Yup. A 5 string E-C, maple burl top, pau ferro w/Tic Tacs and Trickfish is on deck next. My last one. I swear.
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I've got one in the next batch, but then I have 2 more next year. Those are my last ones, I swear.
I agree, Cliff is very reasonably priced for the quality and customization.
I agree, Cliff is very reasonably priced for the quality and customization.
Not sure. Maybe a custom shape. Maybe an oar shaped-one with all of the crazy weather we've recently had in TX!
- May 20, 2002
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So… you're saying I SHOULD order another bass? It would be irresponsible of me not to?Then you've got Cliff over here still building world class basses at rock bottom prices. Often being more flexible with custom requests than most well known, high price, boutique builders.
Then you've got Cliff over here still building world class basses at rock bottom prices. Often being more flexible with custom requests than most well known, high price, boutique builders.
Cliff has the best costumer service bar none. He's a cool dude with great skill and insightful building experience that really and cares about his craft and his customers.
I have 5 now. And 2 more in queue. A holly and then buckeye burl. Then ?????
8 days a week???
8 days a week???
I have 4 now and 3 in the queue. Including one in the next batch. I very stupidly think that's the end for me. lol. Yeah, right.
Even though I have owned 17(I think that is how many, lol) of them custom ordered now, I am down to just 4(to include my son's CB bass) in my house now, with one on order.
I am hoping I can make that my last one. I usually wax my basses and oil their fretboards before winter and summer at the least. I also change the round wound strings at least a few times during the year as well.
All of this process is a bunch of work to make sure they stay in top shape and that I get what I paid for! It definitely makes a big difference. My Warwick basses usually take about the same amount of work, I just use different wax on them.
When I had 8 or more at a time it really became a chore. Especially with maintaining my other basses that only mostly need fretboard oil and new strings.
-ScottM
I am hoping I can make that my last one. I usually wax my basses and oil their fretboards before winter and summer at the least. I also change the round wound strings at least a few times during the year as well.
All of this process is a bunch of work to make sure they stay in top shape and that I get what I paid for! It definitely makes a big difference. My Warwick basses usually take about the same amount of work, I just use different wax on them.
When I had 8 or more at a time it really became a chore. Especially with maintaining my other basses that only mostly need fretboard oil and new strings.
-ScottM
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Scott, you're like patient zero for this sickness.
I've been through about 11 Bordwells, still have 4, but only 3 customs I ordered to my specs. Took me a while to feel confident in what I was looking for.
I've been through about 11 Bordwells, still have 4, but only 3 customs I ordered to my specs. Took me a while to feel confident in what I was looking for.
I have had 3, all superb. My current CB is absolutely the best of the 3. Pau ferro has surpassed ebony and BR as my favorite fingerboard wood! I am at least 175 deep in the number of custom basses I've commissioned, and after many, many years and a punishingly high number of dollars, I can confirm that CB, Shawn May, and and Ray Roger have made the basses that have ticked EVERY box. YMMV, carrots, etc.
Makes me happy to hear all of the above as I wait for my one and likely only custom.
Only thing I'm wondering now if I should get a second pickup and increase the versatility just a little. The idea of a passive, single pickup setup excites me though. So maybe I'll just stick with it.
Oh and stoked on the pau ferro reports! Your bass convinced me that was the way to go on my board.
Only thing I'm wondering now if I should get a second pickup and increase the versatility just a little. The idea of a passive, single pickup setup excites me though. So maybe I'll just stick with it.
Oh and stoked on the pau ferro reports! Your bass convinced me that was the way to go on my board.
Yes on the PF board choice! Just delicious! Does the squishy, burpy Jaco thing, loves to slap, and can do the deep!
Not sure if your pickup/preamp situation is locked down, I would HIGHLY recommend a second pickup, perhaps with the neck pickup pulled back a touch. Have Cliff add some singe/parallel/series switches and you'll have a standard "set it and forget it" setting that you can vary with a passive tone knob, hand positioning and some eq at the amp!
He built mine with some of the Ulyate Tic-Tac pickups, and hoooooo boy!!! A/B'd against a set of Nordstrand dual coils, both in passive, and the sound is HUGE!!! Mega juicy!
The Nordstrand pickups sound great with a preamp, but you could run passive with the Single/Series/Parallel switching with the Tic Tacs, and you really don't need a preamp. In fact, those pickups sound best when run in passive, IMO.
Good luck on the wait for your bass. I PROMISE you...it'll be worth it!
I'm a multiple pickup vote as well. Not to monitor seconding the switching of single/parallel/series. I have the Nordstrand DCs in a passive build and use a preamp pedal first in chain like I would use an onboard preamp and think it sounds amazing. You give me Ulyate envy with that post. But in reality I do love my dual DC build and my dual big rig build with the same single/parallel/series switching.
Pau ferro is probably one of the most underrated fingerboard woods. I think Purple Heart is just slightly under it.
If I only had one CB bass, I'd just keep my currently 10 anniversary BIG McNeely in my profile pic.
Having two pickups and the ability to have it in passive and active mode really does make it a jack of all trades. With that said, I wish it was a PJ and instead of a jazz.
I could play that bass all day and still be happy.
But then again, I could play either of my P basses from Cliff from weeks on end as well!
-ScottM
If I only had one CB bass, I'd just keep my currently 10 anniversary BIG McNeely in my profile pic.
Having two pickups and the ability to have it in passive and active mode really does make it a jack of all trades. With that said, I wish it was a PJ and instead of a jazz.
I could play that bass all day and still be happy.
But then again, I could play either of my P basses from Cliff from weeks on end as well!
-ScottM
Could you not have an approximation of a P pickup put into the pickup shell? There's enough room to get close to a P pickup layout, no?
