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wow, i always was blown away by curbow basses. but here in germany, you NEVER find one.
if somebody has a 5-string for sale and is willing to ship to germany, please let me know !
can you tell me: is there something like a standard string spacing for the 5-string models ? if so, how wide is it ?
if somebody has a 5-string for sale and is willing to ship to germany, please let me know !
can you tell me: is there something like a standard string spacing for the 5-string models ? if so, how wide is it ?
Thought I'd pass this along incase someone in interested. Someone is selling a 6 string fretless IEP on Bassgear.com It's supposed to be in mint condition. If you get photos post them. Heck I might ask for them myself.
This one's currently on eBay. It's in dire need of some TLC (finish work, knobs, probably some fretwork, etc.), but at the current bid range, the price seems reasonable (unlike the ridiculous buy it now price).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/151047001013
For the record, I'm not affiliated, but do have a bid in on it... as if I need the project.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/151047001013
For the record, I'm not affiliated, but do have a bid in on it... as if I need the project.
As an eBay Associate, TalkBass may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
That seller needs to lay off the crack pipe. I guess my Curbow is worth $8-10k by his standards.
I would love to own a 4 string Curbow one day but now isnt the time. :-(
I would love to own a 4 string Curbow one day but now isnt the time. :-(
Just got my first Curbow. I love the neck, construction, snappiness, etc... It appears to have XTCT preamp in it. Anyone have experience with swapping it out for the NTMB? What sonic changes did you notice? Also, what EQ settings are you guys currently using for Fingerstyle/Slap?
Anyone here know what the Bartolini pickups were like in the Curbow basses? Were they just dual coils? Were they custom to the basses?
They were custom to the basses--notice, for instance, that the earlier Curbows had the height adjustment screws going through the back of the body. But then again, there was a certain point where Bartolini seemed to be making "custom" pickups for everybody!
I think they were side-by-side humbuckers, but I'm not positive. The description in the old brochures is kind of vague, and I haven't looked at one in a while.
This might shade some light although specific information about the pickups is absent.
I used to have the old brochure but it got lost. IIRC the pickups were some kind of quad-coil style.
I used to have the old brochure but it got lost. IIRC the pickups were some kind of quad-coil style.
The Curbow Bartolini Soapbars were the Standard Bartolini Soapbar side by side humbuckers with the custom Curbow designed mounting system (screws from the back). Later on Curbow opted to go back to a standard design as the custom pickups required a little more labor and a little more money. These pickups were actually in the middle of the Curbow designs as the earlier instruments used the standard Bartolinis. This change coincided with bolt on Rockwood Necks. The one off custom neck through instruments just simply took way to long to build and just like the rest of us, Curbow had to buy groceries. His designs really started blooming as he started to standardize the instruments and models.
We actually shipped Bill Bartolini one of my Curbow Basses as he was rather found of it after one of the Trade Shows. They requested we send the Bass and let them play with it for a little while. It had an issue with the preamp that caused overdrive when the mid control was boosted which weirdly enough worked out really well as the Bass was a four string fretless. It was amazing for Jazz solo work. Bill kept the bass for near a year before he returned it. I stupidly later sold the bass and actually just today got the phone number of the guy who may know where it is. I have been trying to get in touch with this guy for years.
Hope this helps.
We actually shipped Bill Bartolini one of my Curbow Basses as he was rather found of it after one of the Trade Shows. They requested we send the Bass and let them play with it for a little while. It had an issue with the preamp that caused overdrive when the mid control was boosted which weirdly enough worked out really well as the Bass was a four string fretless. It was amazing for Jazz solo work. Bill kept the bass for near a year before he returned it. I stupidly later sold the bass and actually just today got the phone number of the guy who may know where it is. I have been trying to get in touch with this guy for years.
Hope this helps.
Thanks so much. I've always felt that those were some of the best sounding electric basses ever made. I've always been curious if the Barts were stock or custom. I guess that rockwood neck had to do with most of the sound. It really was something incredibly special.
Your welcome.
Curbow Basses definitely have a signature sound. I cannot think of anything that is close. The electronics played a part, the woods, the construction, the mass, the form and fit. There was a difference through the range of types of his instruments but there was a certain continuity that linked them all together.
If you ever want to see a really cool Curbow check out Bill Eurich's Curbow guitar. What a nice instrument. It was a Rockwood Neck, see through Cherry with flamed carved top. I believe the PUPs were HSS Barts and a whammy bar. Black hardware. I got to play it a considerable amount before Bill got his grubby paws on it. That was the absolute pinnacle of Curbow's builds. Last time I saw Bill was at the funeral.
Curbow Basses definitely have a signature sound. I cannot think of anything that is close. The electronics played a part, the woods, the construction, the mass, the form and fit. There was a difference through the range of types of his instruments but there was a certain continuity that linked them all together.
If you ever want to see a really cool Curbow check out Bill Eurich's Curbow guitar. What a nice instrument. It was a Rockwood Neck, see through Cherry with flamed carved top. I believe the PUPs were HSS Barts and a whammy bar. Black hardware. I got to play it a considerable amount before Bill got his grubby paws on it. That was the absolute pinnacle of Curbow's builds. Last time I saw Bill was at the funeral.
Just took delivery of a Zebrawood 1996 X33 fiver. More pics to follow. Just ordered a few sets of R. Cocco's .30 .50.70.90.120 to make it faster than the heavier gauge she's wearing now. This thing sounds awesome through my Trace V6 / Berg NV610 setup! Greg Curbow made some truly awesome instruments!
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Hey thanks. Wow, these don't come up for sale too often. Most players hang on to them for dear life, unless it becomes absolutely, positively necessary to let go. I've spent a lot of time on ebay and the Internet looking for USA Curbows, rare finds indeed. Got my petite 5 from Bass Emporium off consignment. My Petite 4 I got off ebay, seller ended auction early. My Dinky JaZZ I got here, great basses. If I could only find an XT33 four string I'd be set.
What is the generally held opinion of Japanese made Curbow's under the Cort label?
There is a nice Fretless one for sale near me for a good price.
There is a nice Fretless one for sale near me for a good price.
