Lfalex v1.1

For me, it's the white block inlays on a bass that's otherwise light woods and black hardware. Black blocks or just side dots for me, thanks!

At a slight tangent, I had a MIJ Yamaha. It was excellent. Well designed, well made. Excellent fit and finish. Japanese craftsmanship / manufacturing is at least as good as the best that any other country produces.

I'll add a "+1" to this. My '96 Vigier Passion S3 may be a different beast to Ped's S2, but it's still rock solid. It's one of the other phenolic fretboards that hasn't had any issues. And further to three's post; the S2 is the bass I should have bought.

I'll try to remember.. It was TOO light and small for me and bounced around when I played it. It seemed to exaggerate every bodily movement I made and not stop! Spent more effort trying to hold it than play it. Strings. If you don't want Status' own strings, you'll have to source other Double ball-end ones or use the clamp above the nut on regular strings. That's fine, but it'll leave sharp protruding ends. I stabbed myself in the hands a couple of times. That's a pain when you're just about to play. Why was I using regular strings? I use coated strings as my sweat attacks strings. No one makes coated DBE strings. Setting the intonation was a royal faff. Fretboard (phenolic) started staining and de-laminating from the playing surface downwards. Neither of my other phenolic-boarded basses have exhibited this behaviour. Lacquer started to crack around the base of the bridge/tuner assembly. I am religiously careful with my instruments and am fairly sure it wasn't caused by impact damage. They don't fit in regular hardcases. Maybe a guitar case would work, or a generic square one and cut your own foam and liner- To Hobbycraft with you! They don't sit comfortably in stands. Yes, they'll lean against walls, amps etc. while resting on their lower strap buttons, but it'll get damaged eventually. Electrics. I specced series/ parallel switching on mine. Seemed like a good idea after my experience with the Stingray 5. The Ray has the outputs from its series and parallel taps buffered down to the level of the single coil setting. No volume jumps when you switch settings. The Streamline didn't have this (IMO essential) feature. This led to me not using it. Didn't like the EQ much, and struggled to get a useable sound I liked from it. Might've been the pickups, but I couldn't get it to sit in a mix. It seemed to lack fundamental output, and the whole sound seemed "thin" I only bought a 4. Should've been a 5. That was my fault, but it probably spared me an even bigger hit when I sold it on! They are compact and well-made. They suit some playing styles. Mine felt like a product from a well-meaning cottage industry. Initially impressive, but longer term ownership (about 18 months) revealed the issues, and it reached a point where I couldn't bear to look at it. It remains both the most expensive bass I've ever purchased, and arguably the worst. Buy one second-hand. Edit- reminded about the gig bags! It is putting the bass in/ taking it out that leads to the impaled hands when using single ball-end strings. Mine was also the only bass I've owned in 30 years which the 9v batteries leaked. (And no, the rest weren't all passive!)

I expected great things from my Status Streamline. Ultimately, it was just too small, light and dinky for me (and I'm by no means big) Mine also suffered from a collection of issues which began to do more than just niggle, and I couldn't get a sound out of it that I liked (which is something I've never encountered before or since) I'd quite like another headless, but string choice is a real pain for me, as I really do need coated strings as my sweat destroys regular ones.

I tried that. It just buzzes really badly ! 🤣

Excellent work! I love some of the things that people on here make/mod/re-purpose.

I'm genuinely surprised that paint stays put!(Rushes off to get silver paint to make a Hartke transporter suddenly much better)

(I've never done it, but have modified a Jazz a bit) I wouldn't throw good money after bad on a bitsa, but there's a definite opportunity to learn not only what makes the instrument work, but also what preferences you may have and how to achieve them. Then, presumably, you get the urge to upgrade!

I moved to fives quite early, driven by my favoured musical genres which feature lots of down-tuning. My advantage was that the five string bass I purchased was dramatically better than the four that I already owned, giving me the incentive not to swap back too readily. I do have a decent 4, but every time I play it, I'll end up looking for those lower notes that aren't there! I completely understand your predicament, as it mirrors my desire to put down the Chapman Stick and head for a 5 string, with which I am much more familiar.

Did Aria do a natural SB700? (Damn. It's active.) One of the Westone Thunders? Did they do a 3 that wasn't "A"? Otherwise; Find a local luthier OR buy an active model that ticks all the boxes and replace the electronics / pickups with passive items of your choice. Edit. The SB700 is passive. I thought it was just a single pickup 1000...

My phone did ok.. Not too much gunk between the windings, and it's had 16 months' use.

Only as scrap!

I'm sure some of these close-ups are actually shower hoses...🙃

I like that more than the 4. I'd make one change; black tuners! 😂

Maybe it'd look better if the bottom half better matched the top (like a Hofner) Better still if it had an "open" headstock like a classical acoustic (or an electric upright)

£6750 if you scroll down...

I'm guessing no-one likes it then? 🤣 I thought it was a good idea, and that it was well made...

https://www.guitarworld.com/reviews/marleaux-contra-review But... How much?

Nice, but would've looked even better if they still had the older style of SR⁵ pickup without the ears. And better still if the two pieces of timber were a better match. I don't like the light stripe at the bottom edge of the upper piece. Minor points, but at the price they'll be charging...

I quite like Warwicks, and even I can think of better ways to spend that kind of money, even if I only restricted my thoughts to things bass-related.

Do they offer the J/Twinjazz pickup configuration (as per Dolphin, Infinity) That's a good one, and the TwinJazz can be coil-tapped to give you JJ. As for the body? Quilted, but for one reason only; Many, many Streamers, Corvettes Fortresses, Katanas, etc etc. are Flamed Maple as standard. I've owned 2 myself. If you're going to the expense and trouble of getting one made to your spec, it might as well look different to the run-of-the-mill production models.

Dear God. I hate that song. (No, not Xtc, the Opus one.)

Some good ideas, and neat solutions to existing issues (that have been addressed in different ways by other designs) I'm unsure about how the length of string immediately ahead of the ball-end interacts with the pin/ affects the mass of the vibrating portion of the string. Oh.. and no string spacing adjustment.

Furthermore, referencing the same song, I'm fairly sure that it's not legal to operate a firearm rental service. It is, therefore, unlikely that his gun is for hire.