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New Emerald carbon fiber ABG - impressive!

#123
StoicStrayCat said:
I've got a fretless fiver that should be here sometime in January. I'll try and post some whenever she gets here!
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Thanks, it's not always easy to project what a fretless tone would be like when hearing fretted sound clips, but from what I'm hearing in the fretted Balor YouTube videos, a fretless version would be awesome.

What kind of strings are you going to put on it? I was thinking either TI flats or Pyramid Black Nylon Tapewounds. I'm not a big fan of the bronze strings a lot of people like to put on ABGs.

Also, what has been the turnaround time? On the website it says four months for custom, which is very reasonable I think. I'll be wanting a six-stringer, which Sean has told me will be no problem.

If you could also give me/us your impressions of the ergonomics, that'd be great too.
 
#124
Bare Bass said:
Thanks, it's not always easy to project what a fretless tone would be like when hearing fretted sound clips, but from what I'm hearing in the fretted Balor YouTube videos, a fretless version would be awesome.

What kind of strings are you going to put on it? I was thinking either TI flats or Pyramid Black Nylon Tapewounds. I'm not a big fan of the bronze strings a lot of people like to put on ABGs.

Also, what has been the turnaround time? On the website it says four months for custom, which is very reasonable I think. I'll be wanting a six-stringer, which Sean has told me will be no problem.

If you could also give me/us your impressions of the ergonomics, that'd be great too.
Click to expand...


I'll mess around with the acoustic tone and the pickup so you can get a good idea of how it is.

String wise I went with the Labella Copper Tapes. Those have really shined on any fretless I've put them on.

I think I was quoted just over five months, and it looks like it's going to be right on target. They've been nothing but great service wise. A fretless six would be awesome!

I'll let you know ergonomically, I'm a pretty big dude so I'll try and get you the best description I can.
 
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#125
StoicStrayCat said:
I'll mess around with the acoustic tone and the pickup so you can get a good idea of how it is.

String wise I went with the Labella Copper Tapes. Those have really shined on any fretless I've put them on.

I think I was quoted just over five months, and it looks like it's going to be right on target. They've been nothing but great service wise. A fretless six would be awesome!

I'll let you know ergonomically, I'm a pretty big dude so I'll try and get you the best description I can.
Click to expand...
Crap, now I'm getting GAS for you.

I'm close to going ahead and ordering, even without hearing yours.
I've talked to Sean and they can customize to my specs.
I've listened to the YouTube clips again and feel pretty confident now about projecting what the fretless will sound like.
Ergonomics is still a question, but it doesn't seem like it could be any worse than my Tacoma Thunderchief, and, by the way it looks on Blen's body, should be quite a bit better. They've certainly thought it through in any case.
Now I have to decide on color and whether or not it's worth it to get the woody top.
 
#126
Bare Bass said:
Crap, now I'm getting GAS for you.

I'm close to going ahead and ordering, even without hearing yours.
I've talked to Sean and they can customize to my specs.
I've listened to the YouTube clips again and feel pretty confident now about projecting what the fretless will sound like.
Ergonomics is still a question, but it doesn't seem like it could be any worse than my Tacoma Thunderchief, and, by the way it looks on Blen's body, should be quite a bit better. They've certainly thought it through in any case.
Now I have to decide on color and whether or not it's worth it to get the woody top.
Click to expand...

I'm in the home stretch now, but watching those videos makes the GAS attacks go crazy. It usually ends with a bit of "Well, the X7 or the Amicus would be cool too..."

Let me know whenever you finalize it!
 
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#127
StoicStrayCat said:
I'm in the home stretch now, but watching those videos makes the GAS attacks go crazy. It usually ends with a bit of "Well, the X7 or the Amicus would be cool too..."

Let me know whenever you finalize it!
Click to expand...
Made a 50% deposit on a six-string fretless Balor bass. There was a $600 upcharge for the sixth string, and a $200 upcharge for a custom radius, which will be 12" or 305mm in stead of the stock 16"/405mm. String-spacing at bridge will be 18mm, no upcharge, and the finish will be Amber. With the custom upcharges I decided to forgo paying extra for a wood top veneer. I was given about a five-month production time. Very excited!
 
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#128
Bare Bass said:
Made a 50% deposit on a six-string fretless. There was a $600 upcharge for the sixth string, and a $200 upcharge for a custom radius, which will be 12" or 305mm in stead of the stock 16"/405mm. String-spacing at bridge will be 18mm, no upcharge, and the finish will be Amber. With the custom upcharges I decided to forgo paying extra for a wood top veneer. I was given about a five-month production time. Very excited!
Click to expand...
Congrats man! You're gonna have a hell of a bass! I'm still waiting on mine, but we should be in the home stretch!
 
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#130
HeavyDuty said:
Same here!
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Thanks fellas! I'm having second thoughts about not having the veneer put on. Sean sent me some non-stock samples, and I like this Bubinga veneer quite a bit:

Balor Bubinga.jpg

Trying to imagine it with a finish . . .
 
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#131
Bare Bass said:
Thanks fellas! I'm having second thoughts about not having the veneer put on. Sean sent me some non-stock samples, and I like this Bubinga veneer quite a bit:

View attachment 1045480

Trying to imagine it with a finish . . .
Click to expand...
Because there's so few of them out there, it's hard to really imagine how these will look beyond the few pictures out there. Having said that, I don't think these guys can make an instrument that isn't gorgeous. It'll come down to preference (I went green with no top), but I think you can't go wrong with either.
 
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