OCEAN BASSES.....HAS ANYONE HEARD OF THIS BRAND? I PLAYED A 5-STRING TB-5 OCEAN BASS TODAY AT GUITAR CENTER IN VA BEACH, VA AND IT SOUNDED GREAT. I HEARD IT WAS A SECOND COMPANY UNDER CORT GUITARS, BUT NOT YET CONFIRMED. IF ANYONE HAS ANY INFO ON THIS BRAND...PLEASE HIT ME UP..I'M THINKING ABOUT PURCHASING IT. THANKS
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OCEAN BASSES
- Thread starter neobrotha
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Well, let me be the first to welcome you to TalkBass. Although a little advice, don't type in all caps. It makes it seem like you're yelling.
Anyway, I haven't heard of the brand, but if it sounds good, feels good, and plays good, I say go for it.
Anyway, I haven't heard of the brand, but if it sounds good, feels good, and plays good, I say go for it.
Funny you should mention this. I had never heard of these basses, and they do go for a pretty penny! (729 I think at my local GC.) I picked it up and played. Had active electronics and barts on it, or a least some form of barts.
It really wasn't my style: too thin and trebly with not enough meat on the bottom end. The definition of the notes was not especially clear either, which is strange considering a lack of thick bottom end. So after playing a Warwick, Music Man, and Fender before touching this bass, I was kinda dissapointed. That being said, I did keep the settings on flat for the most part, which is my test for a bass and I didn't think that it held its own for that money. It's also possible the setup wasn't very good. Anyways, as the guy before me said, if it feels right to you, give it a go. Each to his own. But if you want to know my opinion, it's not a bass for me.
It really wasn't my style: too thin and trebly with not enough meat on the bottom end. The definition of the notes was not especially clear either, which is strange considering a lack of thick bottom end. So after playing a Warwick, Music Man, and Fender before touching this bass, I was kinda dissapointed. That being said, I did keep the settings on flat for the most part, which is my test for a bass and I didn't think that it held its own for that money. It's also possible the setup wasn't very good. Anyways, as the guy before me said, if it feels right to you, give it a go. Each to his own. But if you want to know my opinion, it's not a bass for me.
Another Virginian, welcome aboard. I saw two of those today at out GC here in Fredericksburg. Also saw my first Traben. I did notice the Ocean resembles the Corts quite a bit but, I didnt play it.
sandwich man took the words out of my mouth. They do get a bit thin on the lowend side. I also play a EBMM and a warwick FNA jazzman, so comparing is hard.
However they are made pretty well, the necks are made very well. All hipshot hardware, bart MK1 system, and a fishman preamp.
I work at the GC, what ive seen, its EXACTLY the same as the cort artisan series, however cort is made in korea, ocean in indonesia. Not a bad bass though, can be set to play very nicely. My guess is that the cort basses didnt sell, well because they say "cort" on them, and people hate that. So they gave a new name to move them.
However they are made pretty well, the necks are made very well. All hipshot hardware, bart MK1 system, and a fishman preamp.
I work at the GC, what ive seen, its EXACTLY the same as the cort artisan series, however cort is made in korea, ocean in indonesia. Not a bad bass though, can be set to play very nicely. My guess is that the cort basses didnt sell, well because they say "cort" on them, and people hate that. So they gave a new name to move them.
Cort Artisans use a Bart MK-1 preamp, not a Fishman, but aside from that, they're essentially the same.
Me and Jetpackbassist saw these in the Sherman Oaks, CA Guitar Center this past weekend. Played around on them. A bit. Pretty comfortable, nice enough sound, and a neck thru too for about 700 bucks.
Seems like something coming out of the same factory that makes Lakland 55-01's and Ibanez basses.
Edit: There was also a Traben there. Some spalty looking top. Loved the strings on it, super zingy stainless steel strings.
Seems like something coming out of the same factory that makes Lakland 55-01's and Ibanez basses.
Edit: There was also a Traben there. Some spalty looking top. Loved the strings on it, super zingy stainless steel strings.
havent seen them with the bart preamp too, The ones we sell have the fishman in there. Who knows, there are probably a few out there.
I played one of these in Jackson, MS. In fact, I posted a request for some info earlier. Nice axes. I agree on the lowend sound issues, though.
I see you're in my neck of the woods. I'm gonna have to go in and have a look see! welcome to the site. How did you hear about us?
This is funny cuz i was shown this bass when i walked in by a salesgal who plays bass and i deal with last week. It is a dead ringer for the Cort series they were selling a while back. The natural wood bassses looked nice but they had one stained black that was ugly looked like black shoe polish. IMO the bass felt pretty good but but i agree it was thin sounding with no fat bottom end at all. I wasnt impressed at all and tryed both 5 and 4s. Those rubber o rings on the knobs i would give a month or two before they would be falling off or getting knocked off.
These basses seem to be very well made. I noticed they had Hipshot tuners also. What I did not like the sharp body contours. I thought they were pretty uncomfortable but sounded okay. I will have to play one again to make up my mind.
Ibanez is always good but might be a bit pricey for a starter bass. If you like it, go for it. The Cort basses are nice as well, owned a Cort Curbow for a while that was very nice. I would agree with the thin sound tho, but nothing the on-board EQ couldn't fix.
I saw some Ocean basses, and they looked suspiciously similar to this bass
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It wouldn't surprise me at all, since cort makes alot of instruments for other brands.
Also about the "fishman" preamps. Is there any print documentation for it being a Fishman preamp? I ask, because Some basses (like my Lakland 55-01) with the mk1 preamp and pickups have battery compartments made (and labeled) as "Fishman" even though Fishman is neither the manufacturer of the pre or pups.
Something of a mystery here...
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It wouldn't surprise me at all, since cort makes alot of instruments for other brands.
Also about the "fishman" preamps. Is there any print documentation for it being a Fishman preamp? I ask, because Some basses (like my Lakland 55-01) with the mk1 preamp and pickups have battery compartments made (and labeled) as "Fishman" even though Fishman is neither the manufacturer of the pre or pups.
Something of a mystery here...
I just checked the inside of my Cort A5 and it does not have any labels on the preamp or inside of the cavity cover.. I know the A5 model used to be different, as the older ones had a black headstock and 2-piece bridge (like a Gibson). Maybe the older ones used the Fishmans?
I just played an Ocean 4 and 5 banger, and all I got out of it was a less woody sounding Yamaha TRB1004. Those 2 basses were right next to each other, I tried and compared both, and they sound nearly identical, except the Ocean has a bit more of a newer, cleaner sound, whereas the Yamaha had a dull thumpity woody sound.
I wasn't too impressed, but maybe that was because they just stocked up on this new Traben Phoenix that I played for an hour.
I wasn't too impressed, but maybe that was because they just stocked up on this new Traben Phoenix that I played for an hour.
