New bass alert (pics inside!)

Well, my day at work was nicer than normal since my new Cort Curbow Retro showed up after lunch. Pretty good considering Curbow sent it out yesterday!


Here's a shot of it next to my Jazz for size comparison. I'll get some better pictures tomorrow. I ran out of time tonight setting it up, and playing--ran out of good light!

When I got it home, I immediately yanked the strings that shipped with the bass, and put some old TI Powerbass strings to tide me over until a new set arrives from Dude.

This bass surpasses my wildest dreams for the price. Agathis body with one of the nicest black finishes I've seen in quite a while--looks better than any black Fender I've seen (and, the matching headstock is a nice touch).

When I tweaked the truss rod, I flipped the truss rod cover over so the "Cort" wasn't showing. Not that I care about it saying "Cort," I just don't like the script they used to write it, and think the bass looks classier with the blank side facing out.

The neck is still settling in, but I can already tell that I'll be able to get the action as low as I want without any fret problems. This bass is very well put together with no wiggle room in the neck pocket. The neck is attached with 5(!) recessed bolts--it's not going anywhere.

The electronics are two active J style pickups with a V/V/T control set up. I am pretty sure the tone know is cut/boost (it has a center detent, too). I'm surpirsed by how good the electronics sound. I've not seen active pickups with a V/V/T setup in a bass this cheap before. Granted, I haven't really looked, either.

The bass is able to get that J Bass solo bridge pickup sound that you all know and love, and the tone knob can add enough bite to the sound to send it completely over the top. Personally, I prefer the neck pickup to the bridge pickup, and this thing sounds big, and blossom-y when played at the edge of the fretboard with a pick. Harmonics ring out like crazy--and, these strings were on a different bass for about 6 months. The body is very alive, resonant, and light. I think I will need to add some foam under the neck pickup to get it at the height that I want it, but it is certainly very useable, as is.

The satin finish on the back of the maple neck is super smooth, and the glossy matching headstock is very classy. The rosewood is really nice looking, and prety thick, too.

I can't decide if I'm going to leave the white pickguard on there, or not, though. I've got it in my head to get a custom made for it at some point simply because I can't leave well enough alone. It looks good right now, but I can't help thinking I might like it more with a mint green, black pearl, or gold anodized pickguard on there.

I recorded a couple of example clips, and I'll try and get them posted in the next couple of days.

The fact that this bass is available for under $300 is simply ridiculous.

 

Yep. Feels like a small bodied Jazz for the most part. I've got my radius gauges, so I'll figure out what that is on the neck tomorrow.

If you've played the other Cort Curbow bass, you've played this neck profile.

I can't wait to get this bass on a gig. This Friday I'm taking the Cort (hopefully, with brand new Powerbass strings) and my US 5 String Curbow with the prototype stainless steel strings from G2 Intelligence. I can't wait. I might even bring my EBow to annoy the guitar player, and make the drummer giggle.

I'm sure Dave Siff will stop by with his impressions of the bass soon, too.

Killdar- I thought about a black pickguard, but if I go black it'll either be pearl, or anodized metal. Black plastic isn't much more exciting than white plastic.