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Asian Basses
- Thread starter ac100X
- Start date
My Fender Geddy Lee Jazz Bass was "Crafted in Japan", and I don't think I'd find a better Jazz Bass anywhere.
No - it’s true. The reason is simple economics. They need to be able to fit X amount of basses on your average container ship to keep profits up. Unfortunately these container ships have limited weight carrying capacity, so the manufacturers have to remove all that heavy bottom end out in order to fit more basses on each ship. Simple economics really.
Genius! This goes hand-in-hand with my philosophy that speakers should be rotated like tires.
Riis
madbass6
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- Jan 13, 2009
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made in the US and basses assembled in other country's to save in labor cost are two totally different things!
I'm sure if someone replaces that little made in China/korea/Indonesia/China etc. Sticker With a made in the USA one You most likely won't even notice the difference ! in fact you'll probably say some thing even dummer then this ! & FYI tone wood is not a myth! especially when it comes to passive Basses!
- Oct 18, 2012
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I have a Spector Legend 5 Neck Thru that was made in Korea and it sounds great. Plenty of bottom end.
I think the lack of bottom end on some inexpensive basses has more to do with the electronic components than anything else. The right pickups, pots and capacitors can get you more low end.
I think the lack of bottom end on some inexpensive basses has more to do with the electronic components than anything else. The right pickups, pots and capacitors can get you more low end.
Well in the school that says that no generalization is worth a damn, take a look at the Cort factory where more than likely my G&L JB-2 was made and which probably has more low end than my US made LB-100. Not knocking the US Made P, as is EQs up a full bottom nicely and has great clarity, but the Indonesian jazz needs Eqing down on the bass knob. It's why I put the flat wounds on that one. It's got the thump. I'll say it again if G&l had a plek machine in Indonesia or specced plekking to Cort on their Tribute line plus used the exact same hardware on the Tribute line I doubt you'd be able to tell US made from Indonesian.
Lumping Japanese manufacturing in with Chinese and Indonesian is not really fair to Japan. The country is more advanced than America.
I have owned Korean Laklands, Ibanez, and Yamaha's (as well as Yamaha's from Taiwan and Indonesia) they were all really good instruments and none of them were lacking bottom end.
I really can't imagine why origin of manufacture should make a difference in that regard?
I really can't imagine why origin of manufacture should make a difference in that regard?
@Tommyc
A few of the Cort factories have PLEK machines,think G&L just choose not to use,so it's purely down to money.
One TB member posted last week about taking his Cort to get PLEK'd in the USA, machine couldn't find anything to PLEK
A few of the Cort factories have PLEK machines,think G&L just choose not to use,so it's purely down to money.
One TB member posted last week about taking his Cort to get PLEK'd in the USA, machine couldn't find anything to PLEK
I strongly agree.
The instruments that were made by Matsumoku for example are of the very highest quality. The craftsmanship of their Aria neck-through basses rivals most of the American "Boutique" basses being made today.
Basses made in the USA do have more bottom end because of the high percentage of obese people in the country. Being the fattest nation on earth does have some benefits.
Asian made basses mainly come from countries with low obesity due to healthier diets which make for anemic sounding basses. But now that the American fast food diet is becoming more popular in some Asian countries, the quality and sound of Asian basses has improved over the past 5-10 years or so.
Asian made basses mainly come from countries with low obesity due to healthier diets which make for anemic sounding basses. But now that the American fast food diet is becoming more popular in some Asian countries, the quality and sound of Asian basses has improved over the past 5-10 years or so.
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I've been to the Peabody Essex museum and seen Taoist wood carving from ancient China, unbelievable as well as a city carved into a tusk, and I'm sure craftsmanship still exists all over Asia. I have a Raven West 5 string, 35", all I know is that it's Asian and more a copy of a $4000 handmade 41 wood boutique bass, and it sounds and looks like it. I think the fretboard is ebony...I got it used for about 300.
I have a Brubaker with no 'made in' markings, but everything points to Korea.
With an MM in the bridge, and a hyperactive pre amp, it has more bottom than a hippo.
With an MM in the bridge, and a hyperactive pre amp, it has more bottom than a hippo.
