Jake would know for sure, but the build list says Fender 9120.
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Well...
I can't speak for the folks that like Chromes, really. As I've said before; D'Addario finish-polishes their strings - All their metal strings - with something that makes my fingers itch like crazy. It takes roughly 45 minutes - and copious use of solvents that are... well, breathing the fumes or getting them on you, is not a good idea - to clean them; and, TBH? The few times I've done that has, frankly, not been worth the effort. So, I don't use their strings - although, their mandolin strings would have been worth it - if I hadn't had to change them every time I turned around...
I did have an old, very broken-in set of long scale 45-105 Chromes on a G&L ASAT bass for a while. They were salvaged from a project bass, and laid around in a Baggie for several years. I tried them on the ASAT; more to get rid of them, than anything else. While I'm not a big fan of "bright" flats, I thought they sounded pretty good - on that bass. But, when they finally really died? I replaced them with Fender 9050L Flats, instead. Which I have on a couple other basses, and like much better.
As for the ECB182 Chromes that come on Birdsongs? I was going to have Scott put a set of La Bella Black Tapes on my Fretless Fusion, but... I let him talk me out of it, and put the "stock" Chromes on it, instead. Especially after he told me that Birdsong pickups are wound with those strings in mind. Yes, I did have to take them off and go thru the cleaning process, but... so far? I'm liking them a lot. They don't seem as bright as the ones on my ASAT were - and, TBH, those old things weren't all that bright. Compared to La Bella DTFs, yeah; they were bright. Compared to a set of Fender 9050L's? Well... not so much. So...
Will I keep them? Yeah, I think I will. Aside from their tone, they feel good, and they're plenty flexible enough to work really well on a fretless bass. I play most of my fretless basses like I do all but one of my fretted basses; with a pick, 95% of the time. The Chromes do that very well. And, when they finally die? I might put another set of Chromes on it - then again, I might not. I have a lot of different flats in my "Big Box 'O Strings", and I've been wondering about how some of them would sound on my Fusion. Particularly the Dogal JC106A "Jaco" Carbonsteel Flats. I have a set of those on my '73 Rick 4001, and I like them - a lot...
Well I've had the Fusion a few weeks now and am just blown away. I thought nothing could be better than my 2013 fretless Cortobass but I was wrong. This is better. The sound from it is just epic. It's a bass that looks so benign yet produces a huge voice from that single "home recipe" pickup Scott designed. The only downside of Birdsongs for me is that you kinda can't play anything else after you've experienced them. Nothing else is so comfortable… so damn PLAYABLE!! Oh well, there's worse things I guess
Edit: I thought about what I said above. "Better" implies there is something deficient in the Cortobass. No. It's brilliant at what it does. The Fusion just does things it can't do which for me at this point of my musical journey makes it relatively "better" … just not in an absolute sense. I hope that makes sense!
I can't express how much I love this build. It's just so antithetical to the Talkbass hive mind in so many ways. It's an electric bass and you play it. Nothing more. If it doesn't sound good it's on you, not the bass.
Just wanted to mention I'm selling one of my HY5s if anyone is interested...
FS: Birdsong Fretless HY5
FS: Birdsong Fretless HY5
ScottB
Commercial User
- Jul 6, 2004
- 44
- 182
- Disclosures
- Owner, Birdsong - (former) SD Curlee - D'Aquila Guitars brands
Hey all! Scott from Birdsong here, just checking in. If anybody has any questions or needs anything, I'll check back in a few days. Birdsong email is now [email protected] only. Rock on! ~S.
Hey Scott! How's it feel to be back in the wintery part of the world? Never thought I'd see the day!
Hope all is well!
ScottB
Commercial User
- Jul 6, 2004
- 44
- 182
- Disclosures
- Owner, Birdsong - (former) SD Curlee - D'Aquila Guitars brands
Hey beatlebass64! I never thought I would see it either, but time changes things and we change too. I'll be settling in over the next few months and getting my personal workshop up and running (the sbeckwith dot com stuff). Birdsong workshop is still in Texas, Jake is rocking and rolling. We could make you a Birdsong guitar anytime you'd like. The bridge would be slightly different than the original run, but other than that, totally doable. Should we start gathering parts?
I'm looking for a five-string short scale and Birdsong came up. On the page for the five-string bass, it says "Uses standard length strings + a long B," but the FAQ page seems to suggest it comes with a regular-scale B. Which is it?
Scott will no doubt answer himself in due course but from a video I watched where he talked about this I think you'll find he means "including a long scale B"… ie with the special routing system they devised you can use a standard long scale B string which would otherwise not work so great on a short scale bass
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Ah, that would make sense. I read it as "standard regular long scale G-E and extra long scale B"
I always assumed it was a "standard" length B and that it just routed through the body so the taper on the tuner end of the string worked out right. Glad to see this discussed and confirmed.
You need a "super long" B String, in addition to a regular full scale 4 string set.
The silk on a normal 34" scale B String will not make it past the nut.
Over the years there HAVE been "normal" full scale strings that would fit, Curt Mangan being a good example, but something changed and the new ones no longer do. I've been using D'Addario lately, and they work fine.
The silk on a normal 34" scale B String will not make it past the nut.
Over the years there HAVE been "normal" full scale strings that would fit, Curt Mangan being a good example, but something changed and the new ones no longer do. I've been using D'Addario lately, and they work fine.
also, does anyone have a decent recording of a Birdsong? Like a DI recording? I can't seem to find one on YouTube.
Song yet to be released or fully mixed for that matter. Corto into a SVT sim…..I think with old TIJF344 on it.
I have DR Sunbeams on it now and through an old GK 400RB and a Revsound RS210 it sounds frighteningly good at practice. It sings just not quite like my old Wal ProIIe. Passive though and much less worrisome to tote around.
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Finally got around to posting this. DI into ProTools, a touch of compression. Both pu's open, tone rolled off on an old set of Chromes.
I like your cut bassplace. I don't usually travel in those sonic circles so these are quite a contrast, demonstrating a Corto's flexibility
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I have traveled in those circles a lot but am more inclined to dial it back these days. Love your tone and track.
I have a 2018 Cortobass in mint condition.
Mahogany body, maple neck, ebony fretboard, mahogany headstock, black hardware.
Trying to figure out pricing if I wanted to sell it. Figured I'd ask the Birdsong club what they thought.
Mahogany body, maple neck, ebony fretboard, mahogany headstock, black hardware.
Trying to figure out pricing if I wanted to sell it. Figured I'd ask the Birdsong club what they thought.
