crazycloud

I have an A5 UA and several SRs (and owned many more) and based on all I've owned, and the current prices locally (A4 UA - $A1669, $A2539 - SR1340B) I would go for the A4 UA. I love the tone, the looks, the hardware and the fit and finish. And the awesome top and sexy NT construction. As for the compressed sounding comments, I certainly don't hear it, and it's the same thing I've heard about every other active PU since the 80s when I got my XL2. In my mind it's a pejorative that's been repeated a bajillion times and now simply a confirmation bias. Others will disagree* but several tone cork sniffers have complimented me on tones on my older recordings, and never once mentioned this compression even when they've listened to the stems, recorded DI with no FX. I love my SRs, and my SR256B has been my gigging bass since the stupidvirus era, but the 706 will probably overtake that with the A6. However, the Corts are so awesome for the money, they'll most likely get first look for me over the Ibbys if they have something equivalent. If the Nordy BS tone is your preference, then I'd get an older SR and retrofit, especially one with a gloss finish. Even if the factory PUs are a slightly different size and Nordstrand doesn't make one to fit, a rout out to EMG sizes is cheap and easy - my 706 is getting 45DCXs or Alumitones, and the 256 the other (because it's 4.5x1.5 stock). There are a number of A4/5 UA reviews online that I think are pretty representative. * Not interested in arguing with anyone about this as it's old and I'm over it. @danbowskill should take my comment as another datapoint and make his decisions accordingly.

Sire have the M6s coming out soon in headless MS 4/5/6 stringers. https://sire-usa.com/products/refn1ay3zbjam3bqs?variant=45868112904330 Prices at Andertons look OK too. https://www.andertons.co.uk/sire-m6-headless-6string-bass-in-black-satin/ Not convinced about MS, but I'd like to try one of these.

I was the same with my XL2, just the one bass. The B2A can be easily resurrected by making it passive, 3 pots and a cap, maybe $20 and 1/2 hrs work. Whilst you're at it, add a strap pin extender and thrust bearings on the tuners to make the easier to turn, maybe another $20. As well as the XL2, I have 2 B2, a B2V and a Spirit.

I'd need to see some actual evidence on that, such as magnetic film pics as all of mine from an over 20y period have been splits (tested them myself) because there are so many things about PUs posted as "true" when they're just repeated misunderstandings.

BH2s are parallel HBs, whereas the Mk1 are split P style construction. Not similar at all. Did the same and it wasn't worth the money for the minor sonic change, to me.

I've been in electronics my whole life, and made a few guitars, and there is a universe of difference between having a robotic tool pick and place all the components and have them wave soldered, than the amount of actual human input and skill in applying finish etc. Not knocking any manufacturing country*, but the two manufacturing processes are not even remotely related. * All my main players are MII, except my SR256 which is MIC.

Hardware wise the Cort has Hipshot at both ends, and the Tobias has Gotoh 707s and a Babicz, so it's arguable there's any quality or any performance difference. In terms of electronics the US Barts may be better to some people, but are not universally so, especially to me. If I were to change the PUs in my A6, it would be to something very different, like the 916 Super Ferrites or Nord BS. The Mk1s get a lot of crap, but they're not that bad. See here: I paid under 650UKP (just checked it's 608) for my A6 new and delivered under a year ago and the store still has 2 in stock at that price. I've done the swap a few times, for myself and for other people and have been seldom impressed for the cost difference. The exception was a set of Singularities I did for a well regarded player, but that was also HB to SC. I agree with the post above by @AndyTravis that the shape of the Tobias is sexier, but the jigsaw piece headstock cancels that out. Here's mine.

How long before Gibson send a cease and desist?

No, it's just opinion.

No, they're not. Onboard pres are quite high Zin because they need to be to not load down the relatively high Z of passive pickups ROT is Zin of 10x source Z). Pretty much every onboard pre is opamp based and I can easily design one with just about any common opamp. Piezo pres are higher Zin than a pre for coil type PUs, but only by a factor of 5 or 10.

Experience.

So would I. My 2 A series (A6 and A5 Ultra Ash) are flipping great, and for the price, way beyond great. Cough, Steinberger, cough, though the Woodbergers are perfectly fine - I own a couple of basses and guitars. But they're obviously not a patch on the original Newburgh composite ones. I hope Cort do make the new Tobias basses and they're everything the people lusting after the originals hope for. But even better if they're at, or closer to Cort prices (and QC) than overinflated Gibson ones. Though I stated it poorly, that was what I meant with my posting in this thread as I have no interest in a Tobias, and I doubt I'll see one locally (I live in the sticks).

Are these US made, and identical to the originals, or just a 'shape' and 'name' (and ugly headstock) cobbled together by Cor-Tek in Indo*? Based on Gibson's history, it's far more likely the latter than the former, but I could be wrong. We'll see. * Far from knocking Cort, as I have 2 recent Cort basses, and multiple Ibanez BTB and SRs they made and they're excellent.

Sparkly sunburst is, to me, like putting glitter on a turd to try to make it more attractive.

I have no nostalgia for the original Tobias basses, so I'm not seeing the attraction with these.

I've had Alembic Series II basses before, so having extra controls doesn't worry me at all.

Hopefully they'll go one string the other way and release a 6er too.

Don't buy this theory myself as neither my XL2 or my S2000 sound brittle. Agreed. The waste isn't much worse than plain old FG and there are a lot of boat (some of which fab the CF sub assemblies locally) and surfboard fabricators around here as well as too many hippie types who complain about anything they deem 'not-organic'.

I've never never KS referred to as that before.

Steel rails are electrically connected to the socket ring with the rest of it the circuitry the same as any other passive or active bass. It's not difficult, you're just overthinking it.

Better still a real vintage Fender, just to hear the lamentations of their women.

Get a cheap Fender clone and add a large bathtub rout between the neck pocket and bridge. It's much easier than making or modifying a Rail for that purpose.

Make the rails chrome steel or stainless, and use copper solder wick as the earthing connector. It's flexible, cheap and easily replaceable.

This is true, but most basses, especially the Musicmaster, is that because of the ginormous headstock (out of proportion to the smaller body vs a full size P or J) and boat anchor tuners, is that it has a lever effect weighing down the left (fretting) side making it feel heavier than the same weight centred on the spine like a backpack would be*. Plus all of the many 70s Fenders I've had are veneered concrete construction, because of the "mass means sustain" mythos of that era, whereas any engineer with 1/2 a brain could tell you it's rigidity of the primary structure that's most important. So, to lighten the MM by chambering the body, you're going to shift the weight balance further to the fretting side, increasing the apparent weight on the L shoulder and increasing the torque on the spine. Replacing the tuners with Hipshots will help with the torque on the spine, and that might be enough, but based on personal experience, I doubt it. The huge 4IL headstock is still there and so is the moment it creates by it's placement and design. * I've now crossed the threshold into old fart and I ruck with a 20kg plate, and a backpack containing water, clothes and other stuff; my point being that spine centred weight is less of an issue than an imbalanced bass (almost all of them in my experience). In the next month or so I'm going to do a 70km beach and headland trip in a single day so taking care of myself, because of a whole raft of injuries including spinal breaks etc when I was younger, I'm still out and active and my 5.2kg ATK doesn't bother me at all. A good strap helps, but it can't overcome the poor ergos of most basses, especially if you have issues. Doubly so if you're not interesting in working on these to help improve your lifestyle too. FWIW, I use a DSL 5" strap on the ATK and the SR706. I use 3.5 versions on most of my other instruments and own lots of his straps because they're so good. This is the point I've been working my way to. I don't play SS or 4s any more, but I still have this Samick Greg Bennett SS PJ. Weighs maybe 7lb, is 30", cost maybe 100Quid and has a teeny, weeny headstock with modern smaller diameter tuners so there's little spinal torque. It's PJ and sounds great to my ears, though mine has Villexes in it because I had them laying around unused and the hardware and general build is fine, likely better than the typically sloppy 70's F work. In the decade or more it's been here, and was purchased S/H, it's never been touched because it hasn't needed it. Apart from being a SS 4, the only thing I don't like about the Samick is it's too trad looking for my tastes. Sell the MM and buy something that better suits your needs.

Does that mean my neighbour's Austin 7 was actually made in Texas? Nagoya could be a brand name.