FS/T: Wendler Electrocoustic fretless bass

**craigb** · #1 02-19-2011, 06:44 PM

Hey Y'all,

I just received this from TBer jweiss and it is magnificent. Every time I play it my ears go "Yes! Yes! Yes!" because of the lucious acoustic-ey tone from the Wendler mag-pi system. Just wonderful. However every time I play it my wrists go "No! No! No!" because it's not a skinny necked G&L (the only basses where my wrists don't complain). So after some deliberation it's gonna head back out. I might look into having a G&L fretless Wendler-ized at some point because that tone is something else . . .

It's in great shape. Red cedar body that's carved front and back and the bass only weighs ~5.5lbs (every time I pick it up I feel like I'm going to throw it because the muscle effort that my brain expects to lift a normal 8-9lb bass is too much). Pao ferro fingerboard. Wendler mag-pi pickup system. Tort pickguard. The strings appear to be TIJFs (the Wendler standard - and they sure feel and sound like them to me). I'm not sure if the finish is gloss or satin but it's very nice.

thread I bought it from: FS: Wendler Electrocoustic Fretless 4-string

Wendler website for more information and links to Wendler soundclips: http://electrocoustic.com/

I've attached a couple of pics of my own. It will ship double-boxed in a gig bag.

Previous owner apparently was a smoker - the bass and gig bag smell of smoke. If there's anything you want to know about it, please ask - full disclosure and underpromise/overdeliver is my goal.

$795 shipped in the contiguous 48, paypal just fine

possible trades:
G&L fretless (1.5" nut width, satin neck, L2K/SB1/SB2, 9lbs or less)
G&L SB-1 or SB-2 (1.5" nut width, satin neck, 9lbs or less)
Reverend Rumblefish PJ

if someone is already tired of their GenzBenz Streamliner 900 we can talk - or a fEARful/nearful 12/6/1 cube or 15/6/1 - we can talk

4Mal · #2 02-19-2011, 08:58 PM

What is the neck profile on this Craig ?

Kevin Woods · #3 02-20-2011, 12:28 AM

The sound clips of these sound grrreat.

There is the one tune on the Wendler site that sounds like it is a 60's Dexter Gordon tune...that is about the best upright bass emulation that I have heard, aside from the fact that it is just super-fat great bass playing.

I am pretty well stocked for acoustic sounds now, but these look and sound like finely crafted instruments.

Cheers

**Chef** · #4 02-20-2011, 03:38 AM

Owned one-not this one-and it was indeed a high end type piece of craftsmanship.
I believe that's the gloss finish, mine was much less shiny than yours.

Good stuff!

Hog Branch · #5 02-20-2011, 07:58 AM

PM with trade offer sent from Austin. Thanks.

Lobaw · #6 02-20-2011, 12:15 PM

**craigb** · #7 02-20-2011, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Mal

What is the neck profile on this Craig ?

The nut width is 1-5/8" and it's pretty slim front-to-back. Right in line with the #6 and #8 G&L necks I like so well.

I played it this morning at church - Old Crow Medicine Show, CSN, Wailin' Jennies, Dylan. Electric guitar on one and only one tune. It sounded amazing and while my wrists started with "Oh no, not again" by the time we finished warming up they were going "Meh, it's not so bad".

~~So I'm going to lock this down for the time being and see if the Wendler can go into the same category as my Rumblefish - amazing tone and comfortable enough to play often if not all the time.~~

**craigb** · #8 02-21-2011, 09:13 AM

OK, back open and available. Still love the tone but my wrists are feeling it this morning, the day after. So I'll stick to my skinny necked G&Ls even though they don't sound the same. It's a sweet instrument and I'll miss it when it's gone. Now on to evaluating the semihollow JB2 to see if it's a keeper for me (oh, how lightly I use that word, "keeper").

SteveC · #9 02-21-2011, 12:31 PM

I had one of these for a while. Very nice bass. Very nice "upright" sound. I liked this better than a Rob Allen I had a year or so after I had the Wendler. I just bought a NXT EUB. I like the physicality of playing the upright, but the sound of the Wendler is every bit as good as the EUB. I don't remember why I sold my Wendler. So light and easy to play.

**craigb** · #10 02-21-2011, 05:33 PM

~~ON HOLD pending payment~~

4Mal · #11 02-21-2011, 11:40 PM

Oh thank god! Before I did something bad...

**craigb** · #12 02-22-2011, 05:11 AM

C'mon Mal, GAS isn't bad, just misunderstood.

*** SOLD ***

I'm sad to see it go but my wrists will thank me in the long run (even if my ears are grumbling about it).

**craigb** · #13 03-01-2011, 09:01 PM

Available again

4Mal · #14 03-01-2011, 09:34 PM

You know Craig, I have an amazing MIJ 75 RI J up for grabs. I know it isn't a G&L but it styed home while no less than 3 MIA JB-2's came and went...

**craigb** · #15 03-01-2011, 09:38 PM

Unfortunately real J-styled basses don't work for me. My loss as I tried a very sweet G&L JB last year that was wonderful - but the offset waist body didn't agree with me. Sucks to be me, sometimes.

4Mal · #16 03-01-2011, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craigb

Unfortunately real J-styled basses don't work for me. My loss as I tried a very sweet G&L JB last year that was wonderful - but the offset waist body didn't agree with me. Sucks to be me, sometimes.

ah, me too... You see i have this addiction to piezo basses...

Dee-man · #17 03-01-2011, 10:12 PM

Very sweet and tempting. I'm curious - how does the gloss/paint finish affect the "breathability" or resonance of the red cedar, if you know. How does it amplify - any feedback issues or volume limitations like occur with acoustic/electrics? How is the mag pup attached - is it affixed to the top, or does it float (like some I've read do)? And what kind of strings are on it? Thx, DM

BartmanPDX · #18 03-01-2011, 11:06 PM

Nice bass!

Just curious, craig: Have you ever tried a Barker vertical bass?

4Mal · #19 03-01-2011, 11:08 PM

Hey! Got one of those too! Fretted though and a boat load more cash... The ergonomics of the BVB are interesting for those of us with infirmaties... Wrists, elbows, soulders.. Shoulders in my case.

**craigb** · #20 03-02-2011, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee-man

Very sweet and tempting. I'm curious - how does the gloss/paint finish affect the "breathability" or resonance of the red cedar, if you know. How does it amplify - any feedback issues or volume limitations like occur with acoustic/electrics? How is the mag pup attached - is it affixed to the top, or does it float (like some I've read do)? And what kind of strings are on it? Thx, DM

gloss finish and breathability - To be honest I have no idea. I don't have a frame of reference to begin to make an educated comment on this. I'd suggest contacting Wendler for more info.

amplification - I've only used it at "coffeehouse" kind of volumes but have had zero problems. The piezo does pick up more "general" input (tapping on the bass body, messing with the strap) but I think that's par for the course for a piezo equipped bass.

pickup - the pickup and all the electronics are above the body, there's no cavities (and not enough depth in the body to have any). The controls/electronics are under the pickguard, there are some custom brackets as part of the construction supporting everything. I'll see if I can get a couple of pics of this tonight.

strings - my educated guess is that they are TI Jazz Flats. Those are the standard strings on a Wendler and the strings on the bass match my memory of my limited experience with those - smooth feel, low tension.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BartmanPDX

Nice bass!

Just curious, craig: Have you ever tried a Barker vertical bass?

Nope, I've been curious about them but never run across one in person and haven't been curious enough to put together the funds and track one down.