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I really like the ETS too, I much prefer it to the Hipshot, as I don't like the adjustment on the A Type bridges, and the saddles are the same on the headless units.
The ETS is a fair bit heavier too, as it's mainly brass, however the Hipshot stuff is mainly alloy, from what I've heard.
I'm very happy with the Spruce core on my bass, it turned out a little heavier than I thought it would be, but the tone is very nice, it's very bright and full, I guess a lot like a maple body without the added weight. As a body it's extremely resonant, and responds beautifully to changes of technique. The shorter scale of the bass probably adds the warmth in the upper register, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Spruce if you want a bass that sounds like maple without being a boat anchor!
Eude
I've got the Technology for Musicians headless hardware on a 5-string Stambaugh bass (and a headless guitar too). Not sure how it compares weight-wise to the others, but might be worth checking out as another viable option. It's great hardware, and for what it's worth, the weight of the hardware or balance of the instrument has never been an issue.
Just saw the final pic on Cliff's site (thenews4) and it looks incredible! And of course, mine is in the next batch or the one after, so I'm finalizing things with Cliff, and that's very exciting, too...
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I haven't seen much bass stuff by them. I have considered their headless guitar trem as an alternative to the JCustom, which is ok and relatively available, but not not particularly aggressive like a Floyd Rose.
Sorry about the lack of updates. Been slammed lately. I'm posting as I work a few overnight shifts. Yay.
I'm still playing around with the sounds and setup. The tone of the TI Jazz Flats seem to be very responsive and sensitive to setup. Trying to balance low action and tone.
Darn work!
I do like how the tuners kind of nestle into the cutout on the lower bout of the Ball shape...gorgeous!
I do like how the tuners kind of nestle into the cutout on the lower bout of the Ball shape...gorgeous!
Sorry about the lack of updates. Been slammed lately. I'm posting as I work a few overnight shifts. Yay.
Cliff nailed that part. I wouldn't have been upset if there were some overhang on a 35" scale bass. LOL, I wish that could have been an option.
My only regret was not doing an accent wood between the top and body and maybe adding bloodwood binding on the neck. Oh well, saved a few bucks I suppose.
My only regret was not doing an accent wood between the top and body and maybe adding bloodwood binding on the neck. Oh well, saved a few bucks I suppose.
Based on the photo above, I prefer the look of the top and body wood without an accent layer or Bloodwood binding on the fingerboard.
How much space do you have between the C-string tuner/knob and the body?
Sometimes an accent is nice, but I overdid it on my last ACG (wenge + purpleheart, with matching neck laminates and veneers under the fretboard, headstock, and pickup covers...). This time, I just asked for a simple dark veneer between the top and body, and even that is something I went back and forth with for a long time. Only the dark spalting on the top convinced me that it would work. It's hard to guess in advance whether it will enhance or detract from the contours of the body.
In your case, I think bloodwood would only have worked if you were using it in several places (fingerboard, accents, pickup covers, etc.). A dark veneer might have worked, since you have the wenge neck layer and the dark (ebony?) pickup cover, but you already have a lot of contrast with the top figuring and color, especially in the upper bouts where the contouring is most visible. On the other hand, neck binding doesn't really look right to me on a headless, and it anything dark would not really have given you any contrast with the fingerboard.
I think sometimes it is hard to decide where to stop. You look at a fantastic hunk of wood for a top and then a lot of it gets cut off on the body shape and then a lot of it is cut away for pickups, bridges and what not. While it is logical that wood sounds better than glue a lot of fantastic insterments seem to be made up of an unreal number of small sticks glued together (Alembic, Carl Thompson). On mine I decided on back wood because I liked the way it looked on the ball. Guilty as charged.
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Headstock pick from Cliff's page. Sorry I have been slacking. On day 7 of 8 in a row.
Headstock pick from Cliff's page. Sorry I have been slacking. On day 7 of 8 in a row.
Thanks mate!
As much as we'd love to see more pics, I can't imagine having to work such long shifts and not spend much time with a new bass!
When you get time, any chance you could let me know what gigbag you're using?
I have a Fusion Urban Guitar gigbag for my 31.5" headless, and I don't think you could squeeze much more than a 34" headless in there max, and your bass is 35" right?
Cheers,
Eude
I also have a 3.5 year old son and a colicky newborn. The bass hasn't gotten the normal honeymoon playing. I have had enough playing to start playing around and mess with the setup a bit.
Cliff sent me a Protec gig bag. Mine is 34" scale for the TI Jazz Flats. I would have considered 35" scale, but was hesitant in case the strings were a hair too short. It probably could have fit 35" scale if the bridge were moved back a hair. Cliff said it didn't fit in a Mono gig bag, which was a bummer. The body was too wide. Have not tried it in my Ritter guitar bags yet.
BTW, those lumi side dots are amazing!! Highly recommended and will be on every guitar and bass from now on.
Thanks for the recommendation--it's probably not too late to add them to my specs...
Just talked to Cliff. One thing I thought about today was that it might have looked really neat if the headstock nub matched the body wood. If anyone orders a headless, Cliff thinks this should work as long as it's not a soft wood.
I got the idea looking at this particular acoustic heel cap on The Gear Page. Naturally, I'd imagine buckeye burl probably wouldn't work in an application like my headless since it tends to be a little too soft.
I got the idea looking at this particular acoustic heel cap on The Gear Page. Naturally, I'd imagine buckeye burl probably wouldn't work in an application like my headless since it tends to be a little too soft.
