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Birdsong Club Pt 2

#1,161
beatlebass64 said:
Just throwing it out there for anyone who may be interested...

I googled Birdsong Guitars rather than type in the address directly, and the google results bring up reviews for the company. There were three reviews and two of them were 1 star ratings. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but I'm sure many of you, like me, would speak very highly of Scott and the company.

I figured I would mention it in case anyone wanted to give him a rating. Hate the thought of someone googling the company and seeing the bad ratings, as Scott has always been incredible to work with based on my experiences.

Also, here is a pic of my latest build! A cypress bodied CBass. It will get a maple neck and board and be trimmed out in black ebony and hardware :)
Click to expand...
In the words of my dear old Tutu, "They just don't know what good is."

Thanks for the heads-up.
 
#1,163
Hi beatlebass64,

After looking at the newest pics on Scott's build page, I was wondering if that was going to be your bass. Mine will be the other one that came out of the same board of flood cypress. Yours is on the right side of the board, mine on the left. Scott is building me an Especial (Corto body with Fusion pickups) with rosewood fretboard and appointments and gold hardware. I think we're both in for quite a treat when these lovelies arrive.

Bill

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#1,165
Bill R said:
Hi beatlebass64,

After looking at the newest pics on Scott's build page, I was wondering if that was going to be your bass. Mine will be the other one that came out of the same board of flood cypress. Yours is on the right side of the board, mine on the left. Scott is building me an Especial (Corto body with Fusion pickups) with rosewood fretboard and appointments and gold hardware. I think we're both in for quite a treat when these lovelies arrive.

Bill

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed] [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...

I saw that build! I noticed ours were taken from the same wood, looks like yours is going to be pretty wild when finished!

I don't know if you follow his Birdsong page on Facebook, but he posted a picture of the cypress lap steel. It shows the wood after finishing and I must say it looks like these are going to be some nice basses!

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#1,166
Yes indeed. Nice coloration and subtle figuring in the wood.

beatlebass64 said:
I saw that build! I noticed ours were taken from the same wood, looks like yours is going to be pretty wild when finished!

I don't know if you follow his Birdsong page on Facebook, but he posted a picture of the cypress lap steel. It shows the wood after finishing and I must say it looks like these are going to be some nice basses!

Link Removed
Click to expand...
 
#1,169
BenWigler said:
View attachment 1062043 View attachment 1062044 View attachment 1062044 Oh man... I've been playing this bass for a little less than a year now, but it has completely changed my life. It's a prototype, the first time Scott used the Shortbass body on an official Birdsong from what I understand. It's a cherry body with a maple neck that has a cool finish to it. I play pretty aggressive prog () and even with just the lace sensor in the neck, this bass totally delivers. It delivers so well that I had to go ahead and order a 2nd Birdsong, code name "The Talisman"... and now I'm going to be selling the rest of my basses! As soon as possible, I'll be a Birdsong only guy ;) And talking to Scott on the phone is a blast, I highly recommend that anyone thinking about ordering a bass give him a call.
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Wow !!!...sounds badass..your bass especially...
My dream bass is a Sadhana,(or even a Fusion with a Delano in the "sweet spot" or a double Fusion) and one day I will own one...Scott has definitely found the secret to short scale and does some truly stunning work..If I sold my Ric today I would be halfway to the Sadhana...lol
 
#1,173
I love my fretless Shortbass so much that I've just arranged a new build with Scott, trying to decide between a Hy5 and a Corto2 (fretted). I would love some thoughts on the two and in the meantime am going to try out a friend's long-scale 5 string to see how I like it. My hands are very small and even on short scales I struggle to do one finger per fret in the first frets, so I am thinking of going to a 5 string to be able to play low notes on the B at the 5th fret and above as well as for the extra bottom range. Any recommendations, thoughts about Hy5 vs Corto2? If I had the funds I'd do both of course :)
 
#1,174
JTaylor said:
I love my fretless Shortbass so much that I've just arranged a new build with Scott, trying to decide between a Hy5 and a Corto2 (fretted). I would love some thoughts on the two and in the meantime am going to try out a friend's long-scale 5 string to see how I like it. My hands are very small and even on short scales I struggle to do one finger per fret in the first frets, so I am thinking of going to a 5 string to be able to play low notes on the B at the 5th fret and above as well as for the extra bottom range. Any recommendations, thoughts about Hy5 vs Corto2? If I had the funds I'd do both of course :)[/QUOTE
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I've owned a hy5. Personally I never ended up playing the low notes up past the 5th fret like I thought I would. I also didn't like using the low b as much as I thought I would either. But that's just my experience. Having said that I thought the bass sounded absolutely fantastic! I'd highly recommend any bass Scott makes. I'd recommend borrowing a 5 if you can to see if you like it. They take a while to get used to. Maybe tune down and put a capo on the 3rd fret to get an idea of how it'll feel.
 
#1,175
JTaylor said:
I love my fretless Shortbass so much that I've just arranged a new build with Scott, trying to decide between a Hy5 and a Corto2 (fretted). I would love some thoughts on the two and in the meantime am going to try out a friend's long-scale 5 string to see how I like it. My hands are very small and even on short scales I struggle to do one finger per fret in the first frets, so I am thinking of going to a 5 string to be able to play low notes on the B at the 5th fret and above as well as for the extra bottom range. Any recommendations, thoughts about Hy5 vs Corto2? If I had the funds I'd do both of course :)
Click to expand...
I haven't played a Hy5 but I believe the same pickups are used in both the Hy5 and the Corto 2 (which I have owned). I liked the Corto 2 but sold mine eventually.

One suggestion I would make is to describe the tone your looking for to Scott and he should be able to set you up from there.

Edit: just wanted to add that if small hands is a concern for you then maybe a four string would be better since the Hy5 would have a wider neck.
 
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#1,176
Thank you, yes it's the neck width that is the only thing that gives me pause between the four and five string. I've played guitar forever in addition to bass, which is newer for me, so I'm used to having a lot of strings and I do sometimes play in drop D and so have yearned for that low B here and there. I'm thinking it's somewhat of a once-in-a-liftetime opportunity to do a custom build with Scott that I want to make sure I get the most versatile instrument I can.
 
#1,177
If you're looking for that "one bass to end them all" kind of thing, pick the one you know you'll fall in love with....and it sounds like that is a four string.
It would suck to go through having one built and find out it's just not comfortable for you (take it from one who has done this, a couple times).

I currently own 3 HY5s, and 3 four string Birdsongs, and have bought and sold another 10 or so in the last 5 years.
I'm playing 5 strings now because I need one, I'm playing mostly modern country, and the bandleader likes to change keys. I just find it easier, and like not having to shift hand positions as much. I do actually use the B string higher up on the fretboard, and I'm starting to really like it.

But if it's a 4 string you want....Scott's original Cortobass with the single in the neck is a winner.
It may look odd, or make you think "that can't work", but it does work. I have a Sadhana that I ordered with the neck humbucker "just to have something different", and I wish I had the single.
That pickup in that spot just sounds so good, as I'm sure you know from playing a Shortbass. The soapbars sound great, but nowhere near as "thick" as the Lace pickups.
That said, if you're a slapper, you would probably prefer the soaps on the Corto 2.

I've sold a 3 or 4 new builds within the first few months, not because they weren't amazing, but because they just weren't ME. I had the first six string Birdsong bass, it was BAD ASS, and I wanted to love it so much. But at the end of the day, I just couldn't play it, the neck and string spacing were to wide for me.

Sorry for rambling....let us know what you decide.
 
#1,178
Thanks for the feedback! I'm playing mostly jazz and funk (well, I'm learning) and I have a four-string that I like quite a bit, but lordy my Shortbass is just so comfortable and sounds so good that it's made me take the plunge for another. So I am actually more leaning toward the five than the four, and am thinking the dual pickups for tonal versatility, just wish I could test one to be sure my hand can be comfortable. Are there any Hy5 owners in the SF Bay Area?
 
#1,179
JTaylor said:
I love my fretless Shortbass so much that I've just arranged a new build with Scott, trying to decide between a Hy5 and a Corto2 (fretted). I would love some thoughts on the two and in the meantime am going to try out a friend's long-scale 5 string to see how I like it. My hands are very small and even on short scales I struggle to do one finger per fret in the first frets, so I am thinking of going to a 5 string to be able to play low notes on the B at the 5th fret and above as well as for the extra bottom range. Any recommendations, thoughts about Hy5 vs Corto2? If I had the funds I'd do both of course :)
Click to expand...

JTaylor said:
Thanks for the feedback! I'm playing mostly jazz and funk (well, I'm learning) and I have a four-string that I like quite a bit, but lordy my Shortbass is just so comfortable and sounds so good that it's made me take the plunge for another. So I am actually more leaning toward the five than the four, and am thinking the dual pickups for tonal versatility, just wish I could test one to be sure my hand can be comfortable. Are there any Hy5 owners in the SF Bay Area?
Click to expand...

A couple other thoughts. That hy5 neck felt great to me. Really really nice. I would think you could get used to anything you really like.... Scott can configure the pickups on the corto 2 just like on the hy5... Finally, for now, learning to play with fingers 1,2 and 4 (upright bass style)is certainly an option as well. I do that.
 
#1,180
jmceachern36 said:
A couple other thoughts. That hy5 neck felt great to me. Really really nice. I would think you could get used to anything you really like."

Yes for sure that is a great point. And from how lovely and playable my Shortbass is I can imagine that everything Scott builds is similarly great and the proportions have been worked out very thoroughly. The difference in neck width from 4 to 5 strings is 1 and 1/2 inches to 1 and 7/8, so not a crazy amount.
Click to expand...
 

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