NBD: Wait! Didn’t he just get an Elrick???

[Thumper]

I had a fretless Elrick 5. It had a Holly top and a pink ivory neck. It's a really great bass. I eventually sold it only to buy it back a few months later (at a discount!!). Kept it a while and sold it again when I started playing more upright. It was super lightweight and played like a dream. If it popped up for sale again, I'd probably buy it back.

My singlecut also had a pink ivory neck, beautiful maple top, Aero PUPs, super light, fantastic tone, super light....sigh!

 

[Rdore2000]

I had a Czech NJS in trans white. It's a gorgeous bass. I don't really play much 4-string anymore so I let it go. But I will say, it had the best action of any bass I have ever owned. Rob's Czech basses are absolutely killer.

How do the Czech basses compare with the American ones?

 

[tb-player]

My singlecut also had a pink ivory neck, beautiful maple top, Aero PUPs, super light, fantastic tone, super light....sigh!

Our basses sound very similar. Mine was really lightweight and had the Aeros too. Great pickups.

 

[tb-player]

How do the Czech basses compare with the American ones?

I spoke with Rob about this years ago. The Czech basses are not quite the same as US basses, but they're pretty close. You're not getting a Rob Elrick hand-carved instrument, but he's still very involved in the process. He picks out all the body and neck woods, packages them up and ships them to Europe to be cut, painted/stained and mostly assembled. Apparently the cost for painting and finishing is much more affordable over there.

When I spoke with him, he was still doing all the setups on the Czech basses. My understanding is that since he has expanded to Modern Vintage basses and the Cort collab, some of those basses get Plek'd instead of his master setup… and yes, a Rob Elrick setup is consistently better-than-Plek.

Still, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one of his Czech basses. Mine was one of the nicest basses I've ever owned.

 

[Rdore2000]

I spoke with Rob about this years ago. The Czech basses are not quite the same as US basses, but they're pretty close. You're not getting a Rob Elrick hand-carved instrument, but he's still very involved in the process. He picks out all the body and neck woods, packages them up and ships them to Europe to be cut, painted/stained and mostly assembled. Apparently the cost for painting and finishing is much more affordable over there.

When I spoke with him, he was still doing all the setups on the Czech basses. My understanding is that since he has expanded to Modern Vintage basses and the Cort collab, some of those basses get Plek'd instead of his master setup… and yes, a Rob Elrick setup is consistently better-than-Plek.

Still, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one of his Czech basses. Mine was one of the nicest basses I've ever owned.

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Mine's the exception I guess. I bought it from Bass Direct in the UK, so it was set up by the crew there.

 

[tb-player]

Mine's the exception I guess. I bought it from Bass Direct in the UK, so it was set up by the crew there.

When I talk about Rob's setups, I'm talking about the fretwork too. It's the best. You can lower the strings on his basses & never worry about fret buzz.

Yours is cool!

 

[Matt Power]

My singlecut also had a pink ivory neck, beautiful maple top, Aero PUPs, super light, fantastic tone, super light....sigh!

Was that an early one from the 90s? Rob made me THE first single cut with a maple burl top, lined pink ivory board, Aero pickups under maple covers....is it THAT one?

 

[Thumper]

Was that an early one from the 90s? Rob made me THE first single cut with a maple burl top, lined pink ivory board, Aero pickups under maple covers....is it THAT one?

Yes. Big mistake letting it go, HUGE!!!

 

[Matt Power]

Yes. Big mistake letting it go, HUGE!!!

That bass made its way onto several albums and I gigged a lot with it. I took great care of it...I think it has a basswood body, as per Rob's fretless recommendation.