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Official Halo Guitar Review Thread

#41
Acoustic356 said:
Okay... I did the rear pickup... comparing it to a Carrigan Designs Short Scale and PRS Kestrel. All three instrument are uniquely voiced. It really depends on what you're looking for. In the grand scheme of things, it sounds okay.

So... here are my final thoughts:
  1. The instrument is heavy. 10 pounds.
  2. The headstock is HUGE. Not my favorite shape, but fortunately when you design them you can pick the one that fits your style.
  3. The fit and finish was fine... there were no complaints... it's put together very well.
I wonder how much their custom instruments weigh...

I plan on keeping the instrument through Tuesday, so if you have any questions, ask now while I have it.
Click to expand...

Quality and sound are important, but for me a basses weight is definitely a consideration. I prefer low 8's but a bit over 9 lbs if it plays/sounds really good is my cut-off. 10 lbs is a potential deal breaker at any price-point. If the body is Fender standard 1-3/4" thick, possibly going 1-1/2" may help bring the weight down a bit. I've made a few that width and they are very comfortable being thinner.
 
#43
JIO said:
Quality and sound are important, but for me a basses weight is definitely a consideration. I prefer low 8's but a bit over 9 lbs if it plays/sounds really good is my cut-off. 10 lbs is a potential deal breaker at any price-point. If the body is Fender standard 1-3/4" thick, possibly going 1-1/2" may help bring the weight down a bit. I've made a few that width and they are very comfortable being thinner.
Click to expand...

I measure the upper horn at 1-3/4" and the lower horn at 2 inches even.
The forearm contour is 1 inch and the bottom of the bass measures 1-1/2" at the bottom end pin and 2" by the jack.
 
#46
Acoustic356 said:
@rockerjeff It's been a great experiment. I've enjoyed the bass. The workmanship is good, it sounds great comparatively speaking. My only question is whether the custom instruments are any lighter, or if everything weighs in around 10 pounds or so.
Click to expand...

Our basses typically weigh in around 9 pounds, but the weight definitely varies from one instrument to the next.
The particular bass being reviewed in this thread happens to be heavier than average.
I just weighed another one of the same model (Clarus 4-string, $299.00) and it was right at 9 pounds.
I weighed a different model (Halo Octavia 5-string bass) and it was 8 pounds 12 ounces.
Some of our smaller-bodied basses, when built with lighter woods, weigh in around 8 pounds.

In the past, our customers have requested extra light guitars (5-6 pounds), and also extra heavy guitars (10+ pounds).
In those cases, we select the species of wood more carefully from the get go, but then we also choose the specific blank more carefully, too.
 
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#48
In the final analysis, this has been a fun instrument to play. If I had to compare it with other $300 instruments, I would say that the overall build quality is the same, if not a little higher than other instruments in the same dollar range.

It could be because this was designed to be a NAMM show instrument... but then again, it's also 10 pounds which is also slightly heavy.

I compared the sound to an American Fender P-Bass and a PRS Jazz bass. It sounds comparable. It sits well in recording as well as setting in with a band.

I plan on requesting return information today, so any last questions... I'll try to answer. Ill try to get it into the mail tomorrow.
 
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#49
Aguilar, Bartolini, EMG, Nordstrand, and Seymour Duncan Basslines preamps have been added to the Bass Guitar Customization Tool.
Thanks again... !

wvbass said:
Thanks for chiming in! I think this approach has lots of potential. And yeah, I got confused by the Contact Us form and couldn't find the physical address. Glad to see that it is there already.

As for preamps...you already have the right starting points by looking at your pickups: Nordstrand and Bartolini. Beyond that, there are lots of TB flavor-of-the-month preferences, but for my money, the Aguilar preamps are a safe choice, and an excellent line of products.

I probably won't be buying any new basses in the near future, but I am curious to see some product reviews here on TB. You never know when I'll add something new to my collection...
Click to expand...
 
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#51
I've just ordered this Halo Custom Shop bass:

Halo bass.jpg


Halo PT bass.jpg


I'm very excited and looking forward to receiving it by the end of this year.
 
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#53
Haven't visited in a while, but I did think the site had one of the better online customization configurator tools, almost too much fun to play with. I recall really being tempted by a few of the body styles as well.
 
#56
Whippet said:
didn't they make the GVK? 5 string is / was never in stock..... I would buy one if it's in stock and the shipment to Japan isn't too horrendous.
Click to expand...
I don't think they ever have much "in stock", the whole point is that they build what you order - the GVK is a selectable option in the custom shop.
 
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#59
Whippet said:
Just went there, the GVK isn't on their custom list.... oh well. I'll write to them and ask how much shipping to Japan would be and what the wait time is for one of these beasts.
Click to expand...
I went through the custom shop bass customization configuration tool and found it. Oh, it's not on the main list, yeah, select one of those bodies, and on the next page, select the body style pull down - it's in that menu.

Here's what I just hacked up there:
gvx.jpg

Nordies! Even better. ;)
 
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