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Moon Owners Club

#41
BobaMosfett said:
As of last week, I'm the proud and happy owner of a Moon bass with serial number LG0002. It's a Larry Graham signature model, and according to the seller it's the second one of a new batch they made this year. Number LG0001 belongs to mr. Graham himself!
If this is true, it would make this bass even more special to me! I have used it twice in a live situation, and I can't get over how nice this bass is. Low action (for me) without any string rattle, and a huge and very present sound without getting in the way of anything else. I put LaBella flats on it, like Pino does, and i can totally see why!

8C19E632-29D3-49D3-82F8-B6F5B846F800.jpg
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La Bella Flats? Aren't these meant to be slap machines...?
 
#43
TomB said:
This is interesting. When I bought mine through the Luthier's Access Group, I got the impression that custom ordering was very difficult due to the language barrier; eventually LAG just gave up, even though they still believe they're incredible instruments. It sounds like you had a different experience & outcome...
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Sorry for the much delayed response! I live in Japan and speak Japanese, so it's not an issue. But you are correct; they are a very local company and not really equipped to deal with the outside world. These days they're back to full handmade boutique operation and probably can't fulfill that many orders, anyway.
 
#45
gimmeagig said:
I don't know anything about the Randy Hope Taylor model. What is special or different about it?
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Apologies for the huge delay in replying. The RHT model featured special electronics with a three-band active EQ plus a master tone control. It also has a push/pull knob for active/passive. You can get a lot of cool sounds with it, but it's extremely fiddly. I don't think they offer that option anymore. I find the bass/treble EQ on my JJ's Blackbird preamp far easier to deal with in a live situation.
 
#47
Keef66 said:
Apologies for the huge delay in replying. The RHT model featured special electronics with a three-band active EQ plus a master tone control. It also has a push/pull knob for active/passive. You can get a lot of cool sounds with it, but it's extremely fiddly. I don't think they offer that option anymore. I find the bass/treble EQ on my JJ's Blackbird preamp far easier to deal with in a live situation.
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The 2-band Blackbird pre-amp I have in my '72 Jazz is a very powerful piece, but the mid control on the 3-band unit in my Moon JB-5 is an amazingly effective control as well - the only 1 of the three I adjust. I can't imagine the use of a master tone control, though.
 
#48
Keef66 said:
Just met with the president of Moon yesterday to discuss ordering a 35" JJ-5 with an MM-J configuration and, possibly, piezo/MIDI-ready bridge. Man, am I excited about this!
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How many guys work in the Moon factory?shop? Do you have any Pics from the shop?
I didn't know that they expandedand are now downsized again. I saw some serial numbers that made me suspect that they went to high volume production.But I didn't know for sure.
My Moon JB 5 has hand written the number 634 and also 12/17 on the heel of the neck and I was told it was made in 1998 so I assume that was when they were still a small company, right?
 
#49
Well, I've been gigging my Moon for almost a year now! Boy time flies!
I've mixed in some other basses for rehearsal, just to see/hear what's up with them and the band always says the same thing, play the Jazz!
It just seems to have a more balanced tone and fullness that they and I like! So do I!
Fishheadjoe
 
#50
TomB said:
The 2-band Blackbird pre-amp I have in my '72 Jazz is a very powerful piece, but the mid control on the 3-band unit in my Moon JB-5 is an amazingly effective control as well - the only 1 of the three I adjust. I can't imagine the use of a master tone control, though.
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I think the master is mainly intended for use in passive mode. It is a very confusing layout, with two stacked pots and two single ones. If I don't play if for a while, I have to figure out how it works all over again. I use the mid knob on my Stingray sometimes to punch through, but usually when I want more bass, I want more bass, not less mid, so the Blackbird is sufficient for my simple needs. I'm currently agonizing over whether to go two- or three-band on this new one I'm ordering. Being able to have pretty much any feature is scary!
 
#51
gimmeagig said:
How many guys work in the Moon factory?shop? Do you have any Pics from the shop?
I didn't know that they expandedand are now downsized again. I saw some serial numbers that made me suspect that they went to high volume production.But I didn't know for sure.
My Moon JB 5 has hand written the number 634 and also 12/17 on the heel of the neck and I was told it was made in 1998 so I assume that was when they were still a small company, right?
Click to expand...
I'm not sure what their staffing is like these days. I don't think they let anybody into the factory anymore; I met the guy at a downtown Tokyo dealer (Kurosawa Shibuya). What I can say is that ten or twelve years ago there were at least a couple Moons hanging in any reputable music store and lots more in the big ones, and for a long while you'd be lucky to see one. Now they're a bit more numerous. It's hard to recollect, but I think 1998 may have been during their volume heyday, though even then the volume was miniscule compared with the international brands. The dealer I'm going through is a big Moon specialist, and they have maybe 10. Since their reappearance the prices have gone up a lot, and that $1,500 range of the market seems to have gone to Bacchus and Atelier Z. Build quality on the recent Moon products seems to be even higher. The finishes are exquisite.
 
#52
teptep said:
Hello, I'm from the Philippines, and this is my Moon bass. (But to be honest, I don't know what model this is, I just got this bass recently and I just love it. :D)
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It's an MBC-6. They don't offer this model anymore but they have a new model called Climb which looks similar. If you google "Moon MBC" you can find some old catalogue images but they're not of much use unless you speak Japanese. Randy Hope-Taylor's was also an MBC btw, but a five-string one so, MBC-5. Unlike the standard 2-band Blackbird preamp it has 3-band Bartolini electronics.

I reckon it's probably a bit pointless of me to reply given how much time it's been since you posted this message but better late then never I suppose..
 
#53
My Moon JB5 bass has a handwritten serial and a date on the neck and neck pocket. #634. The neck seems to be made in dec 97 and the body in Jan 98.
So 98 was their busiest year? I wonder if how many basses the company cranks out per year. Does anybody here know that? Are the earlier models more desirable? Were they made by hand in a smaller shop and are they still hand built?
I also have a 2002 M265 Atelier Z, Tomohito Aoki model.Built by Mas Hino (I think) I see quite a few Atelier Z basses on E Bay these days. Are they still a relatively small company? Or Are they mass produced now and they just get a label?
 
#54
Good evening!

Seriously considering getting a JJ5 which has come up near me in the U.K.

This one has the oxalis JB pick ups and the Bartoloni XTCT PRE AMP.

Can you guys tell me how these pick ups react, power, presence in which range etc.
Very interested in the placement of the neck Pup on the angle.

I was considering a Sandberg Umbo and they have Haussel Pups and aside from ageing seem pretty similar.
I would be interested if anyone has any intel?!

Cheers
 
#55
I've had a few Moons over the years including my current JB-5. I had a 4-string with those electronics and slant pickup. From memory, I would describe them as clear but not harsh, a bit like Delanos if you're familiar with them, and not as warm as some Barts I've played. It's been a while though (traded it), so I can't comment in more detail. What I can tell you is that these are uniformly very well-made basses. Mine have been a little on the heavy side. Every one has sounded great.
 
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