Grahambythesea

When looking for a fretless 5 a little while ago, I read various reviews and then decided to take a chance on something that was from a reputable maker and had good reviews. I the. Found on line a bass at a very good price which I thought, if I have made a mistake , I can sell this on at at reasonable .price. I got a fretless Spector Spectorcore 5 string. Very well made in his own factory in Korea, comes with magnetic pickup and piezo, a bonus which I now really like. I find the string spaci g a little narrow but not a huge problem. Plus it's quite light, has an ebony board and has an wry nice looking maple cap to boot. May be a risk is worth taking?

The ESP seems a really sensible choice. I hadn't seen that model before. Really only usable amplified and probably no feed back problems. I use a Spectorcore with a Fishman bridge like that and it's fine. Acoustic sound without the drawbacks.

I suppose it had to be short scale, it's kind of weird to look like a 40's guitar when basses hadn't been invented (except the upright of course)! However it does look cool but I can't think when one would play it or for what style.

String spacing on the 5 is 19mm. Neck is really comfortable has slightly flat feel.

My advice would be don't waste your money. Acoustic bass guitars and pretty poor and only useable plugged in. The fifth string in particular is often inaudible. I had a Washburn with an enormous jumbo body and it was still useless. Sounded quite nice plugged in but then so do solid body guitars fitted with a piezo bridge like the Fishman and there is no chance of feedback with them.

It was a long time ago, he bought it mid 60's 2nd hand so I thought it was late 50's like the one below for sale on Reverb for £11000! I bet he wished he kept it, I think he sold it for £75.

That surely is the Gibson thing! The EB2/335 is as curvy as it's possible to be with the classic square shape headstock, similarly the EB0/SG save for the pointed horns......... Then there is all the Jazz guitars and the flat top jumbos, I rest my case!

I may be wrong with my memory but I seem to recall my brothers 50's made Precision with a tort pick guard had a metal (aluminium?) backing. Was this the secret of good looking tort guards?

I know that many members think that Gibson can't build basses, and having in the past owned a '66 EB2 which played like a dog I might have agreed, but the EB described here as a "monstrosity " is very well built. Take a look at the top of the neck with its volute and the amazing Babiscz bridge. Who ever designed this put some thought into it. You may not like the body shape (which isn't so different from Fender's Dimension) but it works. The slightly extended upper rear bout tucks under the arm perfectly and I suspect contributes to the excellent balance countering possible neck dive as its so light. May be critics should try out an instrument before slagging it?

Don't Lakland already make this combination which used to be called the Duck Dunn signature model?

I have a feeling that the Taylor is going to be Marmite for a lot of folks!

I've recently bought the 5 string 2013 EB and I really like its looks and it plays superbly, is feather weight and balances really well.

I think you'll find that the bridge is the Babiscz replacement for the 3 point bridge so keeps the look of the original but gives the adjustability the same as on you new EB.

I remember Morris being a maker of good quality acoustics (Japanese I think) which were marketed in the UK by Ivor Mairants in London. They ere quite expensive and a little over the top with inlays. Recently one appeared 2nd hand on Preloved or Gumtree with. £600 price tag. So if your bass is of the same origin you may well have the bargain of the decade.

It's working on my iPad. Managed to edit in the for sale section, but can't find a way to change the price, so I added the rivised figure to the heading. Hope that's ok.

Just a reminder of what the original looked like!

The body shape is about the only thing that is "RD" about this guitar. I remember them having 2 little switches behind the bridge and pickups without visible pole pieces which joined onto the pick guard. I also recall them weighing an absolute ton, seeing as I was playing a Precision at the time, they must have been heavy to notice the difference! Having said that I quite like the look of this modern take on the theme.

[quote name='howdenspur' timestamp='1510257723' post='3405161'] Ah, very nice. Future classic there I think. [/quote]I t would be nice to think so, though I'm not sure it will happen in my lifetime! LOL Cuious how many guitars Gibson have in the past stopped making which then become classics. The Les Paul being the most obvious case in point, EBO/3 another. Is it a case of "absence makes the heart grow fonder"?

I've seen these pick ups somewhere before.........