NBD Reverend Triad

[BillyBass]

Merchant City Music in Glasgow have just sent me a Reverend Triad in 'Periwinkle Burst'. 

 

Periwinkle Burst, is black around the edge and a sort of mauve/lilac, with a hint of grey, in the middle.  Of the three colours currently available with the Triad, this is my preference.  

 

The neck and headstock are lovely.  They are a dark roasted maple, which really fits the body colour well.  The neck is a 5 part sandwich and the lowest part is a darker shade of roasted maple, to the others, which I think looks really cool.

 

Appearance wise, I love it.  It's well made too, I can see no blemishes or poorly finished parts.

 

Using the bathroom scales, standing on with bass vs standing on w/o bass, it appears to weigh 3.8 kg

 

The pick ups look like jazz single coils but they are, in fact, humbuckers, so there's no noise.  I've been noodling with it this afternoon and I haven't yet found the position on the Strat style 5 way switch that I prefer.  I thought I would find position 3 to be my preference, but maybe not, we'll see.  The strings (D'Addarios, I believe) are new and I'll need to wait until they have lost their new round wound top edge before I really know what this bass will sound like, but so far, so good.

 

 

[Happy Jack]

Do you get much of a volume variation across the pickups? Is the bridge noticeably louder than the neck or maybe vice versa?

 

[BillyBass]

4 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

Do you get much of a volume variation across the pickups? Is the bridge noticeably louder than the neck or maybe vice versa?

 

Positions 1, 3 and 5 appear to be similar.  2 and 4 appear to be less hot, so I'm guessing theses positions put the pups in series.  There isn't a big difference though.  More investigation needed.

[jd56hawk]

Every time you see a Reverend bass hanging up at this or that music store, you can bet it's one of the best basses there.

[BillyBass]

8 minutes ago, jd56hawk said:

Every time you see a Reverend bass hanging up at this or that music store, you can bet it's one of the best basses there.

I would say so, but then I'm biased!  Unfortunately, here in the U.K. very few shops sell reverend kit, just a shop in Scotland and another shop to the east of London.  The Scottish shop are the main dealers of Reverend in the UK, I had to bribe my missus with a spa break in Scotland to get up there to try them out.  That was when I bought my Decision P.

 

I had this delivered, because I live over a 7 hour drive away, but I tried enough Reverends when I was there to be comfortable buying sight unseen.  As you say, it was likely to be one of the best in the shop.

[jd56hawk]

I was aware of the company for years, but you simply don't see them hanging up here in the USA at Guitar Center or Sam Ash, so they were simply not on my radar.

Then, three years ago I went to Russo Music, a local shop, to pick up a Thunderbird I had on layaway.

Shop was very busy, so I took a look around, saw a Thundergun and thought to myself, "Wow, this thing looks too cool!"

Grabbed it and plugged it in and knew within five minutes that it was coming home with me...the Thunderbird didn’t.

[casapete]

5 hours ago, BillyBass said:

I would say so, but then I'm biased!  Unfortunately, here in the U.K. very few shops sell reverend kit, just a shop in Scotland and another shop to the east of London.  The Scottish shop are the main dealers of Reverend in the UK, I had to bribe my missus with a spa break in Scotland to get up there to try them out.  That was when I bought my Decision P.

 

I had this delivered, because I live over a 7 hour drive away, but I tried enough Reverends when I was there to be comfortable buying sight unseen.  As you say, it was likely to be one of the best in the shop.

That’s a great looking bass Bill.
Although not anywhere near as far away from Glasgow as you, it’s probably still why I haven’t managed to 

try out any Reverend stuff. One of those brands where I’m drawn to their entire range!

[BillyBass]

13 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

Do you get much of a volume variation across the pickups? Is the bridge noticeably louder than the neck or maybe vice versa?

After playing it more last night...the 5 positions are pretty much interchangeable, volume-wise.  The difference between the positions is less than changing from pick to fingers.  It makes the bass really quite versatile, it's a great covers band bass.

 

[BillyBass]

8 hours ago, jd56hawk said:

I was aware of the company for years, but you simply don't see them hanging up here in the USA at Guitar Center or Sam Ash, so they were simply not on my radar.

Then, three years ago I went to Russo Music, a local shop, to pick up a Thunderbird I had on layaway.

Shop was very busy, so I took a look around, saw a Thundergun and thought to myself, "Wow, this thing looks too cool!"

Grabbed it and plugged it in and knew within five minutes that it was coming home with me...the Thunderbird didn’t.

 

7 hours ago, casapete said:

That’s a great looking bass Bill.
Although not anywhere near as far away from Glasgow as you, it’s probably still why I haven’t managed to 

try out any Reverend stuff. One of those brands where I’m drawn to their entire range!

I'm a Reverend convert.  I think you either like the look of Reverends or you don't.  I love the weird retro futuristic Jetsons look and some of the finishes-I like bright and flashy!  They also happen to be well made, sound good and come at a price point that I like.

 

 

[casapete]

29 minutes ago, BillyBass said:

 

I'm a Reverend convert.  I think you either like the look of Reverends or you don't.  I love the weird retro futuristic Jetsons look and some of the finishes-I like bright and flashy!  They also happen to be well made, sound good and come at a price point that I like.

 

 

Totally with you on all these points.

They’re almost Danelectro like in their appeal for me, albeit with more options and better built. 

[BillyBass]

12 minutes ago, casapete said:

Totally with you on all these points.

They’re almost Danelectro like in their appeal for me, albeit with more options and better built. 

Merchant City Music have just received a consignment from Ohio, they have five 4 string basses and 4 fivers, including a beautiful 'orchid pink' Mercalli.  Just in case you felt like treating yourself this Christmas 😉

[stewblack]

I play this very bass. It's a real head turner.

[BillyBass]

4 minutes ago, stewblack said:

I play this very bass. It's a real head turner.

What finish did you get?  pics please😋

[stewblack]

You'll have to wait till I get up 

[BassApprentice]

I've played the Reverend range a fair few times in Merchant City Music.

 

I reckon if I was in a band I would easily have one as they rock solid and super easy to play and use.

 

I'll stick with my more budget instruments for now, but if the opportunity comes to spend that £800ish on bass they'll be first in line!

Edited December 9, 2023 by BassApprentice

[neepheid]

Welcome to the club. I love my Triad, I'm sure you'll enjoy yours very much also.

 

Edited December 9, 2023 by neepheid

[Lfalex v1.1]

I'd love to try a Reverend. Likely to be right up my street. 

Nowhere within 300 miles seems to stock them 🤔

[neepheid]

5 minutes ago, Lfalex v1.1 said:

I'd love to try a Reverend. Likely to be right up my street. 

Nowhere within 300 miles seems to stock them 🤔

 

Buy at distance, with confidence.  If you don't like it, send it back!

[casapete]

Are they generally light weight wise? 
Asking for a friend. 

[BillyBass]

1 hour ago, casapete said:

Are they generally light weight wise? 
Asking for a friend. 

Here is a link to the sweetwater site.  They show the weights of all the basses they have in stock:

 

https://www.sweetwater.com/c580--Reverend--Bass_Guitars?sb=popular&params=eyJmYWNldCI6eyJBdmFpbGFiaWxpdHkiOlsiSW4gU3RvY2siXX19

 

As does Peach Guitars in Essex, but they only have a single Reverend bass in stock:

 

 https://www.peachguitars.com/reverend-mercali-4-gunmetal.htm

[BillyBass]

4 hours ago, neepheid said:

Welcome to the club. I love my Triad, I'm sure you'll enjoy yours very much also.

 

I was expecting the Periwinkle burst to be more purpley.  I might have gone for the Korina burst had I been able to compare the two colours in the shop.  That looks really nice.

[neepheid]

30 minutes ago, BillyBass said:

I was expecting the Periwinkle burst to be more purpley.  I might have gone for the Korina burst had I been able to compare the two colours in the shop.  That looks really nice.

 

I wish they hadn't discontinued the purpleburst they used to do.  I would have snagged it in a heartbeat.

 

[jd56hawk]

I should've bought one of these when I had the chance, but I'm not a short-scale guy.

Edited December 10, 2023 by jd56hawk

[BillyBass]

6 hours ago, neepheid said:

 

I wish they hadn't discontinued the purpleburst they used to do.  I would have snagged it in a heartbeat.

 

I wonder why they did ?  Apparently it was there most popular colour.  I'm not complaining, I like the 'Periwinkle burst' but I would prefer purple to 'Periwinkle', which is a sort of mauve/grey finish/. Maybe there is a shortage of purple paint in Korea?

[BillyBass]

4 hours ago, jd56hawk said:

I should've bought one of these when I had the chance, but I'm not a short-scale guy.

I'm neither a short scale guy, nor am I a semi-hollow guy either, at least not at the moment.  The music the band I play in cover makes the Triad or Decision P more appropriate.  

 

I wonder how neck-divey those Dub-Kings are?