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beautiful Birdsong !! I can see sleepless nights in your near future...when you get her,,you wont want to set her down !!!!
Ha....had to read the whole post for a laugh. Guessing Scott didn't do anything right
, as is evidenced by this thread .It's funny though...$1700 never seemed like "way too expensive" to me. And I'm not rich by any means...well, unless you count graces....I never quite got any of the posts knocking the price. Crap, a Fender cookie is almost as much. I'm also not a fan of woodburning, but I won't say I'm not a fan of my headstock....it looks great.
I'm just glad there's other folks out here who feel the same way about what just one individual is doing....and the reasons he does it. I read his entire website the very first time I went there...every page...every word...and I wasn't in the market!!
As well as the site is written and the ideas expressed, how could you not think the guy was all about his poopie? I was willing to buy, based on his ideals and philosophies, a used BS that I couldn't try or return.
Best gear decision I ever made. Period. I had felt like there was no bass out there made for me.....now, I play more than I ever have, and don't think I'll ever take a "haitus" again.
And when I got it and had a problem, Scott was the absolute best dude in the world. No bullshite.....just wanted to get me fixed up and playing right....and he did. All through email.
Wish I had more friends that were people like Scott...and count myself lucky every day, that I have the ones that are.
Well said, Deep...
From when I first started looking, to getting the bass, Scott and Jaimie were awesome. He let me and my kids tour the place, and was so great to the kids... Still asks about em from time to time. Gave one kid a sample of purpleheart, one a piece of bloodwood. When my Varitone went out, Scott sent me a knew one, and paid the bill when I had a shop install it. No questions. Where else do you get that kinda service?
Oh, and the bass? Could not be happier with it. Corto 8c-117. Most awesome bass ever. Come prove me wrong!
I read the post by Scott in the above thread. I laughed out loud at the attitude of the mod.
Sure, Birdsong basses are not everyone's cup of tea. Just like Rickenbackers or Fenders aren't everyones. Heck, I bought a Cortobass becasue I wasn't crazy about the look of the Sandhana.
The rabid criticism of bass models here (and elsewhere) I find comes mainly from people who have never played the actual bass in question. As evidence I give you SX basses.
Play a Birdsong and you'll be hooked. Guaranteed. They sound fantastic and play like a dream. My Cortobass is the most comfortable bass I've ever played, hands down. And I've played a lot of basses over the years. My buddy, who's a guitar player, loves playing my Cortobass. I have to fight with him to get it back!
As for the hoakey woodburning, I guess I'm not one to talk.
Sure, Birdsong basses are not everyone's cup of tea. Just like Rickenbackers or Fenders aren't everyones. Heck, I bought a Cortobass becasue I wasn't crazy about the look of the Sandhana.
The rabid criticism of bass models here (and elsewhere) I find comes mainly from people who have never played the actual bass in question. As evidence I give you SX basses.
Play a Birdsong and you'll be hooked. Guaranteed. They sound fantastic and play like a dream. My Cortobass is the most comfortable bass I've ever played, hands down. And I've played a lot of basses over the years. My buddy, who's a guitar player, loves playing my Cortobass. I have to fight with him to get it back!
As for the hoakey woodburning, I guess I'm not one to talk.
I really like Scott's woodburning. Don't know of any other bass manufacturer that do woodburning like Scott does.
I just got a fretless and Scott woodburned fret markers for me. They really help.
I just got a fretless and Scott woodburned fret markers for me. They really help.
been absent for awhile with work and family--trying to see whats new here again. 
Hey Kent, congrats--Kent is the guy that told me about the birdsong bass--we live in the same town--can't wait for you to get yours. (then I can try the HY5 ) every bass they build is a true work of art in my opinion.
rathole
Hey Kent, congrats--Kent is the guy that told me about the birdsong bass--we live in the same town--can't wait for you to get yours. (then I can try the HY5 ) every bass they build is a true work of art in my opinion.
rathole
Yeah, I'm probably just trading one wear issue for a different wear issue. But I think I'll stick with the black HW anyway.
As for recessed strap locks, I just have no experience with them. I feel like I shouldn't request something that I'll have no idea if I'll like. Anyone want to convince me either way?
Ramona
Hay Rathole....NICE PICTURE!! (I'm not smart enough to figure how to post one!) You need to bring that critter over and play it for me.
I'm JEALOUS TO THE CORE because I have to wait,and you already have yours!!! I'm hoping Scott gets busy on those 5s pretty soon...there are SEVERAL ahead of me....better put your order in.
Kent
I'm JEALOUS TO THE CORE because I have to wait,and you already have yours!!! I'm hoping Scott gets busy on those 5s pretty soon...there are SEVERAL ahead of me....better put your order in.Kent
Thanks to you all for the compliments.
The Skyrider came about over the course of several conversations and emails with Scott. Once we settled on the woods, I mentioned that I really liked the Hy5 horns and the lower bout of the Corto. This discussion happened back when Scott was doing a little more custom stuff. We talked about my bass player influences and the sounds I was looking for. As you all can see from the finished bass, the Skyrider turned into something more than 9C-138X-- a Cortocustom with Hy5-ish horns.
A short review... The fit and finish are immaculate. I really like the oil finish. It really brings out the character and figure of the wood. The balance is good. No neck dive--a nice change from my Elitist EB3. The neck shape is very comfortable and natural feeling. Finally the tones! So far I've barely scratched the surface. The varitone plus the two volume controls will allow for a lot of different tonal possibilities.
There will be 2nd Birdsong in my future in a couple of years. It's good to have a backup bass...right?
Sounds to me like the Skyrider's conception was similar the Fusion conception process.
1.) Come in with an idea based on what he already had up. (originally, I was just shooting for a walnut Cortoclassic (I miss the old CortoClassic and CortoGT names/models))
2.) start talking about other ideas that you like. ("hey Scott, I stumbled onto the term 'Cortofusion' - what is that?" (an idea he'd abanded at that point) and "Gee Scott, I really love soloing neck pickups")
3.) Scott gets inspired ("how would you like me to make you the prototype?")
Sound familiar?
The Skyrider is GORGEOUS! Truly inspired!
1.) Come in with an idea based on what he already had up. (originally, I was just shooting for a walnut Cortoclassic (I miss the old CortoClassic and CortoGT names/models))
2.) start talking about other ideas that you like. ("hey Scott, I stumbled onto the term 'Cortofusion' - what is that?" (an idea he'd abanded at that point) and "Gee Scott, I really love soloing neck pickups")
3.) Scott gets inspired ("how would you like me to make you the prototype?")
Sound familiar?
The Skyrider is GORGEOUS! Truly inspired!
I really like the bottom...something I always like about Alembics, aesthetically speaking, is the "goatee"...
acleex...
What you describe is pretty close to the process that created the Skyrider -- right down to the walnut for the body. The final product is much more than what I had in my head at the beginning.
DB9...
I'm not surprised that you see some Alembic influence in the shape of the lower bout. Scott and I talked a fair bit about the late 60s/early 70s bass aesthetic.
This bass won't be moving on, until I move on!
What you describe is pretty close to the process that created the Skyrider -- right down to the walnut for the body. The final product is much more than what I had in my head at the beginning.
DB9...
I'm not surprised that you see some Alembic influence in the shape of the lower bout. Scott and I talked a fair bit about the late 60s/early 70s bass aesthetic.
This bass won't be moving on, until I move on!
I had an idea/dream in my head for a bass back in '99 that I wrote off as being out of my reach. I started looking at compromises - Carvin, Warmoth, etc. Then I stumbled onto Birdsong thanks to a Google image search for control plates and pick guards.
Talked to Scott, the Fusion idea happened, and while some things changed and some options were dropped (I didn't think I wanted short scale or passive - now I vastly prefer both), I ended up exceeding the original dream from 7 years earlier.
Late 60s/Early 70s bass aesthetic works for me.
You know I would expect that statement from an old fart like me; but is good to hear it from a youngster like you. I played an Alembic Epic 5 back in the day.
"A youngster" with older siblings - I'm the youngest of four, with a 16 year age span between us. I was raised on good stuff.
I'm a sucker for the look of a lot of Alembics, as well as the old Guild Starfires, Ovation Magnums, and SD Curlee butcher-block basses. The order for my walnut/ebony/purpleheart fretless Birdsong back in late '06 started out as a butcher-block CortoGT order. That didn't last, but it's where Scott and I started out the discussion.
Scott is good at that... i thought I wanted a solid piece for the body, and then Scott suggested the Walnut center, ebony stringers, sycamore wings to me... I thought "Nah, not really what I was thinking"... but after about a week, I could not get it outta my head. I made a few suggestions that he incorporated, but the end product was so much more than I coulda thought up. Scott is an artist.
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