NBD (for the second time) - Cort Curbow

[moonshinegtrs]

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?

Greg did a great job in creating this bass... I just did what I was told. He was an amazing guy...

Using Luthite was Cort's decision. IMHO it made the bass less expensive to produce. Greg had a great relationship with Jack Westheimer (the CEO of Cort) before the Cort/Curbow bass ever came about. I think that's what led to the bass coming about. Jack approached Greg about building it.

He did the same thing with Conklin (Groove Tools line)...


Moonshine

 

[Bass V]

Moonshine

you might be my only hope of any inside info regarding the Curbow Retro, there's not much to find about them at all, but being the least Curbow-lyke Curbow Cort made I'm really curious what the back story is on these. how much input did Greg have on them, if any, is it a Curbow in name only and just a Cort design?
not a lot out there referencing any of the wood bodies they produced, ...odd.

 

[TonyP-]

Anybody know the scale length on these instruments?

 

[moonshinegtrs]

you might be my only hope of any inside info regarding the Curbow Retro, there's not much to find about them at all, but being the least Curbow-lyke Curbow Cort made I'm really curious what the back story is on these. how much input did Greg have on them, if any, is it a Curbow in name only and just a Cort design?
not a lot out there referencing any of the wood bodies they produced, ...odd.

I had already left when these models came out so I can't be of much help. There are a couple of other people who worked with Greg that would possibly know, I talk with them from time to time and I will ask about this the next time I do. Greg was working on (or had already built) a new model that he called "Retro" ; it had a flat (non carved) body and used two Jazz pickups (I think).

Just found this (on TalkBass!):

Curbow Retro-3

"For a while, Curbow's been making a "Retro" model with a flat topped ash or maple body, J/J or single soapbar pickups, and pickguard. My guess is that this flat-topped ash model is a variation on that, but model names are a bit flexible when most of your models are custom built with any number of options."

The Gentleman on the left is Doug Somervell (a very talented Luthier), who worked with Greg for years and helped run Curbow during Greg's illness and after he passed. Doug probably knows more about the history of Curbow String Instruments than anyone.

Anybody know the scale length on these instruments?

The Cort Curbow models are 34" scale. I don't know for sure but I am guessing the later models are too.


Moonshine

 

[Bass V]

I had already left when these models came out so I can't be of much help. There are a couple of other people who worked with Greg that would possibly know, I talk with them from time to time and I will ask about this the next time I do. Greg was working on (or had already built) a new model that he called "Retro" ; it had a flat (non carved) body and used two Jazz pickups (I think).
Just found this (on TalkBass!):
Curbow Retro-3
"For a while, Curbow's been making a "Retro" model with a flat topped ash or maple body, J/J or single soapbar pickups, and pickguard. My guess is that this flat-topped ash model is a variation on that, but model names are a bit flexible when most of your models are custom built with any number of options."

thanx, in an exhaustive search I managed to miss the thread you found!
this sounds much like the current bass in question and the path now leads to Doug to fill in the blanks.
great to know this will be a legit Curbow and coming with high, but realistic, expectations.
as you probably saw there's a tb member who had a bunch of posts, and only one good user review elsewhere on these, but it was all positives so I can't wait to get mine. they're far more plain Jane and the pickgaurd is a bit wonky but I like the body shape and the signature headstock, and despite the chump change they command this will likely be a real winner.

 

[AlbertoRigoni]

I have a 6 string and sounds very well!