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Beautiful Sei 5 string J - Sold pending usual stuff :)


molan
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I've been going round in circles on this since I bought it from Gwil a few months back. The main reason for selling is that I tend to prefer a more modern bight tone (my favourite basses are US Spectors) and my Overwater J covers this territory already if I want to use a J shaped bass. The Sei has a really nice 'organic' woody tone, some very nice mellow jazzy tones available with the high end rolled off etc. I had been thinking of keeping it for a while longer to let it sink in with me more but got very close to a trade recently for something and have now got it into my head that it needs to go.

It's just lovely to play with a low action and a really nice 'silky' feel to it. I've always thought it would be a great first 5 stringer for someone looking for something a bit special because of the 34" scale and 17mm spacing.

These two build features along with the beautifully sculpted body and lovely birdseye maple neck make it incredibly easy to play. A fellow BC'er tried it out recently and commented on how well it played and he also thought it would make a great bass for a nearly effortless transition from 4's to 5's or maybe for someone who likes to switch between both fairly regularly.

I'm really not sure what the body woods are - looks like a swamp ash body to me but no idea what the nicely grained facing wood is I'm afraid (I have some vague recollection of it being something like tulip or olive wood but I may have just imagined this!). Neck is birdseye maple with what I think is a, very high quality, rosewood board. The birdseye maple carries through to the headstock as well.

Pickups are Bartolini J type and the tuners look like Hipshot ultra-lites but aren't branded. Bridge isn't branded either but, again it feels like a quality piece of kit.

Gwil had it professionally fitted with a U-Retro deluxe by Martin Petersen at The Gallery which retains the warm woody tone but with a lot of tonal options.

Controls now are:
Volume/Pickup pan
Bass/Treble with addition 'pull' function for high end treble boost
Mid/Mid-frequency sweep
Vintage tone (this is a really interesting little addition - it's like a passive tone control that works in both active or passive modes to roll off treble)
Active/passive switch
Another switch that either enables the pickup-pan, or sets a passive equal mix of the pickups

There's a tiny hairline crack in the wood facing just above the controls, only visible close up and, to me, just looks like part of the grain. This is cosmetic rather than structural and does not go through to the control cavity.

A similar bass would now retail for around £2,200 & the U-Retro would add another £200 or so. I'm always open to potential trade offers. Either for something of equally high quality or maybe a lower priced bass that would be relatively easy to sell on if I needed to E.G. USA Fenders, Musicman etc.

Any questions just zap me a PM & I'll do my best to answer them :)

The photos below are all taken in natural light with no enhancements or photo-shopping etc. As is usual with exotic wood facings, I'm not entirely sure these pics do it justice but they give a reasonable idea of what it looks like :rolleyes:

Edited by molan
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[quote name='rslaing' post='525516' date='Jun 26 2009, 11:44 PM']Hey man, you're selling this far too cheaply![/quote]


I guess I've priced it to sell, so hopefully it'll go fairly quickly before I have second thoughts!

Edited by molan
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[quote name='Gwilym' post='525586' date='Jun 27 2009, 12:53 AM']nice pictures - great bass :rolleyes:

A shame you are letting it go...[/quote]

It's definitely a tough choice but I'm not playing it enough to hang on to it really :)


As this was Gwil's bass previously I thought I'd add a link to his previous for sale thread as well just in case I've missed anything in my listing: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=40082&hl=sei"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=40082&hl=sei[/url]

There are some sound clips here that Gwil made when the bass had the full passive circuit. I'd say the core sound is captured here really - the active sounds pretty much the same but with more 'oomph' & all the tonal variation options :lol:

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[quote name='voxpop' post='525802' date='Jun 27 2009, 11:15 AM']Oh bugger.....someone buy my Windmill Jay Tee so can have this little beauty.

Have a bump on me for a great bass.[/quote]

Shame you didn't still have the Spector Euro 5 - that would have been a great potential trader!

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[quote name='bubinga5' post='525883' date='Jun 27 2009, 12:47 PM']They were my thoughts!!! I want this bass, big time!! You have PM Molan[/quote]


I'm not actually desperate to sell so if it doesn't go fairly quickly then I'll withdraw it & wait for the market to pick up a bit - either that or stick it on EBay & accept bids from Europe, lol.

Edited by molan
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[quote name='leftybassman392' post='526050' date='Jun 27 2009, 04:26 PM']Mate of mine used to have a Wal 5 with Olive Ash facings that looked exactly like this. That would be my guess about the wood.[/quote]

Thanks for that - I did have the phrase 'olive-wood' stuck in my head for some reason but thought I might have imagined it!


Also - for those who have asked - my, pretty accurate, digital scales say it weighs 9lbs & one quarter of an ounce :)

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[quote name='molan' post='526053' date='Jun 27 2009, 04:29 PM']Thanks for that - I did have the phrase 'olive-wood' stuck in my head for some reason but thought I might have imagined it!


Also - for those who have asked - my, pretty accurate, digital scales say it weighs 9lbs & one quarter of an ounce :)[/quote]


crikey dont suppose ud be interested in a trade for my 5 dolphin sn with peizo case and candy?
just been to the gallery today having a shack put into my sei six and met Martin who on the spot sorted out my shuker fretless six,
what a lovely fella
bump on me fair price.

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[quote name='ziggydolphinboy' post='526081' date='Jun 27 2009, 05:09 PM']crikey dont suppose ud be interested in a trade for my 5 dolphin sn with peizo case and candy?
just been to the gallery today having a shack put into my sei six and met Martin who on the spot sorted out my shuker fretless six,
what a lovely fella
bump on me fair price.[/quote]

Martin really is a great guy. I only go there about once every 2 years and he always remembers my name!

I do think Dolphins look really cool,

Any pics ?

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[quote name='molan' post='526053' date='Jun 27 2009, 03:29 PM']I did have the phrase 'olive-wood' stuck in my head for some reason but thought I might have imagined it![/quote]

it's because thats what I told you :)

and is also what I was told by the fellow who sold me the bass originally, but it's not that important, what is important is that it looks awesome!

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[quote name='Gwilym' post='526097' date='Jun 27 2009, 05:31 PM']it's because thats what I told you :rolleyes:

and is also what I was told by the fellow who sold me the bass originally, but it's not that important, what is important is that it looks awesome![/quote]

Ah ha, I knew it was someone who knew what they were talking about :)

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Sorry to get all pedantic and anal, but the term 'Olive Wood' almost certainly refers to a variety of Ash. The Olive tree proper is not normally suitable for use as a tonewood, whereas Ash (a member of the Olive family) is a well-known and very widely used tonewood. The grain on the back of the body looks like Ash to me. The term 'Olive Ash' actually refers to a particularly distinctive type of grain rather than a species of tree.

Whatever you want to call it, it's a beautiful instrument - every once in a long while I wish I wasn't lefthanded. :)

Edited by leftybassman392
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[quote name='leftybassman392' post='526324' date='Jun 27 2009, 09:07 PM']Sorry to get all pedantic and anal, but the term 'Olive Wood' almost certainly refers to a variety of Ash. The Olive tree proper is not normally suitable for use as a tonewood, whereas Ash (a member of the Olive family) is a well-known and very widely used tonewood. The grain on the back of the body looks like Ash to me. The term 'Olive Ash' actually refers to a particularly distinctive type of grain rather than a species of tree.

Whatever you want to call it, it's a beautiful instrument - every once in a long while I wish I wasn't lefthanded. :)[/quote]

the olive wood is the top/facings. the body/back is ash.

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[quote name='JTUK' post='526212' date='Jun 27 2009, 07:34 PM']looks like an ABM bridge IIRC[/quote]

Cheers, thanks for that, just checked the main Sei website & it looks like Martin fits ABM hardware as standard - well spotted!

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[quote name='molan' post='526094' date='Jun 27 2009, 05:26 PM']Martin really is a great guy. I only go there about once every 2 years and he always remembers my name!

I do think Dolphins look really cool,

Any pics ?[/quote]
I hope not..i will give you what your asking bro...I want this bass..consider it sold..

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[quote name='molan' post='526453' date='Jun 28 2009, 01:30 AM']Ok - it's sold pending usual :)[/quote]


well done matey
sorry i didnt get any picys up just busy down this end
well some things in life are mayb not to be,
any way
i think this site is so fair its wicked !
good luck with sale

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