RetroVIBE basses - I don't need one but...

[mcnach]

ok... so here it is!



I was going to post pictures of the parcel, the unwrapping process... but I could not wait!


I have seen better pickup routing than this:



and the neck pickup is a bit too deep into the body, especially on the treble side. It cannot be adjusted by turning the screws. I think it may need more foam underneath, or perhaps the pickup is too tight into the pickguard, or both.




nice detail: strap buttons with a sharp T profile.




pretty in red

[mcnach]

Now... first impressions?

Mixed.

This will need work to make it play the way I want it to.
I sort of knew that, of course. But sometimes you get lucky and you can get away with very little. I would not take it to rehearsal tonight if I had one.

The fit and finish is generally decent, although there are not so good things. The routing for the bridge pickup is not pretty. The neck pickup is not adjustable at all the way it is now... no bid deal, but I suspect I'll have to put foam and file the scratch plate a little to make it fit well. The neck has that "unfinish" feeling to it that some like and some hate. I normally like that, but this feels a bit "raw". I'll use that oil I have for my Stingray. The frets are ok, but a tiny bit sharp. I'll take care of that at some point.

Tuners feel flimsy. The actual ears seem very thin... but for now it works.

Potentiometers, one is a little noisy, so it'll be sprayed for sure. The output socket does not feel solid to me. It's probably ok for a long time... but I'd keep an eye on it and replace it at the first sign of problems... or sooner.

How does it feel?
I like the weight, balance and the neck is chunky but not in a bad way. Very Precision like. I have notg set it up at all, and it's more than playable, but not awe inspiring. The action is pretty much where I'd like it to be and there's no fret buzz, so I don't anticipate any fret levelling, which is nice.

Soundwise... That humbucker is powerful! It does not sound like a Stingray, no. But it sounds nice. I like it. The neck pickup right now is too imbalanced, so I cannot really comment on both pickups on or the neck alone (only that it does not seem remarkable in any way). Quite a wide range of sounds with the individual tone and volume controls... but too fiddly. I am not a fan of that layout. The good news is there should be tons of space to install various electronics there, under that pickguard.

This is just a quick impression... I don't have time to try it properly yet.
I am a little underwhelmed, as I've often been lucky with cheaper instruments, and this one does require some basic work before I dare take it to rehearsals with me. But at the same time, it's nothing terrible either.

I do feel it does not exactly represent tremendous value, when you look at what else you can buy. A Squier VM Jazz is only marginally more expensive, and it's a bass you can use straight from the box (in my experience with them). The second hand Cort GB74 I bought second hand (ok, not exactly the same) cost me £100 less and it's a much better bass. But it has a quirky design and there's no other like it. I like it, but I would not recommend it unless you are ok with spending some time on it to bring it up to scratch...

I don't think any of my other basses need to feel threatened. I don't really know whether it's a keeper. But it has potential for becoming a very interesting bass, with a bit of attention.

So... verdict straight from the box: a little underwhelming, yet promising.

We will see.

[BassTractor]

Great write up. Thanks! I kinda like it for some reason, and what you wrote doesn't scare either.
Out to sell my body!

best,
bert

[sime17]

Thank flip it isn't a completely glowing review . Defo intrigued by the looks still.

Edited September 6, 2012 by sime17

[tommorichards]

For the stingray sound, could it be that the pickup is wired in series, not parallel, as i have found normally to be the case?

[MarkG3]

Good review, I think the black outline around the body looks really nice

[mcnach]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1346958640' post='1795406']
Great write up. Thanks! I kinda like it for some reason, and what you wrote doesn't scare either.
Out to sell my body!

best,
bert
[/quote]


Nothing is scarily bad. But I feel -if mine is representative- that this is one for those who like to tinker a bit and are comfortable and enjoy adjusting and modifying things. For those who just want to take a bass out of the box, adjust the action and go... it may not be the best option.

The looks, however, are interesting... let's face it, that's the main reason you and I looked at this bass in the first place

There was a MM SUB for sale not long ago for £250. Now THAT would be a much more "efficient" way to spend money on basses... but they don't look "different"

[mcnach]

[quote name='tommorichards' timestamp='1346964030' post='1795530']
For the stingray sound, could it be that the pickup is wired in series, not parallel, as i have found normally to be the case?
[/quote]


I think that is definitely a factor. I haven't checked yet, but I'm pretty sure it's wired in series. It has that "girth" that a MM wired in series has. But it does not have the "stingrayness" thing. My SUB has a pickup wired in series and it does have a Stingray smell, fully and entirely unmistakeable. This one reminds me of my old Warwick Corvette $$. I haven't checked the position, but I feel it's a bit farther from the bridge than a Stingray's, which would account for the different timbre. I'll check it out this weekend properly.

Also, it's a ceramic pickup, not alnico, and that contributes to the sound (less than the position, of course, but it all adds up).

[mcnach]

[quote name='S9_S12_Bass' timestamp='1346966119' post='1795562']
Good review, I think the black outline around the body looks really nice
[/quote]

The black "binding" on the body and the neck is really well done. Aesthetically it's good. The body finish etc is good, and the body/neck fit is also nice and tight, although I see a bit of a small gap on the back, which I will investigate... it could be a rough pocket, or maybe it was too tight to fit perfectly flat... however it seems just right at the moment.

To be honest, my only "niggle" at the moment is the bridge pickup rout. I noticed that if I were to position the pickup more central so that the gap around it is evenly distributed, the string alignment will not be very good... and it does not look like a neck re-seating would help since it's looking pretty much right now... So, I can leave it as it is and I'll soon forget the gap... or return it for another one. I am leaning towards a return at the moment... It's a cheap bass... but for £250 a decent pickup/string alignment is not much to ask, eh?

Judging by other cheap/parts basses I've had in my hands... I believe this can end up being a very nice player. You just need to spend some time on it. Not so much money changing stuff, except for an output socket at some point, as this one does not inspire me trust, and perhaps pots if they keep getting scratchy... but that's all cheap. The bridge pickup is good enough, I think. As long as it's not microphonic, and these days even the cheaper ones are ok.

The neck pickup takes some adjustment, for me at least. I'm used mostly to Stingrays and Jazz... and even P basses that don't have a pickup too close to the neck. The neck pickup on the Retrovibe seems to get in the way -for me- when I slap. I mean, no big deal, I quickly change the way I play and it's ok... but it seems the pickup is right where I get my finger on the G/D strings to pop...

THis weekend I will have some more time to go over it in detail and I'll also decide whether to exchange it. Or even return it full stop. I really do not need another bass BUt where's the fun in that?

[mcnach]

More pictures.

I opened it up to see what's underneath the pickguard.
The answer is: lots of space for active electronics!!!!!

[mcnach]

I have decided I want to return it and exchange it for one where the routing/alignment is better than this, if it exists.

If not, I will let it go. Which would be a shame, as I was just playing with it a bit more and I can definitely see a lot of potential... but that gap is just going to annoy me too much everytime I look at it.

[tommorichards]

Funny, because the picture on the site of the bass shows the route to look good.

Also, i suppose you could get some red acrylic, shape it so it fits the pickup perfectly with a border around it, then countersink so the acrylic can be flush with the surface. Its what im doing for one of my basses.

Edited September 7, 2012 by tommorichards

[Mr. Foxen]

Check measurements of upgrade MM pickups, they might be bigger.

[mcnach]

[quote name='tommorichards' timestamp='1347047037' post='1796509']
Funny, because the picture on the site of the bass shows the route to look good.

Also, i suppose you could get some red acrylic, shape it so it fits the pickup perfectly with a border around it, then countersink so the acrylic can be flush with the surface. Its what im doing for one of my basses.
[/quote]

you overestimate my abilities

I looked at the website... on the pictures with the "buy now" signs etc, I can definitely see gaps in some others too, and similar (mis)alignment.
But on the picture you get here sometimes with the bass upright... it looks just fine. Strange. I know you can adjust things like this to some extent by reseating the neck... but that would be too much and the neck looks well in place and aligned with the bridge.

I could live with it if I loved the bass more. If my MM SUB had a 5mm gap... I'd still keep it
But I don't like this bass that much. 4mm gap? ouch.
I emailed ProBass already, let's see whether they can offer me something better.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1347048045' post='1796517']
Check measurements of upgrade MM pickups, they might be bigger.
[/quote]

you made me check... and actually, it looks like Seymour Duncan pickups are about 1mm wider, not a lot, but it could help a bit.
My Stingray pickup is a tiny bit narrower than the SD, so more like the one in the Retrovibe.

But... another thing, looking at the bridge. See how the E string saddle is below the stud. If it were to move towards the neck, it will also move a bit to the right, pushing the rest of the saddles that way. Of course, it would require the G string saddle to move towards the neck too a little more, so it can be slightly above the stud and have room to move sideways.
I remember now some alignment issues on an old Stingray that was solved this way. I have not checked intonation... maybe I should do that and see whether I could move the E and G saddles a bit forward. If that is what it needs, and I re-seat the neck pulling it a little towards the E side, I can see how things might just start to align well, and the routing gap would be distributed between both sides, so making it less obnoxious.

I need to check.

[mcnach]

I just measured the distance from the 12th fret to the top of the bridge (MM type) pickup.
It is nearly 1cm nearer the neck on the Retrovibe than on the Stingray & SUB basses! It is not much, but that's another reason why it sounds different from the Stingray.

[mcnach]

Well, the intonation is pretty much spot on, so the saddle movement theory goes out of the window.

I have just spent some time playing it... I think I like this bridge pickup a lot, actually. Right now I'm leaning towards keeping it.. aaaah! indecision!!!
If the gap really bothered me down the line, I could easily get another pickguard made with a slightly different shape that would cover the gap... and if I keep it I could start "making it really mine" this weekend... applying oil to the neck, maybe installing the preamp and putting a nice SJB-2 neck pickup in there...

hmmm... I'll have to sleep on it.

[MarkG3]

Edited so I can actually read the posts.....

I find it hard as well when there are small imperfections to ignore them as that's the first thing I see, but if you can get a scratch plate that covers and or if different pups would change it

Edited September 7, 2012 by S9_S12_Bass

[mcnach]

Ah, forget it!

I'm keeping it!!! I actually like it better with my proposed new pickguard (if I get it done one day)

This is the stock pickguard:


and this is what it would look like if I do a new plate:

[BassTractor]

Unbelievable what a slight change to a pg will do! Body looks bigger, scale larger and even the headstock seems to grow.

Other than that, I'm still strangely attracted to it, and feel like James May looking at a Susuki Swift or Dacia Sandero. Weirdly though, my body has not seen a lot of market, so I've yet almost 3K quid to go before I can order one.
The Lotto maybe then.

best,
bert

[Gust0o]

Why not run the new pickguard around the entirety of the bridge pick-up? Sorry, just musing out loud if you wanted to mask the imperfections with the routing. Might be tight on screw positions near the bridge, mind.

[Darkstrike]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1347095134' post='1796856']
Ah, forget it!

I'm keeping it!!! I actually like it better with my proposed new pickguard (if I get it done one day)

This is the stock pickguard:


and this is what it would look like if I do a new plate:

[/quote]

New guard idea looks much, much better.

If it were me, and I was going the whole yards hot rodding it, I'd probably side mount the jack too, looks to be in a somewhat annoying spot.

[mcnach]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1347105682' post='1796986']
Unbelievable what a slight change to a pg will do! Body looks bigger, scale larger and even the headstock seems to grow.
[/quote]

[mcnach]

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1347107199' post='1797000']
Why not run the new pickguard around the entirety of the bridge pick-up? Sorry, just musing out loud if you wanted to mask the imperfections with the routing. Might be tight on screw positions near the bridge, mind.
[/quote]

That was an idea, but it seemed too much black plastic on the face of the bass. In the end I like better just extending it towards the pickup until it touches it, and continuing the curve at the bottom.

David, from ProBass emailed me saying he agrees that it's not a very nice job and he apologised he didn't check it before sending it. He'll get back to me on Monday to see if he has a better example to offer. But to be honest, the more I play it the less it bothers me. A pickguard would be cheap.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Darkstrike' timestamp='1347107454' post='1797003']
New guard idea looks much, much better.

If it were me, and I was going the whole yards hot rodding it, I'd probably side mount the jack too, looks to be in a somewhat annoying spot.
[/quote]


I considered it, but I got used to front-mounted jacks after playing 2-band Stingrays/OLPs for a few years... and I kind of like it there now.

I think the extended pickguard looks more "balanced".