ProBass: It's here! Pic and Soundclips added!

[paul h]

[url="http://probass.co.uk/Home.html"]http://probass.co.uk/Home.html[/url]

These look rather tasty, has anybody have any experience of them? I am sorely tempted by the white Aero2. Although the Vintage Modified with the S1 switching seems a complete bargain. Not sure about set necks though.

Edited May 18, 2010 by paul h

[Delberthot]

I spotted these on Ebay. They look very well made

[OutToPlayJazz]

I've never seen these before, but they definitely look good quality and the prices are really reasonable.

[Ou7shined]

They certainly like their block inlays - even on their MMs "for that traditional look".

[k-sad]

Good price for sure... It's the SX range isn't it?

Definitely not enough 5ers to my taste though...

[BottomEndian]

Those Aeros look mighty slabbish to me. Not a hint of a front contour to my eye. Could be pretty uncomfortable if it's a properly right-angled bound edge.

[DreadAlert]

Wow.. They look really good. And cheap too.

[url="http://www.probass.co.uk/VMBLACK.html"]http://www.probass.co.uk/VMBLACK.html[/url]

That's CHEAP. I wonder if it's any good though.

[TommyK]

[quote name='Johnston' post='838006' date='May 15 2010, 11:14 AM']Just noticed they are all 33.27" scale rather than 34".

For the rick-a-like you could understand but why do the others short too.[/quote]

They do look Fab for the money.

What difference in terms of sound will that shorter scale length make?

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='TommyK' post='838058' date='May 15 2010, 12:14 PM']What difference in terms of sound will that shorter scale length make?[/quote]
With that small a difference, negligible. In a band mix, no difference at all. The real difference will be noticing that your muscle memory causes you to mis-fret all over the shop, assuming you're used to 34". (And I suppose you might notice a small difference in string feel due to the lower tension needed to bring the strings up to pitch at a shorter scale length.)

[paul h]

So no real reason to not get one then?

[iconic]

......that's odd I found this site this morning too...

......the Retrovibe Ray 4 'ThingRay' looks cool too....but at £299 it ain't stinkin cheap! I think it's a rebadged SX SBG2...weren't they banned in the US due to a lawsuit?





Specification
Model: Retrovibe RAY4
Body: Basswood, White
Scratchplate: Black
Controls: 2 x Volume, 2 x Tone
Bridge: 4-string MM-style, chrome, top-load
Pickups: 2 x MM-style humbuckers
Neck: Maple, set construction, White
Fretboard: Rosewood
Frets: 21
Overall length: 1110mm
Overall width: 343mm
Body thickness:36mm
Scale length:845mm (33.27 inches)
Width at nut: 39mm
Width at 12th fret: 55mm
Markers: Mother-of-pearl block markers
Tuners: Chromed open-gear type

Edited May 15, 2010 by iconic

[paul h]

They might well be made in the same factory but they are not the same as SX. In fact I just found this thread over TB...

[url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=656707&highlight=retrovibe"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.p...light=retrovibe[/url]

The man behind the basses makes an appearance and it seems as though he has just gone for his personal preferences spec wise, which on the Aero2 is uncannily close to what I would choose. They are certainly not the cheapest option but I can't think of anyone else offering the spec of the Aero2 at this price point, if at all.

[paul h]

Just emailed the guy a link to this thread.

[Bassassin]

The Rick copies are being discussed in the relevant thread on the Ebay forum:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=270&view=findpost&p=835383"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&sho...st&p=835383[/url]

Personally I think they look great - I love the white/black binding one & the MM-style pups are an interesting approach on a Rick clone. The price is also better than pretty much anything else on the market (new or vintage) and if I had a spare £300 to drop on one, I might well.

I wonder if the importer/seller would consider making any examples available to BC members for review?

Jon.

[paul h]

I think I am going to order one from the website today.

[Musky]

Let us know how you get on. Which one are you going for - the Aero?

[paul h]

Just pulled the trigger on a white Aero.

And now the waiting begins....

[bh2]

Well I'm more than interested... the Aero's look too cool to be true. I was thinking of a CV 60s P bass (here at £280) but I like the look of these.

[paul h]

Good customer service so far from David who sent me a nice email thanking me for the order. Hopefully he will get over to this thread at some point.

All going well it should be with me tomorrow. Rather annoyingly I am having it delivered to an alternative address because I thought I would be working tomorrow but it turns out I'm not!

Watch this space.

[Kev]

Let us know how you get on mate

I emailed the guy last week about the rick copy, very interested in it but at the moment i think 300 is too much until i see it getting positive reviews, although the maker does claim he gigs with one and has been for 2 months and thinks its great, but then he would say that

[bh2]

Is he the maker...? they look mass produced.

[Kev]

dealer, they are made in china

[Bassassin]

According to the TB thread linked earlier, the importer/seller fella has these made to his specs - hence the set neck on the Aero & slightly shorter scale lengths.

J.

[WHUFC BASS]

Any news on these basses yet ?

[derrenleepoole]

These have been around for a while, and originally the J's were going for £99. I'd be interested in trying out for sure, they look a bit SX ish. Probably a good bass for modding further.