For sale or trade: Veillette Mark IV 5 string.

NickyBass · #1 08-09-2010, 10:45 AM

I just picked this up in trade. I really like the bass, but it doesn't quite fit the music that I'm playing. I would like to sell it for $1800 shipped. Here is the original thread:

FT: Joe Veillette Mark IV 5 String

**smperry** · #2 08-09-2010, 11:10 AM

Very nice!

The original thread says that it has a rosewood board, but it looks more like wenge to me. I know that they use wenge from time to time, and it would match the bridge. I could be wrong of course.

klanger2003 · #3 08-09-2010, 12:54 PM

Very much looks like wenge.

NickyBass · #4 08-09-2010, 07:58 PM

I think you guys are right. It does very much look like wenge to me. I suppose I could email Veillette if anyone is interested.

Kevin Woods · #5 08-09-2010, 08:40 PM

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I owned a 34" scale Mark IV 5-string fretless for a while. I played lots of gigs with it and people were always blown away by the sound. They are extremely satisfying instruments to play. When you pull the sucker out of the case for the first time the class just oozes out of it.

Now I have the 35" scale Mark IV 6-string fretless and it smokes like mad. Even in the first position the notes growl and swell.

Anyway, these are great instruments.
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seventhson · #6 08-10-2010, 12:55 AM

So this is a 34" scale bass?

NickyBass · #7 08-10-2010, 06:10 AM

I will measure when I get home. Also, I think the bass feels closer to 9 lbs, but my scale is broken. Somewhere between 8.5 and 9 lbs.

NickyBass · #8 08-10-2010, 04:17 PM

The scale is 35 inches.

mikeGJ · #9 09-24-2010, 12:06 PM

Bump for an awesome bass.

NickyBass · #10 09-27-2010, 06:40 AM

Thanks, Mike. It is a cool bass. I just wish it fit my current needs better.

Kevin Woods · #11 09-29-2010, 11:54 PM

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These Veillettes have a positively huge sound. I have owned one with the exact Alvarez preamp shown here and the D-tar in my current Veillette. Both are piezo-only and are formidable and professional instruments with a beautiful finish to them.

I imagine that this bass, having the magnetic pickup as well, can cover even more sounds with ease. Dudes, the low end on these basses is sufficient to play dub reggae lines.

Here is a good Veillette story. Go to the "veilletteguitars.com" website and check out the Groove Shoppe Paris bass in the Custom Instruments section (the amber/quilt maple top five-string fretless with the two-tone katalox fingerboard). I remember when that bass was in the pipeline because David (Beasley) out at the Groove Shoppe was sending me basses to try/buy at that same time and I was calling him up in the mornings and bending his ear for 30 minutes about everything bass. When he received the Veillette he was truly mesmerized. He told me he kept going back to it. He couldn't put it down. Among all of these great sounds the bass was pouring out, the thing was giving him these awesome Willis-like tones as well. This is a guy who had handled the finest Fodera basses and had spec'd out the Olive-top 5 with Richard Bona.

Joe Veillette (and Martin Keith) are putting out fantastic instruments with palpable heft and class.
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ps Jim, you might consider posting a pic of just the preamp face-plate. It has very helpful and usable features. That being said, I couldn't find the Veillette album in your pic hosting link.
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NickyBass · #12 09-30-2010, 06:16 PM

Thanks for the story and for the words about the bass. I added some pics to the original post.

btw, 'class' is a great adjective to describe Veillette basses. They are super classy.

Keith Guitars · #13 09-30-2010, 09:04 PM

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the kind words.

Guess I'll chime in here to confirm that the fingerboard and tailpiece are definitely wenge.

While we're at it: poplar body, maple neck, and a flamed maple top.
IIRC this bass was originally sold to/through Bass Alone in San Diego, probably 8(?) years or so ago....looks like it's in good shape for its age.

It is one of very few fretted Mk-IV basses we built - the vast majority are fretless. The 35" scale is also quite unusual, as are the dot markers and Basslines pickup. It's undoubtedly the only one we've made with all of those features together.

Finally - the strap buttons are compatible with the Dunlop Straplok system, in case that helps anyone!

If anyone would like any further information on this bass, please feel free to email or PM me.

Best wishes,
Martin

NickyBass · #14 10-05-2010, 11:50 AM

Thanks for all the added info, Martin. Very cool.

As for trades, I would also be interested in studio mics....and maybe studio preamps.

NickyBass · #15 10-29-2010, 10:31 AM

This bass is sold