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I just ordered a Fretless Fusion (lined neck, because it's my first Fretless) this weekend...
(Let the waiting commence)
(Let the waiting commence)
I'm currently reading a bunch of posts on TB by people defending sloppy neck/pocket fits (and other QC issues) on $4-5,000 Fender Custom Shop basses and then I read a post by Jake Goede on the Birdsong FB page where he says "words can't express how grateful we are at Birdsong for our loyal customers". Jake, the gratitude is more than mutual. You're the guy who fusses and sweats over every single one of our instruments to make sure we never have to experience the pain those folks are describing. Thank YOU sir. In a world where "half-assed" is increasingly accepted, Birdsong is something very special indeed.
NOTHING Jake ever does is half-assed...check this out....look at the carving and attention to detail on the back.side. I'm surprised his full scale basses haven't gotten more attention, this one is a work of art.
While we're at numbers, I'm ready. This 2010 Corto showed up at just the right time a year ago. It was impulse buy and I wasn't sure if I was keeping it, but it has truly grown on me. Whoever initially commissioned this got a slightly meatier neck, but still a breeze to play. I am liking this bass alot and expect to hold on to it for some time.
Many players have problems with the playability of the gloss finish on their bass necks. They will buy a new bass and immediately sand it down to make it more playable. What tha?! And yet here's Birdsong getting it perfect … better even than the "satin" finishes everyone froths about. My Cortobass is 11 years old now. I've vigorously rubbed (not wiped) the neck down with a dry microfiber cloth after every play. Yes, I mean every play - NO exceptions - and man, that neck is just friggin' TEFLON now. Truly magnificent. Birdsong's really are, as Scott says, "everything that matters and nothing that doesn't". The true mark of a great instrument is one that gets better with age, not worse. I'm astonished every day with mine. The thrill of picking it up and just handling it (let alone playing it) has never subsided. I never knew Ben Bernales, but I totally get his obsession.
ScottB
Commercial User
- Jul 6, 2004
- 44
- 182
- Disclosures
- Owner, Birdsong - (former) SD Curlee - D'Aquila Guitars brands
QUESTIONS FOR SCOTT B:
A few things I've always wondered:
(a) Do you have an amp/cab of choice for Birdsong basses? …. ie one that you feel really brings out the character you try to build into the bass?
(b) Do you have a personal tonewood of choice? I've seen a video where you say the wood is not a huge factor but it is still a factor
(c) I think you ship all Birdsongs with chromes, yes? But are there other strings you personally like to use on them?
(d) Is Birdsong just you and Jake or do you have other guys in the workshop?
A few things I've always wondered:
(a) Do you have an amp/cab of choice for Birdsong basses? …. ie one that you feel really brings out the character you try to build into the bass?
(b) Do you have a personal tonewood of choice? I've seen a video where you say the wood is not a huge factor but it is still a factor
(c) I think you ship all Birdsongs with chromes, yes? But are there other strings you personally like to use on them?
(d) Is Birdsong just you and Jake or do you have other guys in the workshop?
ScottB
Commercial User
- Jul 6, 2004
- 44
- 182
- Disclosures
- Owner, Birdsong - (former) SD Curlee - D'Aquila Guitars brands
Hi Geepers! Thanks for your interest and questions.
A) I've always voiced and tested Birdsongs through an amp set "flat." I know they have basic differences, but to my thought that minimized the amp difference as best I could. Cabs, mostly 1x15 or 2x12. But they sound like they sound, I've heard them through a PJ twin four and gigantic PA systems, TV speakers and any amp anyone would haul to a bar, EQ'd many different ways, and the warm and woody I like is still there. Personally, I'm a 1x15 guy, no tweeter, and my favorite amp is an old metal-case GK400RB. Really, the essence of the bass is what the player can sculpt that into with their own touch and settings - my work was to design something into the instrument that will serve them and be there however they color it.
B) Wood does matter, but to me much more in the neck than body, if we're not talking extremes like "basswood vs. solid ebony" LOL. My favorite recipe for a bass is (and these are just how they influence, it takes a whole design to voice a bass or guitar): "warm woody wood" for the body, "dense wood" for the neck, and a thick rosewood board. Like - medium weight mahogany body, maple neck, rosewood board. We've veered wildy from that over the years on orders and other builds, and they all still sound like family to me. But that's my favorite - with walnut a close second to mahogany. That's in general... Texas mesquite is its own thing and does season things its own way, and that's a favorite too. On guitars I've found "dense body / warm neck" to be my taste (though I just like instruments of all recipe) and season that with either rosewood or ebony board.
C) We ship with either Curt Mangan nickel roundwounds 45-105, or D'Addario Chromes flats ECB-82 50-105. I LOVE those chromes, personally my favorite strings ever. And I standardized the strings we ship with so when we're hearing subtle differences bass to bass we know it's probably not the strings. Their influence is invisble to us at this point, same as always using the same amp and settings. Any differences are the bass itself and it helps us dial them in. Plus these string choices are just great and consistent over many years. Regular length, too. Like for a 34. It's always been that way, since 2004. Personally for me, it's the chromes on everything I have. (On my super short scales, the pocket basses, I use set ECB-81S.)
D) In this chapter, it's mostly Jake and I. Jake handles the shop and makes the basses, I run the rest and work with clients. Like always, we know folks and help is always available wherever in the process we need it. Behind the scenes in both areas are also others who may not "be" Birdsong but help out tremendously in keeping things rolling and on track. Nothing is ever a one-man show, or a two-man team. There are always others behind or beside them.
Hope this helps, and have a great day. ~S.
A) I've always voiced and tested Birdsongs through an amp set "flat." I know they have basic differences, but to my thought that minimized the amp difference as best I could. Cabs, mostly 1x15 or 2x12. But they sound like they sound, I've heard them through a PJ twin four and gigantic PA systems, TV speakers and any amp anyone would haul to a bar, EQ'd many different ways, and the warm and woody I like is still there. Personally, I'm a 1x15 guy, no tweeter, and my favorite amp is an old metal-case GK400RB. Really, the essence of the bass is what the player can sculpt that into with their own touch and settings - my work was to design something into the instrument that will serve them and be there however they color it.
B) Wood does matter, but to me much more in the neck than body, if we're not talking extremes like "basswood vs. solid ebony" LOL. My favorite recipe for a bass is (and these are just how they influence, it takes a whole design to voice a bass or guitar): "warm woody wood" for the body, "dense wood" for the neck, and a thick rosewood board. Like - medium weight mahogany body, maple neck, rosewood board. We've veered wildy from that over the years on orders and other builds, and they all still sound like family to me. But that's my favorite - with walnut a close second to mahogany. That's in general... Texas mesquite is its own thing and does season things its own way, and that's a favorite too. On guitars I've found "dense body / warm neck" to be my taste (though I just like instruments of all recipe) and season that with either rosewood or ebony board.
C) We ship with either Curt Mangan nickel roundwounds 45-105, or D'Addario Chromes flats ECB-82 50-105. I LOVE those chromes, personally my favorite strings ever. And I standardized the strings we ship with so when we're hearing subtle differences bass to bass we know it's probably not the strings. Their influence is invisble to us at this point, same as always using the same amp and settings. Any differences are the bass itself and it helps us dial them in. Plus these string choices are just great and consistent over many years. Regular length, too. Like for a 34. It's always been that way, since 2004. Personally for me, it's the chromes on everything I have. (On my super short scales, the pocket basses, I use set ECB-81S.)
D) In this chapter, it's mostly Jake and I. Jake handles the shop and makes the basses, I run the rest and work with clients. Like always, we know folks and help is always available wherever in the process we need it. Behind the scenes in both areas are also others who may not "be" Birdsong but help out tremendously in keeping things rolling and on track. Nothing is ever a one-man show, or a two-man team. There are always others behind or beside them.
Hope this helps, and have a great day. ~S.
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Interesting that you favor a 400RB. I just picked one up and, 30+ years after letting my 800RB go, I'm in love with the tone again. Still need to bring my corto back from rehearsal to try with it but I'm confident the magic sauce is back. Road trip north to detach and clear the head first…
Well,
I haven't figured out how to load pictures onto this laptop yet - much less download them. But, since pictures are necessary? Scott (or somebody) took some very nice pictures of it - nicer than I am able to. So... It's Lefty Fusion #1103 on the Build Progress page. And, trust me; it looks nicer in person...
My only... well, reservation, maybe... with the bass, is the long scale D'Addario ECB82's it's wearing. I have to clean the bejeezus out of their strings, because they polish them with something I'm allergic to. And, although 24 of my 27 basses wear flats, this is the only one with Chromes; and none of them are as bright. But, even though they aren't quite broken in, they don't seem to be obnoxiously bright. So, since I've already cleaned them, I might as well give them a chance. They're pretty easy to play, at least...
For a lined fretless bass, it's... ridiculously easy to play. Easier than my 3 others; even my medium scale Fury Anthem, which is a custom made, purpose-built fretless. If I had to pick a bass to be the one that completed my Herd, and was the last bass I will (God willing) ever buy? It would be this one, for sure...
So... may I please have a number?
Well, Birdsong Fusion Bass #1103 arrived a couple of weeks ago. Am I pleased? Uh... yes. Very, very pleased. Aside from being a strikingly beautiful instrument, it is one Hell of a player. It's currently sitting in my living room with 4 other basses that need their flats broken in, so... I'm pretty busy; and yes, my fingers hurt...I've been watching that Fusion Bass build with interest. Mainly because the lefty Fusion (#1103) they're building? That's mine. Pretty similar to yours, but it'll be lined (like the 3 fretless basses that I own already), and it will have a scratch plate that matches the ebony fingerboard. And with volume/tone controls, as well. I forget what strings I told them I wanted to put on it, though. But, the longer I wait, the more I'm thinking that it might be just the bass to put the Dogal "Helborg" Flats on. The ones that I bought on a whim (and a very expensive whim it was, too)... Might be fun to have a fretless just for Jazz; currently, the only bass I have that's set up for that, is my fretted '95 Alembic Epic with TIJF's. It does work very well, IMO - but a fretless would be very nice to have, as well...
I haven't figured out how to load pictures onto this laptop yet - much less download them. But, since pictures are necessary? Scott (or somebody) took some very nice pictures of it - nicer than I am able to. So... It's Lefty Fusion #1103 on the Build Progress page. And, trust me; it looks nicer in person...
My only... well, reservation, maybe... with the bass, is the long scale D'Addario ECB82's it's wearing. I have to clean the bejeezus out of their strings, because they polish them with something I'm allergic to. And, although 24 of my 27 basses wear flats, this is the only one with Chromes; and none of them are as bright. But, even though they aren't quite broken in, they don't seem to be obnoxiously bright. So, since I've already cleaned them, I might as well give them a chance. They're pretty easy to play, at least...
For a lined fretless bass, it's... ridiculously easy to play. Easier than my 3 others; even my medium scale Fury Anthem, which is a custom made, purpose-built fretless. If I had to pick a bass to be the one that completed my Herd, and was the last bass I will (God willing) ever buy? It would be this one, for sure...
So... may I please have a number?
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Well,
Well, Birdsong Fusion Bass #1103 arrived a couple of weeks ago. Am I pleased? Uh... yes. Very, very pleased. Aside from being a strikingly beautiful instrument, it is one Hell of a player. It's currently sitting in my living room with 4 other basses that need their flats broken in, so... I'm pretty busy; and yes, my fingers hurt...
I haven't figured out how to load pictures onto this laptop yet - much less download them. But, since pictures are necessary? Scott (or somebody) took some very nice pictures of it - nicer than I am able to. So... It's Lefty Fusion #1103 on the Build Progress page. And, trust me; it looks nicer in person...
My only... well, reservation, maybe... with the bass, is the long scale D'Addario ECB82's it's wearing. I have to clean the bejeezus out of their strings, because they polish them with something I'm allergic to. And, although 24 of my 27 basses wear flats, this is the only one with Chromes; and none of them are as bright. But, even though they aren't quite broken in, they don't seem to be obnoxiously bright. So, since I've already cleaned them, I might as well give them a chance. They're pretty easy to play, at least...
For a lined fretless bass, it's... ridiculously easy to play. Easier than my 3 others; even my medium scale Fury Anthem, which is a custom made, purpose-built fretless. If I had to pick a bass to be the one that completed my Herd, and was the last bass I will ( god willing) ever buy? It would be this one...
So... may I please have a number?
Woohoo! Congratulations man, that's awesome. And that review has got me REALLY looking forward to my own Fusion build that's coming! "Ridiculously easy to play" is exactly how I feel about my fretless Corto. It almost feels like cheating! Have never played anything that comes even close. So pleased for you …
GIBrate51 - you're #140.
Welcome to the family - I think it's safe to say that several of us were following the progress of your Fusion via online updates. Congrats.
Welcome to the family - I think it's safe to say that several of us were following the progress of your Fusion via online updates. Congrats.
ScottB
Commercial User
- Jul 6, 2004
- 44
- 182
- Disclosures
- Owner, Birdsong - (former) SD Curlee - D'Aquila Guitars brands
Hi folks! Looking like early next week I'll have some time to answer any questions, if I can be of service to anybody. Just post them as questions for Scott B. and I'll do my best! Wishing you a great weekend. ~S.
QUESTION FOR SCOTT B:
Well, no one else seems to be jumping in so I've got another one!
Was just reading on F Bass website how they will never use lumber that surpasses their 4-6% moisture content protocol so that "your bass moves in our hands, not yours". Made me wonder what Birdsong's approach is as my 11 year old Cortobass has never moved one iota (never had to touch the truss rod, no gaps/cracks opened up anywhere at all… the thing still looks like brand new!!!)
Well, no one else seems to be jumping in so I've got another one!
Was just reading on F Bass website how they will never use lumber that surpasses their 4-6% moisture content protocol so that "your bass moves in our hands, not yours". Made me wonder what Birdsong's approach is as my 11 year old Cortobass has never moved one iota (never had to touch the truss rod, no gaps/cracks opened up anywhere at all… the thing still looks like brand new!!!)
