FS: Nordy VJ5 / 3-tone Sunburst / mint condition

Freddy-G. · #1 09-09-2009, 05:24 PM

••• Price drop to $2100 •••

Up for grabs is my Nordy VJ5, #129. And she's a pretty special example. The body is lightweight swamp ash with a really nice grain. Over that is a gorgeous 3-tone sunburst. Then add the blocks and binding, and you've got a real vintage looking bass with unmatched modern craftsmanship.

Extremely low neck action on this one with no dead spots. It balances beautifully and weighs only 9 pounds. The satin finish on the neck and the relatively flat radius make it a joy to play. Passive electronics, but the wonderful Nordstrand single coil pickups have plenty of gain with a large, hefty punch while retaining the single coil treble edge.

- lightweight swamp ash body
- 3 tone sunburst ($100 upgrade)
- 9 pounds
- maple neck with satin finish
- birdseye maple fingerboard ($100 upgrade)
- Pearloid blocks and white binding ($300 upgrade)
- upgraded Hipshot B bridge
- passive electronics, volume, blend, tone
- Nordstrand NJ5S noiseless split coil pickups ($100 upgrade)
- side jack ($50 upgrade)
- tortoise shell pickguard ($50 upgrade)
- new TKL lightweight case

Note the $700 in upgrades over a standard Nordy VJ5. I'm asking $2100 shipped in the CONUS. No trades please.

**Chef** · #2 09-09-2009, 06:23 PM

volume, blend tone=three knobs....but, there's four...clarification plz? thx!

p0k · #3 09-09-2009, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chef

volume, blend tone=three knobs....but, there's four...clarification plz? thx!

+1

Freddy-G. · #4 09-09-2009, 07:15 PM

4th knob is inactive. It's ready for a preamp if you want to have one installed.

Scale is 34.5" with 21 frets, radius is 12" to 20" compound, small vintage style fretwire, 1.81" bone nut, 19mm bridge spacing.

**Chef** · #5 09-09-2009, 07:19 PM

thx!
beautiful bass, good luck!

jb64 · #6 09-09-2009, 07:23 PM

70's position pup's?

Freddy-G. · #7 09-09-2009, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jb64

70's position pup's?

Yes.

Dave Hill · #8 09-09-2009, 07:56 PM

Good Lord, Gary...what are you gonna keep to play?! (you need to try my F)?!
Can I buy that case off you?

rodneyat · #9 09-09-2009, 08:17 PM

Bump for a great bass and ever better TBer

Freddy-G. · #10 09-09-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Hill

Good Lord, Gary...what are you gonna keep to play?! (you need to try my F)?!
Can I buy that case off you?

Simply simplifying.

Freddy-G. · #11 09-09-2009, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodneyat

Bump for a great bass and ever better TBer

Hope you get that Taylor that you want.

Honk'n_down-low · #12 09-09-2009, 08:30 PM

Wow gorgeous Bass - cutting my kidney out now.

Freddy-G. · #13 09-09-2009, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Honk'n_down-low

Wow gorgeous Bass - cutting my kidney out now.

It's killing me too. I just put on a set of Sadowsky blue label steels. And it kills!!!!

xsubs · #14 09-09-2009, 09:27 PM

Sure that's a one piece body? Sure looks like two from the back pics... Nice instrument

XavidmanX · #15 09-09-2009, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xsubs

Sure that's a one piece body? Sure looks like two from the back pics... Nice instrument

Kind of tough to tell from the grain in the middle of the back, but if you look down toward the strap button it looks like a one piece. Anyone else see something I don't?

Dr. Cheese · #16 09-09-2009, 10:07 PM

I need a cold shower! That bass is hot!

Vic · #17 09-10-2009, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chef

volume, blend tone=three knobs....but, there's four...clarification plz? thx!

This is my old bass.

I ordered it passive, but wanted the option of being able to easily install a preamp because the newer Nordy preamp was not available at the time this bass was built.

So originally, that pot was not a dummy, it was a second passive tone control... the idea was to mimic the '62 vol-ton vol-ton thing. As it turned out, while it did function fairly well, I didn't like the sound, so I disconnected it, but left the pot/knob there just to avoid it looking stupid. It still has the cap on there, and can still be wired in if someone wanted to try it out, however.

This bass sounds great passive, but after playing some basses with the new Nordy preamp, I HIGHLY recommend whomever purchases this (amazing!) bass get that preamp in there. That would totally push this thing over the top.

One correction... This is NOT a one piece maple neck. Carey does offer this now, but this is the usual maple neck with separate maple fingerboard (as indicated by the fact the neck isn't birdseye). If it was a one piece maple neck, it'd also have a skunk strip on the back.

Freddy-G. · #18 09-10-2009, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vic

This is my old bass.

I ordered it passive, but wanted the option of being able to easily install a preamp because the newer Nordy preamp was not available at the time this bass was built.

So originally, that pot was not a dummy, it was a second passive tone control... the idea was to mimic the '62 vol-ton vol-ton thing. As it turned out, while it did function fairly well, I didn't like the sound, so I disconnected it, but left the pot/knob there just to avoid it looking stupid. It still has the cap on there, and can still be wired in if someone wanted to try it out, however.

This bass sounds great passive, but after playing some basses with the new Nordy preamp, I HIGHLY recommend whomever purchases this (amazing!) bass get that preamp in there. That would totally push this thing over the top.

One correction... This is NOT a one piece maple neck. Carey does offer this now, but this is the usual maple neck with separate maple fingerboard (as indicated by the fact the neck isn't birdseye). If it was a one piece maple neck, it'd also have a skunk strip on the back.

Thanks for the info, Vic. I did not mean to imply that the neck and fingerboard are all one piece of maple. Just that the neck part only is one piece and not 3 pieces like so many maple necks are. The fingerboard is definately a separate piece of birdseye maple.

Maybe you could also clear-up the question as to whether the body is one piece? I was under the impression that it is, but now have doubts. Either way, it looks great.

Vic · #19 09-10-2009, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddy-G.

Maybe you could also clear-up the question as to whether the body is one piece? I was under the impression that it is, but now have doubts. Either way, it looks great.

I don't think it is. I know I didn't specify that. I think the "problem" is Carey did his best to make the grain look good when he mated the pieces. I'd have to look at my full rez pics at home, but you could probably beat me to that and just inspect it up close yourself. Thing is, I don't know of any specific tonal or structural benefit to a one piece body anyway... I'm pretty sure it's just a cosmetic thing, and clearly, Carey has that covered in this bass anyway.

Freddy-G. · #20 09-10-2009, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vic

I don't think it is. I know I didn't specify that. I think the "problem" is Carey did his best to make the grain look good when he mated the pieces. I'd have to look at my full rez pics at home, but you could probably beat me to that and just inspect it up close yourself. Thing is, I don't know of any specific tonal or structural benefit to a one piece body anyway... I'm pretty sure it's just a cosmetic thing, and clearly, Carey has that covered in this bass anyway.

I put my reading glasses on

and took a close look. I believe it is two pieces, but Carey did a great job of matching them up.