• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Club USA (made) Brubaker!

#21
I was curious about the Brubaker's but outside of the USA (and even there) they are hard to come buy and rare.

So i took a chance to get that JXB-5 and I'm so stocked how cool it is! Absolutely perfect craftmanship, the neck wood, shape, finish, fit is incredible.

Did not have a chance to plug it yet but I'm not worried about the tone. The one I got even have a spare preamp system (BLOB?) I believe an active of some sort is mounted and I have the passive as spare.

I hoarded a lot of instrument and thought it would be more of a catch and release but...really want to keep this one (it is just a liiiiiiittle bit too heavy for my taste at about 9.5lbs but by all account this is a normal weight for a 5)
PXL_20250726_091322808.jpg
PXL_20250726_091351039.jpg
PXL_20250726_091402948.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: scottycameron, Gadgetman6754, tombowlus and 1 other person
#22
Benko said:
I was curious about the Brubaker's but outside of the USA (and even there) they are hard to come buy and rare.

So i took a chance to get that JXB-5 and I'm so stocked how cool it is! Absolutely perfect craftmanship, the neck wood, shape, finish, fit is incredible.

Did not have a chance to plug it yet but I'm not worried about the tone. The one I got even have a spare preamp system (BLOB?) I believe an active of some sort is mounted and I have the passive as spare.

I hoarded a lot of instrument and thought it would be more of a catch and release but...really want to keep this one (it is just a liiiiiiittle bit too heavy for my taste at about 9.5lbs but by all account this is a normal weight for a 5)View attachment 7285387View attachment 7285388View attachment 7285389
Click to expand...
Fabulous Bass isn’t it!! I’ve got the same thing in a 4 string ;-)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Benko
#24
I'm wondering though...from the ones that are currently listed they have this 6 screws neck attachment structure and mine only have 4 screws.

It's supposed to be the same model so I'm wondering why, I don't think it changes anything much but I might ask Brubaker eventually

That neck is <3 <3

6screws.webp
 
#25
Benko said:
I'm wondering though...from the ones that are currently listed they have this 6 screws neck attachment structure and mine only have 4 screws.

It's supposed to be the same model so I'm wondering why, I don't think it changes anything much but I might ask Brubaker eventually

That neck is <3 <3

View attachment 7287222
Click to expand...
Mine has the 6 bolts as well, and I am not sure why he changed from the 4 to the 6 either, but I don't think there's any difference in stability, tone, etc.
 
#26
Benko said:
I was curious about the Brubaker's but outside of the USA (and even there) they are hard to come buy and rare.

So i took a chance to get that JXB-5 and I'm so stocked how cool it is! Absolutely perfect craftmanship, the neck wood, shape, finish, fit is incredible.

Did not have a chance to plug it yet but I'm not worried about the tone. The one I got even have a spare preamp system (BLOB?) I believe an active of some sort is mounted and I have the passive as spare.

I hoarded a lot of instrument and thought it would be more of a catch and release but...really want to keep this one (it is just a liiiiiiittle bit too heavy for my taste at about 9.5lbs but by all account this is a normal weight for a 5)View attachment 7285387View attachment 7285388View attachment 7285389
Click to expand...
Not sure how I missed this earlier, but the "BLOB" that you spoke of is actually "BOB" which is Brubaker on Board - it is a swappable preamp system that he developed. It is very cool indeed - here it is on the Brubaker website BOB System — Brubaker Guitars. I have the True Passive, the Aguilar, and the John East. It's very cool to be able to swap onboard preamps for different "moods." You can also see a super short YouTube about how they swap out the BOB system here:

Enjoy!
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Benko
#30
Gadgetman6754 said:
Not sure how I missed this earlier, but the "BLOB" that you spoke of is actually "BOB" which is Brubaker on Board - it is a swappable preamp system that he developed. It is very cool indeed - here it is on the Brubaker website BOB System — Brubaker Guitars. I have the True Passive, the Aguilar, and the John East. It's very cool to be able to swap onboard preamps for different "moods." You can also see a super short YouTube about how they swap out the BOB system here:

Enjoy!
Click to expand...


Ah right! BOB! Sometime my minds play funny trick

Yes it's pretty cool, I got mine used and it was not advertise that a spare one was coming along. I think the spare is the passive one so I have to figure out what is the one currently mounted (probably the Aguilar though I'd wish it to be the John East


Yeah probably the 4 bolts is fine...

Really cool instrument
 
  • Like
Reactions: tombowlus and Gadgetman6754
#31
I played it a bit and it's just awesome! Great neck, great electronics!

Just...after close inspection...not disclosed by the seller...a crack in the back of the neck, probably from the screw of the B string tuner?

1754156161667.png


1754156175201.png


What a bummer...I think it's mostly cosmetic, though the B string need adjustment (I usually bring them to my tech guy but he's far away now) so I hope the integrity of the build is not impaired.

I might reach out to Brubaker to see what they think of it
 
Last edited:
  • Wow
Reactions: Gadgetman6754
#33
Benko said:
I played it a bit and it's just awesome! Great neck, great electronics!

Just...after close inspection...not disclosed by the seller...a crack in the back of the neck, probably from the screw of the B string tuner?

View attachment 7289937

View attachment 7289938

What a bummer...I think it's mostly cosmetic, though the B string need adjustment (I usually bring them to my tech guy but he's far away now) so I hope the integrity of the build is not impaired.

I might reach out to Brubaker to see what they think of it
Click to expand...
Curious if you reached out and what the result was. When I was down there and met them in person, they seemed like they were super solid and dedicated to high standards and customer service.
 
#36
scubaduba said:
Sure, I could buy new. Sometimes people don’t tend to favor one particular preamp and I could be interested in buying one.
Click to expand...
Oh, gotcha. I have the East and the Dark Glass (along with the passive), but if I sold either one, I’d want to replace them - that’s why I was asking if you “wanted” one, or just wanted to check them out. I get where you were coming from now. My bad.
 
#38
I really like them both (and the passive). I love the versatility of being able to switch them out too. I’d like to add to the collection, but they are pricey, nd since I’m mostly doing home recording, it’s hard to justify to my better half that I need more, lol.

Very different feels for all of them - really an excellent concept, imo
 
#39
Gadgetman6754 said:
Curious if you reached out and what the result was. When I was down there and met them in person, they seemed like they were super solid and dedicated to high standards and customer service.
Click to expand...

I reached out and they accepted to take the neck back to fix it, super fast and responsible and they're doing me a solid.

The neck just arrived a few days ago so I think it'll take a bit more before I can hear from them but so far I'm happy of the support (it was my first time taking off a bass neck), I can't wait to have it all back together and play it
 
#40
Gadgetman6754 said:
I really like them both (and the passive). I love the versatility of being able to switch them out too. I’d like to add to the collection, but they are pricey, nd since I’m mostly doing home recording, it’s hard to justify to my better half that I need more, lol.

Very different feels for all of them - really an excellent concept, imo
Click to expand...

Do you have Ulayte single coils in yours? How do they respond with the Darkglass?
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back