New Sei bass.

[ambient]

Well actually a very old Sei, but absolutely beautiful none the less.

Aquired recently in a trade on here, and just back today following a service, a refret and the installation of a new preamp.

i would love to find out more of it's history, I really want to know exactly how old it is, I do know that it’s one of the first ones, judging by the exquisite binding around the fretboard, so it's at least 20 years old.

i love the headless design. The ergonomics are fantastic. It balances superbly, and is an absolute joy to play. The different colour LEDs are a touch of pure genius.

Edited February 21, 2018 by ambient

[Guest Jecklin]

I can't wait to hear this in action - recorded and especially live!

[BigRedX]

It's got to be said Martin makes some very fine bass guitars.

The multi-coloured LED system is very useful. My fretless has orange LEDs for the standard fret positions and double yellow ones at the octaves.

[4000]

Martin just makes gorgeous basses. Has he not been able to shed any light on it?

[ambient]

4 minutes ago, 4000 said:

Martin just makes gorgeous basses. Has he not been able to shed any light on it?

I'm going to send him an email, I only got it back today though. Judging by this he does make some great instruments.

[CameronJ]

My god that is nice. Just got one of my basses back from Martin a couple of days ago after having some repairs and mods done. He’s a fine craftsman and a gent to boot!

[ambient]

7 minutes ago, CameronJ said:

My god that is nice. Just got one of my basses back from Martin a couple of days ago after having some repairs and mods done. He’s a fine craftsman and a gent to boot!

It is!

I traded my Overwater 7 string for it, I fell in love with this Sei the minute that I saw it.

[CameronJ]

2 minutes ago, ambient said:

It is!

I traded my Overwater 7 string for it, I fell in love with this Sei the minute that I saw it.

These photos are definitely food for thought. I’ve toyed with the prospect of a 6er of late. Though I already have a 5er with a low B and a 5er with a high C so technically I’m covered...

It’s not the same though is it? 

[4000]

By the way, you can still specify purfling on the fingerboard - a choice of various different types is available - when custom ordering (it's likely I'll have it on my next), so whilst you see it much more on the early basses it isn't necessarily an indicator of the bass being old, if that makes sense. I don't know why people don't specify it more often to be honest, I think it's a beautiful aesthetic touch.

Oh, and Martin is a gent and then some. I've been a regular customer since 1996 and he's one of the nicest, most genuine blokes you'll ever meet.

I love the Gallery. I wish I could live there.

[ambient]

7 minutes ago, 4000 said:

By the way, you can still specify purfling on the fingerboard - a choice of various different types is available - when custom ordering (it's likely I'll have it on my next), so whilst you see it much more on the early basses it isn't necessarily an indicator of the bass being old, if that makes sense. I don't know why people don't specify it more often to be honest, I think it's a beautiful aesthetic touch.

Oh, and Martin is a gent and then some. I've been a regular customer since 1996 and he's one of the nicest, most genuine blokes you'll ever meet.

I love the Gallery. I wish I could live there.

Thanks for the info. The inlay is incredibly delicate, and a beautiful touch. it just adds to the luthier built feel of the instrument. There's no serial number on it, but there are other minor signs of age that you'd expect.

I will drop Martin an email to see if he has any information that he can pass on, also to thank hi for building such amazing instruments.

[FuNkShUi]

Best bass ive ever played was a Sei. Second best bass ive ever played was also a Sei.

Neither owned by me.

@joncaulfield72  owned them both.

[binky_bass]

This was mine! Very glad to see it back up and running... I actually found this hiding in a dark corner of a cash converters of all places! Due to it having a small body and me having a big body it just would never look right on me! But I couldn't leave it to die in a freakin' cash converters!!! 

Glad you're happy with it Kevin! I'm more than happy with the Overwater.

Edited February 24, 2018 by binky_bass

[TheGreek]

Did this also used to be ZiggyDolphinBoys'?

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 1, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[ambient]

16 minutes ago, binky_bass said:

This was mine! Very glad to see it back up and running... I actually found this hiding in a dark corner of a cash converters of all places! Due to it having a small body and me having a big body it just would never look right on me! But I couldn't leave it to die in a freakin' cash converters!!! 

Glad you're happy with it Kevin! I more than happy with the Overwater.

What a bizarre place to find such an exquisite instrument. It did need a re-fret, apparently the (is it called the tang?), doesn't go to the edge of the fretboard because of the binding, so if the fretboard dries out at all then the ends can lift. The guy who did the re-fret glued the ends in place. It's now got a Bartolini preamp that works well.

I will get it re-finished later in the year. I've approached Martin Sims to do it, then it will be like new again.

I know what you mean about the size. The Overwater never looked right on me, it always looked way too big. Not to mention the weight. I do all of my travelling by train. I gig all over the country, and carrying a 7kg bass in bag on your back can get more than a little wearying. I carried the Overwater to Paris for two gigs last April, then all across Paris.

The Sei looks so much better, and plays wonderfully.

[binky_bass]

I know... it's a curious place to find such a beast. Very glad it has been put back into service, a Sei like this doesn't deserve to rot away in a corner!

[ambient]

On 21/02/2018 at 22:14, 4000 said:

Martin just makes gorgeous basses. Has he not been able to shed any light on it?

 

On 22/02/2018 at 13:16, 4000 said:

By the way, you can still specify purfling on the fingerboard - a choice of various different types is available - when custom ordering (it's likely I'll have it on my next), so whilst you see it much more on the early basses it isn't necessarily an indicator of the bass being old, if that makes sense. I don't know why people don't specify it more often to be honest, I think it's a beautiful aesthetic touch.

Oh, and Martin is a gent and then some. I've been a regular customer since 1996 and he's one of the nicest, most genuine blokes you'll ever meet.

I love the Gallery. I wish I could live there.

 

On 24/02/2018 at 13:52, binky_bass said:

This was mine! Very glad to see it back up and running... I actually found this hiding in a dark corner of a cash converters of all places! Due to it having a small body and me having a big body it just would never look right on me! But I couldn't leave it to die in a freakin' cash converters!!! 

Glad you're happy with it Kevin! I'm more than happy with the Overwater.

So I've had a lovely email from Martin giving some information on the history of this beautiful instrument.

It's one of Martin's very early instruments, dating from about 1991. So it's somewhere around 27 years old. The woods used are Thuya root for the facings, and Wenge/Maple for the neck with an ebony fretboard. He hasn't seen it for about 20 years, and would love to see it again. I might pop down sometime and show it to him. 

I'd really like to know where it's been for the last 20 years or so.

[Hellzero]

In all UK's Cash Converters...  They just used it to throw the snow away in the north and to dig hard in the south. 

I'm glad it's in your hands now, Kevin.

[binky_bass]

Sometimes... just sometimes you can find treasure in a Cash Converters. I found a Warwick Vampyre Through-neck in the Basildon branch, it was serial number 0001 which when discussed with Warwick turn out to be the very first Vampyre ever sold. It's a rare day, but sometimes you can find very interesting stuff.