Don’t judge the builder or the businessman by his website! Brian is a solid guy and builds really incredible basses. He has also pioneered some innovations with neck laminations (B Type) and has a great 2/3 band preamp.
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Brian makes great basses
Him and Chris benevete both have a part in the LEJ basses
He’s been around for a long time I’ve dealt with him on a few occasions and he’s always been accommodating to me
His website has always been that way and he even revamped it some time ago so it’s actually better than what it was
It doesn’t bother me at all it’s fairly easy to navigate but for 2500 that seems fairly high for what they usually go for used especially being a 7 string jazz that’s a small window of players but it looks amazing !
Him and Chris benevete both have a part in the LEJ basses
He’s been around for a long time I’ve dealt with him on a few occasions and he’s always been accommodating to me
His website has always been that way and he even revamped it some time ago so it’s actually better than what it was
It doesn’t bother me at all it’s fairly easy to navigate but for 2500 that seems fairly high for what they usually go for used especially being a 7 string jazz that’s a small window of players but it looks amazing !
I agree with @burgerdj . You cannot judge the quality of an instrument by the website. If you wish for a more expensive website, then he will need to cover those costs by increasing his prices.
Brian Barrett is a great builder, retailer and does consignment sales.
I currently have a Carl Thompson Fretless 6 in the queue, arranged through The LowEnd.
Brian Barrett is a great builder, retailer and does consignment sales.
I currently have a Carl Thompson Fretless 6 in the queue, arranged through The LowEnd.
Low End Basses are great. The bodies and necks have mostly been built by luthier Chris Benavente(bass building God that's been around a long time but still seems to fly under the radar), with Brian Barrett doing final setup and assembly. There was a very brief window of a few years when Brian had them built elsewhere but Chris is doing the bodies and necks again. I know many were painted by a 3rd party but I believe Chris is doing most, if not all, the finish work now. The usual pickups and pre aren't your standard vintage voiced setup. Think MTD meets Fender. Very bright and modern sounding. The cool thing about Brian is that he always seems to be up for working with people to mod an LEJ to help it fit their tonal goals. Even with used ones.
I had a 33” scale LEJ 4/21 classic. The build quality was excellent, with some of the best fretwork I’ve seen in person. Lovely rolled edges that just felt very soft and comfortable.
The fingerboard radius is a little flatter than a Fender. Satin finish on the neck, which was very thin front-to-back. They come standard with a brass nut and Brian’s proprietary pickups and preamp. The pickups are not in standard 60s or 70s jazz positions. Weighed 9.4 lbs.
All-in-all it was a great bass and worth what I paid new in 2010, but it was different enough from a jazz bass that I never fully bonded with it. I shipped it back to Brian around 18 months ago and he sold it for me, and got me exactly the amount I told him I wanted out of it. He was very pleasant to deal with, as a customer buying a bew bass, and as someone asking for help selling an instrument.
The fingerboard radius is a little flatter than a Fender. Satin finish on the neck, which was very thin front-to-back. They come standard with a brass nut and Brian’s proprietary pickups and preamp. The pickups are not in standard 60s or 70s jazz positions. Weighed 9.4 lbs.
All-in-all it was a great bass and worth what I paid new in 2010, but it was different enough from a jazz bass that I never fully bonded with it. I shipped it back to Brian around 18 months ago and he sold it for me, and got me exactly the amount I told him I wanted out of it. He was very pleasant to deal with, as a customer buying a bew bass, and as someone asking for help selling an instrument.
I was just about to ask you that. I’ve owned a couple thrifty the years. Both were fantastic Basses but sadly due to age the weight on the particular models I had where just too heavy. Glwtb.
Low End is the manufacturer. Like Fender or Warwick.
Also an opportunity for a lot of cheap puns apparently
Anyway, i think this brand is not popular with it's quality, because 90% doesn't know anything about it.
Sounds like a decent deal. They are relatively under-the-radar, but they have a good reputation, & I want one.
Watch some of the videos where the owner talks about his construction methods & ideas about why he does things the way he does them. They are low-key, but informative; they don't smack of "marketing hype" at all, just a guy with a personal vision.
Wow! Well you're obviously in the 90%. Here's a little edu-ma-cation, for your edification...
The LowEnd
No affiliation...
Maybe i am wrong , but don't see or hear of this brand for my 22 year carrier, and most of the talk bass doesn't. If you like it and sounds great and the price is normal to you, take it and use it a lot.
OP,
Since you'll get to play the bass beforehand, that should answer a lot of questions for you.
I briefly had a Low End Om neck-through, fretless four-string that I picked up second-hand. That specific bass wasn't for me, ultimately, but it was a gorgeous instrument and very responsive with a nice, rigid neck. I ended up selling it on consignment through Brian (who made that whole process as easy it could be).
Aside from that, I haven't dealt with Brian all that much, but he was helpful regarding a power-amp and my Mono case and I wouldn't hesitate to deal with him again. A friend that lived out near the Low End Bass Shop for several years had only good things to say about them and the way they did business.
Since you'll get to play the bass beforehand, that should answer a lot of questions for you.
I briefly had a Low End Om neck-through, fretless four-string that I picked up second-hand. That specific bass wasn't for me, ultimately, but it was a gorgeous instrument and very responsive with a nice, rigid neck. I ended up selling it on consignment through Brian (who made that whole process as easy it could be).
Aside from that, I haven't dealt with Brian all that much, but he was helpful regarding a power-amp and my Mono case and I wouldn't hesitate to deal with him again. A friend that lived out near the Low End Bass Shop for several years had only good things to say about them and the way they did business.
Hello TB.
I played the Low End bass today. The tone is wonderful, the bass is beautiful and it is clearly very well-made. Seller is a really nice guy too.
Unfortunately the neck wasn't comfortable at all. I'm used to the neck on my Warrior MD 7-string which has a very different profile. I would absolutely recommend Low End to any bassist but I'll have to keep looking for my next bass.
Thanks again to everyone who responded.
I played the Low End bass today. The tone is wonderful, the bass is beautiful and it is clearly very well-made. Seller is a really nice guy too.
Unfortunately the neck wasn't comfortable at all. I'm used to the neck on my Warrior MD 7-string which has a very different profile. I would absolutely recommend Low End to any bassist but I'll have to keep looking for my next bass.
Thanks again to everyone who responded.
Barely anyone has heard of Moollon or Steinbeck either but plenty of killer players use them, and a lot of gospel guys play LowEnds. Not sure how your knowledge of a brand correlates to quality here.
It's cool that you got to play it and cool, too, that you recognized its quality (and said as much) while recognizing that it's not for you.
I've only ever played one Warrior bass -- a five string. That one was snappily responsive, light, and sounded good, but the thin (front-to-back) neck just wasn't for me -- a great bass for somebody, though.
The Low End Om I had had a fairly thin neck (though not as thin as the Warrior I played -- still had some depth/roundness front-to-back, which I like). I don't know what the profile on the seven-string you tried was like and don't know if Brian would offer such a thing as a custom profile on a neck, but it might be worth asking him, if you liked the bass otherwise.
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
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- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
Weren't these contract built by the Benavente shop? I remember these being all the rage back in about 2005.
Edit: yep they were:
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