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Henman-Bevilacqua Bass

#21
Angus said:
"High quality conductors" is so vague as to be meaningless, and the difference in resistance between low quality wire (worse than EMG uses) and ultra high quality wire is so small for the distances used in basses that there is little chance you'd hear an audible difference let alone be able to attribute it to some distinctive tonal quality.
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True but I could care less if it has them or not, because the tone and playability is what matters most to me. You guys can find all the fault you want in this bass, it's no different than some of the other expensive basses that are out there that so many believe is overpriced.


The bass is definitely not for every one.It works for some and it doesn't work for others
 
#24
Interesting look to these basses. Not too dramatic - I don't think the appearance is likely to sell many at those prices. But I like the look - both retro and modern and clean-looking hardware, etc (satin vs chrome?). An interesting take on a J body shape (Why don't more designers do this? Lakland is the only one that comes to mind.). I like the headstock shape, too.
 
#25
edfriedland said:
I just finished writing a review of the Hen-Bev bass for Guitar World. I know nobody here READS that magazine.... my dirty little secret is I've been writing bass reviews for them for 7 months or so...

Anyway, I spent a lot of time with one, and did a video demo of it (which will be posted on YT when it comes out in print).

I felt it was too expensive, but... it was a cool bass. The tension-free neck and the through-body individual bridge give it a very clear tone. The sustain and note purity are exceptional. Now, is it for me? No. I'm not a big sustain nut. Half the time I'm either palm muting or stuffing foam under the strings, so... not my taste. However, if you like a ringing, sustained tone with lots of individual note clarity... this bass does that really well.

The EMG Hz pickups are getting a bad rap I think, maybe because people are confusing them with the cheapo EMG Selects. HZs are EMG's passive pickups, they sell for around $200 a piece, they ain't cheapos. I thought they sounded good in that bass, they have a certain pristine quality that matches up with the intention of the builder.

Again, is it for me? Nah. I've been moving further and further away from a bright tone. Flatwounds, foam, and really old dead roundwounds are what I like these days. To each his own.

Enjoy the bass Jauquo!
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Thanks Ed.
 
#29
JAUQO III-X said:
The bass seems to be very versatile and extremely lively. Every bass player that I know where blown away by it,Tom Bowlus, Victor Wooten, and Bill Dickens just to name a few. It may have EMGs but the pickup wiring has been changed to a much higher quality and high quality conductors were also added.

This bass really has a very distinctive tone overall.
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Wow, I don't think that I have ever been referred to in the same sentence as Victor Wooten and Bill Dickens! :eek: ;) :D

But I have to back Jauqo up, here. I have had basses in the past with EMG HZ pickups, and to be honest, I was not all that thrilled with the tone I got from those pickups. But in this bass, they sounded pretty darned good. I don't know if that is despite those pickups, because of those pickups, or because of the modifications made to the wiring, etc., but the net result was very toneful, IME/IMHO. I definitely agree that this pickup choice seems unusual, given the very high apparent quality of every other component used on the bass. But then again, I can't deny that - at least to my ears - the end result is impressive. Scott seems like a very talented, very bright luthier, and I presume that he made this pickup choice for valid reasons.

Are they worth the price? To be honest, few things in the 'high end' music industry can really make a compelling argument for their price tag based upon empirical analysis. But, if you play one, and it moves you, and you are happier with one in your hands than not, then I suppose it just well may be worth it. I know that I left their booth trying to figure out how I could get my hands on one. ;) :p :D

But yeah, that is kinda pricey...

Tom.
 
#30
JAUQO III-X said:
The bass is definitely not for every one.It works for some and it doesn't work for others
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Amen to that. What Ed and Jauqo said about the HB bass really applies to any bass -- expensive or cheap. It all comes down to what you like personally. If every bass sounded the same and cost the same, there would be no need for more than one bass manufacturer, who would have only one model. Thankfully, this is not the case.
 
#33
Thanks for weighing in Ed - I have been a longtime fan of your writing.

Not to derail this thread but I have to say - EMG's are out of style these days, I wonder if Nordstrands will be regarded the same way in 5 or 10 years when the next brand becomes in vogue.

Anyway, interesting bass.
 
#35
i think this basses - while yeah, more expensive than what i'll ever pay for any instrument - are a good starting point for a new way or designing a bass. yeah it looks retro and modern at the same time. the design is very good. it looks well planned, comfortable, and also a no-frills bass. i like that.
 
#37
JAUQO III-X said:
True but I could care less if it has them or not, because the tone and playability is what matters most to me. You guys can find all the fault you want in this bass, it's no different than some of the other expensive basses that are out there that so many believe is overpriced.

The bass is definitely not for every one.It works for some and it doesn't work for others
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I wasn't commenting about the bass itself, because I've never seen nor played one so I have absolutely no clue about it. That's perfectly fine- it may be incredible! I have no idea nor any reason to praise/trash the thing because I have absolutely zero experience with it.

I was just curious if that statement was one they told you, because if it was, it's inane.
 

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