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My New Skjold Custom 5
- Thread starter bassjam
- Start date
HOLY CRAP HOW DID I MISS THIS THREAD???????
You know, I was just messing around with this recently, as my collection has recently grown at the "low end" of the quality scale... picked up a couple "utilitarian" 5's, so I've been re-aquainted with mediocrity in this area. This really has to do with that "alive" feeling that the really high end basses out there have... including those such as MTD and others. It really boils down to wood selection and construction... two areas Pete is at the very high end of... especially these days. The B string is just one of those areas where it's most prevalent.
+1!!!!!
This is like the first thing I tell ANYONE asking about Skjolds. It's the cardinal rule when dealing with him. There's only one other luther I have this kind of implicit comfort with and Pete's also a fan of his, so that's very good company indeed.
Actually, nowadays I think we have to call yours the Skjold/East "Custom" preamp, because the one in my Pro is also a Skjold/East 3-band, but is a very different design. It has great features, but my next Skjold will have the Custom preamp in it, because I really like the passive mode, and I really like the series mode option. I've never needed the bright on a Skjold, but the sweep mids are also nice, and that will become available for the Pro preamp eventually. (just an fyi)
I've also spent time with "heavier" Skjolds and I'm actually pretty nerdy about heavy basses... yeah, the ergos make it ok. Normally, 9 pounds is pretty much my comfort limit for an "all night" bass, but I could go heavier on a Skjold without a problem.
The thing I keep hammering on is Pete offers something I think is (unfortunately) at least very rare, if not unique... he's not only a great luthier, but he's also a VERY PARTICULAR proficient player as well, so before we even get a chance to pass judgement on something, he's there in front of us with the same stringent standards. We just get the happy results. Lucky us.
BTW, my Pro series Skjold continues to amaze me every single time I play it. Not many basses I've had have had that kind of lasting impact. Not many at all, and I've owned quite a few over recent years (in other words, yeah, I'm impulsive and borderline stupid focusing on gear when I should just be practising).
Congrats, dude... yours definitely gets drool points for SURE.
thanks for weighing in vic.guess you are right about the preamp-hard to keep up sometimes.actually i talked to pete quite a bit about the other 3 bander as i like the pickup blend.opted to stay with the custom- i certainly dont have a problem dialing in a full spectrum of tones with it.and the passive mode is in fact very nice.
as for the weight,i agree.i like lighter basses as well.but again the balance on this one is so good it doesnt bother me at all.ive logged several more hours on it and i dont even notice.and its only 10 lbs after all.not heavy compared to other basses ive played.just on the upper end for one of pete's.
this is the wood combo pete recommended for the last bass he made for me and i wouldnt listen.next time im going to tell him what im looking for tonewise and just walk out of the shop.
one thing is still consistant though.ive been through a few skjold basses and no matter which ive used,ive gotted positive comments from band members,soundmen,and other bass players that hear it.
LOL! I wish I coulda' spoke to you first. I coulda' saved you some time in telling you this.this is the wood combo pete recommended for the last bass he made for me and i wouldnt listen.next time im going to tell him what im looking for tonewise and just walk out of the shop.
There are three basses I own where soundmen have actually come TO ME to tell me it's the best bass sound they've ever mixed, and the Skjold is definitely one of them.
...now if I could just figure out how to play the damn thing halfway decent...
as for the weight,i agree.i like lighter basses as well.but again the balance on this one is so good it doesnt bother me at all.ive logged several more hours on it and i dont even notice.and its only 10 lbs after all.not heavy compared to other basses ive played.just on the upper end for one of pete's.
this is the wood combo pete recommended for the last bass he made for me and i wouldnt listen.next time im going to tell him what im looking for tonewise and just walk out of the shop.
I agree on the weight thing. Light basses are nice, but there is only one way to get the tone of Mahogany, and thats with Mahogany. A little extra heft is the price you pay for that goodness.
My Mahogany Skjold 5 weighs a little more than 9.5lbs, but its still lighter than half the 4 strings I have owned.
LOL! I wish I coulda' spoke to you first. I coulda' saved you some time in telling you this.
There are three basses I own where soundmen have actually come TO ME to tell me it's the best bass sound they've ever mixed, and the Skjold is definitely one of them.
...now if I could just figure out how to play the damn thing halfway decent...
ive always felt pete knew what he was doing.but ive been stuck on maple fingerboards forever.pete has been telling me for two years i should try ebony.ive just never been an ebony fan except on fretless.now after trying it and using it in a gig situation i've really changed that thought.not to open a debate about fingerboards,but this bass really cuts better and have more thump than my mahogony/maple board skjold.
my thoughts as well.i went through a couple ash body/maple skjolds and while i thought they sounded great,i was really on a quest for a certain tone.i guess that is my trade off.funny though how we think of 10 pounds as heavy now-my old jazz bass feels heavier to me than my skjold does.
Hey Bassjam ,
I am glad the bass is what we were going for . I gotta get out and see ya now !
Pete
I am glad the bass is what we were going for . I gotta get out and see ya now !
Pete
you nailed it pete.btw i havent had the chance to call you and tell you how much i like the new strings.i have'nt logged too much time with the exotic custom but so far i really like them.ill get back to you with a full report.
you are welcome to come see us anytime.let me know ahead of time-ill try to arrange SPECIAL treatment.
BASSO keeps promising me he will come see me.
(sorry bro-ne freebird)
