PRICE DROP TO $900, shipped CONUS in gig bag.
I don't know why Carruthers basses don't show up more on Talkbass or ebay - you see them in use here in Los Angeles, and those users tend to be pretty happy -- maybe they're simply holding on to these axes, or there simply aren't very many of them? But these fine instruments are hand-crafted by John Carruthers, who has enjoyed a long career as a luthier and consultant to major manufacturers (Yamaha, Fender, G&L). A visit to Carruthers's shop is a treat, to see folks whose handiwork and craftsmanship is backed up by an awesome CNC capability.
This axe is a Carruthers instrument marketed under the "17th Street" label, which apparently was a short-lived effort by some other folks to market instruments built in the Carruthers shop. If you go to the Carruthers website (
www.carruthersguitars.com) and inspect the CB-4, you'll see an instrument that is identical to the 17th Street, except that the 17th Street body is a tad smaller and more rounded at the edges and sports a reverse headstock, and the neck is less thick than Carruthers' stock dimension.
Otherwise, features include:
Ultralight Swamp Ash body w/Natural Satin Finish
Maple neck w/Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard
34" Scale
22 frets
1.625" at the nut
EMG 35-TW Double Coils w/individual coil splitters (push/pull pots for each)
18V setup, EMG BQC Preamp - Volume, Volume, Bass, Treble, Mid w/Sweep
Hipshot A-Style Bridge - Satin Chrome
Hipshot Ultralight Tuners - Satin Chrome
This instrument is a real thoroughbred. It's very light and very responsive - the acoustic sound and output is pretty amazing.
The setup and condition are also excellent, because after I bought it, I took it to Carruthers for TLC. This instrument has therefore been rehabbed and set-up (including replacement, under EMG warranty, of a failed pot) by the same people who built it! There are a few small dings down by the input jack as pictured below, and you can feel some of the wood grain under the satin finish (not unusual) - and that's it.
It plays like a dream, but I'm selling it because I ended up getting a Carruthers CB-4 with a mahogany body -- I've been on the verge of selling this one several times and then pulled back, but at this point I'm really not using it at all, so off we go. I'm asking $1050.00, plus shipping - the axe will come in a good gig bag, very well-packed.
