New Michael Kelly ABG - tried it?

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by Low Main, Jun 25, 2008.

  1. Low Main

    Low Main Supporting Member

    Nov 27, 2004
    Massachusetts
    Has anyone tried the new Michael Kelly Visionary ABG with the adjustable neck?

    More info here:

    http://www.michaelkellyguitars.com/visionary_ab4.html

    I don't think I've seen any other manufacturer do something like this.

    I'm very interested in the moving neck. Partially for the adjustability, but also because it means the bass won't need an expensive neck reset down the road.

    With the inevitability and cost of a neck re-set, you couldn't justify doing that repair on many less expensive ABG's, like an Ibanez, or a Kelly Club, etc. (I tend to keep basses a while and don't like to think of them as being disposable).

    What I wonder about is whether Michael Kelly has what it takes to manufacture this moving neck system with enough quality and tight tolerances to make it really work.

    I would rather see a company like Tacoma or Taylor try something like this. For a lot more money to the purchaser, of course.

    One of the nice things about the Tacoma Thunderchief is that it's basically a bolt-on, so it avoids the neck re-set issue.

    But if the Kelly Visionary sounds good and plays well at roughly half the cost of a T-Chief, I'm definitely interested.

    (I don't care about the acoustic volume issue with ABG's. I expect to plug in regardless of the situation. The quality of the sound matters more to me than the quantity).
     
  2. WoodyG3

    WoodyG3

    May 6, 2003
    Colorado, USA
    Interesting idea. Won't this play havoc with intonation, though?
     
  3. Moe Monsarrat

    Moe Monsarrat

    Jul 30, 2006
    Austin, Tx.
    Endorsing artist:Regenerate Guitar Works Carvin, Micheal Kelly Guitars
    I haven't seen this one yet, but my fretless Dragonfly 5 string is a BMF! Just throw away those horrible brass roundwound strings & put some good flatwounds on it. It sounds just like an URB!
     

  4. :confused: I've not heard this before. :meh:
     
  5. Christopher

    Christopher

    Apr 28, 2000
    New York, NY
    Babicz has the same type of neck joint on his Indonesian-made Identity series guitars.