Club F-bass (Part VIII)

[smperry]

Continued from: Club F-bass (Part VII)

[Vic]

IN!

Still rockin' the VF5.

[tombowlus]

In!

[Munjibunga]

Is reposting cool? If so, count me in. Again.

[Dave Hill]

Not twins, but both killers:

[funkydanbass]

Hey Vic,

Regarding the Bassmute:

Ellio actually advises against using the screws and is making his next batch of mutes without the screw holes. The double sided tape does the job!

I wouldn't be drilling into my Fodera either!

[CTC564]

@ Munjibunga

Those two just might be the prettiest F basses I've ever seen...

[Vic]

Originally Posted by funkydanbass

Hey Vic,

Regarding the Bassmute:

Ellio actually advises against using the screws and is making his next batch of mutes without the screw holes. The double sided tape does the job!

I wouldn't be drilling into my Fodera either!

Really?? Wow, I guess it doesn't need much side pressure then... suddenly I'm very interested.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by CTC564

@ Munjibunga

Those two just might be the prettiest F basses I've ever seen...

Thanks. I had to thin the herd a little to aquire them. They were both wall-hangers at Bass San Diego. They always seem to have some irresistable F Basses on the wall.

[pocketmonster]

I was hesitant to post this review, seeing how it is for a one-of-a-kind F Bass, but in the end I figure everyone is probably interested to know how the design worked out. I ended up trading Donovan another F Bass for the black bass he asked George to build with the MM pickup and J neck pickup (both Nordstrand).

On receiving the bass, I put it through its paces in my studio. The sounds all seemed good but not particularly special. The playability was very good, and the neck is definitely thicker and chunkier than my VF5. I noticed before even plugging it in that the sustain and punch of the notes are stronger. The lower notes actually shook my rib cage through direct vibration. I will attribute some of that to the ash/maple design vs. the alder/rosewood of my VF5, but I think the thicker neck has a lot to do with it as well. (It came with DR Marcus Millers, btw.)

I have now played the bass out twice. It was in the mix of a live performance that I began to appreciate it. The J pickup is warm and pure, not muddy (or at least inarticulate), as I normally think of neck pups. I have used the J soloed in several songs that needed either a nice pedal-like sound or a smooth, melodic lead bass sort of vibe. The J is actually a humbucker with silent coil, so it does solo without noise. On the flip side, the MM pickup just goes places a J bridge pup wouldn't dare. It really captures the snarl and rudeness of a proper vintage stingray, and it just chews up a mix and spits it out. Soloing the MM guarantees you will be heard, not in a room shaking way - unless you dial up the active bass EQ - but in a "punch a hole right through the mix with grinding, biting mids and treble" way. The passive tone knob is good for taming the beast a bit, and rolling both pups together also produces a really nice all around sound... call it a pillow with rough edges...

I have found that soloing the J and then rolling on the MM to the right amount of edge is nice. Soloing the MM and then rounding/fattening it with the J is also useful. I haven't even explored the MM split or passive mode to this point. And, honestly, the need to add any EQ boost just hasn't been there. I think I've dialed the lows up on the MM pup a couple times, but otherwise just running flat.

My band is used to seeing me with lots of different gear, but they commented on how incredibly good this bass sounds. I explained the design to the sound guy, who has lots of experience running pro gigs, and he gave really good feedback after yesterday's performances. He said all the sounds were good and useful, and he emphasized that the MM sound was just a snarly, mean mofo of a bass... in a good way, of course.

In summary, this bass isn't going anywhere. It's the only thing I've owned that could be called a Swiss Army Bass where all the blades on it are actually useful. Evidently George isn't planning on building more of these, but perhaps he should consider it based on these results... I mean, having a stingray vibe with F Bass ergonomics and fit and finish is a pretty special thing. Add some J flexibility in the tones, and it is an obvious winner.

[yellofury]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

Is reposting cool? If so, count me in. Again.

I always loved the bN5 shape and by far those tops are freaking amazing man! they are so above and beyond the normal finishes I have seen that I can only imagine how many organs I would have to sell on the Black market to get even one

[J.Wolf]

IN! Beautiful basses guys!

[deevit]

In!

Mmm F-Bass.

[DonovanBankhead]

Thanks for the review, pocketmonster. That MJ5 is indeed a monster bass! Sadly, I don't think George will make anymore, but who knows, maybe if there is enough demand...


BTW, here's a link to the preamp video that I made. Reposting since I just posted it in the last thread.

YouTube - FBass Preamp Deets


And I need to get pics of my BN6 that I traded pocketmonster for - that thing is su-weet!

[Tom7]

In! But boy do I need to take a better photo.

[Tom7]

BTW, I am sorry I'm behind on issuing numbers... our list has gotten so big that talkbass won't let me post it now. They have a limit on characters and with the links I have to photos, our club list doesn't fit in one post anymore. It will take me some time to break the list into two and post that way, and I'm a bit short on that kind of time right now so please be patient as I get it sorted out.

Meanwhile, so that I have it in the new thread, the people I know I owe club numbers to are:

karelbass - VF4

uilleann13 - BN5

And I added mrbassman_de's BN4 to his number on the list.

Anyone else?

[Tom7]

Let me see if this works...

CLUB FBASS ROSTER (post 1 of 2)
(Updated 29 March 2011)

1. George_Furlanet (Number assigned by club vote)
2. Tombowlus - BN4, BN5, VF5
3. Puff_father - BN5
4. Debassed - BNF5
5. ThumbyAche - BN5, GFC
6. brandonwong - BN6, BN6 custom, AC6, BNF5, BNF5(2), BN5 custom
7. Tom7 - AC6-Standard, AC6-Classic, AC6-Fretted, BN5, BN6, VF5,
8. Erick Lam - Vintage Fretless 5
9. knarleybass - BN5, BN6
10. Reefer - BN5, BN4?
11. VinceLovesF - BN5, AC5
12. T._Brookins - BN5
13. DonovanBankhead - BN5
14. Speyer - BN6 (b)
15. jmilky - BN5
16. edel - BN5
17. administrator - BN5
18. Dave Hill - BN5, (b), VF4
19. FbassDave - BN5, BNF5
20. Vic - VF5
21. Georges_Abitbol - BN5 (b) (c)
22. xav_paris - BN5, (b)
23. Munjibunga - BN5
24. Toolmybass - ?
25. Modny - Studio5, Prototype
26. mikoespanol - AC5
27. Ron_Plichta - BN5
28. Gbarchus - BNF5
29. nuwavedc - BN5
30. JerryJ - BN5, BN6, AC5
31. yansdgr - BNF5
32. firebass - AC5, AC6
33. choad42 - BN5
34. donstrenz - Vintage 4 (stolen)
35. Gilsonite - Studio6
36. Tjluke - BN6, AC6
37. cabooke - BNF5
38. Brad Johnson - Studio5
39. MHemmber - BN4
40. Deevit / FortressOne - BN5, (2)
41. dreamwood - BN6
42. wolfbass1025 - BN6, AC5, 2
43. funkydanbass - AC6
44. Phillip Jordan - BN5
45. Halftooth - BN5
46. thndrstk6 - BN6
47. funkifiedsoul - Vintage4
48. Trapeze Fan - BN5
49. Poppsyche - BN6
50. Groovy Bastard - BN6
51. Kemet09 - Vintage4
52. ModulusAcacia - AC5
53. bassjam - BN5
54. ad9000 - BN6
55. Basses55 - BN5
56. Kevin Woods - BNF6
57. pierreganseman - BN5
58. DiDi G - BN6
59. Greggles - BN4
60. kotzman - AC5
61. Alphaman - BN6
62. remigioremigio - BN5
63. JensWest - BN5
64. eduardxtb - BN6
65. dveeus1 - BNF5, BN5
66. paulvienneau - BN6, AC6
67. bdgotoh - BN4
68. rabster - VF5, AC5
69. funkygeos - BN5
70. fusoid - AC6, BN6
71. WovenGraphite - BN6 (b), AC6 (b)
72. rnlytton - AC6, AC6-LW, BN5 (piccolo), 3 BN6s!
73. bardlute - AC5
74. chrisloe - BN6, b
75. Iposavad - BNF5
76. yinghock - BN5, BN5 with rosewood board!
77. pocketmonster - BN5
78. bassment bn5 - BN5, VF5, VF5
79. hairman - BN6, BNF5,
80. JOEP054 - AC5, BN5, VF5
81. p0k - VF5
82. jmilkey - BN5
83. Bass Junkie - AC4, (with a VF4 being built!)
84. narud - VF5,
85. BIg O - Studio 5, Passive 6, BN5, more photos
86. felicidade - BNF5
87. Drone80 - BN5, VF5
88. steve f - BN5
89. Fbassed - BN5, AC5
90. rick1906 - BN5
91. Romu - BN5
92. Bajosintrastos - BNF5
93. jimc - BN5, VF5
94. cfequa - BN5
95. mrbassman_de - AC5, BN5, BN4
96. Graham Monette - BN5
97. Shelly - VF5
98. tonenazi - BN5
99. Abacobob - BN5

[Tom7]

CLUB F-BASS ROSTER (post 2 of 2 - the 100s)

1. jogi68 - BN5 (studio), BN5 (defretted), VF5, AC5, BN6, NY5, VF5
2. ManuBerdin - Studio, BNF5, BN5
3. rvf42 - BN5
4. kuma9 - BN5 (wide nut)
5. jbay - BN6
6. INGALL'S - BN6
7. BIGGUY78 - VF5
8. KERMITNT-BN5
9. Ewo - BN5
10. frizzle - BN5
11. t0t0m - BN5
12. blen dem - BN5
13. francoprof - BNF6
14. bassistck - BNF5
15. Sirmike75 - BN5
16. Stereo Joe - Vintage BN5
17. starKey - VF5
18. eaflyaway - AC5
19. hyperba55 - AC4, BN6, AC6
20. penny0072001 - BN5
21. TheSiberian - BN6 + piezo
22. PhillM47 - BN5
23. Robochrist - Studio5
24. tcydennis - BN5
25. wellso74 - BN6
26. boomski - BN6
27. nemo - Studio5
28. maritimer - BN5
29. olegsulimov - BN5 NYC
30. Slammyapple - BN5
31. jephil - BNF5, BN6
32. MVPBASS - BN4
33. lindseyp - BN5
34. J.Wolf - BN5
35. Karelbass - VF4
36. uilleann13 - BN5
37. <Your name could be here!>

Former Fbass owners:
GRoberts, AJ Brown, JRB, jmondick, ursus, Freddy-G, Adrian Garcia, Yvon, dean82, smperry, Ryan_L, rodneyat, 123eranoid, Gordon of Eden, choad42, black.rose1402, blen dem, Jonno1707 - AC5, Quadzilla - BN4, BN5, ?, RoboChrist - BN4, blen dem - BN5, BassBoss - AC5, KJung - VF5, Bassconbeatz - BN6,

[Tom7]

Rats, the numbers reset. I'll have to give this more thought, meanwhile, welcome Karelbass (#135) and uilleann13 (#136) to the club! I'll have your numbers set right before long.

[Tom7]

Originally Posted by pocketmonster

... The J is actually a humbucker with silent coil, so it does solo without noise.

I didn't know that! That's really interesting.

Originally Posted by pocketmonster

On the flip side, the MM pickup just goes places a J bridge pup wouldn't dare. It really captures the snarl and rudeness of a proper vintage stingray, and it just chews up a mix and spits it out. Soloing the MM guarantees you will be heard, not in a room shaking way - unless you dial up the active bass EQ - but in a "punch a hole right through the mix with grinding, biting mids and treble" way.

Okay, I officially hate you now. I would have bought that bass myself, but I'm kind of done with shiny black basses; I just can't keep them clean enough. But I have always longed for a 5 string MM and never got one because I really want the full 19mm string spacing. I've almost bought a used 4 string stingray a time or two, but seeing as I never played my four string Fodera Yin Yang, it seemed crazy to buy a 4 string Musicman.

Originally Posted by pocketmonster

... I mean, having a stingray vibe with F Bass ergonomics and fit and finish is a pretty special thing. Add some J flexibility in the tones, and it is an obvious winner.

Great review. You make me wish I'd have just gotten myself over the whole "I can't keep my fingerprints off it!" OCD thing and got it. Well done.