Gorgeous instrument and I can't believe how well the grain on the back plate of the headstock matches. Really well done.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
An MTD style 4 string, Redwood, Ash, Wenge
- Thread starter Drake Custom
- Start date
Hey all,
Sorry I've been bad about getting getting a review written for Mariah. Been really busy with work and personal life and surprisingly only been able to play it twice since receiving it.
Complete disclosure: this is my second fully custom build from Andrew, although he's worked with me on various other projects. My first Drake Custom was Paula (Invalid Link Removed) and it was a wonderful process working with Andrew. From that bass and years of playing, I have a very demanding set of requirements for all basses that I own now.
My top requirement for all basses is an unfinished raw wood neck. I typically choose Wenge as both Andrew and I like the feel and the tone. This is my first bass with a wenge/wenge combination. Another requirement is tone. The tone goals for this bass were different than anything I've owned before: I wanted something that would translate to funk/slap/"active" when the gig called for it. I typically don't play these genres, but felt the need to have coverage. With this in mind, I went with a unique pickup and preamp combination.
I wanted to try Neo magnet pickups, so I ordered a custom set of N-buckers from Reed James Custom Pickups. These are "reverse P" style neo magnet blades in an EMG 35 cover. I wanted this type of pickup because of my affinity for Lee Sklar's "Frankenstein" bass that has two reversed EMG P's in non-traditional positions. I chose the EMG cases because it would allow me to easily swap out pickups if I weren't happy with the customs I bough "sight unseen".
Secondly, I chose the Mike Pope Flexcore system as my preamp of choice. I wanted something that wouldn't color the overall tone but could still offer me powerful shaping options depending upon the gig or recording session. I wanted the most flexibility so I went with the 4-band option (B, LM, HM, H) along with two toggles to change the frequencies of the low-mid and high-mid bands and an active/passive switch. This set up also has a stacked volume/tone pot so that I could add the flexibility of a passive tone control.
Enough of the long winded history, here's my short review so far:
So far, so very good. I am falling in love with the Pope pre-amp. A lot of it's power is in the two mid bands, the high mids and the low mids. I can usually dial in or dial out one or both bands and find the tone I'm looking for immediately. I've also found great use with the passive tone knob as well, I use it exclusively with the highs rolled off. Overall, I am beyond pleased with the pickups and electronics that I chose. I can't quite cop a P bass tone, but I get close enough to be happy.
The neck: definitely a different feel than Paula or my other Warmoth necks since we went thinner with it. At first I wasn't sure I liked it, but it's working out fine, sometimes I find it helps with the style of music I'm using it for and sometimes I find it makes certain techniques a little more difficult because I'm missing some depth on the neck. This isn't a deal breaker and just requires me to use proper technique anyways. The wenge/wenge combo is nice and has a different feel over all than my Padauk/Wenge and my Wenge/Bubinga, I think I like it the best for feel. The tone piece of it is so hard to determine since all the basses I own have different electronics and different tone woods.
Not sure what else to update at this time, the body weight is wonderful and the bass is very ergonomic for me. I've played it at two rehearsals so far for a new band and I'm very happy with the tone I've dialed in for that group. It's a bit like the motown/funk stuff I was previously playing when I ordered Mariah, so it's a good test and a perfect fit. I think we nailed it again.
I'll try to send another update at some point in the future after it's finally been gigged. That'll be a good test on a stage instead of the typical practice room space.
Sorry I've been bad about getting getting a review written for Mariah. Been really busy with work and personal life and surprisingly only been able to play it twice since receiving it.
Complete disclosure: this is my second fully custom build from Andrew, although he's worked with me on various other projects. My first Drake Custom was Paula (Invalid Link Removed) and it was a wonderful process working with Andrew. From that bass and years of playing, I have a very demanding set of requirements for all basses that I own now.
My top requirement for all basses is an unfinished raw wood neck. I typically choose Wenge as both Andrew and I like the feel and the tone. This is my first bass with a wenge/wenge combination. Another requirement is tone. The tone goals for this bass were different than anything I've owned before: I wanted something that would translate to funk/slap/"active" when the gig called for it. I typically don't play these genres, but felt the need to have coverage. With this in mind, I went with a unique pickup and preamp combination.
I wanted to try Neo magnet pickups, so I ordered a custom set of N-buckers from Reed James Custom Pickups. These are "reverse P" style neo magnet blades in an EMG 35 cover. I wanted this type of pickup because of my affinity for Lee Sklar's "Frankenstein" bass that has two reversed EMG P's in non-traditional positions. I chose the EMG cases because it would allow me to easily swap out pickups if I weren't happy with the customs I bough "sight unseen".
Secondly, I chose the Mike Pope Flexcore system as my preamp of choice. I wanted something that wouldn't color the overall tone but could still offer me powerful shaping options depending upon the gig or recording session. I wanted the most flexibility so I went with the 4-band option (B, LM, HM, H) along with two toggles to change the frequencies of the low-mid and high-mid bands and an active/passive switch. This set up also has a stacked volume/tone pot so that I could add the flexibility of a passive tone control.
Enough of the long winded history, here's my short review so far:
So far, so very good. I am falling in love with the Pope pre-amp. A lot of it's power is in the two mid bands, the high mids and the low mids. I can usually dial in or dial out one or both bands and find the tone I'm looking for immediately. I've also found great use with the passive tone knob as well, I use it exclusively with the highs rolled off. Overall, I am beyond pleased with the pickups and electronics that I chose. I can't quite cop a P bass tone, but I get close enough to be happy.
The neck: definitely a different feel than Paula or my other Warmoth necks since we went thinner with it. At first I wasn't sure I liked it, but it's working out fine, sometimes I find it helps with the style of music I'm using it for and sometimes I find it makes certain techniques a little more difficult because I'm missing some depth on the neck. This isn't a deal breaker and just requires me to use proper technique anyways. The wenge/wenge combo is nice and has a different feel over all than my Padauk/Wenge and my Wenge/Bubinga, I think I like it the best for feel. The tone piece of it is so hard to determine since all the basses I own have different electronics and different tone woods.
Not sure what else to update at this time, the body weight is wonderful and the bass is very ergonomic for me. I've played it at two rehearsals so far for a new band and I'm very happy with the tone I've dialed in for that group. It's a bit like the motown/funk stuff I was previously playing when I ordered Mariah, so it's a good test and a perfect fit. I think we nailed it again.
I'll try to send another update at some point in the future after it's finally been gigged. That'll be a good test on a stage instead of the typical practice room space.
