Le Fay (LeFay) Phenomenal Basses : Show Yours !

[Hellzero]

After more than a year and a half in its company and as there is no thread dedicated to the phenomenal Le Fay basses, I'll start with my Le Fay Remington Steele 6 RHT CC CAP Big Block photographed on the mandatory 400 years old oak floor.

 

 

Big Block meaning is explained in the specifications, so RHT stands for Right Hand Tuning, CC stands for Crazy Cherry, and CAP is explained in detail here: https://www.lefay.de/index.php/EN/most_recently/news-events

 

 

There is a QR Code, because the bass as an embedded chip to protect it against theft.

 

 

First, here are the links to Reiner and Meik DOBBRATZ creations:

 

Website: https://www.lefay.de/index.php/EN/bass_models/overview

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lefaybasses/

 

Old YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/LeFayKiebitzreihe

 

New YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCxNVglUiNZC9uw40NHgeLA/featured

 

 

Second, the complete specifications (with the price, sorry I'm not showing off as this was a gift from my wife) of my Le Fay Remington Steele 6 RHT CC CAP Big Block:

 

 

 

 

Third, the photos, of course :

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fourth, a tune recorded with this very bass to hear the tone of the stainless steel fingerboard, which is between Brazilian rosewood and ebony (one take directly in the soundcard, passive mode, 2/3 of bridge pickup in parallel, tone closed at 70%, slight reverb and Elixir nickel plated strings):

 

https://tonybertrand.bandcamp.com/track/i-wish-i-was-swiss

 

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Hellzero
Photos are back

[eude]

That bass is simply stunning!

[EBS_freak]

Some beautiful timber on that. Enjoy!

[LeftyJ]

Not mine, but I was able to testdrive this wonderful Herr Schwarz 5-string back in 2012 and it still haunts me in my sleep. It was incredible, and the attention to detail on it was just astonishing. So well thought-out and well-executed, and almost no off-the-shelf parts!

 

 

 

[leitnerjoe]

Hi,

Le Fay Basses are great. Reiner and Meik are supernice people. The craftmanship is perfect. 

Here are some pics and videos of Le Fay basses I've played and still play. There are many more videos at my youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcpvGUel2VMN4G5xmAoDdSg

 

 

 

 

[marcblum]

My Lefay Herr Schwarz 6. The very first Herr Schwarz 6.
Still one of my main weapons. 
After some years I added a third pickup and then changed to Nordstream pickups for more meaniness.

 

Edited September 28, 2022 by marcblum

[marcblum]

That was my very first Lefay. A 5er Herr Schwarz which I bought from a Cologne based pro bassist.

 

Edited September 28, 2022 by marcblum

[marcblum]

After selling the first 5er, I bought another 5er Herr Schwarz. But I'm a 6er-guy.

[Bigwan]

Always liked the look of LeFay basses. Never seen one in the flesh.

[libanass]

On 23/09/2022 at 13:20, Hellzero said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OMG this is simply the most beautiful Le Fay AND bass I've EVER seen 🤤

[libanass]

Those are my current LeFays

 

 

 

 

 

I no longer own the Capone in the back

[LukeFRC]

I need to get some photos of mine... but it's the grey/silver/pewter one on the website  

 

 

[LeftyJ]

This thread is incredibly GAS-inducing. Their basses just look so well-made, and beautifully sculpted. True works of art, and they've put thought in every little detail. I know of no other luthier or brand whose headstock shapes match their bodyshapes so well.

[TorVic]

With a nudge from HellZero, here are some photos of one of the best 6-strings that has passed through my hands. Unfortuntately 6-ers are too much for me and I had to let it go. 

 

[TorVic]

An amazing passive Herr Schwarz 5 - one of the earlier models with switches for each humbucker coil.

(The other switch is use these switches of the rotary selector knob. The two tone knobs are for mids and highs.) 

[Hellzero]

Thanks @TorVic for showing your Le Fay's. 😊

[Hellzero]

Photos are back...

[LukeFRC]

@Gardenerben wanting a 5 string if anyone is selling

[marcblum]

https://www.bassic.de/kleinanzeigen/le-fay-pangton-5-string-raritaet-vintage-ca-25-jahre-alt-wenge-massivholz-ebenholz.25278/

[LukeFRC]

I think you you end up needing to drive there to get that - nice weekend trip though! 

[LukeFRC]

Before @Hellzero disappears - 

any recommendations for roundwounds strings for my Capone?

 

Ive got Sadowsky blue steels on my Sadowsky that I love, Sadowsky blue nickels on a Lakland which are ok ish, infeld nickle rounds on a p which were good till they died.

DR fatbeams are the pricy favourite I had a few years ago …

 

I think originally Lefay might hsve used Ernie ball steel rounds? 

[ped]

33 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

Before @Hellzero disappears - 

any recommendations for roundwounds strings for my Capone?

 

Ive got Sadowsky blue steels on my Sadowsky that I love, Sadowsky blue nickels on a Lakland which are ok ish, infeld nickle rounds on a p which were good till they died.

DR fatbeams are the pricy favourite I had a few years ago …

 

I think originally Lefay might hsve used Ernie ball steel rounds? 

Butting in here but try Elixirs on fretless. Not only do they last ages but I think they’re a little more forgiving on the neck and the nickels in particular have a warm even sound. 

[LukeFRC]

2 hours ago, ped said:

Butting in here but try Elixirs on fretless. Not only do they last ages but I think they’re a little more forgiving on the neck and the nickels in particular have a warm even sound. 

It’s fretted! (But yould probably enjoy trying it sometime)

[Hellzero]

If it's a fretless, I quite loved the Dogal Hellborg round wound ones, but they are beyond expensive, that's what I ended up putting on my Remington Steele.

 

The Dobbratz brothers put Ernie Ball Slinky on all their basses and on fretted basses, they do marvels, and are a very good option for fretless too.

 

I wouldn't recommend Elixirs on such luthier instruments as you'd be missing a lot of harmonics and upper mids, which will make your bass sound a bit dull compared to regular strings.

 

If you like them, the Rotosound RS66 strings, after a few days/weeks, sound quite nice and even.

 

DR nickels (pick up your favourites) are really great too, but if you prefer stainless steel (again pick up your favourites), they are great too.

[eude]

3 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

If it's a fretless, I quite loved the Dogal Hellborg round wound ones, but they are beyond expensive, that's what I ended up putting on my Remington Steele.

 

The Dobbratz brothers put Ernie Ball Slinky on all their basses and on fretted basses, they do marvels, and are a very good option for fretless too.

 

I wouldn't recommend Elixirs on such luthier instruments as you'd be missing a lot of harmonics and upper mids, which will make your bass sound a bit dull compared to regular strings.

 

If you like them, the Rotosound RS66 strings, after a few days/weeks, sound quite nice and even.

 

DR nickels (pick up your favourites) are really great too, but if you prefer stainless steel (again pick up your favourites), they are great too.

I've always like DR Sun Beams on a fretless bass, but I did miss a bit of edge. I really like the Lo Riders too, but found them a little too much. Newtone Nickel Hex Cores seem to sit nicely in between those two DR sets to me.

La Bella RX Nickels work nicely on fretless too.