I'm ordering a Sei bass... I need your expertise!

[joe_geezer]

I was in the bass gallery today speaking to John about ordering both a 4-string fretted and 4 string fretless Sei bass.

John recommended i do some research before having an official meeting with Martin to finalise the 2 bass guitar's spec.

 

So, i would love to hear back from anyone that has experience ordering a sei and has opinions on what is the best Sei model.

 

Edited March 18, 2023 by joe_geezer

[Russ]

It's been a while since I ordered a Sei, but I've done it twice before and will be doing it again soon.

 

I guess the trick is to take advantage of Martin and John's experience - particularly Martin's, as he's been doing this for a long, long time. 

 

You do want to go in there with some idea about how you want the bass to look (which body shape - original, Flamboyant, single cut, Jazz/P, etc), what woods you like the look of, some idea of what sort of neck dimensions you find most comfortable, and so on. If you have a bass with a neck you really like, bring it with you so they can measure it, or just find something at The Gallery you like the feel of (as you know, they've got, like, 150 basses hanging on the walls there). 

 

If you have strong opinions on the sort of sound, pickups, etc you want, tell them, and they'll make it happen. Otherwise, just describe the sort of sound you're after, or play them a track with a bass tone you like, and they'll advise you the best way to go. 

 

Word for the wise though - don't go in there with too many ideas set in stone. Let them do their thing and take their advice. Let them have fun with it, and you'll end up with a better instrument. It'll be a long 12-18 months while you wait for it to come to life (don't expect anything at all for the first six months!) but the anticipation is one of the best parts! And there's nothing like that day you go in and collect it, when Martin opens the case in front of you and hands you your bass. 

 

It's a journey - enjoy it.

 

 

[joe_geezer]

1 hour ago, Russ said:

It's been a while since I ordered a Sei, but I've done it twice before and will be doing it again soon.

 

I guess the trick is to take advantage of Martin and John's experience - particularly Martin's, as he's been doing this for a long, long time. 

 

You do want to go in there with some idea about how you want the bass to look (which body shape - original, Flamboyant, single cut, Jazz/P, etc), what woods you like the look of, some idea of what sort of neck dimensions you find most comfortable, and so on. If you have a bass with a neck you really like, bring it with you so they can measure it, or just find something at The Gallery you like the feel of (as you know, they've got, like, 150 basses hanging on the walls there). 

 

If you have strong opinions on the sort of sound, pickups, etc you want, tell them, and they'll make it happen. Otherwise, just describe the sort of sound you're after, or play them a track with a bass tone you like, and they'll advise you the best way to go. 

 

Word for the wise though - don't go in there with too many ideas set in stone. Let them do their thing and take their advice. Let them have fun with it, and you'll end up with a better instrument. It'll be a long 12-18 months while you wait for it to come to life (don't expect anything at all for the first six months!) but the anticipation is one of the best parts! And there's nothing like that day you go in and collect it, when Martin opens the case in front of you and hands you your bass. 

 

It's a journey - enjoy it.

 

 

This is such great advice! thank you. And as you

Quote

say It's a journey - enjoy it.

I will! haha

Edited March 19, 2023 by joe_geezer

[Doctor J]

Best? Only you know what is best for you.

 

Decide what it is you want to have at the end of the process in terms of tone, ergonomics and appearance before you do anything else.

[Baloney Balderdash]

6 hours ago, Doctor J said:

Best? Only you know what is best for you.

 

Decide what it is you want to have at the end of the process in terms of tone, ergonomics and appearance before you do anything else.

This!

 

Start with knowing what you want, then do research and adjust your desires accordingly to what you find/learn from that research, everything else is a certain recipe to later regrets!

 

No one else but you is going to know what fits your physics, playing style, taste and personal preferences best!

 

What is the absolute ultimate best bass for me is almost certainly not the ultimate best bass for you (this is especially true here as i got some rather unusual preferences).

 

There is a reason why they don't just offer 1 single model with 1 single determined set of specs.

 

Edited March 19, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[Gwilym]

IMO Martin should be advising you through the process.

[ezbass]

You will have a list of things that you know that you like: nut width, neck profile, scale length, body size/weight, tuner arrangement (4 in line, 3 over 1, 2 + 2), pickup selection and general tone. Once these are sorted, it’ll be Martin and John’s expertise that’ll help you come to a final design and configuration. I’ve not had a Sei built, but I’ve had custom basses and guitars made before and the ‘mistakes’ I made were falling for aesthetics over ergonomics. Yes, you’ve got to want to like the look of it, to want to pick it up and play it, but it has to work as a physical tool first. Martin and John are serious people and they want a good product out there with a satisfied customer, if you come in with a similar attitude, it’ll be golden.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

You went to the Gallery to discuss ordering a custom bass and they sent you away to some research? Surely they're the best people to be discussing it with?

[Gwilym]

5 minutes ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

You went to the Gallery to discuss ordering a custom bass and they sent you away to some research? Surely they're the best people to be discussing it with?

Exactly.

They should be giving you a questionnaire  with all the standard things they would need to know before proceeding. Sounds like you'd be spending the best part of 10k on 2 custom builds, and they are the experts on this after all.

That said, i think do do need to have strong ideas of what you like/dislike in a bass so they can give you good advice where things are less clear cut.

[joe_geezer]

1 hour ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

You went to the Gallery to discuss ordering a custom bass and they sent you away to some research? Surely they're the best people to be discussing it with?

No, John asked me to organise a 1 on 1 meeting with Martin that fits into my work schedule and in between that time think about if i want a 5 string or a fretless .etc

 

[joe_geezer]

1 hour ago, Gwilym said:

Exactly.

They should be giving you a questionnaire  with all the standard things they would need to know before proceeding. Sounds like you'd be spending the best part of 10k on 2 custom builds, and they are the experts on this after all.

That said, i think do do need to have strong ideas of what you like/dislike in a bass so they can give you good advice where things are less clear cut.

I haven't had the initial 1 on 1 meeting yet with Martin. I was just dropping into the Bass Gallery to get my Status S2 repaired... there was no meeting to discuss ordering a bass.

[GuyR]

They usually have a number of used Sei basses in stock. It would be worth considering those before proceeding. It would give you a steer to which model you prefer and there is a chance your perfect bass is already in the shop.

[tauzero]

Headed/headless is another consideration - two of my Seis are headless. All three were bought second-hand.

 

So, headed/headless, fretted/fretless, number of strings, body type, facing wood, core wood, neck woods as starters.

 

Then you have to start thinking about pickups and electronics. How many, what type, placement, any additional stuff like piezo pickups and 13-pin output.

 

Finally there's the little extras like LED fret markers.

[BigRedX]

When I had mine built I knew which body shape I wanted because Sei had been mostly picked on that basis alone, that it was going to be a 34" scale fretless 5-string with an ACG01 preamp and I had a photo of a Nordstrand (IIRC) bass that I liked the colours of. That was it. Martin helped me pick out some woods that would give the visual result I was after and then sent me away to measure my favourite bass for the nut and bridge spacings. Once I had those I spent an afternoon in the shop trying out various basses the get the right neck profile and pickup voicing to suit how I played and how I wanted the bass to sound and after another 18 months this was the end result:

 

[joe_geezer]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I have gone with something based on the 5 string version of this bass:

 

 

Martin is going to run a few other ideas passed me but we have a good base to work from!

[binky_bass]

I've owned 3 Sei basses over the years, for me ACG is my personal preference over Sei, but by a VERY small margin and purely just personal preference. 

 

Sei build exceptionally good instruments, each one I've owned has been a joy to play. Excellent ergonomics, fantastic tonal pallette, love the look and the build quality is simply stunning. 

 

Perhaps have a little look at ACG too as for me they're the closest UK based competitor in terms of quality, price etc. That should then give you a good perspective as to whether Sei is 'the one' for you. 

 

I would say that if you do go Sei, you won't be disappointed, they are truly excellent basses and for me hands down beat the likes of Fodera and Wal that charge 3 to 4 times the amount. 

[OliverBlackman]

4 hours ago, joe_geezer said:

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I have gone with something based on the 5 string version of this bass:

 

 

Martin is going to run a few other ideas passed me but we have a good base to work from!

Very jealous! I’d love to own an original shape five one day

[Owen]

On 19/03/2023 at 18:37, BigRedX said:

When I had mine built I knew which body shape I wanted because Sei had been mostly picked on that basis alone, that it was going to be a 34" scale fretless 5-string with an ACG01 preamp and I had a photo of a Nordstrand (IIRC) bass that I liked the colours of. That was it. Martin helped me pick out some woods that would give the visual result I was after and then sent me away to measure my favourite bass for the nut and bridge spacings. Once I had those I spent an afternoon in the shop trying out various basses the get the right neck profile and pickup voicing to suit how I played and how I wanted the bass to sound and after another 18 months this was the end result:

 

Lush. 

[joe_geezer]

I have now switched the order to a 4 string as I never play 5 string basses..

 

In the mean time as this bass is going to take at least 18 months, another 2nd hand Sei Flamboyant 4 string bass appeared for sale at the Bass Gallery, so i thought i might as well just buy this one to keep me company whilst waiting for the the build to complete (the one on order will have a maple fingerboard and EMGs for a brighter funk sound...)

 

If anyone knows who the original owner was, it would be interesting to know the history of a bass & what all the knobs and switches are for??? 

Picking it up on Saturday & asked John to put som 45-105s on it...

 

 

Edited October 11, 2023 by joe_geezer

[Acebassmusic]

On 22/09/2023 at 17:19, joe_geezer said:

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I have gone with something based on the 5 string version of this bass:

 

 

Martin is going to run a few other ideas passed me but we have a good base to work from!

 

That used to be my bass which I bought 2nd hand in 2009. Great bass and very easy to play for a six. I played it for 4 or 5 years and the only thing I would have changed was to have had graphite rods fitted as the neck was a little susceptible to the weather. Must get myself a 5 string Sei........

 

[BigRedX]

8 hours ago, joe_geezer said:

it would be interesting to know the history of a bass & what all the knobs and switches are for?

 

I suspect that one of them will be for neck LEDs. The other two might be coil taps?

 

The controls are most likely volume, blend and bass/mid/treble.

[joe_geezer]

3 hours ago, BigRedX said:

 

I suspect that one of them will be for neck LEDs. The other two might be coil taps?

 

The controls are most likely volume, blend and bass/mid/treble.

Thanks for the info... side LEDS... very nice!

[jonno1981]

That 4 string is so beautiful. The neck through looks so incredible on its (ahem) backside. If I had that I think I’d display it backwards on a stand! 

[tauzero]

On 12/10/2023 at 01:34, Acebassmusic said:

 

That used to be my bass which I bought 2nd hand in 2009. Great bass and very easy to play for a six. I played it for 4 or 5 years and the only thing I would have changed was to have had graphite rods fitted as the neck was a little susceptible to the weather. Must get myself a 5 string Sei........

 

 

I'd echo that comment about the graphite rods - the two Seis that I gig with are also susceptible to weather, but they're also headless so truss rod access is simple and I carry a capo and allen keys for rapid truss rod adjustment. @joe_geezer, make sure you know which way the truss rod turns to adjust it.

[joe_geezer]

English bass collection so far....