HeadlessBassist Posted yesterday at 07:06 Posted yesterday at 07:06 I was idly perusing the Gear pages of 'No Treble' yesterday morning and stumbled on this very different creation by Chris Seldon, a Toronto-based Luthier. What caught my eye was the Scout 434's absolutely mahoosive Gordo Single Coil pickup, which he says produces a either a clean bell-like tone if played subtly, or an 'aggressive grind' when digging in, rather like a Rickenbacker. As for looks, I like instruments that deliberately look a little different, and the seemingly cut-off headstock just says, "we're not Fender, okay?!" to me. I have made contact with Chris to see what one of these would potentially set me back. (Prepared for a large Canadian Dollar number in response...) https://www.chrisseldon.com 4 Quote
prowla Posted yesterday at 07:19 Posted yesterday at 07:19 Looks like someone had a Tele and saw a pic of a Ric somebody'd drawn with a crayon. The headstock is probably the ugliest piece of guitar work I've ever seen. 2 Quote
White Cloud Posted yesterday at 07:22 Posted yesterday at 07:22 I have been friends with Chris for some years on Facebook (which doesn't make us friends, obviously) after happening upon his work by accident. I haven't been able to get my hands on one of his basses, however really dig his designs, craftsmanship and overall ethos. He seems like a good guy who does what he says and says what he does. A very talented musician and vocalist too by all accounts. 4 Quote
Bassbooksbikes Posted yesterday at 08:06 Posted yesterday at 08:06 47 minutes ago, prowla said: Looks like someone had a Tele and saw a pic of a Ric somebody'd drawn with a crayon. The headstock is probably the ugliest piece of guitar work I've ever seen. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂 1 Quote
madshadows Posted yesterday at 08:36 Posted yesterday at 08:36 Quite like the body shape but the end of the headstock needs to be rounded in my opinion !! John 😎 2 Quote
NancyJohnson Posted yesterday at 08:44 Posted yesterday at 08:44 1 hour ago, prowla said: Looks like someone had a Tele and saw a pic of a Ric somebody'd drawn with a crayon. The headstock is probably the ugliest piece of guitar work I've ever seen. We live in times where we're afraid to be frank, brutal and honest with social posts, for fear of reprisals/replies in the form of if you can't say anything nice... but this is 100% spot on. It's an absolute munter of a bass. You have to have some love for an instrument you're going to pick up and play, but not this one. The headstock looks like Lego. 3 Quote
alittlebitrobot Posted yesterday at 08:46 Posted yesterday at 08:46 (edited) That is weird as hell and I love it. Actually, there is one thing I hate about it and that's the tortoiseshell guard. Big fan of everything else. Edited yesterday at 11:40 by alittlebitrobot 2 Quote
Bassbooksbikes Posted yesterday at 08:50 Posted yesterday at 08:50 5 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said: We live in times where we're afraid to be frank, brutal and honest with social posts, for fear of reprisals/replies in the form of if you can't say anything nice... but this is 100% spot on. It's an absolute munter of a bass. You have to have some love for an instrument you're going to pick up and play, but not this one. The headstock looks like Lego. Very true, both your comment on social attitudes and the headstock. 1 1 Quote
HeadlessBassist Posted yesterday at 09:03 Author Posted yesterday at 09:03 26 minutes ago, madshadows said: Quite like the body shape but the end of the headstock needs to be rounded in my opinion !! John 😎 Nah, you only knock that end bit on mic stands and walls. Better without it! 🤣 2 Quote
Skybone Posted yesterday at 11:19 Posted yesterday at 11:19 Some of those Seldon basses look really cool, sort of a modern Grabber vibe. 2 Quote
simisker Posted yesterday at 13:43 Posted yesterday at 13:43 (edited) 5 hours ago, madshadows said: Quite like the body shape but the end of the headstock needs to be rounded in my opinion !! Agreed; by the looks of it, the curves from the lower horn could be echoed on the headstock for greater visual harmony. I really sympathise with any small luthier/designer who has to come up with a novel and pleasing headstock silhouette - particularly in the face of 70 years of engrained 'tradition' - but I think this shape lets the side down on an otherwise interesting looking instrument. Edited yesterday at 13:45 by simisker 1 Quote
alittlebitrobot Posted yesterday at 17:32 Posted yesterday at 17:32 For me, this is so much more balanced and aesthetically pleasing than a Rickenbacker, though, and plenty of people love those things, so I do think there's an audience for the Scout. ...but not in this thread 😁 Poor Scout. 1 1 Quote
W1_Pro Posted yesterday at 17:40 Posted yesterday at 17:40 Theres a variant of the 434 that looks like an Ibanez Musician. Very nice. 1 Quote
LukeFRC Posted yesterday at 17:48 Posted yesterday at 17:48 (edited) Reminds me slightly of a Attila Balogh Odyssey bass - might be the Canadian link. Edited yesterday at 17:50 by LukeFRC 2 Quote
Cato Posted yesterday at 17:50 Posted yesterday at 17:50 (edited) I quite like it, but then I like a lot of those odd looking Soviet Union era guitars and basses. This looks like it could be a Danelectro Longhorn copy made in Yugoslavia circa 1974. Edited yesterday at 17:50 by Cato 3 Quote
W1_Pro Posted yesterday at 18:35 Posted yesterday at 18:35 45 minutes ago, LukeFRC said: Reminds me slightly of a Attila Balogh Odyssey bass - might be the Canadian link. A Balogh. Now theres a fine looking instrument...There was one for sale on here a while back. Lovely it was. 1 Quote
BassApprentice Posted yesterday at 19:18 Posted yesterday at 19:18 I've followed Seldon on Instagram for a good while and really like his designs, even the weird headstock! For those that don't like it, he can do a more traditional 2+2 for you... 5 Quote
LukeFRC Posted yesterday at 20:08 Posted yesterday at 20:08 1 hour ago, W1_Pro said: A Balogh. Now theres a fine looking instrument...There was one for sale on here a while back. Lovely it was. I missed that! 1 Quote
W1_Pro Posted 8 hours ago Posted 8 hours ago 18 hours ago, BassApprentice said: I've followed Seldon on Instagram for a good while and really like his designs, even the weird headstock! For those that don't like it, he can do a more traditional 2+2 for you... I agree about the headstock. I quite like that angular thing he's got going. I suppose you have to try something a bit different otherwise we end up with endless minor variations of Fender headstocks... Quote
BassApprentice Posted 8 hours ago Posted 8 hours ago 2 minutes ago, W1_Pro said: otherwise we end up with endless minor variations of Fender headstocks... Which no-one seems to like either (See Sire, G&L (RIP), Harley Benton etc.) 1 Quote
W1_Pro Posted 4 hours ago Posted 4 hours ago Maybe its just me, I quite like the G&L ones and I'm agnostic about Sire. The HB ones are OK too..I mean, at that price, I'd put up with a lot..😆. Quote
tauzero Posted 2 hours ago Posted 2 hours ago Headstock looks like a Reverend one chopped off at the end. This is why headless basses are the future. Quote
alittlebitrobot Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago 1 hour ago, tauzero said: Headstock looks like a Reverend one chopped off at the end. This is why headless basses are the future. True, but it's a slippery slope. It's only a matter of time before somebody chops the first fret off. 1 Quote
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