Report....................
Sound
Scott Dasson was right, all of the upper register notes "pop out" with the same full force as lower fret notes.
Band loved the looks and sound, so did I, and the above note thing over comes one of BOSE' major problems with crossing over at 140Hz. On many basses, unless EQ'ed to prevent it, upper register notes(esp on the G string) get very weak on the BOSE b/c of the cross over point(sends a lot of stuff to the vertical array). This DID NOT happen with this new T-Bird! Finally, this one copies the new Embassy in that one can play a disco tune on it and the "pop" techniques actually sound great compared to a 64 T-Bird which was a real pain(extreme EQ) or impossible to get that done.
Feel
Feels like an old friend, having played 64 T-birds for over a decade, but built slightly more sturdy. You can see this in the thicker headstock and area of concern at the neck/headstock joint. Neck is similar to a Fender Jazz bass but the neck-thru build and construction feel and sound are the big difference. The only thing not liked on this new one is the pickup screws. They protrude(bubble-head) and have almost-sharp edges that can be felt and distract when your thumb drags over them while sliding it to a new position along the E string. The '64 T-Birds, IIRC, had smaller/flatter screw heads while the ones on these EpiBirds feel monsterous. I may have to look for a replacement OR grind the screw heads down a little. The pickup screws on GrecoBirds/3-pickup Les Pauls do not have this problem either. Pics of that later comparing a Greco pickup screw to the Epi. I'm 99% sure I'll pull a screw out of an Embassy here, go to a very good hardware store, and make a bulk purchase of correct screws with the flatter/smoother heads. Pictures and hardware update(spec of screws bought) later when it's done.
Summary
Other than the screw issue, it seems Epi knocked one out of the park with these basses. We're still waiting on a white one to get here to confirm I didn't just "get lucky" with this one.
Pics later as the gig last night put me home at 4AM, then 9 hours of sleep, then "day" with wife, and now making up time at work.
