TRBboy

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1347023649' post='1796131'] Im a bit worried about their customer service to be honest...only because of a few horror stories. [/quote] I looked at Thomann and Session Music too (and sent emails back and forth regarding my requirements). In the end, Synergy were the most helpful, and I felt happy to pay the TINY bit more just to have someone in the UK I can pick up the phone and talk to about it, and I know that if I have any issues with it, it will be easy to sort out. I have to say that Session Music were very helpful too, but Thomann didn't really seem interested in my business.......

It's been said before, but the VM should pretty much be veiwed as a PJ tonally. Yes it has a MM pickup, but it's way further back, and basically sounds more like a beefed-up, muscular J pup IMHO. You can get a great, burpy bridge pup sound without some of the weakness that can be associated with a J bridge pup. I did used to find with mine though, that if you dial in some of the P pup to taste, you can get a pretty reasonable approximation of a 'Ray. It's worth noting that the TM has a coil split switch for the 'bucker whilst the VM doesn't. They both have passive tone control too. I ordered my new KT5 in June/July and it's currently scheduled for sometime around Christmas BUT I did change the specquite significantly a couple of times, and I know it's well worth the wait I don't think Sandberg make a bad bass, and it depends whether you desperately want something that looks like a Fender, but the Basic (specifically Basic Ken Taylor 5) series rule for me: Lighter (by a good pound or so), EVEN nicer neck, very comfortable, and twin 'buckers with coil split. I can get pretty much whatever sound I want out of it, and it feels like magic in my hands. Let me know if you have any other questions!

I think they just did it for a bit of fun to show SOME of the options that you can choose. There are far more "standard" options with Sandberg than most other manufacturers, without undertaking a full-on custom build. [quote name='throwoff' timestamp='1346849389' post='1793991'] Have to say doesn't this prove what some of us (myself included) believe. Woods mean NOTHING to tone and that it is all in the p/ups and electrics? [/quote] I think that woods do make a difference, but that maybe the quality of the wood, and the quality of construction, have a greater impact on tone than the species of wood.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-7DU20Ob34"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-7DU20Ob34[/url]

It's not even places where the paint would wear off!? Gross.

[quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1344590146' post='1766693'] I have mine on order, should be with me early November: California VT (that's a PJ pickup configuration to you and me) Fretted 5 string Rosewood board with dots Three tone sunburst with tortoisehell scratchplate Hardcore aged (to match my 70 fretless P) 34" scale Can't wait! Cheers Gareth [/quote] Jealous! Mine's not gonna be ready until around Christmas apparently! I did keep changing the spec though, so it's my own fault......

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1344544690' post='1766346'] Northants ! Miles away alas. But if I have to travel for work I'll let you know. Very kind! [/quote] Are you a 4 or 5 string player? Might be worth asking of there's any BCers with a Basic of any sort near you. Have a look in the Sandberg Love thread in the porn forum, you might spot someone near you.

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1344534347' post='1766160'] I'm deffo going to have to try one. I never thought I'd be pulled away from my beloved Status basses, but the Cali I have sounds amazing - it just weighs a bit too much, and if the Ken Taylor neck is actually a little slimmer then that would be perfect!!! [/quote] Whereabouts are you? You're more than welcome to have a go on mine if you're ever near Hereford!

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1344471028' post='1765240'] Is the Ken Taylor neck the same profile as the TT / TM models? That weight saving really appeals to me! [/quote] Ah, glad you asked! The neck is the main selling point for me on the Basic series. Don't get me wrong, the necks on the Cali's are great (much nicer feel than a Fender IMHO), but the necks on the Basics are just sublime. They're a bit more slender, but with a profile that doesn't feel excessively flat and modern, although the centre line does flatten out a little as you get higher up the neck. It's a hard thing to describe in words! They feel slim front to back, and fast and effortless to play, yet somehow still curvy and very, very comfortable. For me, I've never played any other bass which feels as good in my hands, it's like it was made to fit me!

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1344443309' post='1764632'] I have contacted Synergy and Alan was very helpful, but the one I want isn't in and I've never played one yet, so really I need to try one out. I've heard they can weight quite a bit, which isn't that much of a problem as long as it isn't ridiculous. I think the P/MM type VM basses look great. Thing is, the conversion to the Euro is an advantage at the moment, so brands like Sandberg should be a pretty good deal. [/quote] Distributors and dealers tend to order some of the most commonly requested finishes for "stock" (mainly seem to be natural or sunburst californias), but remember that most Sandbergs are just made to order. Unless you want a natural or sunburst 4 string California TM, you're unlikely to find exactly what you want readily available. As far as weight goes, the Ash bodied matt finishes are the heaviest (Ash/matt Cali TM5 = approx. 10.6lb), while the alder highgloss finishes are a bit lighter (Alder/highgloss Cali TM5 = approx. 9.9lb). By comparison, an Alder/highgloss Basic Ken Taylor 5 weighs in at approx. 8.6lb (although mine's approx. 7.5-8lb on my bathroom scales!) due to the smaller, more ergonomic body. Weight was one of the main reasons I moved on the Cali VM4 I used to have, but on the flipside my current KT5 feels like a feather for a 5er! The euro exchange rate is great at the moment, but if you can get a very similar deal through a UK agent, then why not?

[quote name='snazz' timestamp='1344443101' post='1764626'] So, how did you go about the process of getting what you want? [/quote] Just chat about what you want with Alan. I initially contacted him to have a rant that I was having no joy with any of the UK retailers, and that I was annoyed that I couldn't get what I wanted, for the price I wanted, through a UK agent so would be buying from Germany. From there we established what I wanted, and how much I was willing to pay, and he set about finding the right route to take to make this happen.

[quote name='snazz' timestamp='1344441054' post='1764574'] I'm seriously thinking as much as I love this bass, it's the neck and body colour that does it for me, and I have to wonder why I am wanting to pay all that much extra to have it in a trashed condidtion. I am kinda thinking, how about not smashing the crap out of it and saving some cash too. [/quote] I kind of think it's nice to be able to choose the options you want too, after all the Marlowe DK is basically someone else's ideal bass and says something about them. Why not design your bass exactly how you want it to be (and save some money!)? The Sandberg I've got on order isn't exactly groundbreaking, but it's exactly what I wanted, and it will probably be the only one in the UK with those exact specs. I think that's one of the great things about Sandberg, instead of just having a handful of different finishes, you can mix and match quite a choice of different options without it even becoming a proper "custom" job. If you're able to afford a proper custom job, you can literally have anything you can think of! When you think that you can get a California, handbuilt, to your exact spec, for the same sort of money (or less than) a USA Fender (in some cases), it's kind of a no-brainer!

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1344375413' post='1763762'] Will they get close to the Thomann price? [/quote] It depends how good your negotiation skills are! Seriously though, they got close enough for me to feel that it was well worth doing. And I'm a tightarse.

You need to speak to Alan Greensall at Synergy Distribution, the UK Distributor. I got prices from Thomann, Session Music, etc, but Alan has helped me get the deal I want through a UK seller. It seems much more straightforward dealing with a UK company, and far easier if there's any problems. Alan has also been very, very helpful advising me of the possibilities, and answering all of my relentless questions!

Hey guys, we just got our finished demo back from the studio last night. Just wondered if you'd be good enough to have a quick listen and comment on the production quality? Ta. http://m.soundcloud.com/twopushcharlie001

I love good punk covers of non-punk songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUehViMjRo0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVm-pTiyC48

[quote name='Alex Nikitin' timestamp='1343050170' post='1744286'] [color=#000080]Yea [b]175, 135, 105, 85, 65, 45[/b]. That's a killer set that works freakin' perfect for my tone. I used to play 135s but when switched to 175s .. [/color] [color=#000080]My goodness it was like driving Harley after Yamaha[/color] [/quote] Wow! And I felt that .045" - .135" was too heavy for me! What tuning are you using?

I keep my best bass(es) shut away in their hardcase, and just leave my modded RBX270 out on a stand in the living room. It's never been damaged at all, but it came close a couple of times, and has had sticky fingers on it on several occasions!

I know you're specifically asking about Fenders, but it would be well worth trying out a Sandberg California TT or TM if you can get your hands on one!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1342897466' post='1742603'] I've never understood this need to go through a dealer when you're ordering a custom bass. Dealers are for off the peg basses. Surely when you're going for custom options you should go direct to the manufacturer? IMO every extra person an order goes through increase the chance of something going wrong. [/quote] All Sandbergs are basically made to order, so even though there are "standard options" there are no off the peg ones as such. Models that you see in shops are usually pretty obvious popular choices which they know will sell. Sandberg are still a pretty small outfit, and I suspect that they would rather rely on their distributors and dealers to interface with the public, instead of having to employ a sales/customer service team and manage it all in-house. You could say that some of the British luthiers manage to do it all themselves, but Sandberg have a global presence and I expect produce significantly more instruments per year.

[quote name='Alex Nikitin' timestamp='1342799288' post='1741225'] I use .175 on my 6string babe. [/quote] Holy s#%t! I didn't even know you could get a string that thick!