ziggydolphinboy Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 Hi all as you can see im a lover of sei basses, i have a flamboyant 4,5, and 6 but could have a chance of getting a sei jazz 5 . any coments thoughts ? kindest regards ziggy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 I think he makes as good a bass as is out there.... or that I have seen, Eye for detail and styling and execution is fantastic. I use 2 J5's atm..and am considering getting another one made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 I had a lovely Sei J5 for a while - sounded, and played, very differently from a Flamboyant or an Original but a lovely bass nonetheless. Martin is just a great craftsman all round Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierreganseman Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 sei jazz are the ********!!! totally amazing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 I'm assuming that this is going to be a previously owned instrument? Since you own more than a few Sei basses, you should have realised this but due to the individual bespoke nature of the instruments, a bass built for someone else may well not suit you. In some ways this applies even more to Sei since Martin tailors the basses so closely to the person who has commissioned the build. I'm sure that it will be a fantastic instrument, but it might not be the right one for you. Try before you buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 All the Sei's I've played have played really well but the sound just doesn't do it for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 IME they all sound different, because pretty much every one has different, woods, pickups and pre-amps. The J-style basses vary even more since some have the traditional bolt-on neck construction and others are neck through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1321027921' post='1434588'] IME they all sound different, because pretty much every one has different, woods, pickups and pre-amps. The J-style basses vary even more since some have the traditional bolt-on neck construction and others are neck through. [/quote]Yeah there all very diiferent in tone... the Sei ergonomics are amazing though.... the necks are lovely.. wish i never had sold mine.... bummer.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1321027921' post='1434588'] IME they all sound different, because pretty much every one has different, woods, pickups and pre-amps. The J-style basses vary even more since some have the traditional bolt-on neck construction and others are neck through. [/quote] Indeed..as that is part of MP's build process, He will ask you what you are after. I have two J5's..one maple and one RW..and they couldn't be more different. One is MM, the other Paul Turner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1321029104' post='1434610'] ... the Sei ergonomics are amazing though.... the necks are lovely.. wish i never had sold mine.... bummer.... [/quote] Ergonomics especially on a custom bass are very a personal thing. When I went to collect my Sei fretless, there was another one in the shop that I had a go on while Martin was making the final adjustments to mine. Lovely looking bass and fantastic build quality. However I just didn't fee comfortable with wither the feel or the sound. Not surprising really as it hadn't been made specially for me. I'm sure the person who's bass it was would have felt much the same about mine. That for me is the whole point of having a bespoke custom bass like a Sei, is that it's exactly what you and no-one else wants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggydolphinboy Posted November 11, 2011 Author Share Posted November 11, 2011 hi all cheers for replys , yup all my 3 seis are second hand and ive been very lucky to have all 3 suit me, so yeah ill try the jazz sei before i but , i have a jazz 5 custom which is pretty tasty but i dont play anything but seis at the moment. except my w&t chronos cheers all ziggy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadget Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 When I first came to know about Shukers, I had actually been down to try out numerous 'Pre-owned' Sei's the day before, and nearly walked out with a Flamboyant 5. What I did find was that as people have mentioned here, every Sei was different. For me most didn't feel right in some way or another. Whether it was the pickups, issues with interference being transmitted through the pre, or just the general feel of the instrument, each had its own 'issue' that put me off buying one. The one thing that I would say though is that the Flamboyants are especially well made, and felt perfect in terms of balance and poise. However the Jazz's just didn't seem to sit right for me. One thing I would point out here though, is that I've never, and I do mean NEVER, been a fan of Fender basses, and their 'copies' have never worked for me...... except the Shuker Jazz's. These just seem so much better poised. Alll this of course is my personal opinion, and many people will differ with it, but I'm now kind of glad I never found a bass that day, as if I had, I may never have come to find my Shuker! So, to conclude, absolutely try it out, and give it a really good try, but don't buy it thinking it will automatically work for you because of your familiarity with Sei basses. They are excellent basses indeed, but the nature of their existance means that they are too variable to rely on. Would I ever consider getting a Sei in the future? Yes, but I'd choose it very carefully, and would probably only consider a Flamboyant or 'Original'? Enjoy, and good luck! Regards G! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozbass Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Interesting topic...I've had a couple of Sei Js (a 4 and a 5) and feel and tone was remarkably similar - very slender and superbly playable necks with a somewhat mellow and very even and balanced tone - they sit beautifully in a mix but don't make a nuisance of themselves (even if you want them to). I've also had a couple of Flamboyants - very different from each other and very different in feel with respect to the Js. IMO Martin is making some of the best basses in the world. Anybody who opts for a Sei will be getting superb build quality, ergonomics and playability (and attention to detail that is beyond belief). I wouldn't be too concerned about buying without trying - certainly not on the playability front. Tone might be a different issue - some experimentation with circuits and pickups might be necessary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggydolphinboy Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 hi alll i tok my two basses i dont play alot (and maybe look down a little at my custom jazz 5 ,ones a fabuluos wood and tronics chronos top of the range) and tbh they sounded the absolute nuts and felt good too, so yup im gonna try the sei jazz 5 im looking to get and illl prob take my other two basses with me to compare . xx kindest regards ziggy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Good luck Zig! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I suppose it all depends on the inidividual bass. A Sei will likely be as good as any, but at the end of the day you may struggle to escape the fact it's just a fancy jazz bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monckyman Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I heard Apple were going to start making these.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 [quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1321210121' post='1436540'] I suppose it all depends on the inidividual bass. A Sei will likely be as good as any, but at the end of the day you may struggle to escape the fact it's just a fancy jazz bass. [/quote] That can be true..it is just that they are better. I have never found a Fender anywhere near as good...or a good few other pretenders if recent experiences are anything to go by Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Have factored in cost vs quality? IIRC Sei's generally fall in fairly pricey even in comparison to other very high spec / luthier Jazz Basses. It may be worth checking other luthier options before pulling the trigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 I would say always pay out for quality. I've spent the last few weeks checking out various names and I have to say I was NOT impressed. But sure...SH is always a way to hedge against top $ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 But second hand in a Sei gets you someone else's idea of what a Sei Jazz should be not yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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