crez5150 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Guitar specialists collaborate on new Arona series of four and five-string basses Cort Guitars has announced its collaboration with German bass manufacturer Sandberg Guitars. The partnership has led to the release of the new Arona bass in four and five-string models, which combine elements of Sandberg’s engineering and design technique with Cort’s state-of-the-art production facilities. Now available in stores worldwide, the Aronas feature a swamp ash or alder body, a three-piece bolt-on maple neck and rosewood fingerboard. All hardware is chrome plated, including the unique Sandberg-designed bridge. The basses are also equipped with a Delano pickup system, comprised of two huge bar magnet pickups with 9.5mm pole slugs and custom coils, which capture every aspect of the strings’ vibration. The active electronics include a push/pull volume control and separate balance, treble and bass controls. Graphite nut, zero fret and D’Addario EXP165 strings are other features of the new Aronas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Interesting, sounds a lot like the Overwater/Tanglewood team up. Are there any pics yet ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 [quote name='Machines' post='1302141' date='Jul 13 2011, 11:43 AM']Interesting, sounds a lot like the Overwater/Tanglewood team up. Are there any pics yet ?[/quote] From the Cort website... [url="http://www.cortguitars.com/_webapp_3915601/Arona_4"]http://www.cortguitars.com/_webapp_3915601/Arona_4[/url] Looks like a Sandberg Basic with a Cort headstock!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc2009 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 [quote name='Machines' post='1302141' date='Jul 13 2011, 11:43 AM']Interesting, sounds a lot like the Overwater/Tanglewood team up. Are there any pics yet ?[/quote] agreed - maybe there's more companies that will follow suit! If I got one I'd have to seriously restrain myself from marking out those 4 dots on the body.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I nearly liked it until I saw the weird top horn plus the lower cutaway looks a bit extreme. Thomann has the price for the 4 string at £527, that means it's going to compete with Tanglewaters, Sterling by EBMM, G&L Tributes etc. Not sure if it'll be a big success based on the looks, but the tonal options should be pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc2009 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 [quote name='Machines' post='1302252' date='Jul 13 2011, 12:56 PM']I nearly liked it until I saw the weird top horn plus the lower cutaway looks a bit extreme. Thomann has the price for the 4 string at £527, that means it's going to compete with Tanglewaters, Sterling by EBMM, G&L Tributes etc. Not sure if it'll be a big success based on the looks, but the tonal options should be pretty good.[/quote] IMO that's a bit steep given a second hand proper Sandberg isn't that much more, compared to a s/h actual overwater which is significantly more than their tanglewood version. Will be some competition for these, which I think is good. Glad other, smaller manufacturers are doing this. Gibson and Fender have had Epi and Squier for years, Warwick have had Rockbass for a while, nice to see other manufacturers doing the same. Just trying to think who else I'd like to see this from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 [quote name='dc2009' post='1302260' date='Jul 13 2011, 01:01 PM']IMO that's a bit steep given a second hand proper Sandberg isn't that much more, compared to a s/h actual overwater which is significantly more than their tanglewood version. Will be some competition for these, which I think is good. Glad other, smaller manufacturers are doing this. Gibson and Fender have had Epi and Squier for years, Warwick have had Rockbass for a while, nice to see other manufacturers doing the same. Just trying to think who else I'd like to see this from.[/quote] How about Alembic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc2009 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 [quote name='yorick' post='1302288' date='Jul 13 2011, 01:19 PM']How about Alembic? [/quote] Whenever I think Sandberg I always think Lakland, Sadowsky and to some extent even Spector as direct competition for their market. Perhaps this will help Sandberg carve a bigger market over the other two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Machines' post='1302252' date='Jul 13 2011, 12:56 PM']I nearly liked it until I saw the weird top horn plus the lower cutaway looks a bit extreme. Thomann has the price for the 4 string at £527, that means it's going to compete with Tanglewaters, Sterling by EBMM, G&L Tributes etc. Not sure if it'll be a big success based on the looks, but the tonal options should be pretty good.[/quote] I agree. I was quite excited about this as all the basses ive had that have come out of the Cort factory (Laklands and SBMM Ray34) have been outstanding, and i was pleased to see dots on the fretboard but i dont like the look of the body. Its a shame there aren't more models available. Edited July 13, 2011 by dave_bass5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I like it it's just a shame about the colour choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muttley Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1302441' date='Jul 13 2011, 03:10 PM']I like it it's just a shame about the colour choices.[/quote] And they have those funny bits of wire across the fingerboard . Actually, I quite like the look of them. The prices also look OK. They just need to expand the offering a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Great idea, not pretty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fender73 Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 assuming (hoping) they'll play better than they look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 [quote name='Machines' post='1302252' date='Jul 13 2011, 12:56 PM']I nearly liked it until I saw the weird top horn plus the lower cutaway looks a bit extreme. Thomann has the price for the 4 string at £527, that means it's going to compete with Tanglewaters, Sterling by EBMM, G&L Tributes etc. Not sure if it'll be a big success based on the looks, but the tonal options should be pretty good.[/quote] Personally, I can't see this competing with any of those basses, purely based on aesthetics. As a bassist who loves the styling of the Tanglewaters, G & L tributes and Sterlings, I can tell you I wouldn't go anywhere near this monster and I imagine most people with similar taste would agree. It's utterly hideous! I could see it competing with Ibanez and other more "metal" looking basses... possibly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomBassmonkey Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 The proper Sandbergs look better IMO. [url="http://www.sandberg-guitars.de/basscat-overview/basic-series-top/basictm"]http://www.sandberg-guitars.de/basscat-ove...ies-top/basictm[/url] Regarding the shape though, most Sandbergs use the J shape, they couldn't really use that so the only other shape they really have is the basic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Ed friedland has one of these at the moment, maybe he will review it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 I hope Wal join the cheap Market..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.