petebass@au

I actually became the owner of a Basslab Soul Bass 5 just a week ago. A used one came up for sale and something about this bass grabbed my attention while I was researching and trying to reassure myself when thinking about buying the Streamline 5. Now I own them both - I guess I'm on a composite bass binge I weighs 2.6kg! No that's not a misprint. It weighs about the same as my acoutsic bass. And in some ways, it IS an acoustic bass. It's hollow from the bridge right through to the fake headstock. Playing it unplugged, it makes quite a bit of sound. I reckon I'll use it this way to practice quietly. * 34" scale. * Adjustable string spacing which I've set to 18mm to match the Status. * Passive Delano humbucker (stacked vol/tone with 2 way selector for series/parallel coil configurations). The Stingray vibe is strong, especially in series mode. *Control cavity has room for a pre. I'll probably install one down the track. * Faux headstock has clamps rather than tuners. The tuners are at the bridge to provide perfect balance in spite of the ridiculous light weight. * It takes any standard strings. * Has a truss rod and is apparently insanely stable across temp/humidity swings. It looks black in the pics, but it's actually a midnight blue. The pick guard doesn't look as crazy in person as in the pics, which is a good thing because you can't remove and replace it. The whole bass is made in one piece. An unusual beast for sure, but a beast nonetheless https://i.imgur.com/pWx41mb.jpg https://i.imgur.com/xaABFHk.jpg I haven't owned it long enough to give a fully formed opinion, but my initial impressions are that it's a completely different instrument to a Streamline: They are both going to be great for my back, but the similarities end there. - While they are both very lightweight, the Soul is lighter, but the Status is smaller physically. - The Status will turn more heads based on appearance. - The Status has active electronics and that "balls to the wall" red hot output you would associate with something like a Spector, or anything EMG equipped. The Soul is passive and sounds like my Stingrays with the EQ set flat. - The Soul is hollow. So you know that thing that happens on an acoustic bass or guitar when you tap the body with your hand? Well it happens on this bass too. And it comes through the amp so if you are going to slap it, you'll need to have a technique cleaner than mine. No such problems on the Status. - The Soul is far more comfortable to play sitting down than the Status. Thankfully, both are very comfortable and ergonomic when standing up. Which is better overall? IMO, the Status.

I bought a Status Streamline 5 recently. I've been gassing for one for many years, and my back isn't what it used to be so I decided now is the time. I love it! I was fortunate that I got to play one about 10 years ago. I remember being impressed with the weight, the look, and the sound, but of course over time my memory of the sound had faded, and decent YouTube clips were hard to find. It made pulling the trigger that little bit more nerve wracking.... So I decided I would make a recording of it's first gig. I've edited it down so it's just short clips of a few songs, and it gives a pretty good impression of what a Streamline sounds like in the real world. Feel free to have a listen but please, use decent headphones or speakers. Your phone or tablet speakers probably won't do it justice. Full marks to Rob Green and his team. The process for ordering the bass was awesome. Status customer service is absolutely top shelf!