Author Topic: Looking for a test bed (Read 609 times)

bsee · « **on:** May 17, 2004, 03:47:23 PM »

I have this glorious picture of the ultimate bass. Medium scale with ebony neck laminates, anniversary electronics, single coil pickups, side LEDs, and a Valentino-special custom body shape. A hollow Vermillion core with a coco bolo top, or maybe a wide flame maple in a tiger eye finish. Maybe a four string, in which case I think the ebony lams become a luxury, or a five string which would make them more of a necessity.

Before I get that far, though, I want a test bed. I have been playing five strings for so many years, I have become lazy. I'd like to go back to playing four strings, but I want to see how much more efficient I can be on a short or medium scale four before I take the big plunge. My hands are small enough that I do my best to avoid playing the lowest positions on my long scale five. Instead, I regularly take advantage of the fifth string to play my parts higher up on the neck. The hope is that a shorter scale instrument would make the lower positions more usable.

As such, I am looking for a short or medium scale bass at a reasonable price. A four string Spoiler would be fine for my purposes. I'd really like to get something a lot closer to $1K than $2K. I would probably play it for a couple months and then either resell it because it doesn't work for me, or keep playing it while my super-bass is being built. I'm really looking for a bass that I can effectively 'borrow' for a couple months with a very high expectation that I can get my money back when I let it go. I would give the seller first right of refusal to buy it back if they so desired.

Any leads would be appreciated!

Thanks-
Bob

bassman10096 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 17, 2004, 06:59:48 PM »

Bob:

Most of the Spoilers that come up would fit the bill for you. I did this myself. I appreciate the job my Spoiler did: (1) Assure me that I wanted an Alembic built to my specs and (2) Enlighten me about how NICE a medium scale works for me (short digits). Alas, the Spoiler was sold - for the same $1,000 I paid for it - to foot the bill for my new bass. Malthumb's Alembic savings plan really does work!! Right now I'm parking $ in other value-retaining basses in preparation for my next custom (this is fun!).

No Spoilers evident in my normal looking places, but a couple inevitably show up each month. I'm sure we'll find you the test bed for your experiment before long.

Bill

bsee · « **Reply #2 on:** May 17, 2004, 07:11:19 PM »

Thanks, Bill. I appreciate any assistance of any kind. I was trying to go after Mike's Exploiter/Spoiler, but the price was just a bit too much for me to feel comfortable about turning it back around. I played an Exploiter for a couple weeks, maybe six or eight years ago, and should have kept it. That shape balances surprisingly well.

My eyes are open to all possibilities.

bassman10096 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 17, 2004, 08:32:33 PM »

I think a Spoiler will give you a good combination of price, some features to give you a bit more sound, neck thru, some have purplehear lams,...and there's a good resale market.

bsee · « **Reply #4 on:** May 17, 2004, 10:05:23 PM »

I guess the point is that I would be willing to look at any Alembic in short or medium scale. A beat up SC that someone would let go for $1500 might be just as interesting to me as a $1K Spoiler. I know that I am not interested in an Epic, but that's about all I can say for sure.

adriaan · « **Reply #5 on:** May 17, 2004, 11:20:58 PM »

Bob, if you like the fingerings you can do on a five string, and seeing that you avoid the lowest notes, did you consider a medium scale 5 string with a high C instead of a low B?

bsee · « **Reply #6 on:** May 18, 2004, 06:14:45 AM »

Adriaan, It's about having the notes available for the type of stuff I play. Doing a lot of blues and classic rock, we're regularly playing tunes in E, F and G. Having a higher string wouldn't help me with fingerings for those unless I want to play with an octave pedal.

Actually, I am considering a compromise. A medium scale five tuned D-G-C-F-Bb might get me what I need. I plan to try this if I can, as well as trying a capo at the second fret for those tunes that are built around open strings in a standard tuning.

I have used odd tunings before, and there is one down side. When a guitar player looks at my hands because he lost track of the changes, things can get really ugly.

bassman10096 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 18, 2004, 11:04:12 AM »

Bob: Look on http://instrumentexchange.com/searchform.asp?c_mfg=852&pid=41&catid=131&scatid=495&mfg=-1&mmfg=-1&action2=Start

There's a Persuader that might fit your criteria. There was a thread on the Club that talked about Persuader vs Spoiler electronics. They are similar. From my experience owning a Spoiler, I'd offer 3 comments on the Persuader listed. (1) It may not have a brass bridge block, (2) The neck appears to be all maple, like mine was (no purpleheart or other lams) and the neck is the untapered neck like a lot of S1's and S2's have. I found (1) and (2) meant a noticeable reduction in sustain, compared to a bass with bridge block and stiffening lams. A lot of Spoilers were built this way too. On (3), I wasn't quite prepared for the neck to be so narrow in the upper registers. Got used to it fast, but I did request some taper in my custom's neck.

Bill

bsee · « **Reply #8 on:** May 18, 2004, 11:27:52 AM »

Thanks, Bill, I saw that one. I can say that I am not a big fan of GC, to start. One of my parameters is to be able to turn the bass back around without eating too much of a loss. I would be suspect of being able to do this on anything that I had to pay dealer markup to acquire. $800 sounds reasonable, but there's no case, and who knows where the bass will have to be shipped from. Certainly the $1650 Buy-it-now price is excessive for a bass that would typically sell for $750-1000 on eBay.

I think I'd also like to hold out for a model with the 'real' Alembic pickups on it. My understanding is that the P/J setup are a little different from the rest of the line. Part of what I am looking for is to see how the basic electronics package works for me, so I'd like to get something close to what I would order.

That said, I would probably pay the $800 if I could walk into one of my local GC stores, touch the bass, and then walk out the door with it.

-Bob

keavin · « **Reply #9 on:** May 18, 2004, 01:20:46 PM »

Any alembic is a GOOD test bed, it's love at first pluck!

bsee · « **Reply #10 on:** May 19, 2004, 06:45:23 PM »

Well, the five string Persuader that showed up on eBay a few hours ago might change my mind about the model as a test. It's set up with the soapbars, which addresses my main concern with the model. I'll be watching that one.

bsee · « **Reply #11 on:** May 26, 2004, 11:48:11 AM »

All this talk of GAS is getting too me. Any of you guys sitting there with eight Alembics want to lend/rent me one for a couple weeks?

This patience thing isn't a lot of fun, especially when you're looking at being patient for 4+ months after you get to the point of knowing what to order!

88persuader · « **Reply #12 on:** May 27, 2004, 12:48:21 AM »

I'd like to add my two cents if you don't mind. I own a Persuader with the PJ setup and an Epic 5 string. Although I agree that the soapbar pickups are more balanced because they are matching (And are more standard for Alembics) make no mistake ... Alembic PJ pickups ARE REAL Alembic pickups. The P pickup is more poweful then the j pickup but if you lower the P pickup and raise the J pickup you can balance the pick up gain and end up having more sound combinations because of the difference in pickups. Add the Q knob and the sound combos are pretty wide. I realize the Epic is one of the lower end Alembics however it has soap bar pickups ... well my Persuader regardless of the PJ setup has in my opinion a much better sound QUALITY by far then my Epic. Much better by far. Night and day!

OK I'll get off my soap box ... but I'm a Persuader owner with a PJ setup and am CRAZY about the bass and pickup setup. I couldn't read the reference to my baby not having REAL Alembic pickups without defending it. :-)

Peace! :-)

And remember ... Alembic doesn't make a bad bass. They start at awesome for the lower end basses and go to OH MY GOD for the higher end! ;-)

Good luck with finding the right bass for you! And BTW ... I was considering bidding on that 5 string Persuader myself and selling my Epic. That's how much i love my 4 String Persuader.

Ray

bsee · « **Reply #13 on:** May 27, 2004, 01:27:27 AM »

Ray-

Sorry to have pushed your buttons there, it certainly wasn't my intention. Thinking about it again, it would seem this eBay bass is exactly what I am looking for as a test instrument. A five string medium scale bass. I don't need Q switches or complicated electronics.

If I end up with this bass, there's a fair chance it will be for sale again in six months or so. If you don't go after it now, you'll probably get another chance. What would you consider a fair price for it?

Thanks!
-Bob

88persuader · « **Reply #14 on:** May 27, 2004, 02:18:33 AM »

No problem Bob ... you didn't push my buttons in regards to me being pissed or anything like that. I'm sorry If i gave YOU that impression. I just know how much joy I get out of my Persuader and I thought maybe you were off base in your idea in regards to the PJ setup.

At 1st I had a problem with it (I've only owned the bass for 4 months or so) but I inquired about the pickups to Alembic and SOMEONE (I'm sorry I forget who) replied and helped me balance the pickups. Now when i pick up the bass I'm in heaven. I'd serously considering the 5 string Persuader ... however I'm getting re-married this coming Feb. so I probably will pass on it. But who knows? If you buy it and then sell it 6 months from now you may be selling it to me! One things for sure ... two Persuaders on stage side by side would sure make a visual statement. :-)

So anyway ... again good luck Bob ... and again you didn't push my buttons in a BAD way. I just thought I needed to let you know how much i love my Persuader and the fact that I think the PJ setup sounds awesome.

OH as far as price ... MY 4 string 88 persuader with quilt maple top, Vector body, Elan head stock, was selling for $1400 (no case) and I got it for $1200. All things considered ... WITH a case I'd go as high as $1400. for the 5 string if it's in the shape it seems to be in. I've heard of people getting them cheaper. Guess it depends on the shape of the bass and your luck.

And like many Persuaders mine has a medium neck and I love it. VERY fast. I tend to have a heavy right hand and sometimes CLICK the strings against the neck causing a loud TICK in the sound system. And I also like to funk it up and slap and pop. So in order to keep my action low but not get unwanted clicks I went to heavy gage strings. Took a little getting use to but NOW I wouldn't use anything else. And my band detunes one step so the strings can get floppy. The Heavy gage strings helps keep that in check too. So I wouldn't be concerned about a small or medium neck being a problem. The bass is solid as a rock and sounds REAL BIG through my Ampeg SVT PRO 5 and 8X10 cab.

Good luck Bob. I'll be monitoring to see if you get the bass and see how you like it afterwards. If you buy it and don't like it ... let me know. I'll find it a good home! :-)
Ray