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New bass player/forum member - Help needed!

C

ChrisHaughey

Jan 20, 2009
12
1
UK
#1
Hi Guys,

Been lurking here a while and finally decide to join this great site. I'm a hobby guitarist, into home recording and generally annoying close family members . . . :bassist:

I decided I needed a bass to take care of the low end on my tracks - I find that basslines played on a keyboard NEVER sound right, no matter how good the samples are.

So I'm keen to learn as much about basses and bass playing as I can. I don't subscribe to the view that bass is easier than guitar - at a very basic level, maybe, but I appreciate that this is a different instrument which requires different skills and techniques.

So I got this bass for Christmas - but here's the thing - I can't find out anything about it (I bought it because I loved the feel and sound of it in the shop).

Front01.jpg
Front02.jpg
HeadstockFront01.gif

It's a Samick Greg Bennett 4-string active, Korean-made and dating from 2001 (according to the serial), but I've no idea of the model number or any other information.
I've googled for hours and can't find any reference to it - I wonder if any of you guys are familiar with the Samick range from this period?
I would really appreciate any help I can get (I've emailed Samick but got no response as yet).

Thanks in advance for any info.

Cheers,
Chris
 
#2
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#6
Hey Chris, Having just sold a Greg Bennett Fairlane FN5-5 string, I can tell you that you bass most definitely looks like the Fairlane FN5 series.

If you look at the pics I still have in my 5 string For Sale thread, http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=498796, you'll see that the configuration of it is VERY similar to the configuration of your 4 string. You may also note that neither yours nor mine match the pics of the current listing.

As I recall there was nothing on mine that marked it as a Fairlane FN5 series either.

I have a friend that runs a music store and he had told me that mine was an earlier version of the Fairlane, and that Samick/Greg Bennett designs had modified the knobs to the 4 in the diamond shape that you see now, but it was a very recent change.

So I think it would be safe to say that you have a Fairlane FN54.

Enjoy, they are very nice playing basses.
 
#7
Thanks for that, mate. I had identified the FN54 as a possible descendant of my bass, but am still keen to find out details. For example I'm curious as to what wood the body and top are made from.
You're right, though - it's a lovely playing bass (caveat here - I'm not exactly an authority on basses, though I tried out many in a couple of shops).

Mine came from a UK distributor who retired and cleared out his stock. Although it's from 2001, it's brand new in every respect (new old stock, I suppose you'd call it). I'd like to think that Samick made better instruments before they moved their production to Indonesia - although maybe I'm just responding to the mythology.
I believe the Samick Korean plant was responsible for many of the better-regarded Epiphones and some Ibanez basses back in the day . . .

Thanks again.
 
#10
RedsFan75 said:
Hey Chris, Having just sold a Greg Bennett Fairlane FN5-5 string, I can tell you that you bass most definitely looks like the Fairlane FN5 series.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all who helped - but I now have a positive ID for my bass . . . it's a 2001 Corsair B120N. :hyper:
Confusing - as it looks nothing like Samick's current Corsair range, which seem to be mostly P-Bass clones.
I found it by paying for a month's access to the Vintaxe catalogue collection - $10 well spent for a fabulous resource.
The description reads:
Corsair
B120
  • Bubinga arch top
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • 2 active humbuckers, 1 volume, 1 pan, 1 bass, 1 treble boost/cut
  • Offset pearl dot inlay
  • Chrome die-cast tuners
  • Chrome dome knobs
  • JBT-1 heavy bridge
  • Color: N

Here is the appropriate page from the 2000 Samick Signature Series Guitar Catalog
cat_2000samick_page29.gif
 
#12
Well, confidence is a good thing, usually! :)
I have to admit, I initially bought your theory that it was a Fairlane, just couldn't stop digging . . .
BTW - just read your fretless saga - good work! I'm definitely going to build one when I get some time, probably with cheaper parts than yours though.
The way it's looking, it'll be a retirement project (one of many - I'll probably wonder how I had time to actually work).
 

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