wavey_davey

Just Finished, Tom Clement Fretted 5 String Phoenix Link to Ebay: [url="http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Clement-Custom-fretted-5-string-bass-194-34-Scale-/120578191461?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar&hash=item1c13053065"]http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Clement-Custom-fre...=item1c13053065[/url] Mahogany with Walnut Top Maple Neck Ebony Board Nordstrand Pre 2 x Nordstrand Fatstack Pickups

Despite playing for nigh on 23 years, I've never had the funds to really indulge the GAS, so I think my complete list of Basses Owned will fit in a list of Ten. But in order of Favourites (and year bought)... 1) 2010 Clement #164 4 string Fretted - Simply the easiest bass I've ever played, just wants it - all the time!! 2) 2009 Clement #177 5 string Fretted - Funk Monster Extreme, some of the best burpy noises I've got out of a bass (Thats all I own at the moment) 3) 2007 Warwick $$ Ovangkol Body 4 string - Jack of all trades, but never really got on with it, 4) 2004 Washburn T24 Neck thru - With Bart Preamp, sounded nice, played nice, but HEAVY (gifted to my stepson) 5) 1988 Aria Pro II Magna 4 sting active - This was a decent bass, sold a LONG time ago to fund 6) 1990 Aria Pro II Magna 5 String Passive - Which I had for YEARS - Crap B, but had no money to get anything better 7) 2000 Gibson/Tobias 6 string - Horribly average bass. 8) 1987 Encore P Bass Copy - 1st Bass, and even in my inexperience back then I knew it was nasty - Sold within 2 months

Check out Tom Clement website: [url="http://www.clementbass.com/web/"]http://www.clementbass.com/web/[/url] £1500 will get a fully custom masterpiece!

[b]Reviewer Background:[/b] 23 Years playing experience, Trace Elliot amps, Writing and Recording with Propellerheads Record DAW. [b]Purchased From:[/b] [url="http://www.clementbass.com/web"]Tom Clement - www.clementbass.com/web[/url] [b]Price:[/b] GBP900.00 GBP [b]Features: 10/10[/b] This is my 2nd Clement Bass, after the stunning results of the first #177 [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=89534&st=0#entry849566"](#177 review)[/url], and the incredible price, I had to get another! Tom Builds to your requirements, so you can pretty much have whatever you want. The details for #164 are as follows. Featuring a Single piece Swamp Ash body, single piece Maple Neck and a Macassar Ebony fretboard, the specs are similar #177, the main difference being a Nordstrand 3 Band Active Preamp and a more traditional Jazz pick up (Nordstrand NJS4 x 2) layout. The Nord pre has an active passive toggle, including a passive tone control. The Bass is wired Volume (Push/Pull - Active/Passive) Blend, Passive Tone, Middle EQ (Push/Pull frequency selector) and Stacked Bass / Treble 34" Scale, 24 fret Neck, 19mm Spacing, with Hipshot Ultralight Pegs and Hipshot Bridge [b]Action, Fit, & Finish: 10/10[/b] Everything about this bass is Quality, and the finish is no different. The craftsmanship is incredible. The neck is again utterly superb. This bass really wants to be played! The Stacked Treble Bass pot came a bit loose in the post, but that was quickly fixed with the supplied Allen keys. The action is incredibly fast, and there's no Buzz anywhere, plays like a true dream. The Fretwork is great, as is the intonation. And there are no dead spots anywhere on the Board. [b]Sound Quality: 9.5/10[/b] The sounds that this bass produces are super, and it covers all the ground a Jazz type should. I'm only scoring it 9.5 as the Nord Pre does lack that bit of extra bottom end that the Aguilar in #177 has. But the addition of the passive tone control is great. [b]Reliability/Durability: 10/10[/b] Having only has the Bass a couple months, Durability is kinda hard to gauge, but the way this bass is built should mean no issues in the foreseeable future. Ease of Use: This Bass wants to be played, it feels amazing and is even more comfortable than #177. Tom's necks are out of the Top-Drawer. Simply the nicest neck I have ever played. [b]Customer Support: 11/10[/b] You could not deal with a more professional and friendly person. Tom delivers on all counts, and that includes service. He even asked me for pictures of me playing my old bass so he could gauge where the strap buttons should go to get the best balance. (Needless to say it balances perfectly). [b]Overall Rating: 10/10[/b] You can't go wrong. Both of my Clements were purchased sight unseen, but the final product is amazing. This was the bass that started my love affair with Clement Basses. Tom had built it for Ebay where I first saw it and the Clement name. I came real close to buying it. Instead I commissioned Tom to build #177. After being blown away by the sounds, feel and quality, I found out the bass #164 was still available, so I immediately sold my Warwick Custom 'vette 4 string and replaced it with #164. Tom Clement builds incredible instruments at an amazing price [b]Value for Money: 11/10[/b] Sound Clip Here: [url="http://soundcloud.com/wavey_davey/inahopstylee"]#164 Clip[/url] With her big Sister!

[b]Reviewer Background:[/b] 23 Years playing experience, Trace Elliot amps, Writing and Recording with Propellerheads Record DAW. [b]Purchased From:[/b] Tom Clement - www.clementbass.com/web [b]Price:[/b] GBP1,100.00 GBP [b]Features: 10/10[/b] Handcrafted in 2009/10 by Tom Clement, an independent Luthier out of Florida. 100% Custom, handmade with your choice of body woods, tops, electrics etc. This particular bass has the following specs: * 5 string 24 fretted Single piece Maple Neck * Macassar ebony Fingerboard * Zero Fret * 19mm string spacing * Hipshot Ultralight Tuners & Hipshot Bridge * Aguilar OBP3 - 9v, Passive Bypass switch, * 5 knob Vol/Blend/Treb/Mid/Bass eq. Mid boost switch * Twin Nordstrand NJ5S Jazz pickups - positioned close together, near the bridge and angled (think Warwick Thumb) * Swamp Ash Body * Spalted Maple Top with Black accent layer The neck is heavily carved, thinning towards the body and is very comfortable. The whole bass weighs in at under 8lbs, for a broadneck 5, this is superb. I can wear this all night with no back issues. Balance on the strap is perfect, no dive. As Tom builds true custom basses, you can specify pretty much whatever you want. [b]Action, Fit, & Finish: 9.5/10[/b] The setup was perfect. Even after traveling across the Atlantic, it arrived in tune! The action was how I specified. Tom asks all the right questions and will set your bass how you want. The finish is a satin polyurethane on the body and is flawless. The surface is smooth as glass. The accent layer adds to a very eye catching bass. Knob arrangement is up to you, though I would advise nothing too experimental. The neck is set into a contoured cavity, good an tight, no gaps, giving a real easy access to the upper areas of the fretboard. The shaping of the neck is a real winner. It almost pushes your hand in to the right position as you move up and down the bass. Separate battery compartment, so no need to open the grain matched electronic cover. But if you did, the whole thing is shielded and tidy. If I have to be really critical (and I mean REALLY) the electronics cover is not perfectly cut. No effect whatsoever on the bass. [b]Sound Quality: 10/10[/b] I deliberately opted for the Thumb style pickup arrangement for a tight B string and a good slap tone. I thought I might sacrifice a bit of versatility, but was amazed at the range of tones that are available. Running through a small Warwick Blue Cab 60 the sound is full and controlled. The B is super tight, no flap or buzz. Using my full Trace Rig, the bass becomes a monster of funk!! The OBP3 gives insane amounts of boost on the low frequencies, which for me is a good thing! The rest of the controls allow you to dial in a warm neck sound, or an attacking bridge with lots of growl. The zero fret makes the open notes resonate in the same way as a fretted note. I didn't really know how much that would help the sound, but I have to say, it works an absolute treat. The timbre from string to string is the same no matter if you're playing open or fretted. The sound balance throughout the fretboard is superb. No dead spots. On passive mode, the sound is still very full and well balanced. I would have liked a bit more tone control just to boost up the treble. I didn't specify any passive tone, so my bad. I rarely go passive so its not an issue Reliability/Durability: Only received the bass 4 months ago, but I have no doubt that this will be my go to bass for a very long time. The hardware is top quality, the finish is fantastic. It is incredibly light, so will be a pleasure to play on long gigs. [b]Ease of Use: 9.5/10[/b] The wide string spacing took a tiny amount of getting used to, otherwise its as easy to use as any Bass!! But I will mention the neck again, its amazing!! And really helped to adjust to the extra width. [b]Customer Support: 11/10 [/b] Tom is one in a million. He's always on hand for questions and comments. He regularly supplies picture of your bass as it is being built. If I could rate this category at 11 (oh wait - I can!!), then I would (so I did). Tom goes the extra mile. [b]Overall Rating: 10/10[/b] I have dreamed of owning a fully custom bass, and Tom Clement has made it a reality. All of the above, for a price that totally belies the quality of instrument you get. If you want to spend ££££'s on a custom bass with a 2+ year waiting list, that's your choice. If you want an amazing instrument for an amazing price, built how you want it, get in touch with Tom Clement, you will NOT regret it. [b]Value for Money: 11/10[/b] Sound clips can be found here... [url="http://soundcloud.com/wavey_davey/funk-on-177"]#177 Clip 1[/url] [url="http://soundcloud.com/wavey_davey/177-airy"]#177 Clip 2[/url] Video Review Here: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MhD7edbeVc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MhD7edbeVc[/url]

[quote name='dan670844' post='839773' date='May 17 2010, 01:11 PM']I play a Series 6 Rig which is about due to be retired. Series 5 and 6 are my fav Trace era, I should go and try one, but I am scared, in case I don't like it......... Nothing gives a tight low like a Trace![/quote] Haven't been on recently, and didn't get notified of new posts! Like i said in the review, I only have a fading teenage memory of the original trace stuff, but the new amps totally brought that feeling back. I'm sure there are some real purists that would identify loads of differences, but for whatever my opinion's worth, I think they are super. @xytras 1978 I've actually just sold the warwick for another Clement The problem was dry joins on the amp side of footswitch control circuits. I rehearse in a pretty dusty garage which the tek guy reckons would have contributed. He fixed it in 24hours and I'm fully functional again!!

Last day on ebay for this bad boy. Bump for a great builder, a super bass and (IMO) a real deal