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NBD (for the second time) - Cort Curbow

#21
Cort has come a long ways, my imperfect '90ish PJ carved top tank certainly holds it's own with a nice fat P neck and commands a BIG sound, while my incoming 2000ish Curbow Retro has glowing reviews, albeit with not much mention at all about these anywhere. their new offerings are high quality builds at tremendous values, I've become a fan.
 
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#22
I own a 2005 4 string in blue for the past two years now, with the Bartolini Mk1 and "slap" switch. Picked it up from a friend who was selling it. It's my "at home" bass and doesn't get taken out much. It's a fine bass for the money. but I've no hesitation in selling it if someone came along and wanted it.....
 
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#25
The Cort Curbow was my first bass. As a guitar player, I wanted something easily navigable, and that fit the bill. It had the walnut finish with matte silver hardware. I think I paid $359 (new) at Mars Music. I never had any issues with it, and was always happy with how it played and sounded. Sometimes I think I should have one again...
 
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#26
Versatek6 said:
The Cort Curbow was my first bass. As a guitar player, I wanted something easily navigable, and that fit the bill. It had the walnut finish with matte silver hardware. I think I paid $359 (new) at Mars Music. I never had any issues with it, and was always happy with how it played and sounded. Sometimes I think I should have one again...
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It certainly is a comfortable bass, just played it earlier, when I switched to my MM Ray, good lord, the body seemed and felt huge in comparison. lol.
 
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#28
blazebarlow said:
I know where there is an original curbow bass built by greg himself in the chicken house shop in the mid 1990's..its not the oddball shape of the corts..but has a traditional shape..and is said to be a prototype..it only has "curbow on the headstock..its all wooden configuration..made in america..4 control knobs..P and J pickups..I see it for sale for 1000 euros..located in london england..
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Interesting. I'd love to see a pic of this bass.


Moonshine :bassist:
 
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#29
while not a true cort curbow I picked up this "Hudson project bass fretless 5" on eBay a few years ago. Looks like they basically stole the shape/design for it... nice and light, really smooth and easy to play! Natural wood finish and through neck on this one. Love the sound that comes out of it, only problem is hum due to lack of shielding but I'll be looking to fix that soon. Great bass for the money spent! Often wonder if forking out the extra for the "high end" models would really be worth it while I'm so happy with this one!
(ps: sorry I'm taking up most of the pic, only one still on phone with the bass in atm :facepalm:)
IMG-20160719-WA0002.jpg
 
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#30
I had used 5 string fretless Curbow. Loved that bass. Bought it for 200 dollars and one neck spacer later it played really extremely well. The phenolic resin fingerboard was actually really nice. Unfortunately it was sold along with many other things before I moved across country in a tiny car with an upright and a tuba in it. Otherwise I would still have it.
I have a Pedulla hexabuzz now but I still miss that curbow 5 string from time to time. If I was going to play bars again I would definitely get one and leave the hexabuzz safe at home.
 
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#31
OwenWarr said:
while not a true cort curbow I picked up this "Hudson project bass fretless 5" on eBay a few years ago. Looks like they basically stole the shape/design for it... nice and light, really smooth and easy to play! Natural wood finish and through neck on this one. Love the sound that comes out of it, only problem is hum due to lack of shielding but I'll be looking to fix that soon. Great bass for the money spent! Often wonder if forking out the extra for the "high end" models would really be worth it while I'm so happy with this one!
(ps: sorry I'm taking up most of the pic, only one still on phone with the bass in atm :facepalm:)View attachment 2842948
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that's awesome, I like it's wood not luthite and a thru-neck. I just googled and can't find any online, I guess they're not being made anymore?
I know Ed Roman used to custom make his own "Curbow" basses - don't know if the company still does after he passed way- It was a 33 fret version.
 
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#32
Maxdusty said:
that's awesome, I like it's wood not luthite and a thru-neck. I just googled and can't find any online, I guess they're not being made anymore?
I know Ed Roman used to custom make his own "Curbow" basses - don't know if the company still does after he passed way- It was a 33 fret version.
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They only seem to turn up second hand on a few UK sites now (and a lot of those are already sold). Seeing all the regrets from people that have let their Curnow's go in the past I think I'll definitely hold onto my copy :thumbsup:
 
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#33
OwenWarr said:
They only seem to turn up second hand on a few UK sites now (and a lot of those are already sold). Seeing all the regrets from people that have let their Curnow's go in the past I think I'll definitely hold onto my copy :thumbsup:
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I would definitely keep yours, it's beautiful and finding another one in the market is even more difficult from the looks of it.
While I feel my bass was far from perfect, it definitely got the comfort aspect just right (perhaps better than any bass I've tried so far)- I imagine the Cort version with two pickups (the Retro with the two J's or the Curbow 42/52) might be better options in terms of sound. Real Greg Curbow basses must be something else altogether I imagine.
I had both the fretted and fretless Cort Curbow basses, I have to say the concept and ergonomics of the bass seems to really be put to good use as a fretless. Perhaps I'll pick one up next later down the road but it seems like all versions of the Curbow basses are getting a little harder to find these days, they used to be common denizens of the used bass market. I would love to get my hands on a real Greg Curbow bass though should I ever have the necessary funds and find one available, I'm sold on his design concept and as I get older, comfort becomes a bigger issue and requirement.
 
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#35
@OwenWarr

I've heard of the Hudson Project basses, think it was Crane's music shops ordered them in. The bass player for Fairport Convention had a red one. He'd been out with his other half when he saw it,after a couple of minutes playing his missus told him to buy it :) Must be good when the wife tells you to buy a bass.

I had another Curbow type fretless, Tanglewood Canyon II. Damn fine bass,mahogany/maple. The maple cap accounted for nearly half the body.
Tanglewood Canyon (2).jpg Tanglewood Canyon (3).jpg Tanglewood Canyon (4).jpg
 
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#36
kodiakblair said:
@zon6c-f
Gregg's beliefs were ideas should be shared, his arrangement with Cort ensured his ideas lived on and more importantly reached a larger audience.Sadly this is Talkbass so if you mention Cort the general response is " Nah buy Squier or Ibanez instead "

If only they knew :D

@Maxdusty
I still have my Cort Curbow :thumbsup:
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If one visits Real2Reel studios ( Collective Soul) they were huge proponents of Cort but that was a long while back !
 
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#39
I worked for Greg in the mid nineties and I got to be a part of the construction of the prototypes for the Cort Curbow basses (we did a 4 and a 5 string); Knowing that the bass bodies were to be molded, the prototypes were mockups (both body and neck) to be used for specifications... (sorry. pic of a pic).
20171214_082450_resized_zpswyvqybzl.jpg


I've owned a Blue four string; I loved but it looked like a belt buckle on me (Big Dude here). I would love to get my hands on a six string version.


Moonshine :bassist:
 
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#40
moonshinegtrs said:
I worked for Greg in the mid nineties and I got to be a part of the construction of the prototypes for the Cort Curbow basses (we did a 4 and a 5 string); Knowing that the bass bodies were to be molded, the prototypes were mockups (both body and neck) to be used for specifications... (sorry. pic of a pic).
View attachment 2843817

I've owned a Blue four string; I loved but it looked like a belt buckle on me (Big Dude here). I would love to get my hands on a six string version.


Moonshine :bassist:
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Wow...Great pic and story. It's really a nice design and extremely comfortable, you all did a great job in creating a comfortable bass. I have to mention, I'm fine with the bass body being made of luthite as I've had numerous Ibanez Ergodyne basses but I think my preference would still have been a wood body. I'm just wondering if you don't mind me asking - was it Cort's or Greg's decision to use luthite on the initial run of Cort Curbows? Was there an anticipated advantage with using Luthite?
 

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