Club Fbass (thread 13)

[bass08053]

The first 2 digits are the day it was started, second 2 are the month, and last 2 are the year.

 

[s_wood]

Thanks!

 

[Randyt]

Just picked up a killer new-to-me BN5 from the TB classifieds. It smokes!

A couple of questions for the FBass experts here...Does anybody know if it's possible to figure out the year of manufacture from the serial number? Also, does anybody know of a hardshell case that fits the BN5 well?

I have forgotten how to break down the serial number....but if you give George or Marcel a call they will be more than happy to help you out!!!....
Also, I havent found a decent hardshell case...but I did get a custom flight case made...very expensive!!...but I will say that the FBass travel case is VERY protective!!

 

[mngnt]

I thought, potentially incorrectly, that the first 2 serial digits were a sequential count of basses started that month. Else, they wouldn't be able to start more than 1 bass per day.

For example, 020612 would be the 2nd bass started in June of 2012.

The facts are buried somewhere in an earlier club thread (or two), but at the end of the day it's splitting hairs.

 

[Gnal]

Does anybody know if it's possible to figure out the year of manufacture from the serial number?

As I recall, the 6 digit serial number can be parsed as XXMMYY where XX is a sequential number given to the bass completed in a given month, MM is the month the bass was completed and YY is the year completed.

 

[s_wood]

Thanks for all of the replies about the serial number. What do you all recommend for a hardshell case option?

 

[bass08053]

I thought, potentially incorrectly, that the first 2 serial digits were a sequential count of basses started that month. Else, they wouldn't be able to start more than 1 bass per day.

For example, 020612 would be the 2nd bass started in June of 2012.

The facts are buried somewhere in an earlier club thread (or two), but at the end of the day it's splitting hairs.

YES! This is correct. Thank you for clarifying. This is why I shouldn't respond in the morning.

 

[Gnal]

Cool, I was mistaken, I thought it was completed on a given day but started makes sense too. Very interesting.

 

[Gnal]

What do you all recommend for a hardshell case option?

I've been using the Fbass semi-ridged gig bags so do not know about any hard cases.

 

[basses55]

They do have now a newer bag that seems more reinforced around the sides and more protective overall. They also look really good. Not sure if thats what Gnal has or not….

 

[Dave Hill]

I have a G&G case (originally for a Nordstrand) that my BN5 fits in great! Lots of miles.

 

[Gnal]

I have both the Protec Contego as well as the bag currently shipping with the new Fbasses (I have a 2013 and 2016 BN5). I prefer the new gig bag, it's lighter weight and also seem fairly sturdy.

 

[mngnt]

For future (and current) reference, my new fbass bag is charcoal colored, with a pleather center vertical section. I'll try to get a pic up soon. I agree that it's a great bag, better than I anticipated.

The bags on the fbass accessories section are either old, or aren't/weren't what was included with their basses... I feel like we need a talkbass fbass wiki page to document this sort of stuff.

 

[Dave Hill]

What kind of bags are Fbass shipping in now?

 

[mngnt]

 

[Gnal]

Huh, that's different than the one I got last year. It looks almost like a Reunion Blues bag, not is slightly different. The bag I received is the same as on the accessories section of the shop. I'll post a pic later today.

 

[J.Wolf]

My Bn6 was 10.5 lbs. It sounded so darn good that I didnt care that it weighed a pound or two more than I wanted, and the ergonomics more than made up for it. A 10.5 lb slab body would be a different story, but the BN's just melt into you, so the weight is deceivingly not a 1:1 ratio with other brands, IMO.

Plus, as mentioned above, there is a correlation between a certain weight/density and tone. I briefly had a lighter weight BN5 and didnt care for it as much as my "full figured" BN6

 

[ArcticT]

View attachment 1052640

I keep going back to this BN5 Marcel posted last month. I could see the green version of this making a beautiful BNF5.

This bass was responsible for me ALMOST spending the money to send my BN5 back to Fbass for a refinish. I'm on the fence about spending that much to refinish rather than selling and finding another one in a finish that I like and that isn't a little beat up like mine, but I won't find one with that gradient finish without ordering a new one and refinishing mine vs buying a new one makes more sense financially. At least that's what I'm telling myself as I think this through again...

 

[bass08053]

This bass was responsible for me ALMOST spending the money to send my BN5 back to Fbass for a refinish. I'm on the fence about spending that much to refinish rather than selling and finding another one in a finish that I like and that isn't a little beat up like mine, but I won't find one with that gradient finish without ordering a new one and refinishing mine vs buying a new one makes more sense financially. At least that's what I'm telling myself as I think this through again...

I understand your pain. I'm cool with my blue BN5. But, since a BNF is somewhere in my future, it has to be the green version of that. But, for you, if you don't need another bass and must have that red, go for it and have them do a refin! Cheaper than buying a new bass. If I was telling this to @Tom7 i could hear him say "blah blah blah" and point to his beautiful F Collection. Hehe.

 

[ArcticT]

Honestly, any of the gradients I've seen have been so amazing. The burnt gold dropped my jaw as well!