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Callowhill OBS-6 30"

#21
callowhill said:
Funkfaker played Tim Lefebvre's OBS5. We just outfitted it with Nordstrand enamel wound 70's style pickups and did some mods on it, good to see real players can appreciate a shorty with a low B..
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And the low B is really responsive. Exactly as I described earlier, clear articulation/attack to go along with the tubby/slower envelope of a short scale.

And damn if it doesn't feel good, too.

*I've placed one on order as well.
 
#22
callowhill said:
We used Sapele for the body, Honduran mahogany and Wenge for the neck, and Indian Rosewood for the fingerboard. Ryan at Sage Guitars finishes the OBS series because in addition to being a great bass and guitar builder, he can rock a super thin but tough finish like nobody's business.

Owens' request lead me into my guitar building past as a builder for Satch, so we aerofoiled the MDM shape and created a platform for the bridge so it would look cool.

The EQ features a "12 points modded Keeley" TS9. Both the TS9 and the OBS are completely by-passable, and there's a routing switch that allows the Nordstrand series DC pickups to go directly to the TS9, or to the passive circuit with the OBP3 adjunct.

Funkfaker played Tim Lefebvre's OBS5. We just outfitted it with Nordstrand enamel wound 70's style pickups and did some mods on it, good to see real players can appreciate a shorty with a low B.

They're not cheap, but they fit in a standard guitar gig bag which is cool if you have to fly with it.
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Thanks for the info :)
I'm really intrigued by the shortscale 6 string thing.
Been playing 33" basses for a while now, being a small guy I find them a lot more comfortable and haven't really found there to be much of a compromise on the low B.
I've always been keen to maybe go shorter but I was a little concerned about how the low B would sound and feel.
It clearly works just fine on Owen's bass however, sounds incredible!

Is there any special tricks you wouldn't mind sharing, wood choice, carbon rods, through body stringing, special strings or is it all just down to luthier voodoo?... ;)

Cheers,
Eude
 
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#30
I just discovered Owen on the "Wake Up" album and the Mister Barrington stuff...lovin' that tone, man..and his playing too, of course. Funky. I've been playing a sixer since 1988--when I had Bill Merchant build me a "Basses Loaded" J style six string. Never thought to put flats on one....

I'd be interested to play a short scale sixer, but doubt I'd find one around. Love the looks of this thing--kinda mutant retro bass from Planet X, you know?
 
#31
jazzcrime said:
body is ash.
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Pretty sure I just saw progress pics on Facebook of your OBS5. Congrats, Brett! (at least i thought it was the "so hot" bass)

Speaking of OBS tones on record. I'm diggin' the Booker T record, The Road From Memphis. One of my favorite engineers/producers Gabe Roth, of Dap-Kings fame, really nailed all of the old school tones on thus record. Especially bass and drums.
 

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