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Adler Basses...anyone?

#23
I have to say this thread has started to get interesting!

I have nothing but respect for someone's personal tastes. Different strokes/folks like Mark said. The problem is that I have never built an all maple bass, and the closest one I can think of to what you are talking about was in Indianapolis at the dealer's shop all weekend...

I have no doubt that you are giving an honest assessment of the bass you played, but I can assure you that if it was an Adler that it was counterfeit.

If you remember the name of the exhibitor who was displaying it could you please email me at [email protected] so I can resolve this as soon as possible.

Peace,

Mike
 
#27
hey all,

thought I'd jump in and add my opinions of Adler basses.

I first met Mike at the 2003 winter NAMM show and he was exhibiting the 9 with the wild inlay that you can see on his site. it was an unexpected instrument that played effortlessly. I was so impressed with it that I emailed Mr. Dler and we have stayed in touch since.

my next encounter with his luthiery was at the last Anaheim NAMM show this past January. he had brought a slew of subcontrabasses, Jauqo's 8, and the mighty 11 string which Garry Goodman owns. they were all eminently playable and tremendously versatile in terms of tone, even the passive Villex system on Jauqo's 8!

Mike strikes me as the kind of cat who will work with you to create the instrument you want, one that will inspire you. you can ask anyone who went to the show; I swung by the Adler booth several times a day to play that 11!!

I agree with Jauqo; Mike is an impressive luthier who is on his way up! expect great things from this shop in the coming years!

from the lows,

Stew
 
#31
I've had the express privilege of knowing Mike since he was a wee lad. I've seen him grow as a player and a luthier these past seven years. I am proud of his endeavers so much so, that I've become a customer of his. The student is now the teacher.
I started making a 6 string fretless several years ago, and through Mike's help, finished it and it still plays great! Mike has been very generous in letting me try his creations over the past few years. I have seen the evolution of his work from earlier concepts (like the flaming inlay nine string mentioned earlier) to his latest contra basses.
I have most recently purchased a 6 string that he originally out-fitted for Chuck Rainey. I have been playing this bass for 2 months now and I am in love with its tone and playability. The finish is superb and the woods used in the construction are exquisite. The single cut-away design helps to keep a nice long sustain while giving me the advantage of reach into the higher frets. The trim neck is sturdy yet shallow enough to play with ease and comfort, and when you're playing for 6 to 8 hours at a time, that is a big plus! I'll be giving it a debut at a larger event this December at the Road to Jeruselem conference (http://www.roadtojerusalem.org/) put on by the founder of the Promise Keeper movement, Coach Bill McCartney. This bass really handles and sounds like a champ! :bassist:
 
#33
adlerguitars said:
I have to say this thread has started to get interesting!
Click to expand...

:D

Several days ago I saw Chuck Rainey in Bass Player Mag with a very sweet looking single cut. I researched and discovered it is an Adler.

Somehow I got in contact with Jauqo-III--the guy is too cool. We talked for about an hour. He had nothing but positive things to say about Adler and Benavente single cut basses.
 
#34
I just wanted to translate vague terminology into more specific terms to better our communication. When you drive down the highway,you see a variety of vehicles. They all work,but everyone has their preference. When I play a bass that is excellent and someone wants to say it's lacking in some way, I think it's important to be specific. I think it has to be more than personal taste. "choclate is not good because I don't like choclate" just doesn't work for me.

That is the point-all luthiers do their best to make a great bass. To say something negative needs some justification from the critic. "it's lacking sonically" doesn't cut it.
 
#35
Ninestring said:
To say something negative needs some justification from the critic. "it's lacking sonically" doesn't cut it.
Click to expand...

I thought DZ's explanation was clear. I once owned a bass that I felt the same way about. It looked nice, was built nice, and had all the right ingredients for good tone. But something was missing; the tone was clear, deep and "plain". It had no character. I sold the bass and this is what the buyer had to say, "hello. i just got the bass the other day, it is awesome! it looks great, and the range of sounds is amazing. the sound is wonderfully clear, but i can see what you meant about looking for something more growly. i have a mesa bass 400+ and i guess i'll have to turn the gain up a bit..."

Bottom line: It's very difficult to describe tone in words.
 
#36
Ninestring said:
That is the point-all luthiers do their best to make a great bass. To say something negative needs some justification from the critic. "it's lacking sonically" doesn't cut it.
Click to expand...
Why not? That pretty much was my assessment of the Warriors I played at last NAMM. I (or anyone else for that matter) only need as much justification I deem necessary for myself when making decisions. The Warriors that I played were all beautiful instruments without a doubt. Construction, fit and finish were all top notch, but the sound wasn't there. Am I wrong in feeling that way? Is my critique unjustified?

I think that the problem is people feel the critics are making blanket statements when these comments are made and get offended because they feel their "chosen builder" has been maligned in some way. No, I've not played every Warrior out there, but I can only make my decisions based on what I know. Don't take it personally if it doesn't follow your feelings.
 
#37
mark beem said:
Why not? That pretty much was my assessment of the Warriors I played at last NAMM. I (or anyone else for that matter) only need as much justification I deem necessary for myself when making decisions. The Warriors that I played were all beautiful instruments without a doubt. Construction, fit and finish were all top notch, but the sound wasn't there. Am I wrong in feeling that way? Is my critique unjustified?

I think that the problem is people feel the critics are making blanket statements when these comments are made and get offended because they feel their "chosen builder" has been maligned in some way. No, I've not played every Warrior out there, but I can only make my decisions based on what I know. Don't take it personally if it doesn't follow your feelings.
Click to expand...

I have to totally agree on this. Good post. I've played several Warriors. 2 of them were stellar. All of them had great fit, finish and were very good looking instruments. 3 of them lacked something in the tone. It was quite obvious that there was something different about them, but I couldn't tell you what it was without some kind of electronic analysis of the output. They lacked sonically, that's the best I can describe it.
 
#38
Ninestring said:
"choclate is not good because I don't like choclate" just doesn't work for me.
Click to expand...

I think you're trying to apply logic to personal satisfaction, which is a visceral feeling. For example, Madonna's "Borderline" technically has a great melody, excellent arrangment, and solid performances. But I hate it. Quite a bit. Music, tone, taste, etc. are some of the most subjective things ever. I don't think you can quantify personal satisfaction to an EQ point.
 
#40
Why not let Mike ask the probing "Why weren't you happy?" questions? He's the only one who can address them, right?

Just a thought.

Sometimes some things just don't grab people... even things I love. It happens and unless someone is looking to try and get happy with a particular instrument, what's the point?

I get this all the time. People will ask an opinion of a bass and unless it's glowing, they want to know why. As long as you like it, what difference does it make how anyone else feels?

Back on topic, I've played a few Adlers over the last couple of years. I've played Jauqo's low strung 4. I thought they were nice instruments. His bass was a lot of fun to play. The low action on his bass inspired me to set most of my basses that way, even lower than I had previously.
 

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