ON HOLD - Gillett Slimline Contour Fretless 4 (with pimptastic snakeskin hardcase) - £725 - *SOLD* £725 Manchester

[three]

 

Updated ad - original is linked below.  I withdrew this before having surgery and didn't have time to send to the Gallery - I'm listing here until I'm sufficiently recovered to pack and send-off.  A lovely instrument at a pretty crazy price (IMO) - these were £2195 when in production and the case is and additional £100.  Unfortunately, this has to be (distanced) collection in East Manchester - I can't lift to pack or ship.

 

Original ad (now out of date):

 

https://www.basschat.co.uk/search/?q=Gillett&quick=1

 

I always try to avoid hyperbole in ads - you'll probably know what this and will have seen/read the plaudits.   
 

Please note this is of necessity a UK only sale - there’s a lot of rosewood in the bass and I can’t verify species or source for any CITES declaration.

 

Absolutely rock-bottom price.  I got this on a great deal I'm passing it on.  This Gillett model retailed for £2195 when the basses were in production.  This is the J pickup only version.  The wood working is just extraordinary.   I showed the bass to a carpenter mate and he really couldn't work out how some of the jointing and carving had been achieved.  A lot of hand-carving by the look of it.  Closest sound to an upright I've heard, especially when played close to or over the board.  It's a bit spooky.  Details are here in a pretty stellar BGM review (Gillett also won best bass in show at NAMM 2019 apparently): 

 

https://www.gillettguitars.co.uk/content/large/documents/slimline-review.gillett.pdf

 

In short, 

31.75" scale

Fretless, Rosewood Board

Rosewood facings

Gillett designed preamp (really impressive in my opinion)

Bareknuckle J pickup

1.5" nut  

C profile neck - fairly substantial

 

Condition is excellent, though there are a few headstock scrapes and three very minor impressions: two on the bottom of the lower bout and one on the headstock end.  The images (in original ad) make any cosmetic marks look rather more dramatic than they are (cosmetic condition really is very good indeed).

 

Hardware is phenomenal (it's very light though I've no idea of the materials) and a lot of it bespoke to the bass as far as I know.  Playability is very good too: I had the bass fully set-up to my taste on receipt.  Comes with a truly lovely snakeskin (effect) hard case with a very plush white interior.

 

As above, collection in Manchester only I'm afraid (and socially distanced) as a result of the surgery.  

 

Any questions, please just ask.

Edited August 17, 2022 by three

[alyctes]

Mmm.  I gather these are lovely, but I cannot abide that headstock...

 

Best wishes for a rapid and painless recovery, anyhow.

[three]

5 minutes ago, alyctes said:

Mmm.  I gather these are lovely, but I cannot abide that headstock...

 

Best wishes for a rapid and painless recovery, anyhow.

Thanks, I'm recovering and starting physio soon.  I tend to agree.  I think that Gillett would have sold more of these basses with a slightly less idiosyncratic headstock.  The headstock involves some very impressive jointing and is fairly similar to a Fodera headstock in its construction.  The headstock and positioning of the tuners is highly effective, though not too elegant IMO.

Edited July 8, 2022 by three