Michael Kelly Dragonfly Acoustic Bass... any good?

[warwickhunt]

I've done a search on the forum that only really threw up one response to these basses.

Who has one and what are they like?

[Happy Jack]

I've never had one, but I did some digging on them 12/18 months ago, Harmony Central and that sort of thing.

General opinion then was that they look gorgeous and are pretty well made, but don't play or sound nearly as good as they should. Several reviewers described them as (effectively) a nice thing to have on display in your sitting room, but you wouldn't actually play it much.

Now that's pretty third-hand opinion at this point, but you asked ...

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='92230' date='Nov 21 2007, 05:03 PM']I've never had one, but I did some digging on them 12/18 months ago, Harmony Central and that sort of thing.

General opinion then was that they look gorgeous and are pretty well made, but don't play or sound nearly as good as they should. Several reviewers described them as (effectively) a nice thing to have on display in your sitting room, but you wouldn't actually play it much.

Now that's pretty third-hand opinion at this point, but you asked ...[/quote]

No that's no problem, I did ask.

TBH this would be something for plonking on with in the house to work out basslines, rather than plugging in my praccy amp (not a great hardship I know but when all of your leads are cased up and in the garage etc). Aren't all basses nice things to have on display

[john_the_bass]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='92233' date='Nov 21 2007, 05:11 PM']No that's no problem, I did ask.

TBH this would be something for plonking on with in the house to work out basslines, rather than plugging in my praccy amp (not a great hardship I know but when all of your leads are cased up and in the garage etc). Aren't all basses nice things to have on display [/quote]

my dad's got one - a trans black dragonfly fretless five. the elaborate inlay could probably have been fitted a bit better, it's a bit rough looking in places, but it's quite well made generally and the quilted maple top looks nice through the black. the hardware is all quite good - i think it's a fishman pickup/preamp and chinese (probably) grovers. He gigs his regularly, DI'd into their small PA - to my ears it sounds very good, apparently the open B is a bit flappy, but the auld fella says he never goes any lower than the D. I notice that the use of a fat finger seems to improve the B though.

For the money (about £350-£400 shipped in a case and miraculously bypassing HMRC), I think it's very good. I think Michael Kelly stuff is produced in the same place that makes Ashbury mandolins (MK mandolins look identical to me) and generally he's very happy with it - he's certianly not said anything about wanting to replace it.

[warwickhunt]

The 4 stringers are a bit cheaper again, especially if they can arrive unimpeded.

[angelagnostic]

I did some digging on the dragonfly too. Hard to find in Hingerland. After reading tons of info I came to the conclusion that, once you TIC the hassle of sourcing a 5, it was not that much of an upgrade from the Crafter BA580 I was playing at the time. I bought a Godin a5 instead.

[EssentialTension]

I have a fretted Dragonfly 4. I use it around the house for noodling and practicing and I'm quite happy with it - got TI Jazz Flats on it. However, I did pick it up used for about £250 including a hardcase. If you were paying much more than that I think you might do better for the money on something else. Also, I've heard some horror stories about quality control too so if you get one you may or may not be lucky.

[stacedabass]

i bought one about two years ago, dragonfly 5 string fretless with case from sam ash in america. WARNING dont every use sam ash!! hehe, it arrived in two boxes, one for the bass and one for the case!! so inevitably my bass was damaged!! i had time to play around on it for a day before i sent it back( when i did i didnt get my full ammount back!) I dont think the low b was good, it was quite flappy, the workmanship and finish o fthe bass was very good,(except the damage to the body, by the couriers!) but the sound on the E-G was very warm, though not the loudest acoustic i've played(i spose this could be because it was fretless). But the neck was very smooth playing, and plugged into my amp it sounded excellent! I would like to try another one maybe 4 string, though i dont wanna ship it from america again! I am currently on the look out for another acoustic fretless, i am looking at tanglewood, cort, crafter and any others i can find, (which is quite hard). Though the dragonfly inlay looks the bees knees!! L8ers Nick

[john_the_bass]

[quote name='stacedabass' post='92876' date='Nov 22 2007, 05:04 PM']i bought one about two years ago, dragonfly 5 string fretless with case from sam ash in america. WARNING dont every use sam ash!! hehe, it arrived in two boxes, one for the bass and one for the case!![/quote]

Grand Central in Michigan was the place that the auld fella's came from - they were very good and shipped the bass in the case in a great big box. I tried to buy a Stingray from them, but I assume they were following the dealer agreement and wouldn't ship one outside the US

[4000]

I just bought a 5 fretless from Promenade Music for £250; I think they have a few more left if anyone is interested. Fit and finish is fairly so-so but the things that actually sold me were the playability (I typically use very low action and for an acoustic this certainly qualified right off the wall - far, far better than any of the Breedloves I've tried and to be honest better than any other acoustic bass I've ever played), and the sound, which I really liked. Mine reminds me a little of Stanley Clarke's upright tone, which may or may not be your cup of tea but which I love. In fact I played a few other basses next to it from a fretless Cort (marvellous neck but a bit thin-sounding) to an Overwater Perception 5, and quite honestly I preferred this. The B isn't fabulous (I wouldn't really expect it to be), but overall I really like it. The preamp is a Fishman Presys FWIW and the Rosetti site says the neck is graphite reinforced, which if true I was very surprised by.

[th231955]

I've had my  4 string  for   about  10 yrs  now!  I can't understand  why people  have  low  opinions  of  this instrument!  I've been playing  for around  45 yrs  now, and  I don't know, maybe i  got  a very  good  one  compared to what others  have  gotten!  Flat wounds,  it  sounds  so much like a Doghouse, people's heads  turn  when I  play it!  I got mine  off of ebay  with the hard case  for  350 bucks! With my  amp set  just  right it  sounds great! I play out of  a B 600 Carvin stack  4 10's and an 18 bottom...upgraded  to a b1000  when i burnt  the  600!   First time I picked  this  guitar up  , it was like I played it  my  whole  life!  My electric  Bass is a G&L  L-1000...  I bought the G&L  when it  first came out  in late fall  79, one of the  first to be  bought in our  area!

[themoo]

I just received a fretless 4 string. Appalling! Action so high I could get Sadiq Khan's dad to drive his bus under the strings! Tried adjusting the neck but did nothing!

It's going straight back.

Shame.

[Tim2291]

Late to the party... But I have got a fretted 4 string Dragonfly for my 18th birthday, its built well, sounds good and plays well! Obviously its different to play than an electric... but it's an acoustic bass so that's expected! Really happy with mine, been used on multiple recordings and a lot of gigs as well! When it's at home it has the added advantage of being the art on my wall!

[PaulThePlug]

Very nice, to rich for my blood... but i love my Harley Benton HBO850 bass with flats.