I just bought THIS THING! - Basstar 4

[Cabal]

The bass in the pic below is a Basstar, if you're wondering. Just got this yesterday, purely for its portability. I wasn't necessarily expecting much when i ordered it, but thought i couldn't go wrong at £150. Been looking for a resonably priced Steinberger, bit little chance in the UK.

Well, i have to say i'm pleasantly surprised.

No lack of sustain here, in fact quite the reverse. Of course, the sound lacks some body, but not as much as you'd expect. It has a very powerful pickup which sounds quite Rickenbackery. It's quite crudely made, which is more for functionality than cheapness IMO. I think the philosophy must be that someone buying a guitar just for it's portability won't be wanting anything too expensive, because the focus is on sound and playability, and there's no real compromise there.

It came with a low action, nice to play without setting up. The bridge moves up and down, but has no way of adjusting the intonation. I'm told you need to "wedge something in". Anyway, no need at the moment, it's fine.

Needs a decent set of strings on it though, the set it came with are quite nasty. I'm wondering if standard length will be long enough, because they wrap around the end.

All in all, my initial opinion is that it does exactly what it claims to do and does it well. Recommended.

Available from a very nice man called Patrick: [url="http://playawayguitars.co.uk/"]http://playawayguitars.co.uk/[/url]

Cheers,

Jake M

[attachment=15951:Basstar.jpg]

Edited December 14, 2008 by Cabal

[josh3184]

[quote name='Jake_M' post='328443' date='Nov 13 2008, 03:45 PM']Of course, the sound lacks some body[/quote]



Looks interesting, I have pondered getting similar for trips away for some time...

[bremen]

[quote name='Jake_M' post='328443' date='Nov 13 2008, 03:45 PM'][attachment=15951:Basstar.jpg][/quote]

That's pleasingly minimal.

Shame they didn't make it 50mm longer at the bridge end, so you could fit a standard adjustable bridge (and not worry about the strings not being long enough).

[budget bassist]

Pardon me for asking, but i was just wondering how that's much more portable than a normal bass? I'm assuming that it's a 34" scale so it's pretty much the same length as a normal bass and with the bits that stick out it's almost as wide, just a bit lighter... And those aria ones on the same website, in what way are they portable? They're the same size as a normal bass (if not bigger) it's just going to be a bit lighter. I'm not criticising you at all, i've just never understood what makes these basses so portable. I understand the steinberger, but not these... I have no problems carrying any of my basses around with me.

[mcgraham]

I am sooo tempted by the electric guitar version. Particularly the 'Castar' as I already have a humbucker equipped guitar and a telecaster, AND it has a trem/vibrato bar. Genius!

Mark

[Cabal]

[quote name='budget bassist' post='328463' date='Nov 13 2008, 04:22 PM']Pardon me for asking, but i was just wondering how that's much more portable than a normal bass? I'm assuming that it's a 34" scale so it's pretty much the same length as a normal bass and with the bits that stick out it's almost as wide, just a bit lighter... And those aria ones on the same website, in what way are they portable? They're the same size as a normal bass (if not bigger) it's just going to be a bit lighter. I'm not criticising you at all, i've just never understood what makes these basses so portable. I understand the steinberger, but not these... I have no problems carrying any of my basses around with me.[/quote]
You're right, it's not that much shorter than a normal bass, but it's SO much lighter, and in it's gig bag it's literally just like a big stick. I don't drive, and i'm just too long in the tooth these days to be humping heavy gear around on the bus, bearing in mind that the bass itself isn't the only thing that i need to carry.

Also, i usually play Fender/Rick, and call me paranoid, but the streets and buses where i live just ain't safe these days to be carrying expensive gear around, especially with rather obvious logos on big cases that attract attention.

I honestly didn't think this "contraption" would sound as good as it does, but i thought i'd take a chance and buy it anyway, and i'm genuinelly chuffed, especially at the price.

Cheers,

Jake M

Edited November 13, 2008 by Jake_M

[john_the_bass]

[quote name='budget bassist' post='328463' date='Nov 13 2008, 04:22 PM']Pardon me for asking, but i was just wondering how that's much more portable than a normal bass? I'm assuming that it's a 34" scale so it's pretty much the same length as a normal bass and with the bits that stick out it's almost as wide, just a bit lighter... And those aria ones on the same website, in what way are they portable? They're the same size as a normal bass (if not bigger) it's just going to be a bit lighter. I'm not criticising you at all, i've just never understood what makes these basses so portable. I understand the steinberger, but not these... I have no problems carrying any of my basses around with me.[/quote]

The frame on the side of the Aria Sinsonido (or whatever they're called) comes off so you can put it into a bag and it's pretty much just a stick then.
I think as the travel bass idea, they're very good - you can plug a pair of headphones into the Arias I believe so you can pretty much have a silent practice without lugging loads of gear around

[BigRedX]

I have to admit I was interested in getting one of those, however your photos are the first decent ones I've seen and I'm really not impressed by the (lack of) bridge.

However if there was a bass version of [url="http://playawayguitars.co.uk/play_away_guitars_shop.php?itemID=509"]this[/url] then I'd be thinking again.

[budget bassist]

[quote name='Jake_M' post='328480' date='Nov 13 2008, 04:45 PM']You're right, it's not that much shorter than a normal bass, but it's SO much lighter, and in it's gig bag it's literally just like a big stick. I don't drive, and i'm just too long in the tooth these days to be humping heavy gear around on the bus, bearing in mind that the bass itself isn't the only thing that i need to carry.

Also, i usually play Fender/Rick, and call me paranoid, but the streets and buses where i live just ain't safe these days to be carrying expensive gear around, especially with rather obvious logos on big cases that attract attention.

I honestly didn't think this "contraption" would sound as good as it does, but i thought i'd take a chance and buy it anyway, and i'm genuinelly chuffed, especially at the price.

Cheers,

Jake M[/quote]
Fair play if it's handy for you, personally i don't mind sticking any of my basses in a gig bag with some decent shoulder straps, but i am only 17 and none of my basses are particularly expensive.

[Cabal]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='328581' date='Nov 13 2008, 06:51 PM']I have to admit I was interested in getting one of those, however your photos are the first decent ones I've seen and I'm really not impressed by the (lack of) bridge.[/quote]
I agree about the bridge. I didn't realise how "basic" it actually is until i saw it. It's a steel plate screwed to the end that allows for up and down movement for string height, but there's no way of adjusting backward and forward for intonation. I spoke to Patrick at Play Away, and he said that it'll be a case of making something wedge shaped and pushing it in behind the plate. Probably be easier just to fit a bridge somehow.

Only time will tell if it becomes a problem or not, but for now it's fine. Maybe i'll modify it somehow when/if it becomes necessary.

Cheers,

Jake M

[redstriper]

I'm tempted to go for one of these, how's it holding up now you've had more time with it?

I need lightweight and I like a very deep tone with no treble so I'd be using fat flatwound strings.

Do you think this bass would do the job?

[Cabal]

[quote name='redstriper' post='368078' date='Jan 1 2009, 09:42 PM']I'm tempted to go for one of these, how's it holding up now you've had more time with it?

I need lightweight and I like a very deep tone with no treble so I'd be using fat flatwound strings.

Do you think this bass would do the job?[/quote]
Yes i do. I play with a trebly Entwistle type sound myself (at which it excels), but it definitely sounds better than you'd expect all round. My other basses are Fender, Musicman and Rick to give you an idea of what i'm comparing it to.

Can't really fault it for what it is.

Cheers,

Jake M

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Where's the rest of it? Sorry ,only kidding.
Not for me I'm afraid (I have a steinberger/washburn status)

hope you like it. There's portable ,and there's this
The main thing is that you're happy with it,and it ticks all the right boxes.

[Cabal]

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' post='368695' date='Jan 2 2009, 06:36 PM']Where's the rest of it? Sorry ,only kidding.
Not for me I'm afraid (I have a steinberger/washburn status)

hope you like it. There's portable ,and there's this
The main thing is that you're happy with it,and it ticks all the right boxes.[/quote]
Well, aesthetically its very far from ideal, obviously. Its really just a practical solution, and i won't be chucking my Stingray in a skip anytime soon.

As i said in an earlier post, i was genuinely surprised by the noise this thing makes. Its definitely "good enough", and i'd recommend it at the price to anybody thinking of buying this sort of contraption.

Cheers,

Jake M

Edited January 3, 2009 by Cabal