Vintage brand bass by JHS

[robert43]

Hi I was wondering if any 1 has had any yhing to do with the Vintage brand bass es by JHS . The model Iam looking at is the EST96AF ( looks like a 5 string Stingray / sub)
Is this brand any good or bad?.
I want to try a 5 string bass & was going to build 1 . I have a SD MM 5string pickup. as I like the look of Stingrays.
If I bought this bass I have a preamp I can put into it & as well as the SD pickup.
That way I can have the double H pattern.
Any comments welcome thanks

[Musky]

Don't know about the MM copies, but some of their other basses are reckoned to be good value. I know Noirpunk raved about his precision copy so much that their rep offered him an endorsenment.

There's a review of one of their other models [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=9244"]here[/url] and a thread about the brand [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=35610"]here.[/url]

[Machines]

The MM copies aren't that great. Ok as a starter bass but there are much much better to be honest.

I'd be looking at trying to pick up a 2nd hand OLP if I were you.

[fender73]

I have one of their relic strats - great after a decent set up - on an equal par with much of the gear around for that value

[fender73]

[quote name='Machines' post='514537' date='Jun 15 2009, 05:54 PM']The MM copies aren't that great. Ok as a starter bass but there are much much better to be honest.

I'd be looking at trying to pick up a 2nd hand OLP if I were you.[/quote]

I second that!

[Pentode]

I had one of their fretlesseses and it sounded rather yummy!

[jezzaboy]

I owned a est96 4 string about a year ago, bought second hand as a gig backup. Weighed a bloomin ton! Sounded ok but I wouldn`t spend money on it. As suggested, better to buy an olp and spend a few bob on that as most people on here seem to like them.

The other Vintage basses get a good write up but I found the 96 to be pretty crap really and ended up selling it to a guitar player to use for messing about on. Gave it to him for £35 and he had the cheek to moan about the flatwounds that were on it! Nearly hit him with it.

Jez

[karlbbb]

I wouldn't reccomend the 5 string Stingray copy from personal experience, try to get an OLP, one of the HH models if you can (MM32 is the 5 string).

[Raving_camel]

Hmm odd, I still have my first bass ; Vintage MM copy, I bought it in December '02. Anyway, I still like it, for awhile it was getting more use than my Ibby. I don't know if the problem is only with the newer ones? (The Wilkinson hardware, etc). To my ears it really gets that modern sounding MM tone. Then again, I've never actually played a real one!

I still feel Vintage are the best brand out there for cheap instruments.

[Geek99]

[quote name='robert43' post='514255' date='Jun 15 2009, 02:56 PM']Hi I was wondering if any 1 has had any yhing to do with the Vintage brand bass es by JHS . The model Iam looking at is the EST96AF ( looks like a 5 string Stingray / sub)
Is this brand any good or bad?.
I want to try a 5 string bass & was going to build 1 . I have a SD MM 5string pickup. as I like the look of Stingrays.
If I bought this bass I have a preamp I can put into it & as well as the SD pickup.
That way I can have the double H pattern.
Any comments welcome thanks[/quote]

I have exactly this bass (but the four string version) - its fine for what it is, the neck is nice and the fretting is good. The tone shaping is okay. The pots needed a squirt of cleaner and then they were fine. The pickups are alright but a little quiet, my CIJ jazz is louder. The pickup is the only thing I [i]might[/i] change about it.

[robert43]

Hi all thanks for that will do some more research
I will talk to my son & maybe look around or save up more for a Stingray or a sub . ( its for him)
The trouble with OLP here they are scarece & a couple I found people think because they have gone there worth lots of $

[bassmachine2112]

hiho,I have a VINTAGE V4 and they are good for the money,mind you it,s got a wizard thumper in it,schaller tuners and soon a gotoh 201 bridge. but if your thinking of a SUB then go for it.I happen to have one as well and they are fantastic value,only mod is a hipshot D-tuner.

[robert43]

Well today I have won a 2 pickup OLP bass s/hand in the staes, I t was cheaper than used 1 here including shipping.
I will have it in a week or so.
Looks like I might be selling my SD pickup & bridge

[danlea]

I have an EST96 lying around at somebody's house, and while I initially thought it to be a bargain at the £139 I got it for on an ebay auction (new, 2006), when I actually used it for a non-studio rehearsal (about two years later) the insides of my left first finger and thumb were part shredded, presumably by poor workmanship on the frets/neck. Perhaps this one was just a dud, but I thought I'd mention it as it should never have gotten past QC.

[karlbbb]

[quote name='danlea' post='518476' date='Jun 19 2009, 03:32 PM']...the insides of my left first finger and thumb were part shredded, presumably by poor workmanship on the frets/neck. Perhaps this one was just a dud, but I thought I'd mention it as it should never have gotten past QC.[/quote]

I had a similar issue with the 5 string active version, wasn't a lot, nor did the frets feel rough or sticking, but there must have been something sticking out slightly as I ended up with small cuts all over the inside of my fingers, looked like paper cuts.