Get your STATUS-GRAPHITE basses out!

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='Wil' post='863447' date='Jun 10 2010, 04:33 PM']That headed S2 is really nice. Black hardware, a head, and a nice understated body wood to boot - ticks all the boxes![/quote]

Thanks Wil, the wood's actually a little darker than the photos... I wasn't sure about the black hardware at first but it's really grown on me.


[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='863703' date='Jun 10 2010, 08:52 PM']Lovely looking bass, Rich - You'll find the satin finish marks more easily - My S2 5er with the cocobolo top & phenowood board has a few little battle scars on it, but it is the bass I work most of all these days.[/quote]

Thanks! I can see why you play yours so much, it's just full of usable tones. It's probably going to take over from the Series 1 as my main bass unless Rob comes up with something even better in the future.

[ahpook]

[quote name='BarnacleBob' post='863436' date='Jun 10 2010, 04:26 PM']You've bought another one then?

BB[/quote]



i wouldn't have had a chance...i can't stop playing the t-bass !!

[OutToPlayJazz]

Decided to bump the monster Status thread as I'm hoping there'll be some new stock basses to show soon...

[Fat Rich]

Here's a couple more:













They're both a bit lighter than I was expecting, not sure if it's the facings on the back are lighter than the usual mahogany, or if phenolic boards are heavier than the wood I specified instead. They still balance pretty well, lots of sustain and no deadspots.

The maple board on the 6 string seems to give it a lot of projection while sounding quite warm, great for chords (when I learn some!) and more solo sort of stuff.

The fretless is surprisingly dark sounding, it still has all of the Status growl but a really fat mellow attack. To get the sound you'd expect from a Status I have to play it pretty hard over the bridge pickup, or dial in a fair amount of treble on the EQ. It's got halfwound strings at the moment, I may try some brighter sounding strings at some point but it's early days.

Definitely keeping these for life!

[lozbass]

[quote name='Fat Rich' post='910979' date='Jul 31 2010, 09:59 AM']Here's a couple more:[/quote]
Wow! Absolutely stunning pair - some of the basses coming out of Rob's shop are up there with the most staggering basses I've ever seen

[BassBus]

Still as beautiful over here as they are on Statii.com. Is that an ebony neck on the fretless?

Edited July 31, 2010 by BassBus

[Fat Rich]

Thanks!

It's an Indian Rosewood board on the fretless, but it's almost black and looks like Ebony.

I wanted to lose the slight clickyness of phenolic, but I may have overdone it a little as it sounds very woody and dark....

It's got Hotwires on at the moment which have a very strong fundamental and a bright edge but not many overtones, so a halfwound string with a few more mids will probably fix it.

Edited July 31, 2010 by Fat Rich

[BassBus]

I use Hotwires flats on my S2 phenolic board. I don't like flats on a wooden board so if you're having problems with too much top end why not try a set of flats. With all the mids cut I get a lovely "loose" sound. Depends what you're looking for of course.

Any chance of some sound samples of the fretless?

Edited July 31, 2010 by BassBus

[Fat Rich]

I haven't got any way of doing sound samples just yet, but will try to sort some out when I get a chance.

Thanks for the advice, I'll try cutting the mids and see what I get.

I've just whipped the Hot Wires off and put on a well used set of Hi-Beams...... and it now sounds fantastic :wub:

Exactly the sound I was looking for, warm, fat, growly basic tone, with the ability to do bright and punchy or dark and mysterious. With the EQ and the brighter strings anything seems possible!

I'll try a few different makes of groundwound / flatwound string and see if I can find something that gives the same sound but is kinder to the fingerboard.

(I've no problem with Hot Wires by the way, I'll still use them on the old fretless. As you said, they work really well on a phenolic board)

Edited July 31, 2010 by Fat Rich

[Pete Academy]

I'm way late to this thread.

I bought a Steinberger L2 in 1983. When the Status basses came out I was gobsmacked, as IMO they were so much better sounding. Our guitar player (also a bassist) bought one in the 80s and it was stunning.

Those Mark King basses look stunning.

[Kiwi]

I'm surprised your basses don't have zero frets Fat Rich.

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='911473' date='Jul 31 2010, 08:30 PM']I'm surprised your basses don't have zero frets Fat Rich.[/quote]

The fretless one has zero frets, none at all! Just a nut (plus the one playing it).

The older ones had zero frets but I think when Status went over to tilt back headstocks and truss rods they ditched the zero nut on the headed basses, not sure when that was though.

Edited August 14, 2010 by Fat Rich

[OutToPlayJazz]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='911431' date='Jul 31 2010, 07:18 PM']I'm way late to this thread.

I bought a Steinberger L2 in 1983. When the Status basses came out I was gobsmacked, as IMO they were so much better sounding. Our guitar player (also a bassist) bought one in the 80s and it was stunning.

Those Mark King basses look stunning.[/quote]

You were always welcome, Pete

[ahpook]

just on a status-related note, i was in the studio on saturday and had my t-bass running through my ampeg and it sounded amazing.

"a manly bass sound" was the producer's comment.

[OutToPlayJazz]

[quote name='ahpook' post='921296' date='Aug 11 2010, 09:14 AM']just on a status-related note, i was in the studio on saturday and had my t-bass running through my ampeg and it sounded amazing.

"a manly bass sound" was the producer's comment.


[/quote]

Nice Yes, the basses always seem to get really great comments about the sound - On the Strictly Tour, the frontline wind/brass players love the sound of the Status, as they can pitch so easily from it, because they're able to hear every frequency of the bass including the overtones.

[OutToPlayJazz]

[quote name='Fat Rich' post='910979' date='Jul 31 2010, 09:59 AM']Here's a couple more:













They're both a bit lighter than I was expecting, not sure if it's the facings on the back are lighter than the usual mahogany, or if phenolic boards are heavier than the wood I specified instead. They still balance pretty well, lots of sustain and no deadspots.

The maple board on the 6 string seems to give it a lot of projection while sounding quite warm, great for chords (when I learn some!) and more solo sort of stuff.

The fretless is surprisingly dark sounding, it still has all of the Status growl but a really fat mellow attack. To get the sound you'd expect from a Status I have to play it pretty hard over the bridge pickup, or dial in a fair amount of treble on the EQ. It's got halfwound strings at the moment, I may try some brighter sounding strings at some point but it's early days.

Definitely keeping these for life![/quote]

Lovely to see your new basses, Rich. Stunning examples of the breed. How're you getting along with them comapred to your existing Statii?

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='923593' date='Aug 13 2010, 10:43 AM']Lovely to see your new basses, Rich. Stunning examples of the breed. How're you getting along with them comapred to your existing Statii?[/quote]

I feel immediately at home on the fretless 5, I always struggled with the old Series 1 six string fretless.... the extra string and concentrating on intonation was just too much for my tired old brain. With the five I only need to think about playing in tune, it's a joy to play and has every kind of usable tone you could want from a bass. It's a little dark with Hotwire Halfwounds but I'm going to try your suggestion of Elixirs and see if they give me the tone I'm after without biting into the fingerboard too much.

I'm getting to grips with the fretted 6 although I've not worked out anything yet that properly uses the extra string. I'm going to look into some chord based stuff and harmonics when I get some time, I seem to be working round the clock at the moment. It sounds different again to my old Series 1 and the newer bolt on S2 Classic, almost hollow sounding but with lots of projection - not sure if it's the maple fingerboard or the individual bridge pieces (rather than the all in units on the other basses which sound more focussed). It's got a nice floaty, lighter tone that works for more fancy playing, so I'll probably still be using the 5 stringers for the more day to day playing.

It's early days yet and I'll do some experimenting with different strings over the coming months, I'll hopefully get some samples recorded and get a better idea how everything really sounds and will try to post something here or on the statii site.

Edited August 13, 2010 by Fat Rich

[doctor_of_the_bass]

[quote name='Fat Rich' post='923716' date='Aug 13 2010, 12:24 PM']I feel immediately at home on the fretless 5, I always struggled with the old Series 1 six string fretless.... the extra string and concentrating on intonation was just too much for my tired old brain. With the five I only need to think about playing in tune, it's a joy to play and has every kind of usable tone you could want from a bass. It's a little dark with Hotwire Halfwounds but I'm going to try your suggestion of Elixirs and see if they give me the tone I'm after without biting into the fingerboard too much.

I'm getting to grips with the fretted 6 although I've not worked out anything yet that properly uses the extra string. I'm going to look into some chord based stuff and harmonics when I get some time, I seem to be working round the clock at the moment. It sounds different again to my old Series 1 and the newer bolt on S2 Classic, almost hollow sounding but with lots of projection - not sure if it's the maple fingerboard or the individual bridge pieces (rather than the all in units on the other basses which sound more focussed). It's got a nice floaty, lighter tone that works for more fancy playing, so I'll probably still be using the 5 stringers for the more day to day playing.

It's early days yet and I'll do some experimenting with different strings over the coming months, I'll hopefully get some samples recorded and get a better idea how everything really sounds and will try to post something here or on the statii site.[/quote]

A lovely pair of Status basses sir!

Nick (yes, still alive!)

[BassBus]

Sounds like you're having a good time with them Rich. The backsides are as beautiful as the fronts too.

[Oldman]

I have just read most of this thread from the start, I guess I'm a late starter on Status, expecting a five Streamline this week ordered 5th May (this year). Some really nice kit on the thread and great to see all the positive comments, I've obviously made a good choice.

[absolutpepper]

Having sold my Eclipse 4 string to Jez over the weekend I managed to pick up a bargain 84 Washburn/Status S1000 in transparent red. Needs a little bit of a setup and the pots cleaned but it's great!

I'm a big fan of the S-2 shape and to get the aesthetic for not a lot of cash was fantastic. I really need to find a Washburn or Status H/C for it now...easier said than done I reckon.

Pics to follow...

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='absolutpepper' post='928542' date='Aug 18 2010, 12:24 PM']Having sold my Eclipse 4 string to Jez over the weekend I managed to pick up a bargain 84 Washburn/Status S1000 in transparent red. Needs a little bit of a setup and the pots cleaned but it's great!

I'm a big fan of the S-2 shape and to get the aesthetic for not a lot of cash was fantastic. I really need to find a Washburn or Status H/C for it now...easier said than done I reckon.

Pics to follow...[/quote]

New Hiscox case from Status is £68 and available from their on line shop if you can't find one anywhere else.

Edit:

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='931717' date='Aug 21 2010, 10:24 AM']Not quite;

Subtotal 68.00
Delivery 25.00
Tax VAT 16.27
TOTAL 109.27[/quote]

Edited August 21, 2010 by Fat Rich

[Rich]

When I saw Genesis on their Mama tour in 1984, Mike Rutherford was using a doubleneck gtr+bass Status. In fact, Status made all the guitars and basses used by Daryl and Mike at that gig. Seemed to be quite a promotional splurge.
Whatever happened to that doubleneck, I wonder?

[zero9]

[quote name='Rich' post='928599' date='Aug 18 2010, 01:23 PM']When I saw Genesis on their Mama tour in 1984, Mike Rutherford was using a doubleneck gtr+bass Status. In fact, Status made all the guitars and basses used by Daryl and Mike at that gig. Seemed to be quite a promotional splurge.
Whatever happened to that doubleneck, I wonder?[/quote]

It's now in the hands of a chap called David according to the Statii site. Btw it's a Strata double neck bass/guitar.

Wil

[absolutpepper]

[quote name='Fat Rich' post='928596' date='Aug 18 2010, 01:20 PM']New Hiscox case from Status is £68 and available from their on line shop if you can't find one anywhere else.[/quote]

Yeah I know they do one but it fits headed and headless Statii. I'd prefer in the first place to get one for a headless (more portable) but its good to know that failing that there is another option.

Cheers

CP