Brian Bromberg Carvin Model Part 2

[Brian Bromberg]

songwriter21, yes my action is fairly low as I have been battling 25 years of tendonitis. Plus, with all the slap and two handed playing I do a lower action and straighter necks helps me.

The Carvin B24 and B25 can easily be set up with low action if you wish? Also the radiused pick-ups acting like a ramp helps out a great deal as well..............

 

[unclejane]

I'm glad I'm not the only one lol, I'm still recovering from the gigging days at age 50. Speaking of tendonitis, does the 5 string have an assymetrical profile available on the neck? Or am I thinking of the Bunny...

I may hold out and get the 5 instead so just curious about the neck profile on it....

LS

 

[G On Bass]

I'm glad I'm not the only one lol, I'm still recovering from the gigging days at age 50. Speaking of tendonitis, does the 5 string have an assymetrical profile available on the neck? Or am I thinking of the Bunny...

I may hold out and get the 5 instead so just curious about the neck profile on it....

LS

The B25 neck is, I believe, unique to the B25. It is definitely not the asymmetrical one found on other Carvin basses. My B25 neck is still one one of if not my very favorite neck ever.

 

[songwriter21]

Thanks for the input, Brian...good to see a player so interactive and responsive with feedback on their signature instrument. That rarely, if ever, happens anymore.

I hope I can catch the Jazz Fest coming up in Reading! Oh, and I don't want to hijack this thread, but did you ever think of doing a tour with Victor Wooten? Something like what him and Steve Bailey have done? One word...SICK.

I'd say that you, Vic, Steve Bailey, Oteil Burbridge, Scott Ambush, and Richard Bona are just about the best on the planet, man...seriously.

 

[dgce]

I plan to take the B25S plunge come this summer. I've decided to go with white but can't decide which. At first, I figured white/white with ebony board, black headstock, abalone dots, and black hardware would look fantastic (I've got something close to that look attached). But that white/white is a bit on the stark side and I've been toying with the idea of pearl block inlays. However, I don't think pearl block inlays look quite right with the white/white finish. So here's my 2nd idea, classic white with ebony board and black headstock, pearl block inlays, and black hardware (the closest example I could find is the attached Carvin V220M). This layout would look both modern yet somewhat 70s/80s-vintage-like as well. Maybe a drop-shadow Carvin logo to boot.

I keep going back and forth on this. Feedback, anyone?

Thanks!

 

[Panthera]

I plan to take the B25S plunge come this summer. I've decided to go with white but can't decide which. At first, I figured white/white with ebony board, black headstock, abalone dots, and black hardware would look fantastic (I've got something close to that look attached). But that white/white is a bit on the stark side and I've been toying with the idea of pearl block inlays. However, I don't think pearl block inlays look quite right with the white/white finish. So here's my 2nd idea, classic white with ebony board and black headstock, pearl block inlays, and black hardware (the closest example I could find is the attached Carvin V220M). This layout would look both modern yet somewhat 70s/80s-vintage-like as well. Maybe a drop-shadow Carvin logo to boot.

I keep going back and forth on this. Feedback, anyone?

Thanks!

They now have a pearl white (white pearl) that might look good with pearl inlays.

 

[dgce]

They now have a pearl white (white pearl) that might look good with pearl inlays.

It's an interesting finish but the metallic flake in the pearl white isn't quite what I have in mind. It's really between the white/white with abalone dots or the classic white with pearl blocks for me.

 

[Mystic Michael]

I plan to take the B25S plunge come this summer. I've decided to go with white but can't decide which. At first, I figured white/white with ebony board, black headstock, abalone dots, and black hardware would look fantastic (I've got something close to that look attached). But that white/white is a bit on the stark side and I've been toying with the idea of pearl block inlays. However, I don't think pearl block inlays look quite right with the white/white finish. So here's my 2nd idea, classic white with ebony board and black headstock, pearl block inlays, and black hardware (the closest example I could find is the attached Carvin V220M). This layout would look both modern yet somewhat 70s/80s-vintage-like as well. Maybe a drop-shadow Carvin logo to boot.

I keep going back and forth on this. Feedback, anyone?

Thanks!

I own two (2) Bromberg five-strings - one fretted, one fretless - each in bright white finish all around (including headstock & back of neck), each with ebony board, black hardware & black logo. The fretted instrument has mother-of-pearl block inlays & stainless steel frets on the fretboard; the fretless has an unlined, undotted fingerboard with clear epoxy coating. (Sorry, no photos at this time.)

Both instruments look fantastic to me: very elegant, very contemporary. The Bromberg bass has a very contemporary design anyway, but the bright white + black combination just showcases it dramatically. Stark would be the word, I suppose. Bold would be another. Starkly, boldly beautiful!

IMO, the mother-of-pearl does not clash with the bright white finish, and in fact they look very natural together. (I'm not a fan of the yellowed "classic white" finish - at all. )

MM

 

[unclejane]

the fretless has an unlined, undotted fingerboard with clear epoxy coating. (Sorry, no photos at this time.)

I take it by "clear epoxy coating" you're talking about the "hard as nails" finish done by Carvin (or applied by someone else)? Any sound clips of it of any kind by any chance?

I've listened to a lot of FL playing on a 4 string by BB on his Hendrix CD, but I don't know if his bass has a finish on the board or not.
So just curious about the tone with that...

LS

 

[dgce]

I own two (2) Bromberg five-strings - one fretted, one fretless - each in bright white finish all around (including headstock & back of neck), each with ebony board, black hardware & black logo. The fretted instrument has mother-of-pearl block inlays & stainless steel frets on the fretboard; the fretless has an unlined, undotted fingerboard with clear epoxy coating. (Sorry, no photos at this time.)

Both instruments look fantastic to me: very elegant, very contemporary. The Bromberg bass has a very contemporary design anyway, but the bright white + black combination just showcases it dramatically. Stark would be the word, I suppose. Bold would be another. Starkly, boldly beautiful!

IMO, the mother-of-pearl does not clash with the bright white finish, and in fact they look very natural together. (I'm not a fan of the yellowed "classic white" finish - at all. )

MM

I love the outline of my B24S. It's black with Birdseye maple board. A white five string will make quite a striking contrast. I'm VERY curious about your MOP white Bromberg. I presume it's white/white, right? Even a fuzzy camera phone pic would be great. Somehow in my mind, I see the MOP blocks working on classic white better, but how would I really know? I'm not even sure classic white will even look right on a Bromberg come to think of it. Any way, if you happen to have any pics of MOP B25 buried some where, I'd love to have a peek. Thanks!

 

[dgce]

Btw, MM, I also didn't care for yellowed looking vintage white finish for years. Even now, I'm not a big fan of the Vintage Cream finish. But the classic white seems to be well balanced. It's just mellow enough to be pleasing to the eye but its still a striking white that really should pop out on stage. When I think of MOP blocks, I think "vintage." Like a 70s Jazz or even a Les Paul Custom. The white/white finish seems TOO new for blocks. But again, it's hard to say for sure having never seen a sample of the white/white-MOP inlay combo.

 

[Mystic Michael]

I take it by "clear epoxy coating" you're talking about the "hard as nails" finish done by Carvin (or applied by someone else)? Any sound clips of it of any kind by any chance?

I've listened to a lot of FL playing on a 4 string by BB on his Hendrix CD, but I don't know if his bass has a finish on the board or not.
So just curious about the tone with that...

LS

That's correct. I ordered it direct from the factory with the Hard As Nails coating. I didn't specify it as such in my previous post, because so far as I'm concerned, a high-quality epoxy coating is pretty much equivalent to any other high-quality epoxy coating (i.e. my Carvin LB70F doesn't have the Hard As Nails, but does have an epoxy coating courtesy of HG Thor).

Sorry, no sound clips available at this time.

I haven't heard BB's Hendrix album, so I can't compare tones for you. But I'm sure you must be aware that hard-coated fingerboards tend to offer a little extra sustain, along with some extra transference of the upper midrange & high frequencies, relative to an untreated board. That certainly seems to be the case with this instrument.

However, the one ace-in-the-hole that my Bromberg fretless has to offer is the custom GraphTech Ghost piezoelectric system that I had installed on an aftermarket basis (i.e. post sale). This one is similar to the Ghost that Carvin sells stock, but has a three-way toggle switch to select pickups only, piezo only, or both - along with a separate piezoelectric volume control.

This is my first instrument with a piezoelectric system - but it won't be my last! I love the extra dimension of fullness, presence, depth and organic quality that it adds to the magnetic pickups' output - especially for fretless playing! Yowzah!

MM

 

[unclejane]

That's correct. I ordered it direct from the factory with the Hard As Nails coating. I didn't specify it as such in my previous post, because so far as I'm concerned, a high-quality epoxy coating is pretty much equivalent to any other high-quality epoxy coating (i.e. my Carvin LB70F doesn't have the Hard As Nails, but does have an epoxy coating courtesy of HG Thor).

Sorry, no sound clips available at this time.

I haven't heard BB's Hendrix album, so I can't compare tones for you. But I'm sure you must be aware that hard-coated fingerboards tend to offer a little extra sustain, along with some extra transference of the upper midrange & high frequencies, relative to an untreated board. That certainly seems to be the case with this instrument.

However, the one ace-in-the-hole that my Bromberg fretless has to offer is the custom GraphTech Ghost piezoelectric system that I had installed on an aftermarket basis (i.e. post sale). This one is similar to the Ghost that Carvin sells stock, but has a three-way toggle switch to select pickups only, piezo only, or both - along with a separate piezoelectric volume control.

This is my first instrument with a piezoelectric system - but it won't be my last! I love the extra dimension of fullness, presence, depth and organic quality that it adds to the magnetic pickups' output - especially for fretless playing! Yowzah!

MM

Well it would only serve a fashion purpose for me, to be honest. I've always wanted an unlined maple board and the hard finish would be required if I ordered a Bromberg with that wood on the board. I'm just curious how much the finish would affect the tone over against bare wood. If it was like the epoxy job I did on my old Tobias Basic, it'll really brighten it up.

But all that might cost an arm and a leg too, so may not go for it at all and just stick with bare ebony like I have on my Bunnies and L2K.
I'm planning on the S model, whichever number of strings I finally decide on, so the piezo setup isn't an option there. I don't think the extra cash for the regular model + piezo setup is quite in the budget...

LS

 

[Mystic Michael]

Btw, MM, I also didn't care for yellowed looking vintage white finish for years. Even now, I'm not a big fan of the Vintage Cream finish. But the classic white seems to be well balanced. It's just mellow enough to be pleasing to the eye but its still a striking white that really should pop out on stage. When I think of MOP blocks, I think "vintage." Like a 70s Jazz or even a Les Paul Custom. The white/white finish seems TOO new for blocks. But again, it's hard to say for sure having never seen a sample of the white/white-MOP inlay combo.

Well, it's interesting the kinds of aesthetic & cultural associations we make - and how they differ from person to person, isn't it? I personally have never associated fretboard blocks as being particularly vintage, so I therefore have no problem using them with a very contemporary-styled Bromberg bass - although I will readily concede that a bare fretboard, devoid of blocks or even dots, makes an even more austere, minimalist statement, that's probably even more consistent with the overall Bromberg aesthetic.

Sorry that I can't help you out with any photos at this time. You'll just have to use the powers of your visual imagination.

But I will provide you with this one small suggestion: If you'll take a good, close look at the MOP blocks on the photo of the classic white V220M guitar that you provided, you'll see that they're actually noticeably whiter & brighter than the classic white finish that surrounds them.

Keep that image fresh in your mind...while you take another close look at the Bromberg bass in bright white. Look back & forth between the images several times, if necessary. I think you'll conclude that the MOP blocks and the bright white finish are actually much closer in color & tone than you may have realized.

MM

 

[dgce]

Food for thought.

thanks.

 

[IronSpatula]

...the MOP blocks and the bright white finish are actually much closer in color & tone...

Exactly what I was thinking. In my opinion, they actually clash with the classic white finish in the pic quite a bit. I'm not a huge fan of black headstocks on white instruments either...

By the way, I still think it would be awesome if Carvin made a B26 and an SB6000. I like Carvin's workmanship a lot and I love how these newest basses sound, but I prefer narrow string spacing and usually need 6 strings... Just thought I'd toss that out there again.

 

[dgce]

I'm not a huge fan of black headstocks on white instruments either...

This white B25S I’m think of is basically going to be the “negative” of my black Carvin Bolt-Plus and to some extent, my black B24S. That is, my guitar is black with white humbucking pickups, Birdseye maple neck and Birdseye maple headstock. The B25S I have in mind will be white with black pickups (of course), ebony board with black headstock. The idea is: black guitar - contrasting white pickups, light colored board and headstock vs. white bass with the opposite color scheme. I also like how the ebony neck and black headstock works against the back of the neck and headstock, which will be satin finished white. It’s a look I’ve seen mostly on guitars and old Specter basses and I’ve always liked it though it’s clearly not for everyone.

 

[dgce]

As for the MOP clashing with classic white; I guess we must agree to disagree. I've seen plenty of guitars (mostly Gibson and their off-spring) with white finishes that come closer to Carvin's classic white than to white/white and the MOP on their ebony/rosewood board equipped white guitars look great to me. But... to each their own.

 

[IronSpatula]

No problem! Aesthetics are always totally subjective.

 

[fivestringgecko]

Sub'd.

I have a SB5k on the way (4-ish weeks I think/hope?)... My first Carvin isn't even here yet and I'm already thinking about the next one! lol

I was thinking about another SB5k blond fretted (for the Marcus Miller tone I've been GASing for for years), but the BB model hit my GAS list pretty hard over the last couple days too. Sounds awesome from Mr. Bromberg's videos and definitely has a cool unique look, not to mention that it's incredibly well thought out.

I'll definitely be going back through this thread for more info.

Also, Brian, +1 to it being totally cool that you're posting in this thread! Awesome! Lol

5sg.