Just picked up a few different five strings in attempt to add one back to the stable; all are excellent basses in their own right, just not exactly what I'm looking for.
In reality I know exactly what I want, just missed the opportunity to grab it awhile back, so I'll pass along the good deals I got on these on while I wait for another chance to come along.
1. Lakland Joe Osborn (55-60) Skyline
Made in Korea, not Indonesia; has Bartolini pickups, Audere JZ3, USA Hipshot Ultralight tuners and a cool black pearl pickguard.
Serial # 07097453.
Just under 10 lbs with great balance, the neck feel is outstanding as you would expect from Lakland and tone is insane.
9.9/10 condition - essentially mint/brand new, no visible blemishes of any kind
$925 shipped, comes with a Levi Lakland Cordura heavy duty gigbag.
2. Brubaker Brute MJX-5 SOLD
Lots of hype on these for a good reason, just an absurd amount of bass for the money.
34" scale - 19mm bridge spacing - 1.75- inch nut - 9 lbs, 3 oz
Stock pickups and stock preamp with an upgraded volume pot with push/pull to bypass the preamp.
All black hardware with Schaller strap lock buttons included.
9/10 condition - a handful a very minor scratches, mostly on the back, that can only be seen with the proper light angle, and a tiny pinhead ding below the bridge.
$425 shipped, comes with a generic gig bag
3. Custom Wenge/Purpleheart Neck-Thru
Purchased by the original owner in '95 in Montreal, it was built by a guy named Mike Ostrzenski using pretty exotic woods:
•Neck: wenge and purpleheart multi-laminate
•Board: wenge
•Body: walnut
•Top: zebrano with ebony inlay
The "pickguard" is actually a disc of ebony inlaid flush into the top, pickups are Bartolini J-J with passive vol/vol/tone controls, bridge is a Schaller recessed into the top and scalloped at the tail end, tuners are Hipshot Ultralights, and the whole thing is satin finished in tung oil.
It has a very low action and plays incredibly well, in all honesty it's probably the best feeling/playing five string neck I've ever come across. The bass has a zero fret with a wenge string spacer, 34" scale, weighs 8.5lbs and is very well-balanced sitting or standing.
As you can tell from the pictures, this bass is a bit rough around the edges. The neck is really a work of art, but the rest of the woodwork is NOT what you'd expect from a top-level custom builder. Thanks to the folks at La Lutherie MF who spent a lot of time on fretwork, setup, and finishing, it plays and sounds like a dream, but if you want perfection look elsewhere.
Priced at a very low $600 shipped, includes a Tolex hardshell case, Schaller strap locks, and custom suede strap.
If you have any questions about any of the basses, feel free to ask.
Cheers!
In reality I know exactly what I want, just missed the opportunity to grab it awhile back, so I'll pass along the good deals I got on these on while I wait for another chance to come along.
1. Lakland Joe Osborn (55-60) Skyline
Made in Korea, not Indonesia; has Bartolini pickups, Audere JZ3, USA Hipshot Ultralight tuners and a cool black pearl pickguard.
Serial # 07097453.
Just under 10 lbs with great balance, the neck feel is outstanding as you would expect from Lakland and tone is insane.
9.9/10 condition - essentially mint/brand new, no visible blemishes of any kind
$925 shipped, comes with a Levi Lakland Cordura heavy duty gigbag.
2. Brubaker Brute MJX-5 SOLD
Lots of hype on these for a good reason, just an absurd amount of bass for the money.
34" scale - 19mm bridge spacing - 1.75- inch nut - 9 lbs, 3 oz
Stock pickups and stock preamp with an upgraded volume pot with push/pull to bypass the preamp.
All black hardware with Schaller strap lock buttons included.
9/10 condition - a handful a very minor scratches, mostly on the back, that can only be seen with the proper light angle, and a tiny pinhead ding below the bridge.
$425 shipped, comes with a generic gig bag
3. Custom Wenge/Purpleheart Neck-Thru
Purchased by the original owner in '95 in Montreal, it was built by a guy named Mike Ostrzenski using pretty exotic woods:
•Neck: wenge and purpleheart multi-laminate
•Board: wenge
•Body: walnut
•Top: zebrano with ebony inlay
The "pickguard" is actually a disc of ebony inlaid flush into the top, pickups are Bartolini J-J with passive vol/vol/tone controls, bridge is a Schaller recessed into the top and scalloped at the tail end, tuners are Hipshot Ultralights, and the whole thing is satin finished in tung oil.
It has a very low action and plays incredibly well, in all honesty it's probably the best feeling/playing five string neck I've ever come across. The bass has a zero fret with a wenge string spacer, 34" scale, weighs 8.5lbs and is very well-balanced sitting or standing.
As you can tell from the pictures, this bass is a bit rough around the edges. The neck is really a work of art, but the rest of the woodwork is NOT what you'd expect from a top-level custom builder. Thanks to the folks at La Lutherie MF who spent a lot of time on fretwork, setup, and finishing, it plays and sounds like a dream, but if you want perfection look elsewhere.
Priced at a very low $600 shipped, includes a Tolex hardshell case, Schaller strap locks, and custom suede strap.
If you have any questions about any of the basses, feel free to ask.
Cheers!
