Picked up an '84 St. Blues P/J made by Strings & Things at their workshop back when these were still highly regarded instruments. The newer ones, not so much; but these '80s models are killer.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
NBD - St. Blues
- Thread starter Jeff K
- Start date
I fell in love with the tone; and it feels very similar to my Fenders, so it's very comfortable. I've tried to like G&L's and Stingrays, but the Fenders (and similar basses) just feel better. And did I mention I love the tone on this sucker?! 
RaginRog
Last guy you want to see is Employee Relations guy
Thanks guys and gal.
The binding was the only thing I was a bit concerned about. While I like the looks of it, I prefer the contoured edges. But I played this for about an hour and a half this afternoon, and it didn't bother my arm at all. It's not rounded, but it doesn't feel sharp either (if that makes any sense!). Of course I was so enamored with the tone that I might have been oblivious to the binding! Time will tell I guess. So far I'm loving it. The color is Translucent Cherry.
These early-to-mid 80s Strings & Things basses are the equivalent of any boutique Fender build. I have one built about '86, no idea what it's been through for the last 25 years, but it has endured fantastically. There is something special about the tone, too - it has a round, ringy thing going on that sort of reminds me of a Yamaha built around the same time. And I mean this in a good way. This is really a fantastic P/J option that also happens to be something a little different.
Me and mine:
Me and mine:
The one thing I don't like is that the pickguard design leaves no room to get to the truss rod. It seems like I would have to remove the pickguard to do any adjustments. That said, the bass just made a trip from Calgary to Denver to get to me and arrived needing no neck work at all - so maybe it won't need much attention.
Very nice... first of their basses that I've ever seen.
Played with a guitarist that had three St Blues axes, and he favored them over everything else
that he owned (30+ instruments). They were absolute quality, and the tone was awesome,
they could do anything.
I hadn't heard that the latest offerings aren't as good... did they get swallowed by
another company?
Dave
Played with a guitarist that had three St Blues axes, and he favored them over everything else
that he owned (30+ instruments). They were absolute quality, and the tone was awesome,
they could do anything.
I hadn't heard that the latest offerings aren't as good... did they get swallowed by
another company?
Dave
I think that in the mid-80s incarnation, they were hand-building these instruments in-shop using carefully sourced components, like Sadowsky does now. The company folded and then re-launched later at which point they were commissioning builds by contract builders elsewhere in the world.
This is extremely similar to the path Schecter followed over the same time period, and indeed I believe at least one principal moved back and forth between the two companies about 25 years ago.
Somebody check me on my facts though.
This is extremely similar to the path Schecter followed over the same time period, and indeed I believe at least one principal moved back and forth between the two companies about 25 years ago.
Somebody check me on my facts though.
I used to have one in a cream colored finish. Loved it and can't remember what I did with it, sure wish I had kept it.
- Feb 24, 2004
- 4,103
- 642
- 68
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Phantom Guitars, Eastwood Guitars
Interesting, another Austin guy who owns a S&T.
The way I found out about these was from John Howard, who played bass in Extreme Heat in the late 80s. He's in Nashville now and plays Laklands, but he still has his St. Blues. It sounded great in the Heat.
