This is a 2005 Lightwave Saber 4 that has the propriatary Lightwave MIDI option installed. It can be used in the normal fashion with a 1/4 in guitar cable or your can connect it to a MIDI device such as a Roland GR-20 with a 13 pin MIDI cable and it will allow you to sound like virtually any instrument you can imagine.
There is a switch and blend knob that allow you to select either the normal bass sound, the selected MIDI sound or both and then blend them together however you like. For example when I connect it to a Roland GR-20 and select both the bass sound and a flute patch I can play Jethro Tull's "Bouree" all by myself. It's quite remarkable.
Another switch allows you to step up or down and select MIDI patches directly from the bass.
There is also the normal compliment of tone controls as well as a preset EQ switch for the Piezo pickup in the bridge. Rather and using 9 volt batteries to power the onboard electronics this bass has a built in rechargable nickle metal-hydride battery that will hold a charge for 12 to 14 hours. There is a red LED on the bridge that will start to blink when the battery has 2 hours of charge left.
Lightwave basses use an optical pickup rather than a magnetic pickup so they are very quiet and have a very warm fat tone. The optical pickup combined with the MIDI circuitry give you an instrument with excellent MIDI tracking. Much better and consitant than the retrofit Roland GK series MIDI guitar pickups.
Here are some photos of this very unique and amazing bass:
http://home.comcast.net/~swpyne/lw/lw01.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~swpyne/lw/lw02.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~swpyne/lw/lw03.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~swpyne/lw/lw04.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~swpyne/lw/lw05.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~swpyne/lw/lw06.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~swpyne/lw/lw07.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~swpyne/lw/lw08.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~swpyne/lw/lw09.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~swpyne/lw/lw10.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~swpyne/lw/lw11.jpg
The only reason I am selling this bass is because I want to get the 5 string version. Otherwise I would certainly be holding on to it. This bass is not for everyone and I know that. It will, however, open up your creative side and allow you to do things that a "mere mortal" bassist could never do! If you are up for trying somthing new, then maybe this bass is for you.
Asking price is $1,000.00 shipped and it comes with the original Lightwave Gig Bag as well as the AC charger and original manual.
Please email me directly at:
swpyne@comcast.net if you have any questions at all.
