pointbass
07-10-2007, 03:27 PM
Having been quite negligent in posting a real review of my Barker B1 fretless 5 (#0076) over the past ½ year of use, I guess it’s time to finally post up some of my impressions and opinions. I usually like to get some significant time under my belt before talking about any gear, so I guess that 6 months of pretty steady gigs qualifies …… :)
For those currently using a Barker bass, it’s doubtful that there will be anything useful here that you don’t already know. For those possibly considering a Barker purchase, I hope some of this helps. And to Lee & Co, my apologies in advance for my pitiful attempt at representing the results of your craftsmanship …..
I got the B1 in early January of ’07. As I have mentioned in other posts/threads, the packing materials for this bass should be published as a class lesson for all bass builders as to how to best protect their products during shipment. While holding down the weight and size of the box to the maximum extent possible, the bass is shipped in a box that completely protects the axe from damages. One day I’ll take a picture of the packing design, truly inventive and professional.
Looking at the packaging is the first sign of the quality of the instrument inside the box. I was, frankly, shocked to see how well built the bass was :bassist: I didn’t expect shoddy workmanship at all, but the actual attention to detail was very impressive and certainly on a par with any custom built bass I have ever seen or held. The neck pocket is perfect, the curvature of the body is immaculate …. It might sound a bit strange but in many ways the body reminds me of the work you would expect to see on extremely high end cabinetry.
The unique stand design has been well discussed by many others here. Suffice it to say that it is 100% versatile and 100% secure. In actual performance conditions, where stage hustle and bustle and clumsy drummers (:rolleyes:) have a tendency to wreak havoc with your basses, the B1 has stood tall and stable for me.
Component-wise, the neck is a standard Warmoth, 13 degree angled 3+2 peghead, lined 22 “fret” ebony board, 34” scale, 10” radius fingerboard. It is a passive bass with Duncan Basslines pick-ups (Vol/Vol/Tone controls). The input is on the back of the bass mounted in the cavity plate and set on the left side of the bass …. It doesn’t get in the way when you’re playing (well, at least if you’re right-handed). The bridge is a standard adjustable bass bridge. There are two thumbrests on the B-string side. The “tailpiece” is cosmetic only.
Regarding tone, that unbelievable sustain and depth comes directly from the chambered body. That is the thing that most people notice right away, that big, warm deep tone and sustain. Yet despite all of that bottom end, the tone isn’t muddy or undefined in any way. Quite the opposite, the B1 has a serious punch that is not only heard, but felt in your chest as well.
I’m a working bassist that gigs a lot. To my discredit, I’m hard on my basses because to me they’re tools of the trade. As much as I admire the beauty of my instruments, they are first and foremost tools to help me get paid. My basses and other gear have to be able to hold up to my handling of them, and to date the B1 is proving itself to be much more than just a super pretty package. That axe gets jammed into my ride at the end of the day, gets propped up in a corner at the places I play while I’m setting up, has my nasty sweat dripping all over it (with an occasional droplet of beverage originating from Scotland hitting it now and then ;) ), gets knocked into by the headstocks of my slab basses, and other such atrocities :rollno: . Yet with a simple wipe down at the end of the gig, she’s ready to go to the next date.
To date, I have yet to get a single complaint from anyone regarding the B1. I have the pleasure of being able to work with some very gifted local players, and these very professional musicians have nothing but positive comments about the B1. The Barker has been used in pretty hard-core “pure” jazz situations where normally only a DB is acceptable, yet I can very comfortably walk into those situations with my B1 and not hear a peep of dissent from even the most old-school cats .... :cool:
The B1 is completely at home in my classic rock band. It has worked extremely well in the few country settings I’ve played this year. At club dates (or corporate gigs as some of you guys call them), it’s actually the perfect bass for the wide range of styles these jobs require.
I have used the B1 in multiple recording sessions. The first one was a disaster, but it was due to my lousy muting technique and inexperience in controlling the sustain. But after embarrassing myself in that session I made adjustments and the bass has performed flawlessly. As soon as I get permission to post some of the session tracks I’ll put them up ….
There are a few things I’d like to see … First, there isn’t any option for a 6 (or 7) string version. I’m an extended range player, and I’d love to have at least the higher C available. But I do realize that I’m in the significant minority ….
I’d like to see a slightly more substantial gig bag with padding made available for these basses. The gig bag that comes with the Barker is well made, but offers little in the way of padding. Due to the size of the axe, it would be nice to be able to lay it on its side during load-in/load-out. A gig bag with a good 1” or so of padding would offer more protection. Right now, I’m always looking for a corner to stand it in before setting it into the stand.
It would be great to see a 6 string Barker ….. oops, sorry, already covered that …. :hmm:
While the Barker basses are worth the expense, it is decidedly not a low ticket item. Even the Brio’s are considered out of the reach of many bassists. I have no idea how it could be done, or if it could be done, but if a “budget” Barker could be made (say, in the mid-teens) I believe that it could attract a bunch of players that might currently feel it is “too much” money. Of course, that’s easy for me to say since I don’t have to pay any of the Barker Bass Co’s expenses …
Also, a 6 stri … ahh, never mind ….. :ninja:
I'm just a local guy that has been playing for a very long time, a good chunk of that as a full-time musician and now as a very active semi-pro. Music is important to me, and my basses have to be able to keep up with my schedule and expectations. Overall, consider me a highly satisfied Barker bassist. As I’ve said before, hats off to the Barker crew for an innovative and exceptional bass that doesn’t fit in any of the conventional molds …. :cool:
For those currently using a Barker bass, it’s doubtful that there will be anything useful here that you don’t already know. For those possibly considering a Barker purchase, I hope some of this helps. And to Lee & Co, my apologies in advance for my pitiful attempt at representing the results of your craftsmanship …..
I got the B1 in early January of ’07. As I have mentioned in other posts/threads, the packing materials for this bass should be published as a class lesson for all bass builders as to how to best protect their products during shipment. While holding down the weight and size of the box to the maximum extent possible, the bass is shipped in a box that completely protects the axe from damages. One day I’ll take a picture of the packing design, truly inventive and professional.
Looking at the packaging is the first sign of the quality of the instrument inside the box. I was, frankly, shocked to see how well built the bass was :bassist: I didn’t expect shoddy workmanship at all, but the actual attention to detail was very impressive and certainly on a par with any custom built bass I have ever seen or held. The neck pocket is perfect, the curvature of the body is immaculate …. It might sound a bit strange but in many ways the body reminds me of the work you would expect to see on extremely high end cabinetry.
The unique stand design has been well discussed by many others here. Suffice it to say that it is 100% versatile and 100% secure. In actual performance conditions, where stage hustle and bustle and clumsy drummers (:rolleyes:) have a tendency to wreak havoc with your basses, the B1 has stood tall and stable for me.
Component-wise, the neck is a standard Warmoth, 13 degree angled 3+2 peghead, lined 22 “fret” ebony board, 34” scale, 10” radius fingerboard. It is a passive bass with Duncan Basslines pick-ups (Vol/Vol/Tone controls). The input is on the back of the bass mounted in the cavity plate and set on the left side of the bass …. It doesn’t get in the way when you’re playing (well, at least if you’re right-handed). The bridge is a standard adjustable bass bridge. There are two thumbrests on the B-string side. The “tailpiece” is cosmetic only.
Regarding tone, that unbelievable sustain and depth comes directly from the chambered body. That is the thing that most people notice right away, that big, warm deep tone and sustain. Yet despite all of that bottom end, the tone isn’t muddy or undefined in any way. Quite the opposite, the B1 has a serious punch that is not only heard, but felt in your chest as well.
I’m a working bassist that gigs a lot. To my discredit, I’m hard on my basses because to me they’re tools of the trade. As much as I admire the beauty of my instruments, they are first and foremost tools to help me get paid. My basses and other gear have to be able to hold up to my handling of them, and to date the B1 is proving itself to be much more than just a super pretty package. That axe gets jammed into my ride at the end of the day, gets propped up in a corner at the places I play while I’m setting up, has my nasty sweat dripping all over it (with an occasional droplet of beverage originating from Scotland hitting it now and then ;) ), gets knocked into by the headstocks of my slab basses, and other such atrocities :rollno: . Yet with a simple wipe down at the end of the gig, she’s ready to go to the next date.
To date, I have yet to get a single complaint from anyone regarding the B1. I have the pleasure of being able to work with some very gifted local players, and these very professional musicians have nothing but positive comments about the B1. The Barker has been used in pretty hard-core “pure” jazz situations where normally only a DB is acceptable, yet I can very comfortably walk into those situations with my B1 and not hear a peep of dissent from even the most old-school cats .... :cool:
The B1 is completely at home in my classic rock band. It has worked extremely well in the few country settings I’ve played this year. At club dates (or corporate gigs as some of you guys call them), it’s actually the perfect bass for the wide range of styles these jobs require.
I have used the B1 in multiple recording sessions. The first one was a disaster, but it was due to my lousy muting technique and inexperience in controlling the sustain. But after embarrassing myself in that session I made adjustments and the bass has performed flawlessly. As soon as I get permission to post some of the session tracks I’ll put them up ….
There are a few things I’d like to see … First, there isn’t any option for a 6 (or 7) string version. I’m an extended range player, and I’d love to have at least the higher C available. But I do realize that I’m in the significant minority ….
I’d like to see a slightly more substantial gig bag with padding made available for these basses. The gig bag that comes with the Barker is well made, but offers little in the way of padding. Due to the size of the axe, it would be nice to be able to lay it on its side during load-in/load-out. A gig bag with a good 1” or so of padding would offer more protection. Right now, I’m always looking for a corner to stand it in before setting it into the stand.
It would be great to see a 6 string Barker ….. oops, sorry, already covered that …. :hmm:
While the Barker basses are worth the expense, it is decidedly not a low ticket item. Even the Brio’s are considered out of the reach of many bassists. I have no idea how it could be done, or if it could be done, but if a “budget” Barker could be made (say, in the mid-teens) I believe that it could attract a bunch of players that might currently feel it is “too much” money. Of course, that’s easy for me to say since I don’t have to pay any of the Barker Bass Co’s expenses …
Also, a 6 stri … ahh, never mind ….. :ninja:
I'm just a local guy that has been playing for a very long time, a good chunk of that as a full-time musician and now as a very active semi-pro. Music is important to me, and my basses have to be able to keep up with my schedule and expectations. Overall, consider me a highly satisfied Barker bassist. As I’ve said before, hats off to the Barker crew for an innovative and exceptional bass that doesn’t fit in any of the conventional molds …. :cool: