Levinson Blade Basses

[Undertone]

A bass I don't see much and know little about, nor can find much out about, are Levinson Blade basses (Swiss or Japanese made). I played what I think was a 35" scale B-25 bass a while ago and although quite heavy, it felt pretty good to play.

 

Interested to hear from those who play or know a bit about them.

[Hellzero]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BlueMoon]

I have a Blade B2 Tetra from mid 2000s, Japanese made. I think the scale is 34”. The preamp and pups had been swapped when I bought it. Subsequently, I installed Sadowsky pups and preamp. 
 

The bass is now rock solid and is a nice player. I particularly like the little design features. For example, mine has the Musicman-style truss rod wheel under a stylish cover with the Levinson brand on it. Neat.

 

 

[prowla]

I've got a Levinson Blade Strat and it is one of the best put together instruments I've seen; the neck pocket tolerance must be precise.

And mine's a Japanese "Texas" - not even top of the range.

 

I got it with the blade-style headstock, but I swapped the neck with the Fender-style one I'd picked up from a shop some time back.

Edited February 11, 2023 by prowla

[Doctor J]

I picked up this 91 B4 a few years ago. It's superb and, in my opinion, better built than any US or Japanese Fender I've ever owned and at least on a par with the Japanese Sadowsky Metro I used to have. The neck is exceptional. As mentioned, the build tolerances are exacting. The neck fits into the pocket like Cinderella's foot into the glass slipper. No messing around, trying to line anything up with these. The hardware is solid. Everything has a touch of class about it.

 

I changed the preamp. Nothing wrong with the original, just I prefer straightforward more/less types, so it has a Glockenklang in there now. The Levinson pickups are very nice but in changing the preamp I sacrificed the dummy coil used for noise rejection, so put some Bart humbuckers in it last week.

It was superb as it was, the changes were just personal preference on how I like my controls, because I love playing this bass and I play it a lot.

 

If you can find one, buy it.

 

[velvetkevorkian]

1 hour ago, prowla said:

I've got a Levinson Blade Strat and it is one of the best put together instruments I've seen; the neck pocket tolerance must be precise.

And mine's a Japanese "Texas" - not even top of the range.

Not played the basses but my old teacher used to say his Blade was the best strat he'd ever played

[Undertone]

Many thanks all.  I'd thought the higher number (eg. B4) implied a later model but the above records show the reverse, so I learnt something there. Seems also that a lot of folks change some electronics / pups - I met a guy in Berlin who installed the Die-J-Retro. His was heavy but as has been said, precise in every way.  I know Yolanda Charles played one for a few years and that (and she) sounded good (on her albums & live). Thanks again.

[NikNik]

4 hours ago, Undertone said:

Many thanks all.  I'd thought the higher number (eg. B4) implied a later model but the above records show the reverse, so I learnt something there. Seems also that a lot of folks change some electronics / pups - I met a guy in Berlin who installed the Die-J-Retro. His was heavy but as has been said, precise in every way.  I know Yolanda Charles played one for a few years and that (and she) sounded good (on her albums & live). Thanks again.

I have a B4 from the early 90s (V/B/T) and the circuit is very much of its time. I've kept saying I'll put a Glockenklang 2-band into it and this thread has reminded me to do it. Again!

 

Edited February 9, 2023 by NikNik

[prowla]

The older ones had the Fender-a-like headstocks, whereas at some point they became more blade-like.

[BassAgent]

I have a B2 Tetra from '01 which I don't play as often as I'd like; it's an absolutely wonderfully built instrument with an amazing neck and an amazingly pretty ash body. Only downside for me is the 70's bridge pickup spacing, which isn't really to my taste. It now carries Lollar pickups and an Aguilar OBP-1 and it's absolutely wonderful.

 

[Steve Browning]

On 09/02/2023 at 16:43, NikNik said:

I have a B4 from the early 90s (V/B/T) and the circuit is very much of its time. I've kept saying I'll put a Glockenklang 2-band into it and this thread has reminded me to do it. Again!

 

 

I remember playing one of these many years ago (in a shop near Kingston). It was pretty heavy I recall, but the build quality was something else. One of those basses that just felt 'right'.

[NikNik]

On 11/02/2023 at 12:59, Steve Browning said:

 

I remember playing one of these many years ago (in a shop near Kingston). It was pretty heavy I recall, but the build quality was something else. One of those basses that just felt 'right'.

It is heavy, for sure. But it's a lovely bass.