New Sage For Atlanta Bass Gallery

rwelcome · #1 06-13-2006, 06:32 PM

Hello All

I just wanted to share a new bass I built for Jim Rubio at Atlanta Bass Gallery. It's a Bubinga/Mahogany body, Maple neck, African Blackwood fingerboard. The Pickups are Aero's, and the preamp is a 3 band Bartolini. I'd love some feedback from the bass community.

Ryan Welcome

west*coast*bass · #2 06-13-2006, 06:40 PM

It's a nice bass. Personally, I would like to see the upper horn bend back down towards the neck a bit and the area where the input jack is located to be sanded smooth and keep the flow of the body.

Other than those 2 things, the bass looks really nice. I'm going to take a look at your site.

What is your current build time?

Best,

WCB

Spector_Ray · #3 06-13-2006, 06:42 PM

Well, if I could play one, I could give a better opinion!

Seriously though, it's a very nice looking bass as well as the others in the gallery. Very nice indeed.

On a side note, what kind of tone does sycamore wood yield? I used to live in a house that had a sycamore in the yard and I hated that tree. I always wanted to cut it down and make a bass out of it.

west*coast*bass · #4 06-13-2006, 06:43 PM

Is your pricing listed on your site retail or street? If it's street pricing, you are a bit pricey IMO.

**T. B. Player** · #5 06-13-2006, 06:43 PM

No sixers in the Gallery????

No love for the ERBs???

emjazz · #6 06-13-2006, 07:14 PM

A couple of things....I can't really tell from the picture but it looks like the upper horn doesn't reach the 12 fret. I don't like that. Also, the lower horn isn't long enough and will make it difficult to sit with the bass. There are far too many bass builders that make these mistakes. I also feel that the upper horn is too far away from the neck. Get it closer, it makes it much more comfortable with the neck closer to your body. For those who prefer it further away they can lengthen the strap. You can't change it around the other way though. I also don't like when the knobs are close to the strings. They just get in the way. Tuck them further down and get them out of the way (the volume knob is the problem). I personally think that if you're trying to get these into people's hands than you may want to reconsider using Aero pickups. They are too much of an aquired taste. I can say this because I don't like them. Maybe those mated with the Bart preamp is the sound that you're trying to get across in your instruments though. Also, I think this was mentioned in another thread....there are so many good luthiers out there to choose from. You should consider lowering your prices until you get some basses out there. Good luck with your endeavors.

BartmanPDX · #7 06-13-2006, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spector_Ray

I used to live in a house that had a sycamore in the yard and I hated that tree. I always wanted to cut it down and make a bass out of it.

That's funny.

In general, it looks good, though I agree with emjazz about the horns and knob placement.

Personally, though, I LOVE Aero pickups.

emjazz · #8 06-13-2006, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BartmanPDX

Personally, though, I LOVE Aero pickups.

Have you only heard the ones in your DJ? Those seem to be quite different than the usual Aero's. Anyway, it's just a personal thing is all. They're too clean to me, not enough character.

g00eY · #9 06-13-2006, 09:26 PM

whoa... that looks delicious.

unatratnag · #10 06-13-2006, 09:29 PM

Everything I have to say seems to be a repeat really *shrug*.

Pretty bass. I like the borders and hardware. Big fan of a 2+3 headstock shape. I usually don't dig big face dots but i like these. What type of frets are those? They look yellow like a brass but the strings do to so maybe just the picture.... If they're brass and yellow I think that's cool, matches the guitar color scheme well.

From a graphic design point of view the jutted input jack will cause a false illusion of a lower bulging body. So it'll seem assymetical but it's not by design. I won't consider a bass with a short horn like so since it will cause the person to strech so far for the lower frets which is where I pretty much live in a gigging world 70% of the time. Volume knob would get in the way for me since i've run across that issue if you strum chords in a sloppy flemenco manner like me. But really, what do I know? Just my little opinion....

Cool though. If I saw it live i'd say rad bass man. Kinda reminds me of the warwick jack bruce ltd with the wood grain and borders.

rwelcome · #11 06-13-2006, 09:33 PM

Thanks for all the comments. The prices on the website are list prices, and I feel for the time involved in making them and the cost of the finest materials the prices are quite fair. I have two 6's in process as we speak, as well as a 10 string. As far as Aero's go I'm quite smitten with them, I also use Bartolini pickups and preamps, as well as Aguilar and Demeter preamps. Everyone has their own flavor and we can taylor the components to suit the customers needs. Build time is 12-16 weeks at the moment.

P.S. Spector_Ray, Scamore sounds somewhere between Mahogany and Alder. If I could find some more of it I'd use it more often(hard to get the widths I need), kinda scarce. Where did you live? Hmm.

emjazz · #12 06-13-2006, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwelcome

Thanks for all the comments. The prices on the website are list prices, and I feel for the time involved in making them and the cost of the finest materials the prices are quite fair. I have two 6's in process as we speak, as well as a 10 string. As far as Aero's go I'm quite smitten with them, I also use Bartolini pickups and preamps, as well as Aguilar and Demeter preamps. Everyone has their own flavor and we can taylor the components to suit the customers needs. Build time is 12-16 weeks at the moment.

To be truly smitten, try an Audere preamp. www.audereaudio.com

emjazz · #13 06-13-2006, 10:08 PM

Now this intrigues me a great deal:

rwelcome · #14 06-13-2006, 10:18 PM

This one is nicknamed the "wedge". When completed it will have a wedge shaped body that will be 1 3/4" on the upper side and 3 1/2" on the lower side, thus the wedge. I already have the piezo hipshot bridge (5 string), and it will have one custom made humbucker styled after the early B00 serial# stingrays, and either a Mike Pope or a John East preamp. I'll have this one ready for winter NAMM '07.

emjazz · #15 06-13-2006, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwelcome

This one is nicknamed the "wedge". When completed it will have a wedge shaped body that will be 1 3/4" on the upper side and 3 1/2" on the lower side, thus the wedge. I already have the piezo hipshot bridge (5 string), and it will have one custom made humbucker styled after the early B00 serial# stingrays, and either a Mike Pope or a John East preamp. I'll have this one ready for winter NAMM '07.

I'm serious, not to push the issue, but the Audere pre's would be right up your alley. Think a Pope preamp but quieter and even more versatile.

What will the benefits of the wedge body be? It seems to me that this would be a little awkward strapped on. I do look forward to seeing this one as it takes shape.

rwelcome · #16 06-13-2006, 10:47 PM

The wedge body will offer a large volume of resonance with out the cumbersome limitations of reaching over a super thick hollow body. Stop by the booth at NAMM, I'll let you tell me if it feels weird, I promise it will sit just fine. Hell you're in Boston, when it's done come by the shop and check it out.

Fretless5verfan · #17 06-13-2006, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwelcome

Thanks for all the comments. The prices on the website are list prices, and I feel for the time involved in making them and the cost of the finest materials the prices are quite fair. I have two 6's in process as we speak, as well as a 10 string. As far as Aero's go I'm quite smitten with them, I also use Bartolini pickups and preamps, as well as Aguilar and Demeter preamps. Everyone has their own flavor and we can taylor the components to suit the customers needs. Build time is 12-16 weeks at the moment.

No doubt here man. Your stuff looks top notch all the way. I definately think you should go the route of other luthiers and take a little hit for a while to really get your product out there, but that's just me.

I personally really like the design and that little jutting out part around the jack. I think it's stylish and adds to the overall individuality of the bass. I'm looking for a new(er) luthier to make me a 33in scale 6 string in the future, so i'm gonna be keeping my eye on out for your six strings and reviews on them to see how thier B strings feel and sound.

P.S. think you'll be getting any soundclips up on your site?

emjazz · #18 06-13-2006, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwelcome

The wedge body will offer a large volume of resonance with out the cumbersome limitations of reaching over a super thick hollow body. Stop by the booth at NAMM, I'll let you tell me if it feels weird, I promise it will sit just fine. Hell you're in Boston, when it's done come by the shop and check it out.

Now I remember the Taylor/Klein acoustic bass doing something like a wedge body. Cool. Again, I'll keep my eye out. I think I saw you're in Connecticut. I'd be happy to come down to check out your work. It looks very nice. Good luck.

rwelcome · #19 06-13-2006, 11:07 PM

Thanks for the kind words Fretless5verfan. Sound clips in the works. As far as pricing goes it's a funny thing to pin down and everyone has a take on it. Point in case, at NAMM last year Jans Ritter came to my booth, picked up the Blue 4 string (in the web page gallery), asked the list price "$3000" I said, his reply "no what is the list price", I repeated "$3000", "it should list for $5000 he replied". Quite the compliment. Other luthiers under bid their work and then when they establish the brand and want to raise their prices people think they're being taken for a ride. It's a tough line to walk. I try to keep things fair and bend over backwards to exceed my clients expectations. I'd rather build 12 of these a year and starve, knowing they are 110% than worry about cranking one out to make my bottom line. The difference between a good bass and an excellent bass is very little, but you have to be willing to take the extra steps and not skip things that take time to perfect. I want the people who buy these things to be able to pass them on to their children. It's my legacy, for my children.

Fretless5verfan · #20 06-13-2006, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwelcome

Thanks for the kind words Fretless5verfan. Sound clips in the works. As far as pricing goes it's a funny thing to pin down and everyone has a take on it. Point in case, at NAMM last year Jans Ritter came to my booth, picked up the Blue 4 string (in the web page gallery), asked the list price "$3000" I said, his reply "no what is the list price", I repeated "$3000", "it should list for $5000 he replied". Quite the compliment. Other luthiers under bid their work and then when they establish the brand and want to raise their prices people think they're being taken for a ride. It's a tough line to walk. I try to keep things fair and bend over backwards to exceed my clients expectations. I'd rather build 12 of these a year and starve, knowing they are 110% than worry about cranking one out to make my bottom line. The difference between a good bass and an excellent bass is very little, but you have to be willing to take the extra steps and not skip things that take time to perfect. I want the people who buy these things to be able to pass them on to their children. It's my legacy, for my children.

Well said. That's the kind of attitude i look for in a luthier. I'll be dropping you a line in fall