Single Cut Basses

[Cornwall Steve]

Firstly I apologise if this topic has been repeatedly covered over the years. i'm contemplating buying an Ibanez BTB single cut and I just happened to find myself reading several BC posts stretching back to 15 years ago when various members - including Kiwi - gave their candid opinions for and against the single cut design (I wouldn't mind betting the whole Headless bass thing was debated similaly decades ago 😂).

I wouldn't mind hearing from anyone who owns or has played one, what they think of it, and especially whether they feel the dynamics of the bass actually add anything of value when it comes down to tone and playability.

Your input would help me tremendously 

With regard aesthetics, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so not wanting to get into a debate as to whether members feel they look ugly or attractive.

Thanks in anticipation 🙏👍 

P.S. For the sake of clarity I just want to state that I meant Single Cut basses in general - not just Ibanez BTB Single Cut - sorry if I didn't make that clear ☺️

Edited 16 hours ago by Cornwall Steve
Expressing gratitude

[Bolo]

Imo single cut basses sound more stern, less frivolous than double cut basses. As if they heard their retirement age has been pushed back. On one hand they exude an atmosphere of business acumen and accountability, in the other the give the impression of a lesser lust for life, of not letting go at parties.

Single cut basses are a lot like a greengrocer's hammer: beware when one is applied in earnest.

[Cornwall Steve]

3 hours ago, Bolo said:

Imo single cut basses sound more stern, less frivolous than double cut basses. As if they heard their retirement age has been pushed back. On one hand they exude an atmosphere of business acumen and accountability, in the other the give the impression of a lesser lust for life, of not letting go at parties.

Single cut basses are a lot like a greengrocer's hammer: beware when one is applied in earnest.

Thank you. Very entertaining analogy and a great read !😂

[Bassassin]

In an ideal world, I'd have a half-cut bass.

[Gizmo]

I Love Single Cuts but TBH i can't tell you that plugged in they sound any different than any other bass with the same pickup+placement/hardware/string combo (i also do not do the "tonewood" myth) I've seen some people will argue the extra "mass" add to Tone/Sustain...but again i can't say i ever noticed (also check out BASStheworlds YT Hollow body HB review that has a HB in the MM sweetspot...yep you guessed it it sounds like a MM...)  i do feel a bit more rumble/sound/tone in my chest due to the way they sit against your torso which i think is nice, this might be what people think is enhancing their tone (is this a bit like Bone induction earphones?)

 

I've built/building a few Singlecuts myself and im also looking at a BTB SC 5 the "BTB865SC" (wow ibby have such memorable Names don't they!)  

 

 

Make sure you order a WIDE strap if you do get one as even the lighter ones are still quite heavy, So SC basses ....are (still) Marmite ?

[oldslapper]

I have a single cut Wishbass. First single cut I’ve owned.

Looks weird. Gets a lot of attention from visitors. 
Plays great, sounds great, looks bonkers. 
That’s my in depth review. 

[Cornwall Steve]

1 hour ago, Gizmo said:

I Love Single Cuts but TBH i can't tell you that plugged in they sound any different than any other bass with the same pickup+placement/hardware/string combo (i also do not do the "tonewood" myth) I've seen some people will argue the extra "mass" add to Tone/Sustain...but again i can't say i ever noticed (also check out BASStheworlds YT Hollow body HB review that has a HB in the MM sweetspot...yep you guessed it it sounds like a MM...)  i do feel a bit more rumble/sound/tone in my chest due to the way they sit against your torso which i think is nice, this might be what people think is enhancing their tone (is this a bit like Bone induction earphones?)

 

I've built/building a few Singlecuts myself and im also looking at a BTB SC 5 the "BTB865SC" (wow ibby have such memorable Names don't they!)  

 

 

Make sure you order a WIDE strap if you do get one as even the lighter ones are still quite heavy, So SC basses ....are (still) Marmite ?

Thank you very much for your reply. You've raised some interesting points all of which I'll take on board (especially the advice on buying a strap. I like too your observation about 'feeling' the vibe through the uncut upper horn - that appeals to me too!).

Oddly enough it is the BTB865SC (and the BTB845SC) I have in mind !😍

[Cornwall Steve]

1 hour ago, oldslapper said:

I have a single cut Wishbass. First single cut I’ve owned.

Looks weird. Gets a lot of attention from visitors. 
Plays great, sounds great, looks bonkers. 
That’s my in depth review. 

Thanks for your reply

Love your comments 👍

I did in fact touch base with Steve Wishnevsky a year or so ago when I enquired about him putting together a five string fretless for me. In the end I concluded that his basses were just a bit to quirky and bohemian for me, though I do still have one of the Chyla's on my wish list ☺️

[Cato]

I always asummed that that Fodera type single cuts must be all about the ergonomics given that the aesthetics are so divisive.

[tauzero]

I'm not keen on the looks of singlecuts [1], although I do have one - a Barcus 6-string fretless that was feeling unwanted at a Gardiner Houlgate auction, so I took pity on it. Very nice to play, and the top unhorn slopes to the neck rather than being one of those (like the Ibanez above) where the unhorn slopes back towards the bridge giving it a Snoopy nose.

 

 

 

Other than the looks, there's nothing really to differentiate this from other basses. The neck is very playable, it sounds good.

 

[1] Except Les Pauls, though I'm not so keen on the basses

[Gizmo]

1 hour ago, Cornwall Steve said:

Thank you very much for your reply. You've raised some interesting points all of which I'll take on board (especially the advice on buying a strap. I like too your observation about 'feeling' the vibe through the uncut upper horn - that appeals to me too!).

Oddly enough it is the BTB865SC (and the BTB845SC) I have in mind !😍

 

I see the BTB865SC 's pushing £900+ with VAT/Duty/shipping from Reverb EU 3rd party JPN sellers but if your will to go direct using the Zenmarket/hardoff route with surface shipping you can get one from Japan landed into the UK for about £700 'ish (if your willing to wait 3 months! for surface shipping) im thinking of doing this but need to move some other gear first (not somuch for the money just the space!) Surface shipping is about £40 pretty sure its just me that refuse's to pay £120+VAT for air shipping! 

 

 

[Gizmo]

3 hours ago, oldslapper said:

I have a single cut Wishbass. First single cut I’ve owned.

Looks weird. Gets a lot of attention from visitors. 
Plays great, sounds great, looks bonkers. 
That’s my in depth review. 

 

Does it have a truss rod ? i remember for years he refused to install rods in his "wish" "basses" so they had really wonky necks and insane action! 

[BassTractor]

32 minutes ago, Gizmo said:

 

Does it have a truss rod ? i remember for years he refused to install rods in his "wish" "basses" so they had really wonky necks and insane action! 

I understand it is still thus. 🙂

[Cornwall Steve]

2 hours ago, tauzero said:

I'm not keen on the looks of singlecuts [1], although I do have one - a Barcus 6-string fretless that was feeling unwanted at a Gardiner Houlgate auction, so I took pity on it. Very nice to play, and the top unhorn slopes to the neck rather than being one of those (like the Ibanez above) where the unhorn slopes back towards the bridge giving it a Snoopy nose.

 

 

 

Other than the looks, there's nothing really to differentiate this from other basses. The neck is very playable, it sounds good.

 

[1] Except Les Pauls, though I'm not so keen on the basses

Nice looking bass. Many thanks for sharing your thoughts with me and for posting the photos. Much appreciated 🤗

[Cornwall Steve]

1 hour ago, Gizmo said:

 

I see the BTB865SC 's pushing £900+ with VAT/Duty/shipping from Reverb EU 3rd party JPN sellers but if your will to go direct using the Zenmarket/hardoff route with surface shipping you can get one from Japan landed into the UK for about £700 'ish (if your willing to wait 3 months! for surface shipping) im thinking of doing this but need to move some other gear first (not somuch for the money just the space!) Surface shipping is about £40 pretty sure its just me that refuse's to pay £120+VAT for air shipping! 

 

 

Frankly this is the case with so many of the BTB basses. Nearly 140 different BTB models across the BTB range yet they're really not that common (with the exception of the older 40 series and the much newer 74 series). If your after a particular model importing it from somewhere like Japan or the USA has to be a serious option. And with that comes the long delay, higher risk of damage, not to mention import duty 😕😳 Never felt happy going down that route personally !

Edited 5 hours ago by Cornwall Steve
Spelling and grammar errors

[Cornwall Steve]

2 hours ago, BassTractor said:

I understand it is still thus. 🙂

Yes he still doesn't put truss rods in. This, and a few other odd omissions are among the reasons I backed out. Was all just a wee bit too eccentric for me 

[oldslapper]

No truss rod, bonkers low action, mostly down to the previous owners’ skill with wood tools. 
I’ll put an active preamp in mine one day. 

[binky_bass]

Love me a single cut bass! Binky is the ultimate single cut (in my humble opinion of course!) Aesthetically I get that they're marmite, but correctly done they look awesome. Sound wise, honestly, I really couldn't claim to hear much of a difference at all. Binky has a pair of custom spec Nordstrands paired with a bespoke to Binky 'BeePre' preamp, those two contribute 99% of the tone post-amp, maybe 1% at best could be attributed to the fact Binky is single cut. 

 

[deepbass5]

I thought i should contribute as I have an M Bass by Marleaux. But can't say if they are better than a standard bass of the same construction material(wood type). Only the Luthiers would be able to say that there is a benefit. Do they all agree,  that make one in their range or are they just following the trend to corner a piece of that market. ??

 

This is a great bass, now with an East preamp as i didn't find the stock preamp had enough top end clarity. we are never satisfied are we 🤭   I like the look of these as the upper horn folds back to compliment and meet the lower horn, like a well sucked lozenge. So prefer this over the mark II when they brought the top horn down another two frets up. Not as pretty as this earlier one. Probably had this about 17 - 18 years now, Its a keeper.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bolo]

1 hour ago, binky_bass said:

 

 

Ah, the rococo dulcimer!