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Klos Basses-Carbon necks
- Thread starter Clark Westfield
- Start date
They have some video on YouTube. It was was interesting. They say it is a "full carbon fiber neck with a composite ebony fretboard". Check it out There are a few others as well showing the tones and such. Still not in depth, but better than the site itself.
Looks alright, but I’ll keep my status. Something seems off. They’re “custom shop bridge” has holes for string thru, but the bass is only top-loading.
Low priced carbon fiber is like those "stainless steel" knives you see at a flea market.
Is it technically carbon fiber? Sure. Have I been able to snap a piece of carbon fiber with my bare hands, yeah I did that once.
When it comes to different materials there are certain standards that most common folk haven't read about. Here is a $7,804 mirror that can fit in your pocket, but if you ever touch it, it becomes almost entirely worthless:
80Z20ER.2 Silver Mirror
Now that carbon fiber, has it been X-ray for voids? Pockets of air that when found in some carbon fiber are thrown in a reject pile at an aeronautics factory? Or is it some guy in his back yard that just poured the epoxy into a mold and saw a drip of his sweat fall in for the fourth time and say "ah poopie" in Mandarin?
Is it technically carbon fiber? Sure. Have I been able to snap a piece of carbon fiber with my bare hands, yeah I did that once.
When it comes to different materials there are certain standards that most common folk haven't read about. Here is a $7,804 mirror that can fit in your pocket, but if you ever touch it, it becomes almost entirely worthless:
80Z20ER.2 Silver Mirror
Now that carbon fiber, has it been X-ray for voids? Pockets of air that when found in some carbon fiber are thrown in a reject pile at an aeronautics factory? Or is it some guy in his back yard that just poured the epoxy into a mold and saw a drip of his sweat fall in for the fourth time and say "ah poopie" in Mandarin?
Yeah, I’m not knowledgeable enough to know if they are using NASA-grade carbon fiber, or if that even matters for musical instruments. I would guess that the benefits of carbon fiber are still relevant even if it’s not the most carbon fiber-y carbon fiber? I could totally be way off though.
I do know that this company has been in business for a few years making fully acoustic CF instruments (including CF necks) so I would guess that if these bass necks are built in a similar fashion that they will be similarly stable.
I do know that this company has been in business for a few years making fully acoustic CF instruments (including CF necks) so I would guess that if these bass necks are built in a similar fashion that they will be similarly stable.
It could be one of those too good to be true but actually true situations.
But keep in mind, some road bikes use above NASA grade carbon fiber, that not even NASA could afford. Some where some guy is painting a toy train with the most accurate color replication available.
The point is that this sounds too good to be true, and we in a time where people are sacrificing decades old reputation for sales. Most things that are "good" are out of stock half the time, and over priced to begin with.
Scale is a factor in pricing too, though. One aircraft fuselage uses more carbon fiber than hundreds of bicycles. One bicycle uses enough CF for several guitar necks. In the early 90s when titanium bikes were a thing, one of the frame builders was getting their tubing stock from a Russian aircraft supplier. If I recall correctly the frames were low priced in part because the end cuts from aircraft orders were sufficient for provisioning their startup period.
Bolt-on neck, so you can remove when traveling. I'm not sure Leo thought of it for that reason.
I'd be slightly leery. Peavey and Modulus made a neck for the B Quad and some of them had warping issues. Having been a cyclist for a while, Chinese carbon can be hit or miss. They obviously make frames for the big companies, but sometimes it's bargain basement the stiffness/rigidity of carbon is replaced with something light that looks cool, but fragile. Not something ya want on a bike or something that supports weight/tension.
I'd be slightly leery. Peavey and Modulus made a neck for the B Quad and some of them had warping issues. Having been a cyclist for a while, Chinese carbon can be hit or miss. They obviously make frames for the big companies, but sometimes it's bargain basement the stiffness/rigidity of carbon is replaced with something light that looks cool, but fragile. Not something ya want on a bike or something that supports weight/tension.
I would say that a guitar neck uses more carbon fiber than a bike frame, but much less labor and R&D, casting etc. Those things can be as thin as paper.
Titanium bikes are still a thing, Mike Laird is building them in is house in Virginia right now for under $2k.
The video was interesting, it didn't show a lot of what someone would want to see, like how the threaded inserts are attached to the neck, any of the production process. And what is a closed custom shop? Lot's of people have tried to make carbon fiber necks, I think only Status has survived, their carbon is outsourced but their designs are clearly for structural integrity and not to look like carbon fiber.
I'm surprised Moses lasted as long as they did, if you have ever seen the inside of one of their necks it looks kind of like a bird house made with a hot glue gun for an elementary school art project.
I think they have a ton of potential. They're just "finding their way" with regard to marketing. Their marketing is, quite simply, horrible. The basses and guitars look nice.
1) Their verbiage is "weird".
2) They need a real bass player to play their product for a quality video. One guy doesn't play at all. The other is a guitar player clumsily playing one riff to demonstrate their electronics package.
3) Nothing is very "clear" about their operation.
I wish them the best. I think they have the best of intentions. But they need to "tighten up" a few things if they're going to make a run at it.
1) Their verbiage is "weird".
2) They need a real bass player to play their product for a quality video. One guy doesn't play at all. The other is a guitar player clumsily playing one riff to demonstrate their electronics package.
3) Nothing is very "clear" about their operation.
I wish them the best. I think they have the best of intentions. But they need to "tighten up" a few things if they're going to make a run at it.
100% on the marketing, it's just not quite there. Not a knock on Ibanez or Blackstar, but it's kind of jarring to see a $2000 bass being demoed on them. Selling the bolt-on as a feature so you can travel is bizarre. The little bumper notes they use right at the beginning of the videos is promising, then... bleh. The diagram showing the tone controls doesn't match what the guy says.
I'm intrigued, but not dropping 2k blindly. If the Pro was 1k-1200, or the Standard was 600-800, I might give it a shot, but as is, going to wait and see.
I'm intrigued, but not dropping 2k blindly. If the Pro was 1k-1200, or the Standard was 600-800, I might give it a shot, but as is, going to wait and see.
That’s exactly how I feel. Cool product, but I think it’s probably a case of a very small company with 2 or 3 people doing R&D, sourcing parts, building, marketing, etc.
It’s hard to look good in a hat when you’re wearing 5 other hats.
Once they’re available it’d be cool to see a demo from @LowEndLobster or Patrick Hunter to hear what they’re actually capable of.
Thanks! I emailed them about getting a retail loaner for review but haven't gotten a reply. Worst case I buy one, but that'll probably be post NAMM.
They do make carbon acoustic guitars and those get good reviews. I played one locally and it is good. The guy said they are better than the other one he got which cost more than 2x. You will not lose your money I think. They are legit business
ugly headstock, upper horn is too long.
i'm super skeptical of anything that's just preorder. we need to see and hear the real thing. lots of things look good on paper but sometimes those bullet points can be misleading.
i'd expect them to probably be decent, but who knows.
i'm super skeptical of anything that's just preorder. we need to see and hear the real thing. lots of things look good on paper but sometimes those bullet points can be misleading.
i'd expect them to probably be decent, but who knows.
At that price point, it looks cool enough to me to try.
Their carbon fibre can't be any worse than the wood on Squire P-basses or G&L Tributes.
I'll support any company that makes a bass with a 2x2 headstock. Death to the Fender headstock.
Their carbon fibre can't be any worse than the wood on Squire P-basses or G&L Tributes.
I'll support any company that makes a bass with a 2x2 headstock. Death to the Fender headstock.
Lol... this is great. I actually love the headstock. Horses for courses. De gustibus.
Based on their "About" page, it's 2 fairly young brothers with Engineering degrees. As an not-so-young engineer myself, with a lot of experience behind me, these guys are doing good stuff. So they need help with marketing, but if their story is to be believed, they'll do well if they can get the marketing help they need and not run into devastating supply chain issues.
I'm not big on their pickguard (a bit too much low-budget Stingray 5 knockoff), but I otherwise like the instrument. I'd be interested to see a 5-string.
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