat fingerboard from feel, and the neck is very thin which is just as well, it feels well balanced and doesn't seem to be a bad weight for a 6 string. Sound wise it has a very clear hifi like tone that I really like very different from my warwick, it tends to have a bit of growl too it still but is crystal clear on every note even higher up on the neck and cuts through the mix really really well. It's all really well put together and made, infact if I had to pick fault the only things I could say I don't like about the bass are cosmetic which would be the truss rod cover just looks a bit cheap and nasty to me compared to the rest of the bass and I hate the 12th fret being a big block of mother of pearl with B406SM stamped in it.


Well that's it for me I think, I hope its been of some use rather than me just babbling on, its been the first review I've written so any questions please feel free to ask as I'm sure I've probably missed loads out, oh and any feedback or critisicm (constructive though please, I don't want youtube style feedback lol) would be welcome.