Yes, they are cheap-o copies of other well known basses. However, I recommend watching/subscribing to this channel on YouTube. It's quite informative, and Earl is pretty thorough on his reviews.http://www.youtube.com/user/maxproud?feature=watch
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Anyone familiar with MAESTRO basses?
- Thread starter NZBass
- Start date
Hi there. I just wanted to offer my 2 cents. I am a bit of a noob bassist, and purchased a Maestro 5 string off ebay. Here is a link to the kind i bought for $149 (buy-it-now):
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I figured i was gonna be getting a pile of crap at that price, and i must confess to being wrong. Its not AWESOME by any standard, but it isnt a pile of junk. THoughts: the overall appearance is very much like a musicman, the nut is a pile of crap, the neck is nice, the finish on the body is surprisingly good, the pickguard is thin and cheap. the pickup works fine. Had 1 really dead string on it, i suspect defective. Of course it was the most important one, the E. SO, new strings were in order. Once i got the new strings on it, the bass came to life. Wait........that was AFTER i repaired the broken solder joint/wire under the plate with the jack and pots. Don't get me wrong, i expected worse for this price range. All in all, it was a great purchase, and it will eventually get modded as my skills grow and needs refine. I made my comparison based on my experience with my 2 4 string basses, a fender squier P-bass, and a Dean Edge (5 piece neck, active pickups, grover tuners, the nice one, lol). As for the mAestro, Its a heavy ole bugger, but it works, and it sounds good. I dont know what i could really do to this thing to make it startlingly better, so, for under $200, go for it. Just be prepared/willing to mod and possibly do some electrical fixups right out of the box, oh, and have new strings on hand too. lol. Hope this helps. Cheers. (the seller shipped it fast and didnt overcharge, no issues with the seller at all). I dont think a $1400 legit musicman would be better enough to justify the $1200 difference in price.
He sums it all up. and I do not regret anything about the bass or my purchase. I love the natural wood look and the glossy finish is flawless.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I figured i was gonna be getting a pile of crap at that price, and i must confess to being wrong. Its not AWESOME by any standard, but it isnt a pile of junk. THoughts: the overall appearance is very much like a musicman, the nut is a pile of crap, the neck is nice, the finish on the body is surprisingly good, the pickguard is thin and cheap. the pickup works fine. Had 1 really dead string on it, i suspect defective. Of course it was the most important one, the E. SO, new strings were in order. Once i got the new strings on it, the bass came to life. Wait........that was AFTER i repaired the broken solder joint/wire under the plate with the jack and pots. Don't get me wrong, i expected worse for this price range. All in all, it was a great purchase, and it will eventually get modded as my skills grow and needs refine. I made my comparison based on my experience with my 2 4 string basses, a fender squier P-bass, and a Dean Edge (5 piece neck, active pickups, grover tuners, the nice one, lol). As for the mAestro, Its a heavy ole bugger, but it works, and it sounds good. I dont know what i could really do to this thing to make it startlingly better, so, for under $200, go for it. Just be prepared/willing to mod and possibly do some electrical fixups right out of the box, oh, and have new strings on hand too. lol. Hope this helps. Cheers. (the seller shipped it fast and didnt overcharge, no issues with the seller at all). I dont think a $1400 legit musicman would be better enough to justify the $1200 difference in price.
He sums it all up. and I do not regret anything about the bass or my purchase. I love the natural wood look and the glossy finish is flawless.
Was going to put this text in my thread, but this one's re-awakened sooner, so...
My Maestro MM5 arrived yesterday; very quick from Houston to England and, short story, it's a very good buy for the ridiculous $136 paid. Any doubts about abandoning my self-build have vanished; this is the only lefty 5er that looks the part and will make a pretty fine bass after some fettling and upgrading.
It's set up much like how my son's OLP MM3 arrived; each coil wired separately to a vol with a passive tone. TBF, there are some interestingly usable tones as is but it's not my thing and so easy to rip out and replace. I had plans for my massive modfest but, now it's here, I think a pretty modest tweak will make this a perfect counterpoint to my mellow Jim Reed.
I know how good the Warman MM5 pup sounds with the EMG BTC in the OLP, especially with series/para/single so I think same again here. Looks like I'll be selling my genyooine EBMM5 triple coil, and the Seymour preamp. Not strictly necessary, but I shall rout for my Lace Sensor J5 and probably a battery box. Without much work, I'll have a seriously close MM5 and J5 sound in one. Absolutely necessary is a setup involving - just as Ric5 predicted - fret end dressing (actually much better on arrival than a Vintage and a Washburn I have) and leveling (numerous lift outs resulting in serious buzz on 4th and 16th), plus a replacement of the comically bad nut and pickguard.
The neck, otherwise, is to die for at the price. Superfast, feels like bare wood, and comfortable profile with a headstock that should be lawsuitable. Tuners (unlike the OLP) hold the pitch, too, but I really must stretch to purchasing some string trees. Oh, and I have 45-130 Ernie Balls ready to go straight on.
I don't like the idea of their "fretless" with ground down frets but are you reading this thinking "should I get one?" If you can wield a fret hammer, file and know what to do with your nuts (or budget to pay a tech to do it for you), I say "absolutely yes
"
My Maestro MM5 arrived yesterday; very quick from Houston to England and, short story, it's a very good buy for the ridiculous $136 paid. Any doubts about abandoning my self-build have vanished; this is the only lefty 5er that looks the part and will make a pretty fine bass after some fettling and upgrading.
It's set up much like how my son's OLP MM3 arrived; each coil wired separately to a vol with a passive tone. TBF, there are some interestingly usable tones as is but it's not my thing and so easy to rip out and replace. I had plans for my massive modfest but, now it's here, I think a pretty modest tweak will make this a perfect counterpoint to my mellow Jim Reed.
I know how good the Warman MM5 pup sounds with the EMG BTC in the OLP, especially with series/para/single so I think same again here. Looks like I'll be selling my genyooine EBMM5 triple coil, and the Seymour preamp. Not strictly necessary, but I shall rout for my Lace Sensor J5 and probably a battery box. Without much work, I'll have a seriously close MM5 and J5 sound in one. Absolutely necessary is a setup involving - just as Ric5 predicted - fret end dressing (actually much better on arrival than a Vintage and a Washburn I have) and leveling (numerous lift outs resulting in serious buzz on 4th and 16th), plus a replacement of the comically bad nut and pickguard.
The neck, otherwise, is to die for at the price. Superfast, feels like bare wood, and comfortable profile with a headstock that should be lawsuitable. Tuners (unlike the OLP) hold the pitch, too, but I really must stretch to purchasing some string trees. Oh, and I have 45-130 Ernie Balls ready to go straight on.
I don't like the idea of their "fretless" with ground down frets but are you reading this thinking "should I get one?" If you can wield a fret hammer, file and know what to do with your nuts (or budget to pay a tech to do it for you), I say "absolutely yes
"I recently bought a Maestro 4 string bass. It has wilkins pups. I am not an expert, however, my instructor says it is a really nice bass and plays very well. From what I found is that Maestro is from Singapore (and only sells accoustics now) experimented with electric guitars a few years back. I enjoy my bass and it seems to work and sound like a bass. For the price it is a well built guitar that I can emprove in the future.
- Mar 22, 2000
- 1,972
- 73
- Disclosures
- Big Cheese Emeritus: Gollihur Music (retired)
I was seduced by a fretless Maestro five string sorta jazz bass on eBay recently. The naked maple fingerboard was the feature that attracted me, and I was prepared to accept some mediocrity since I planned to hack it up. The photo here is from the auction.
My first decent bass was a '71 Fender P-bass with a maple fingerboard, which I bought in '71. I have only one fretless fiver and it's too valuable to casually tote around New Orleans, so I thought a project bass would be fun and the Maestro a good and inexpensive base bass from which to start. Comments:
- It arrived virtually unplayable, the flatwound strings are stiff as a board, even after removing them, the B and E strings just flap on the fingerboard. I pity any beginner getting this bass. While I don't expect a setup, it should at least be playable.
- the neck is essentially bare wood, no finish I could detect. That's a recipe for ugliness as the unprotected maple will turn gray and/or black from finger oils over time. Their email response was "it's all the rage in Europe, send it back if you don't like it". (They get $45 shipping, which is pretty high IMHO. But the bass is cheap.)
- there are no side markers in the neck, and it is, of course, unlined. I've put side markers in it and, after sanding/prepping the wood, I'm on my fourth coat of gloss poly spray. Oh, and yes, I sanded the MAESTRO logo off and trimmed/reshaped the large headstock.
- Since it's all maple it was an 11 lb. anchor. I've cut and shaped the body, taking 1.5+ lbs off. I'm in the process of painting it a metallic white.
- The thin maple veneer on the front and back were actually decent; the sides of the maple body had some undesirable imperfections but was acceptable,
- It has a jazz and humbucker, passive VVT. While I didn't confirm it by testing, I believe the pickups were wired out of phase, as the volume and bass response were severely reduced when both pickup volumes were at full volume.
I'll see how it goes as I reassemble it.
My first decent bass was a '71 Fender P-bass with a maple fingerboard, which I bought in '71. I have only one fretless fiver and it's too valuable to casually tote around New Orleans, so I thought a project bass would be fun and the Maestro a good and inexpensive base bass from which to start. Comments:
- It arrived virtually unplayable, the flatwound strings are stiff as a board, even after removing them, the B and E strings just flap on the fingerboard. I pity any beginner getting this bass. While I don't expect a setup, it should at least be playable.
- the neck is essentially bare wood, no finish I could detect. That's a recipe for ugliness as the unprotected maple will turn gray and/or black from finger oils over time. Their email response was "it's all the rage in Europe, send it back if you don't like it". (They get $45 shipping, which is pretty high IMHO. But the bass is cheap.)
- there are no side markers in the neck, and it is, of course, unlined. I've put side markers in it and, after sanding/prepping the wood, I'm on my fourth coat of gloss poly spray. Oh, and yes, I sanded the MAESTRO logo off and trimmed/reshaped the large headstock.
- Since it's all maple it was an 11 lb. anchor. I've cut and shaped the body, taking 1.5+ lbs off. I'm in the process of painting it a metallic white.
- The thin maple veneer on the front and back were actually decent; the sides of the maple body had some undesirable imperfections but was acceptable,
- It has a jazz and humbucker, passive VVT. While I didn't confirm it by testing, I believe the pickups were wired out of phase, as the volume and bass response were severely reduced when both pickup volumes were at full volume.
I'll see how it goes as I reassemble it.
Attachments
ibanez sdgr are not "el cheapo." and quit trying to use Spanish as a way to make it sound dumb... it is very offensive.
i do have a sdgr 370m bass. i am going to say that it is the best bass i've laid hands on: regarding sound, flexibility, ease of set up, and many more factors.... and i have had a fair share of taste of basses (from fenders, ricks, shecters, deans, cort, and a couple more). all descent, and many of them more expensive and "better name brand", but my ibanez is far better and a keeper for life, thank you very much. just like every one has opinions about what is good and what is not, this is mine.
i have also come across a few of these maestro basses. they are not up to ibanez standards, true, but, they can be. i helped to set up one that looked like a 5 string ibanez soundgear, but it had passive humbuckers. after minor adjustments to the neck, bridge, and frets that took less than half an hour, it was ready to rock. i must admit that i liked it very much. the pick ups were surprisingly powerful for a passive bass. the neck was very playable, and it was light weight. there are other forms of the maestro bass, like the stingray copy, and some that look like a corvette. all of them were good, but the one i liked was this ibanez copy.
every assembly line has its flaws and mishaps, but a bass is as good as you want to make it... make it not just a brand, make it yours.
i do have a sdgr 370m bass. i am going to say that it is the best bass i've laid hands on: regarding sound, flexibility, ease of set up, and many more factors.... and i have had a fair share of taste of basses (from fenders, ricks, shecters, deans, cort, and a couple more). all descent, and many of them more expensive and "better name brand", but my ibanez is far better and a keeper for life, thank you very much. just like every one has opinions about what is good and what is not, this is mine.
i have also come across a few of these maestro basses. they are not up to ibanez standards, true, but, they can be. i helped to set up one that looked like a 5 string ibanez soundgear, but it had passive humbuckers. after minor adjustments to the neck, bridge, and frets that took less than half an hour, it was ready to rock. i must admit that i liked it very much. the pick ups were surprisingly powerful for a passive bass. the neck was very playable, and it was light weight. there are other forms of the maestro bass, like the stingray copy, and some that look like a corvette. all of them were good, but the one i liked was this ibanez copy.
every assembly line has its flaws and mishaps, but a bass is as good as you want to make it... make it not just a brand, make it yours.
anyone try one of these yet?
yes! this is like the one i helped set up, but that one was fretted.
- Mar 22, 2000
- 1,972
- 73
- Disclosures
- Big Cheese Emeritus: Gollihur Music (retired)
Just a followup, I'm still doing paint work on the fretless referenced above... Meanwhile, I picked up a 5 string fretless "Douglas" on ebay, something a Rondo Music (I have a SX fretted fiver several years old that rocks) guy is selling. It kicks ass in general, and certainly kicks the Maestro's butt, even the active electronics are impressive. Natch, they both come with sucko strings and need a setup/fine tuning. If I'd gotten the Douglas, first, I wouldn't have bothered with the Maestro.
just to throw in my experience with Maestro basses...
i have been GASing for a 5 string MM forever, being a lefty, and being poor, or rather unwilling to shell out 2 grand for a US MM, i saw the Maestro MM copy on ebay and pulled the trigger. £94 plus £50 shipping from the US to the UK i thought it was worth a go...
anyway, the bass is currently at our rehearsal space waiting to be taken up to my bass guy for setup and installation of replacement parts, but below is a quick summary of what i found:
Pros:
- Lovely looking bass! I actually don't like the US MM 5-string as the pickguard on the 5er is a weird shape, not like the lovely teardrop on the 4 - the Maestro has the 4-string style pickguard.
- Played well out of the box with no setup. When i mean well, what i mean is it is certainly playable for practices, if (when) i use it for gigs it will need a little work (more below!). Bends and fast runs were real easy.
- Actually sounded pretty decent too with the stock electronics, had a very bright cutting tone, and sounded pretty powerful.
- Not too heavy, neck feels real nice, totally unfinished back and front which personally i really like but i know it's not for everyone! I like the fact that unfinished necks get tarnished up with sweat and oil from my paws!
Cons:
- Nut was cut almost comically! The centre string on a 5 should usually run straight over the centre of the dot markers... not here it doesn't!
- One of the controls wasn't secured well under the control plate and the pot beneath started to turn once the control had been turned all the way up.
- Strings were proper cheap, playable, but cheap feeling (no surprise really!)
- Pickup lacked 'beef', the sound was useable but felt really weak when i a/b tested it with my trusty Yamaha TRB1005 (which is a £1400 instrument!). Lots of top and middle but a big hole where the bass end should be!
- Electronics were pretty useless, the bass sounded OK with everything flat but any EQ adjustment lead to an indistinct, not really useable tone.
- Fret ends were pretty sharp, for the most part on the treble end.
So... after reading the advice of another TBer on this very thread i have purchased a Warman MM5 pup, a cheapo Chinese active pre, and some Warwick Red Label strings. This is then going up to my bass guy for installation, routing for the battery box, sorting out the fret ends, full set up etc. I will report back after this has all been done - if my luthier finds any other problems i will let you know.
Once this is done i will gig it for a while, do some further a/b-ing with my Yammy, and report back. If i'm not satisfied with the pups and electronics after living with them for a good 6 months i will swap them out for some real pricey gear - Nordy pup and John East pre...
Keep rocking peoples!!!
J - out!
i have been GASing for a 5 string MM forever, being a lefty, and being poor, or rather unwilling to shell out 2 grand for a US MM, i saw the Maestro MM copy on ebay and pulled the trigger. £94 plus £50 shipping from the US to the UK i thought it was worth a go...
anyway, the bass is currently at our rehearsal space waiting to be taken up to my bass guy for setup and installation of replacement parts, but below is a quick summary of what i found:
Pros:
- Lovely looking bass! I actually don't like the US MM 5-string as the pickguard on the 5er is a weird shape, not like the lovely teardrop on the 4 - the Maestro has the 4-string style pickguard.
- Played well out of the box with no setup. When i mean well, what i mean is it is certainly playable for practices, if (when) i use it for gigs it will need a little work (more below!). Bends and fast runs were real easy.
- Actually sounded pretty decent too with the stock electronics, had a very bright cutting tone, and sounded pretty powerful.
- Not too heavy, neck feels real nice, totally unfinished back and front which personally i really like but i know it's not for everyone! I like the fact that unfinished necks get tarnished up with sweat and oil from my paws!
Cons:
- Nut was cut almost comically! The centre string on a 5 should usually run straight over the centre of the dot markers... not here it doesn't!
- One of the controls wasn't secured well under the control plate and the pot beneath started to turn once the control had been turned all the way up.
- Strings were proper cheap, playable, but cheap feeling (no surprise really!)
- Pickup lacked 'beef', the sound was useable but felt really weak when i a/b tested it with my trusty Yamaha TRB1005 (which is a £1400 instrument!). Lots of top and middle but a big hole where the bass end should be!
- Electronics were pretty useless, the bass sounded OK with everything flat but any EQ adjustment lead to an indistinct, not really useable tone.
- Fret ends were pretty sharp, for the most part on the treble end.
So... after reading the advice of another TBer on this very thread i have purchased a Warman MM5 pup, a cheapo Chinese active pre, and some Warwick Red Label strings. This is then going up to my bass guy for installation, routing for the battery box, sorting out the fret ends, full set up etc. I will report back after this has all been done - if my luthier finds any other problems i will let you know.
Once this is done i will gig it for a while, do some further a/b-ing with my Yammy, and report back. If i'm not satisfied with the pups and electronics after living with them for a good 6 months i will swap them out for some real pricey gear - Nordy pup and John East pre...
Keep rocking peoples!!!
J - out!
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
I own a Maestro 8-string octave bass, and while I like mine, I can only say this about this brand or any other, you will either like it or you will hate it. I heard that Maestro is a low-end Gibson make and whether this is true or not, I don't really know. If you are considering a Maestro bass, try before you buy.
I have several Ibanez basses and they are one of my main go-to brands. My others are Fender and BC Rich. Excellent choice in basses my friend.
This bass looks like Chris Squire's bass from YES. Only his is green with black racing stripes.
The Singapore “maestro” have nothing to do with these particular brand of Maestro basses being discussed. Trust me.. That guy that makes the acoustics is quite pretentious when you inquire about anything regarding said basses as well.
I’ve messaged sellers of these “knock-offs” after purchasing a 5string Jazz version seeking a wiring diagram (love the bass) after zero leads I said screw it and dropped a JRetro preamp in. After some carving I’ve got a pretty solid 280 dollar bass.
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