7string

[size=1][b][i][color="#FF0000"]Please note: This review has been written for the sheer enjoyment of writing. I am not connected with AC Guitars in any way, only as a customer The review has not been requested by AC Guitars nor was prior warning given to AC Guitars before posting.[/color][/i][/b][/size] [size=2]This is a review of the ACG 9 string bass which I took delivery of in January this year. This bass may have a larger than normal body and neck, but at the heart of it is a solid sounding, traditional electric bass guitar. AC Guitars have been making a name for themselves over the last few years. The vision of one man, Alan Cringean, ACG instruments are instantly recognisable with their original silhouettes, high build quality and stunning woods.[/size] [size=3][b][u]Construction and hardware[/u][/b][/size] [size=2]This ACG 9 string has the “Recurve Singlecut” shape and uses a set-neck, a glued joint, instead of the more usual thru-neck or bolt-on. This set-neck design is well executed and shaped with no ungainly mounds or troughs in the join between neck and body. The neck and body sandwich a “transition block” of wenge which, as well as being used when the neck and body are glued, gives a clean and handsome look to the finished joint. The neck itself is a 7 piece laminate of maple and wenge. The back of the headstock has a wenge backplate to mirror the wenge of the neck whilst the front of the headstock mirrors the wood used on the body of the bass, which is a smart touch. The headstock carries 9 Hipshot Ultralite tuners which have been angled slightly towards the body. This both makes tuning physically easier and reduces the size of the headstock to help with the balance of the whole instrument. The neck carries an acrylicised, book-matched, spalted maple fingerboard (!) which is completely flat (i.e. no radius). Supplied by Gallery Hardwoods in the USA, the “stabilized figured woods have been impregnated with monomers and acrylics to produce a dimensionally stable wood*” As well as allowing woods which were previously considered too fragile to be used as fingerboards the “stabilized woods minimize or totally eliminate: shrinking, cracking, expanding, warping*”. ACG have embraced this new innovation and are one of the only (if not the only) luthiers in the UK to offer acrylicised fingerboards to their customers. The ACG 9 has a 35” scale, has 17mm string spacing at the Hipshot bridge and a wide fingerboard which grows from 79.7mm (3.14”) at the nut to 126.4mm (4.98”) at the 24th fret. The neck is very shallow at 20.2mm (0.8”) and is very slighter narrower at the body joint. The frets themselves are fat and not too high measuring 2.58mm tall (0.1”) and 1.55mm high (0.06”). The entire bass is 118cm (46 ½”) long and 38cm (15”) at its widest point. Surprisingly, the big ACG 9 string weighs just 5.4kg (just under 12lbs) and fits in an off-the-shelf Hiscox case. The neck joint and body cutaway gives access to all of the 24 frets. The range of the ACG 9 is 5 octaves plus a major third (4 frets)!! The body is swamp ash and the piece has been specially selected for its light weight. A black veneer is sandwiched between this and the mahogany top. The top not only has stunning figuring but the colour varies from light, orangey hues to dark brown. The black hardware compliments the colouring of the whole bass. The whole instrument is finished in an acid catalysed lacquer with the “sheen level” adjusted to make a satin, smooth finish on the back of the neck and a high gloss everywhere else. On many basses, a thick gloss finish coats the whole instrument necessitating 0000 wire wool (or similar) to be used on the back of the neck to make it smoother and easier to get around on. This clever control of the “sheen level” makes the bass great to play straight away. The quality of the finish is really impressive with no bubbles, runs or other defects.[/size] [size=3][b][u]Electronics and controls[/u][/b][/size] [size=2]The ACG -01 preamp is only available on ACG basses (the 02 version, with reduced functionality can be purchased from ACG direct) and is a filter-based system. This does take some getting used to but, as with all things in life, the work you put in pays dividends. Sounds range from dark, thick and soupy to harsh, thin and trebly. Not only can separate sounds be set on each custom wound ACG pickup, they can then be blended together as well. If that wasn’t enough to shape your tone, each pickup has coil switching controlled by the relative toggle switch below the bridge. The controls are on 4 stacked knobs and the first of these takes care of volume and pickup blend. The next two stacks are low pass filter stacks, one for each pickup. The further the bottom of the stack is rotated clockwise, the more high frequencies are let through the filter. Importantly, the bottom end of the sound is not affected as it would be on a regular eq-based preamp. The top controls the “overshoot peak” essentially enhancing the frequencies passing through the filter. The fourth stack is a high-pass filter which affects the whole sound. This time, the lower ring controls the amount of low frequencies passing through and the top enhances those frequencies. It all sounds complicated, but in essence the stacks are volume/blend, tone shaping for neck pickup, tone shaping for bridge pickup and a stack to add treble to the whole thing. The 9 string also has a third toggle switch to select either the bridge pickup or the piezo pickup in the bridge. Instead of blending in a flat piezo signal to the magnetic pickups, either the bridge or piezo signal runs through one channel of the ACG EQ-01 preamp. This means that the piezo signal can be shaped as well, creating a totally new range of sounds. The pre goes down to 20Hz, so even affects the low F# string. This ACG bass also has a low-battery indicator, so the 9V battery can be changed before it’s completely exhausted. This avoids the huge embarrassment caused when your bass cuts out mid-gig.[/size] [size=3][b][u]Playability and sound[/u][/b][/size] [size=2]All of the previous would count for nought if the bass was a swine to play. As mentioned before, the fingerboard is very wide but because it’s flat, and so does not have a radius or a ‘curve’ to it, this makes getting around surprisingly easy. The fingerboard feels very smooth and hard, but even smoother than a traditional varnished maple fingerboard. This at first feels a little strange, but after a minute or so this is forgotten and you find that the fingerboard is ultra-fast. The 9 strings come from S.I.T. in the USA, are tuned in fourths from F# B E A D G C F and Bb and measure .165, .135, .105, .80, .60, .35, .30, .19 and .12. The lowest 5 strings are taper-core so exposing the core at the bridge and over the bridge saddle. It’s important to note that the 9 strings are based around a ‘conventional’ 4 string set of .35, 60, 80 and 105 with a .135 making the low B of a ‘conventional’ 5 string set. This essentially makes the instrument a 5 string bass with extra strings added and makes the adjustment to playing this “Extended Range Bass” as painless as possible. Straight from the workshop, the action was really low. This hasn’t been adjusted at all ever since and measures 1.6mm (4/64”) on the lowest string and 0.4mm (1/64”) on the highest string. At the 12th fret the action is 2mm (5/64”) and 0.6mm (1 ½ / 64”). There is a tiny bit of relief of 1.6mm (1/16”) in this neck. This low string height added to the glassy-smooth fingerboard combine to make the ACG 9 an incredibly easy instrument to play. The wide neck takes some getting used to but this is by no means an impossible mountain to climb. Frets end have been carefully bevelled and there are no protruding fret ends to catch flying fingers or thumbs. The crowns of the frets have been nicely shaped and polished to a high shine. Being really picky, the only criticism of the setup is that the strings are too low in the nut slots. There are some repairers and luthiers who would dictate that half of the string diameter should be exposed in the slot and that the sound could be muted because of this. Overall though, the setup is really low and buzz free which is all us bassists could ask for. The balance is also spot on. The neck strap button lives above the 10 fret giving a fulcrum which the headstock and tuners cannot outweigh. The bass is heavy, but not overly so. Wearing the bass with a thick, padded strap means this bass can be worn for extended periods during practice, rehearsal and gigs. Even with the preamp set totally flat, the sound of the ACG 9 is full and round and from there it is possible to dial in, literally, any sound you can think of. Even that low F# is audible and usable, even through a 40 watt 12” practice amp. The bass continues to sing all the way up the entire range with no dreaded ‘dead spots’. It has to be said though, that the preamp does need some getting used to as you start to understand how each control affects the sound. However, after a short time it gets easier to dial in sounds quickly and easily. As of now, I have one sound that seems to work for everything I need so I add bass or treble from that favoured setting. The pre even affects the low F# string so the entire range of the bass can be shaped. With this and the huge range of the bass, the ACG 9 becomes a very powerful tool indeed. The highest tribute I can pay to the ACG pre it is to say that, when finances allow, I will have one fitted into my Sei bass and sell the 3 band Schack circuitry that lives in there at the moment.[/size] [size=3][b][u]Conclusion[/u][/b][/size] [size=2]These “Extended Range” basses are definitely a niche market, so it is to ACG’s great credit that they even took the order for such an instrument. This is no publicity stunt though, but a serious instrument which shows ACG’s attributes of original design, high build quality and stunning woods. The acrylicised fingerboard is a revelation both in looks and playability and the ACG 01 preamp is a refreshing approach, addressing the limitations of the more conventional banded eq setup. All through both the consultation process on the specification and the build itself, communication between myself and ACG has truly been a two-way process. Ideas have been aired and used or left by the wayside according to what would serve the bass best. The instrument leads the way and Alan Cringean doesn’t impose his preconceptions or preferences during the build. I couldn’t be more pleased with this ACG 9 string. It sounds great, plays great, looks great and is wonderfully made. I have no qualms in recommending ACG for anyone looking for a new bass regardless of the number of strings required.[/size] [size=3]Further information on all ACG basses can be found at [url="http://www.acguitars.co.uk"]www.acguitars.co.uk[/url] A full explanation of the ACG filter-based preamp can be found directly at [url="http://www.acguitars.co.uk/docs/news/63.pdf"]www.acguitars.co.uk/docs/news/63.pdf[/url] [/size] [size=1][b][u]* Taken at 19/5/09 21:55 BST from [url="http://www.galleryhardwoods.com/stabilized.htm"]http://www.galleryhardwoods.com/stabilized.htm[/url] [/u][/b][/size]

Shimming a neck can be used to alter the pitch of the neck in the pocket and so the way the strings lie from bridge to nut. There are some basses which have a neck-adjustment screw in the neckplate and it's a way of doing what that does or a way of getting rid of the screw completely. First, calculate the height of the shim that you need by measuring from the last fret to the ideal string height. Make a shim the same size of the neck pocket which tapers from your measurement to zero and which has holes for the neck screws to go through. Then unscrew the neck and put the shim in place with the thick end at the body end. Replace the neck and adjust the action etc. as necessary. If you can't make a 1-piece wedge then you can make a 'ladder' of separate strips each tapering from your measurement to zero. I've only had to do this on basses which have been 'modified' previously.

There are some great bargains on the used market. There's been Sei J's, Bolins and Low End basses for less than your £1500.

£4k's a lot of money for an electric bass, but just spare a thought for the orchestral players. Double basses, violins and pianos are infinitely more expensive. I think we get good value in comparison If you're looking at a custom bass, don't even dream about resale values. Who wants a Sei 7 with LED's and my signature on it. Thought not

The more money you have the more difficult the choices. There are some great choices to be made and I wish you the best in your search. Remember to come back and tell us all what you bought and what made you buy it.

Don't worry about giving Sei HQ a call. They're all very approachable and won't mind answering your questions and giving advice. I wanted a Sei for years and years as well and they're definitely worth the money. Every time you even look at it, the bass will bring a smile to your face. Go to the website, work out which options you want and call Sei HQ

Blimey, what a transformation

[quote name='Kongo' post='486470' date='May 12 2009, 10:38 PM']Nice Conlkin GT7! I never could find one in this country...very nicely priced...I'd use it as my 6-string but with a Low-F# below instead. Ramps suit these kind of basses very well.[/quote] I got mine from the US via eBay for $800 (I think) about 7 or 8 years ago. Even with the £/$ rate as it is now, these basses are (IMO) still the best way to get into 7 strings. Shame they don't make them anymore though. The only problem with mine is that it's heavy.

[quote name='d-basser' post='485079' date='May 11 2009, 02:19 PM']Who could that have been [/quote] No idea I didn't want to say for fear of him getting rush of orders for similarly superb ramps.....

I just bought a piece of ebony off of eBay for a ramp for my Tyler. A local bass-player got it cut down to the right size and put some foamy double-sided tape to it. Amazes me that someone hasn't got a ramp-making service. Saying that Jon Suker made a ramp for my Conklin and even colour-matched it to match the bass. He de-fretted it for me at the same time and did a great job.

Sounds like he has homes for the new basses then. No point taking the huge amounts of time and effort building them if they're just going to hang around waiting for buyers.

I played Eude's Shuker jazz at the Bassbash in Moffat. It's a great bass and the 33" scale makes it criminally easy to get around on. Sounds good as well. I wouldn't dismiss the 33" scale right away, if Eudes bass is anything to go by the scale length doesn't effect the sound. Before anyone jumps on this point, I know scale length does make a difference, but on that particular J style bass the 33" scale felt good and sounded good as well.

I hate to be a killjoy, but would people with £4k to spend have a Shuker instead of a Fodera or a Ritter. Even before you get to £4k your looking at USA Sadowskys, Fender Custom Shop and a whole raft of others. I wish the guy all the luck in the world but aiming at such a market is going to be very tough even more so in a recession. Usually it's a case of a luthier creating a cheaper version of an existing model, but this would be a huge leap. Saying that, he must have done his market research so fingers crossed.

There's a Mr.Big album "Live at Budokan" and on the last live track (Bowie's "Suffragette City") the band all swap instruments. Singer to guitar, bass to vocals, drummer to bass and guitarist to drums. Sounds great and PG's drumming is pretty darn good

[quote name='3V17C' post='481961' date='May 7 2009, 01:43 PM']reunited Mr Big live on Japanese TV[/quote] Now that's what I'm talking about [b]3V17C[/b] - Your username gives away your admiration for Mr.Sheehan

I've always found jazz to be a little out of reach. Not from the point of view of understanding it, but from the point of view of wanting to listen to it. I've listened to many kinds of music, but find jazz a bit 'vanilla' and not the proper vanilla either, the really bland stuff. As in the quote of take by the OP, jazz isn't fun nowadays it's serious. It seems to be in the realm of an enlightened elite instead of embracing a wider audience. [b]This is just my opinion.[/b]

Great to see my fave band back Had the pleasure of interviewing Paul Gilbert as well as Eric Martin a couple years ago. Both of them felt that Mr.Big was unfinished business. Amazing that Mr. Big came back together because they didn't have to. Saying that Eric does have twin sons now, so now the nappy stage is over he can go and have some fun

If you feel that you could do a good job yourself, then you could always give it a go. There's a few re-finishing threads on here. A pro respray will run into a couple of hundred pounds at least and you might feel that could be put to better use. I remember as well that SIMS used to effectively put a big sticker of a picture onto the instrument, so a flash paint job for a lower price. Had a look at their website and can't see it now, but it could be another idea for you.

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='471604' date='Apr 24 2009, 03:20 PM']currently 1 year 6 months [/quote] That's an awful long time to wait for a bass. Hope it's not too much longer.

Blimey, that's some bass you built

... moy Bolin![/quote] Luverly. One of the most under-rated basses ever.....

I got a bass room as well. It's great to have the support and understanding from the other half.

I'm surprised you're so relaxed about all this. I would have been throwing the toys out of the pram by now.

OOO!! Simply wonderful.

MTD's are always fantastic quality. Great catch