RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 (edited) Howdy! I was looking at a couple of loud basses over the last few months. Rather than going down the expensive route of giving one of my basses a custom colour, I was looking at the above..namely a CHARVEL SURFCASTER BASS & aDEAN PSYCHO CABBIE BASS. Do any of you think that these(or similar basses) work? (ie could you play these all night in a rock covers band etc.) Please give me some advice,and some pics of yours if possible. I don't know if I'll be looking to purchase one just yet.If I did ,I wouldn't wanna part with 'silly money'. Cheers Ray Edited January 19, 2009 by RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 The problem with playing covers is that you need to have a number of styles 'on tap'. Hollow-bodies and semi-acoustics (like my vintage Hofners) will give you a lovely warm, woody sound/tone which is just great for some songs, but quite wrong for others. Also, if you play LOUD then you need to be vigilant about feedback. Personally I love this style of bass and I have (ahem) a few of them beside me as I write, but I find I tend to gig with my solid-bodies (Lakland & Rickenbacker). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cytania Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Wow, serious retro eye candy basses. The Charvel's are skirting so near Rickenbacker territory and the Dean is an evocation of cabbie semis by Gretsch, I think. On a practical note the Charvel's remind me of an Italia I tried with a similar 'scimitar' soundhole. I quickly found a silly problem. The hole is pefectly situated to catch your thumb when playing fingerstyle. I'm sure with time one could learn to ride the scratchplate ridge but... In general hollow body basses have a woolly, plummy sound due to the cavity resonance, I haven't heard of any exceptions to this. You get less note definition and more boomy, fuzzy, lumpy, sixties tone. Their nature also tends to bring out string buzz more, again you'll adjust playing style to compensate but it doesn't encourage fast runs. You can get the sixties tone from most modern instruments simply by turning pickup volume down low and edging the tone into jazzy/muddy or indeed by stringing with flatwounds or sticking foam pieces under the bridge (using my Ibanez for early Beatles covers vol 1 tone 3). However these instruments will give you an idea of what sixties bass players had to contend with. No wonder Fender became the industry gold standard... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 LOVE that Dean bass, I need to get me one of those puppies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 The Eastwood Classic and the [url="http://www.dipintoguitars.com/product.php?id=10"]DiPinto Belvedere Deluxe[/url] might hit the spot, as well as the Italia Mondial, Torino and Rimini. Depends on how bright you want them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Having owned a couple of Charvel surfcasters i think their weak point is the pickups, i put a dark star in one as it really didn't cut it. IF you can find one ( i brought the black one in the picture) the way forward would be a pair of Kent Armstrong lipstick jazz pickups, i had a pair in a fender Jaguar and they are in a different league to the originals. The surfcasters also have odd construction with a large cavity under the pick guard, the pickups are mounted in the guard so effectively they suspended by plastic not wood. The model i would go for is even rarer, they made a limited number of acoustic surfcasters with thicker body's and a piezo pickup ( no mag pickups) these are constructed more like a traditional hollow body. They look and sound superb unfortunately they are rarer than rocking horse poo. The dean looks like it might be a more realistic option, i think a BC member reviewed one on this site. If your looking at the cheaper end of the hollow body market the Ibanez AGB140 or ASB140 (i have the double cutaway ASB) are great value for money but not exactly colourful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 (edited) [quote name='cytania' post='385469' date='Jan 19 2009, 09:58 PM']In general hollow body basses have a woolly, plummy sound due to the cavity resonance, I haven't heard of any exceptions to this.[/quote] I wouldn't quite agree with this, the Epiphone Jack casady and my Ibanez ASB are quite articulate but they both have centre blocks and are full scale 34" basses so perhaps they don't count? Also listen to some Jefferson Airplane, JC on a short scale Guild starfire fantastic bass tone. If you want that woolly, plummy sound make sure you try before you buy. Edited January 19, 2009 by steve-norris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 Wow! Thanks for your advice,and input. I had a feeling about the feedback issues. I had a hunch that I wouldn't be able to use one all night playing hard rock covers. It seems that most of these do have a 50/60's vibe about them. I do love the psycho bass best so far. I have seen them on the bay and was outbid. also,one seller started the bidding at£280.00, needless to say nobody wanted it for that price. I suppose that if I saw something similar around£180.00 I would probably go for it (funds permitting). Mainly because it would be a work of art on the wall ,played occasionally. A bass picasso if you like That's the trouble with these GAS moments :you have to look at the full picture when something catches the eye Please post some more pictures and share some more thoughts if you have any Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 [quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' post='386603' date='Jan 20 2009, 07:32 PM']Please post some more pictures and share some more thoughts if you have any Cheers [/quote] No problem! How about a Jaguar in surf green with kent lipsticks and a mint green pickguard? Cool as you like, retro looks, modern tone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toasted Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I could definitely play one of those Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acidbass Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 That Jaguar bass looks amazing! It's been a while since we've heard about Lipsticks on this forum, how are they holding up for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 [quote name='steve-norris' post='386891' date='Jan 20 2009, 10:47 PM']No problem! How about a Jaguar in surf green with kent lipsticks and a mint green pickguard? Cool as you like, retro looks, modern tone [/quote] nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cytania Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 "I wouldn't quite agree with this, the Epiphone Jack casady and my Ibanez ASB are quite articulate" Thanks for that Steve, I'll look out for those two. I almost bought a Yamaha BEX04 as my first bass, I'm such a fool for f-holes. I'm glad I went for the Ibanez SRX400 as a beginner's instrument though. Ray if you can find them s/h the Ibanez SRX400 is pretty retro (that's one in my avatar). The UK got alot of Martini Olive Green, I picked mine up discounted, probably due to this colour. In most lights it looks like someone has entered an avocado eating contest, won and then vomitted in a bucket of glitter. They look much better in silver or candyapple red. Still I could have had pewter grey. Also check out the Ibanez Jet-King from last year's range. I found the plastic guards oddly situated but it has a very strong 60s vibe. Nothing retro about Ibanez's sound though, rather modern and treble rich whatever the styling... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerboy Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 [quote name='cytania' post='385469' date='Jan 19 2009, 09:58 PM']In general hollow body basses have a woolly, plummy sound due to the cavity resonance, I haven't heard of any exceptions to this. You get less note definition and more boomy, fuzzy, lumpy, sixties tone.[/quote] I think I can claim an exception. My hollowbody is defined, bright and aggressive, but still with a full resonant tone underneath. But then it's 34" scale and made of aluminium... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 (edited) I always wanted a big semi-acoustic bass, ever since as a skint and spotty 16 year old I tried to trade my Kalmazoo KB for a glossy Antoria EB2 copy. Guy in the shop looked at it, sucked his teeth in the way they do, and said “No”. 31 years on, recently got this 1984 Gordon Smith Galaxy on the ‘bay (only got the crappy ebay pics, it’s much nicer in the flesh). Like most of the above, really a semi-solid with a solid centre section, and long scale, so it sounds not dissimilar to a nice Fender J – going to put some flats on it next time to get closer to that plummy thuddy semi sound. Wish I’d got one earlier now. Some cracking basses above, especially that big Dean pyscho-billy Cabbie thingy , and the honeybursrt G&L in the sale section Edited January 23, 2009 by Shaggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 I'm loving some of these basses, here's mine: Gretsch Thunder Jet. No F holes, but it is semi hollow, and rather splendid. I [i]really[/i] fancy one of those Dean Cabbies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted January 23, 2009 Author Share Posted January 23, 2009 (edited) Thanks guys,they are all rather splendid Gretschs are cool. Looks like the cabbie ripped them off a little It seems that my faves at the mo' still seem to be the big yellow one and a lairy surfcaster ... Edited January 23, 2009 by RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 I saw a Gibson ES175 bass in The Gallery years ago. It was a thing of beauty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 [quote name='Rayman' post='389305' date='Jan 23 2009, 09:32 AM']I'm loving some of these basses, here's mine: Gretsch Thunder Jet. No F holes, but it is semi hollow, and rather splendid. I [i]really[/i] fancy one of those Dean Cabbies.[/quote] loving the gretch how do the thundertrons sound? I am considering one for my Ibanez ASB 140 along with the varitone which i am fitting tonight. sound clips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baixo Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 (edited) I got this Jaguar Bass from Steve a couple of years ago or so. The Kent Armstrong lipstick pickups are a huge improvement from the originals and make this Jaguar my favorite bass Really fancy a black Jack Cassidy at the moment, not to keen on the original Gibson type bridge but I reckon that would look great with the new Hipshot bridge replacement and will probably improve the sound and sustain! Joao [quote name='steve-norris' post='386891' date='Jan 20 2009, 10:47 PM']No problem! How about a Jaguar in surf green with kent lipsticks and a mint green pickguard? Cool as you like, retro looks, modern tone [/quote] Edited January 24, 2009 by baixo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 (edited) Glad your still loving it, still miss it sniff . One day we'll get back together, that or her hotter sister We must have similar tastes in basses, I wanted a JC but brought an Ibanez ASB140, similar thing. Thinking about the JC bridge it may not fit due to the body curvature. The bridge looks flimsy but listening to the sound clips of the bass it sounds great as it is. I will post some pic's of the Ibanez later if i get around to fitting the Varitone, i also plan a Pickup change, it's a DIY Jack Casady Edited January 24, 2009 by steve-norris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 (edited) [quote name='cytania' post='388960' date='Jan 22 2009, 07:51 PM']Ray if you can find them s/h the Ibanez SRX400 is pretty retro (that's one in my avatar).[/quote] If you want a retro looking Ibanez The JTKB200 has to take the crown, not hollow granted but very lust-worthy for retro fans :wub: Dam it i really want one !!! Edited January 24, 2009 by steve-norris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 [i]Yeaahh[/i] that's wicked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 [quote name='baixo' post='390609' date='Jan 24 2009, 07:29 PM']Really fancy a black Jack Cassidy at the moment, not to keen on the original Gibson type bridge but I reckon that would look great with the new Hipshot bridge replacement and will probably improve the sound and sustain![/quote] you and me both !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeatNut Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 Slightly late to the party, but here's my Lakie HB. True hollow, no center block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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