Club F-Bass!!!!

[Tom7]

Come to think of it, I had a VERY similar experience when I first met my wife!

[Twistad]

Vraiment cool la musique! Tu joues en sacrament.

Si vous faites des shows à Mtl, c'est sure que j'vais essayer de venir.

Originally Posted by Erick Lam

A couple of vids using my vintage F-Bass (I have a vintage F-bass!!! ). The sound is shyte and the strings were dead (coz I'm stupid) but for once I have something I'm not too ashamed of.

Sur le dos d'un éléphant
Chevalresk

This is the bass. I sent a pic to Georges and he put on the website with 1981 as file name so I guess that would be the date.

I think it's the same bass, played by someone who knows how (yes, the nut was replaced):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoSydlvu2-Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWUlsF3ZgYw

I can't play as well but I prefer my "modern" tone over his.

[thndrstk6]

Originally Posted by Tom7

Really?! Wow.

For me, the Fbass look was total love at first site. I saw that and thought, "Oh please, let this be a great bass, because I don't think I can resist getting one!"

Yeah for me it was kind of a "love and second sight". I've seen them
before but when I started looking for a new bass to order I came
across them and went "Holy crap. How come I never paid any
attention to these before"! Then I was like "I hope these things are
made well and sound good". I did a little research and was pleased to
find out that their looks are matched by their quality.

I think the arms look like tusks. Their look is aggressive and beautiful
at the same time.

[humpy thumb]

Tusks?
Might be a pleasant change from the penis shaped upper horn on those Thumb basses

[Phillip Jordan]

Ok guys. Donovan Bankhead from fretspot.com is the freaking man!!!!!!!!
If you have never talked to him I don't expect you to understand. Yes....... He is just that awsome. I think he is more excited about my bass than I am. I have never commissioned a build because I've been waiting to find the brand that I wish to support for years to come. Well, now that I've found that brand, the build starts.

I called Donovan last night. He answered the phone quickly and we instantly hit it off. Within 10 seconds we realized that we are both from Oklahoma. That's pretty funny. Even cooler than that, when my bass is done he's gonna fly it out to me personally so he can visit some family and meet me in person. Who does that?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?

That is truley above any customer service I have ever encountered. Like seriously. I was so excited to "Talkbass" with him. We talked for about gear for a while and he knows his stuff an you can tell that he has a great relationship with George. I have a list a small request that I was telling him I want on my bass. He was very open to all request and to my suprize none of them were shot down. In the end I will be recieving my dream FBass. Now I'm excited about starting another one when this one is done. Mabey a sixer. Or a VF5

By the way, D just got in two VF5s so if anyone has been looking these are less than 24 hrs old. Black and sunburt. Their inexpensive to. He said the burst one is the most beautiful burst he's seen in a while.

Donovan does trades aswell. Not guitar denter prices. He gives more of a Talkbass classifieds price. Very genious IMO.

Ok ok. I could literally go on but I'll cut it off there.
In closing if you are on the fence or you are jsut curious on trading in. Just shoot him a PM. He does not pressure at all. I will never spend money with someone who pressures me. And that's a fact.

Final specs:
BN5 11-11.5 lb range
Tight,busy and enhanced grain - Dark brown enhancement
Satin finish (we are both super excited for this)
Wood ramp (matched to pickup covers, flush in height and width. One piece apperance)
Maccasscar Ebony board (I am requesting a very dark slab with tons of character)
Lakland size fretwire (super pumped about this)
In-Set strap locks
All black hardware
Hipshot "A" style bridge
FBass strap
Fbass bass T-shirt medium LOL

I think that's everything. I'm convinced that it's gonna kill.

By the way, Tom7 I am not keeping my current BN5, I decided to go with satin becuase I just thought it would be cool to have the gloss and then one day when I get the "completion email" I'll have a satin on the way. Plus, Ive never seen an F like the one I spec'd out whereas you see Ash/Maple glossy Fs all the time.

I think the satin will have a great feel and a very understated vibe from stage view....... But as soon as people walk up to me after the gig to complement the tone, that's when they will really we how tight it looks. That's what I'm going for.

We are shooting for 3 months

[Hollow Man]

I have talked to Donovan, although not about F Basses. He really is a super nice guy!

[thndrstk6]

Originally Posted by Phillip Jordan

Ok guys. Donovan Bankhead from fretspot.com is the freaking man!!!!!!!!
If you have never talked to him I don't expect you to understand. Yes....... He is just that awsome. I think he is more excited about my bass than I am. I have never commissioned a build because I've been waiting to find the brand that I wish to support for years to come. Well, now that I've found that brand, the build starts.

I called Donovan last night. He answered the phone quickly and we instantly hit it off. Within 10 seconds we realized that we are both from Oklahoma. That's pretty funny. Even cooler than that, when my bass is done he's gonna fly it out to me personally so he can visit some family and meet me in person. Who does that?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?

That is truley above any customer service I have ever encountered. Like seriously. I was so excited to "Talkbass" with him. We talked for about gear for a while and he knows his stuff an you can tell that he has a great relationship with George. I have a list a small request that I was telling him I want on my bass. He was very open to all request and to my suprize none of them were shot down. In the end I will be recieving my dream FBass. Now I'm excited about starting another one when this one is done. Mabey a sixer. Or a VF5

By the way, D just got in two VF5s so if anyone has been looking these are less than 24 hrs old. Black and sunburt. Their inexpensive to. He said the burst one is the most beautiful burst he's seen in a while.

Donovan does trades aswell. Not guitar denter prices. He gives more of a Talkbass classifieds price. Very genious IMO.

Ok ok. I could literally go on but I'll cut it off there.
In closing if you are on the fence or you are jsut curious on trading in. Just shoot him a PM. He does not pressure at all. I will never spend money with someone who pressures me. And that's a fact.

Final specs:
BN5 11-11.5 lb range
Tight,busy and enhanced grain - Dark brown enhancement
Satin finish (we are both super excited for this)
Wood ramp (matched to pickup covers, flush in height and width. One piece apperance)
Maccasscar Ebony board (I am requesting a very dark slab with tons of character)
Lakland size fretwire (super pumped about this)
In-Set strap locks
All black hardware
Hipshot "A" style bridge
FBass strap
Fbass bass T-shirt medium LOL

I think that's everything. I'm convinced that it's gonna kill.

By the way, Tom7 I am not keeping my current BN5, I decided to go with satin becuase I just thought it would be cool to have the gloss and then one day when I get the "completion email" I'll have a satin on the way. Plus, Ive never seen an F like the one I spec'd out whereas you see Ash/Maple glossy Fs all the time.

I think the satin will have a great feel and a very understated vibe from stage view....... But as soon as people walk up to me after the gig to complement the tone, that's when they will really we how tight it looks. That's what I'm going for.

We are shooting for 3 months

Hmmm... copy cat.

I just ordered a bass with similar features through Mr. Bankhead. Yes he does take trades. I'm trading all my guitar stuff and my bass cabs for my custom F-bass. He's been really cool with the hole process. I would definitely order from him again.

[Tom7]

Originally Posted by Phillip Jordan

... Within 10 seconds we realized that we are both from Oklahoma. That's pretty funny.

That IS funny, because when I visited with him, he told me he was from Alaska! (Just kidding!).

Originally Posted by Phillip Jordan

By the way, D just got in two VF5s so if anyone has been looking these are less than 24 hrs old. Black and sunburt. Their inexpensive to. He said the burst one is the most beautiful burst he's seen in a while.

When I read that, I immediately went to his website to see them, but I guess he doesn't have them up yet. One of them doesn't happen to be alder bodied bass with a rosewood fingerboard and the pickups in the 60s position does it?

Originally Posted by Phillip Jordan

Final specs:
BN5 11-11.5 lb range
Tight,busy and enhanced grain - Dark brown enhancement
Satin finish (we are both super excited for this)
Wood ramp (matched to pickup covers, flush in height and width. One piece apperance)
Maccasscar Ebony board (I am requesting a very dark slab with tons of character)
Lakland size fretwire (super pumped about this)
In-Set strap locks
All black hardware
Hipshot "A" style bridge
FBass strap
Fbass bass T-shirt medium LOL

The only thing I'd change is the t-shirt size!

I'm dying to see finished photos, especially of the finger ramp.

My plexi ramp is FANTASTIC in that most people don't even notice it is there, it shows off the wood and finish under it, and I don't worry about my finger sweat or finger nails damaging something nice. I feel the ramp can easily be replaced when it wears without worrying about matching grain or finishes.

That was a good report, Philip. If I get another custom Fbass made, and I'm always thinking about doing that, Donovan will be my first call I think.

[Phillip Jordan]

ahaha. Tom your funny. Alaska........ Ha. Oklahoma for life. LOL.


I'm not sure on the woods. I'll find out though.

[DonovanBankhead]

Thanks for the glowing endorsement, Phillip! I'm very excited to see your bass when it comes in - it's going to be very unique and special. I can't wait, and it's not even mine!

Tom7 - I now have pictures of the VF5's on my website. I spent most of the day yesterday screwing up the photo app on my site and then fixing it. Today I'm going to do a quick video of the VF5's and add those to the website (if I can figure it out).

I will say this about the new VF5's - they are wicked awesome!!! I've A/B'ed them to my new '08 Fender Jazz that has been souped up and modd'ed, and the VF5 BLOWS IT OUT OF THE WATER. Holy crap those things are amazing! I was going to keep the Fender as a backup, but now I'm thinking I ought to sell it and use a VF5 as a backup (that would have to be one of the nicest backup basses ever!).

Oh, and Tom7, yes, one of the basses I got in is an alder body/rosewood board bass. The rosewood is one of the most lush looking boards I've seen in a while. Oh, and both VF5's have the chrome pickup covers. Sexxxyyy!

[Tom7]

Originally Posted by dkb

Thanks for the glowing endorsement, Phillip! I'm very excited to see your bass when it comes in - it's going to be very unique and special. I can't wait, and it's not even mine!

Tom7 - I now have pictures of the VF5's on my website. I spent most of the day yesterday screwing up the photo app on my site and then fixing it. Today I'm going to do a quick video of the VF5's and add those to the website (if I can figure it out).

I will say this about the new VF5's - they are wicked awesome!!! I've A/B'ed them to my new '08 Fender Jazz that has been souped up and modd'ed, and the VF5 BLOWS IT OUT OF THE WATER. Holy crap those things are amazing! I was going to keep the Fender as a backup, but now I'm thinking I ought to sell it and use a VF5 as a backup (that would have to be one of the nicest backup basses ever!).

Oh, and Tom7, yes, one of the basses I got in is an alder body/rosewood board bass. The rosewood is one of the most lush looking boards I've seen in a while. Oh, and both VF5's have the chrome pickup covers. Sexxxyyy!

It took me a minute to find the new photos. I thought they would be listed under the "Basses in Stock" link.

PM'd you.

[puff father]

Oh my. That sunburst VF5 is really nice!

I love F Basses!

[J.Wolf]

here's something you don't see every day. I bet this sounds sweet! 1st gen lightwave bridges were kinda clunky, I'd like to see one like this with the updated monorail style bride. Either way, killer looking!

F bass lightwave 5 on ebay

[Tom7]

Originally Posted by puff father

Oh my. That sunburst VF5 is really nice!

I love F Basses!

Oh, you mean this one?



Ah, it's alright.

Actually, I'm about 95% sure I am going to buy this one. There is a story that goes with that decision that I'll tell you all some day when you are old enough.

Until I saw DKB's samples on youtube, I had NO IDEA these basses were this good!

Here is a clip with the VF5's neck pickup rolled back about 90 percent or so (is that right, DKB?) I have wanted to eek this tone out of my ash & maple BN5, but she just can't. And this bass has true single coils, there's no coil tap to buck hum, and still it plays this silently with controls set like this! That must be one heck of a good shielding job!

After hearing that clip, check out this SLAP STYLE demo of the same bass. I was blown away! I couldn't believe it was the same bass the tone is so different. It has meat, grit, and yet that wonderful sheen that Sadowsky basses are often praised for.

Finally, in this clip DKB does a nice chordal and taping piece that shows the bass's 3rd and very distinct personality. In fact, if I get it, I might name her "Sybil." This clip is so warm, and it's vintage 60s, except for the tweak in the tone given it from George's Fbass strings on the bass.

I've been looking for a certain sound and seriously almost bought two other alder & rosewood basses from other bass makers, but now I've seen these clips ... what can I say?

I REALLY like this bass!

[puff father]

Yes. That's the one, thank you!

The vids sound great and now I want a VF5 AND an AC5!

I hope you buy that sunburst one. Man is that a beaut!!!

[thndrstk6]

Very cool vids Mr. Bankhead!

[Tom7]

I had no idea George ever made something like this. Wow. I DO wonder how it sounds.

Originally Posted by wolfbass1025

here's something you don't see every day. I bet this sounds sweet! 1st gen lightwave bridges were kinda clunky, I'd like to see one like this with the updated monorail style bride. Either way, killer looking!

F bass lightwave 5 on ebay

[Tom7]

Originally Posted by thndrstk6

Very cool vids Mr. Bankhead!

Aren't they? I think Donovan has a real talent for presenting and reviewing gear.

I've called a few places over this last year and asked about VF5s, but never felt so compelled to buy one until I saw Donovan's presentations.

Just think of it: he gets them on Thursday, makes videos on Saturday, and I could buy one on Monday I bet because I can think about little else!

BTW, the body shape reminds me a bit of my Pedulla:

[Tom7]

Here are a couple of heart breakers from George's NAMM 2009 web page:

[thndrstk6]

Wow lots of cool stuff.