The Labella Bass guitar!!!

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1352217118' post='1860257']
Ah, I see. Apologies! So out of curiosity, which strings do you like to use? I'm perfectly happy with the bog-standard stainless steels!

Truckstop
[/quote]

No worries!

I use the Hard Rockin' Steels, but the 5-string sets with the heavier B string. Set M45B1 has been discontinued and set M42B always seems to be in short supply.

[TomRichards]

The bass is definitely worth it. It is by the exceptional luthier in NYC Mas Hino. Mas was a protege of John Suhr, along with Jimmy Coppolo. Mas was the luthier who built most of the Pensa Suhr basses.

The Olinta was meant to be designed around the 760M string, also known as the Jamerson set. It is yes, primarily a '62 P bass copy, but the neck is specifically built for the higher tension thick string and to optomize the playability. Mas's work is immaculate. It really is. $2950 US is about the same as you would pay for a Sadowsky, maybe a touch more, but this I am sure is a limited run.

Its definitely worth a look.

[steve-soar]

I'm sorry but the finish is terrible, Shoddy detail around the neck pocket, dots not right, it looks like a £100 Chinese copy. It is truly awful to look at and it is presented to the bass buying public in such a way that whoever is in charge of advertising that bass should be "re-trained". I hope it plays like a "buttery thing".

[stingrayPete1977]

Does it come with a practice amp, lead, strap, gig bag and plectrum?

[Machines]

From some of the replies here it looks as if enough people are persuaded by the hype and are into the luthier more than the instrument itself. It'll sell whatever it seems.

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited February 16, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='andyjingram' timestamp='1352320046' post='1861698']
A free set of strings might be quite persuasive, under the circumstances!
[/quote]
Just checked the website "Xmas bumper deal is on now complete with Gorilla 30 watt amp but the LaBella strings are 'out of stock', shipped with Rotosounds until further notice"

[MoonBassAlpha]

[quote name='andyjingram' timestamp='1352215736' post='1860230']
I think you'll find it's [i]Les[/i] bollocks, in proper French like.
[/quote]

Les bollaux

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited February 16, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[BigRedX]

[quote name='TomRichards' timestamp='1352312226' post='1861512']
The bass is definitely worth it. It is by the exceptional luthier in NYC Mas Hino. Mas was a protege of John Suhr, along with Jimmy Coppolo. Mas was the luthier who built most of the Pensa Suhr basses.

The Olinta was meant to be designed around the 760M string, also known as the Jamerson set. It is yes, primarily a '62 P bass copy, but the neck is specifically built for the higher tension thick string and to optomize the playability. Mas's work is immaculate. It really is. $2950 US is about the same as you would pay for a Sadowsky, maybe a touch more, but this I am sure is a limited run.

Its definitely worth a look.
[/quote]

But as I said in a previous post what exactly does an "exceptional" luthier add to what looks like pretty much a straight copy of a bass designed to be produced simply and cheaply by relatively unskilled labour?

I certainly can't see what it is from the photos.

And if it has been designed specifically with Jamerson's sound in mind, surely changing the neck design, will result in a different sounding instrument?

Edited November 7, 2012 by BigRedX

[Machines]

There's nothing special about it I imagine but there's a few potential buyers out there that are into the hype and must think the luthier has magical powers due to their associations.

It'll sell, and and up for sale on a bass forum somewhere a couple of months later.

[PlungerModerno]

[quote name='TomRichards' timestamp='1352312226' post='1861512']
The bass is definitely worth it. It is by the exceptional luthier in NYC Mas Hino. Mas was a protege of John Suhr, along with Jimmy Coppolo. Mas was the luthier who built most of the Pensa Suhr basses.

The Olinta was meant to be designed around the 760M string, also known as the Jamerson set. It is yes, primarily a '62 P bass copy, but the neck is specifically built for the higher tension thick string and to optomize the playability. Mas's work is immaculate. It really is. $2950 US is about the same as you would pay for a Sadowsky, maybe a touch more, but this I am sure is a limited run.

Its definitely worth a look.
[/quote]

I think it, like all musical equipment, deserves a chance. However at that price point it has a lot to live up to. The photo shoot wasn't, IMO, appropriately executed for a product at that price point.
this pic: http://www.labellamusicstrings.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/P1050390.jpg and the one previously posted show off a flaw in plain sight, there appears to be some dust etc. The preparation of the carpet, the location, or the instrument had some niggles that are pretty amateur given that this is a high end bass. Most online retailers take superior shots as they anticipate the scrutiny of potential customers. This may be the only bass to have some finish niggles, the dust could be from the carpet etc, etc. Point is they should reshoot ASAP as this is not, IMO, the way to promote any instrument, let alone high end instruments.
I would like to try the bass, but it would need to be perfect and mind blowing at that price.

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1352319177' post='1861668']
From some of the replies here it looks as if enough people are persuaded by the hype and are into the luthier more than the instrument itself. It'll sell whatever it seems.
[/quote]

Yes, that's plausible. I would like to try it, but as it is a functional instrument first (not an art piece in the vein of the Carl Thompson beasts) the builder would be a distant second in my mind. The bass needs to speak for itself.

[quote name='steve-soar' timestamp='1352315847' post='1861589']
I'm sorry but the finish is terrible, Shoddy detail around the neck pocket, dots not right, it looks like a £100 Chinese copy. It is truly awful to look at and it is presented to the bass buying public in such a way that whoever is in charge of advertising that bass should be "re-trained". I hope it plays like a "buttery thing".
[/quote]

It seems OK - but not up to par for a non-relic'd 3K bass!!!

The bass may be great, and the pinnacle of P's, but that's not the story told by the marketing, and LaBella should feel this sort of thing out internally before putting it out there. I'd be embarrassed if it were my company's name on the headstock, at least to see it in those photos.

Check out the way some others do it:
http://www.thomann.de/ie/media_bdbviewer_AR_185961.html?image=0
http://www.thomann.de/ie/media_bdbviewer_AR_250453.html?image=0
http://www.fodera.com/Main/NewBorns.aspx
http://www.sadowsky.com/stock/nyc_b_is.html

I also found a Hino website?: https://mashinonyc.wordpress.com/page/2/

[Musicman20]

Awful.

[Doddy]

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1352319177' post='1861668']
From some of the replies here it looks as if enough people are persuaded by the hype and are into the luthier more than the instrument itself.
[/quote]
So,very much like any other bass then.
I don't get the all of the slagging off it's getting though. Yes,it's another Precision Bass but people still go crazy over
basses by other 'high end' manufactures that are essentially Fender copies.Even Fender themselves often get praised
when they release yet another version of the same basses with some minor 'improvement' and an inflated price tag.
I'm not going to rush out and buy the LaBella Olinta,but I think that a lot of it's criticism is undeserved.

[Musicman20]

The source of the criticism is the poor design, (as in, the headstock) and shoddy finish. It looks like a cheap bass.

I've no idea how any boutique builder can charge big bucks for such a simple design, especially when the American Standards are pretty damn good and about £1k.

[PlungerModerno]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1352390440' post='1862496']
The source of the criticism is the poor design, (as in, the headstock) and shoddy finish. It looks like a cheap bass.

I've no idea how any boutique builder can charge big bucks for such a simple design, especially when the American Standards are pretty damn good and about £1k.
[/quote]

The scary thing is it's up against the CS fender line. You need to market well, and produce very good instruments to enter that space.
If they could have made the bass' headstock a standard fender shape they would have - everything else bar the labelling reeks of fender P.
I can see the majority of people interested in a bass like this, and with a budget to get it, would get the matching headstock, and the options of neck, finish, relicing, etc. etc. that fender CS offers. IIRC they charge around $3k for some of their builds.

Edited November 9, 2012 by PlungerModerno

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1352208251' post='1860084']
La bollocks. A company who have never responded to my emails.
[/quote]
That's odd because when I emailed them a few months ago I got a reply within a couple of hours and about five days later I got the parcel of strings I asked for dropping through my letter box.

[franzbassist]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1352593705' post='1865072']
I got the parcel of strings I asked for dropping through my letter box.
[/quote]

They ship direct to the UK? Result!

[TomRichards]

Guys, I will give you the pics ain't HD world, but to me they don't really make it look bad. I'll give ya the neck pocket chip, but the rest are reflections of the surroundings on the finish. The headstock shape is Pensa-Suhr with the Labella logo. Not a work of art, but not poor either.

Yes, I am sure there are basses in this quality range that are cheaper, but again, this is not far from Sadowsky price and clearly lower then Mas's builder bro Jimmy C. And I can assure you the bass is definitely in that build quality.

Not everyone's cup of tea and to each his own, but still a good bass.

Edited November 11, 2012 by TomRichards

[TomRichards]

Oh, and if you were to see the bass in my avatar closeups, you will notice flaws that are there merely because it is the first one ever built and it saw some trial and trade shows. I agree though, Labella should have taken some better shots and touched them up professionally.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1352594415' post='1865082']
They ship direct to the UK? Result!
[/quote]
I couldn't guarantee they will ship anything and everything direct. In my case it was a couple of 760N-Extra Long which are rarely available in Europe and they were happy to do that.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1352593705' post='1865072']
That's odd because when I emailed them a few months ago I got a reply within a couple of hours and about five days later I got the parcel of strings I asked for dropping through my letter box.
[/quote]

How long ago was that? La Bella appear to have recently appointed a "proper" UK distributer. However from my PoV this means that my favourite internet string site can no longer get the strings I want at a competitive price or on a reliable basis, and I am now expected to deal with my "local" music store who aren't particularly local and to my knowledge have never kept the strings in stock before.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1352641053' post='1865424']
How long ago was that? La Bella appear to have recently appointed a "proper" UK distributer. However from my PoV this means that my favourite internet string site can no longer get the strings I want at a competitive price or on a reliable basis, and I am now expected to deal with my "local" music store who aren't particularly local and to my knowledge have never kept the strings in stock before.
[/quote]
Not quite sure when but less than a year. As I said in a previous post it was for items difficult to get hold of in Europe - specifically two 760N black nylon extra long E strings. I exchanged a couple of emails explaining what I needed, gave them a credit card number, and hey presto!

[BigRedX]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1352652927' post='1865622']
Not quite sure when but less than a year. As I said in a previous post it was for items difficult to get hold of in Europe - specifically two 760N black nylon extra long E strings. I exchanged a couple of emails explaining what I needed, gave them a credit card number, and hey presto!
[/quote]

In that case I think you may be disappointed if you try that again. From what I can gather the UK distributer was appointed about 6 months ago. When I contacted LaBella recently hoping for a similar sort of deal my request was passed on to the distributer and I've had no direct contact from LaBella themselves.

I don't have any problem with paying "shop" prices if the shop in question actually carries the items in stock. What I object to is paying a premium price for an item and then go through the rigmarole of having to wait for them to be ordered in.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1352654282' post='1865649']
In that case I think you may be disappointed if you try that again. From what I can gather the UK distributer was appointed about 6 months ago. When I contacted LaBella recently hoping for a similar sort of deal my request was passed on to the distributer and I've had no direct contact from LaBella themselves.

I don't have any problem with paying "shop" prices if the shop in question actually carries the items in stock. What I object to is paying a premium price for an item and then go through the rigmarole of having to wait for them to be ordered in.
[/quote]
So are you saying that the new distributor didn't help you ot?