Renaissance/Turner Basses Club

[saltymonkey]

Yes that's the one. I sent it back to Rick to have re-fretted and found out it's a first run instrument.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Really nice RB-5 fretless in the TB Classifieds:

For Sale - Rick Turner Renaissance RB5FL Custom | TalkBass.com

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Anyone know what are the magnetic pickups RT uses on Electroline basses? Just curious... I figured even if they were proprietary, they might be available as commercially badged by Seymour-Duncan. Just a guess...

 

[Jeff Scott]

IIRC Rick winds his own.

I played some RTs while out in San Francisco recently, a 5 string Electroline, a nylon six stringer, a couple of ukes...................at Gryphon Stringed Instruments and at Schoenberg Guitars.......................

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

If I ever do go out there again, I definitely want to visit the shop. Would love to see the setup there in person, and ask pesky questions. It's hard for a luthier (especially a part-time hack like me) not to admire that guy's craft. If I had a couple months to kill, an apprenticeship at Renaissance Guitars would be a great summer job... Just the thought of air travel and the peripheral hassles... pfft.

Is this the Electroline you played, Jeff?

2000 Rick Turner Electroline

Gryphon has had that one for a while... wonder why? Not out of the ballpark priced... it's got the earlier preamp mounted to the backplate like RoadHat's old red one, but it has the even earlier little "r" headstock decal.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Yes, that's the one. The control layout was rather confusing and unfortunately, Gryphon is not really a shop that should have any bass gear in there, they really don't know that side of the instrument market at all, IMHO. They did have an interesting Magnatone Hurricane bass that I was tempted to buy.

New Magnatone Hurricane

 

[RNG1]

Hey guys just thought I'd do a quick intro after getting a pm from edwardofhuncote as I didn't realize there was a Turner group. (Or that there were enough to form a group

 

[Jeff Scott]

Hey guys just thought I'd do a quick intro after getting a pm from edwardofhuncote as I didn't realize there was a Turner group. (Or that there were enough to form a group

Okay, we're waiting for the intro, go for it!

 

[RNG1]

 

[RNG1]

I think this is about 15 years old. All Walnut, had to call Rick once a long time ago and he said he didn't make too many like this.
Typing on my phone now but at some point I'll do a more thorough intro.
Rob

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Not exactly Turner bass related, but I happened to catch this on th' 'Bay a couple days ago:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I'm almost certain it's a Chinese attempt at reverse-engineering a Model One. Never having held a Turner Model One in hand, I can't say for sure it's fake - the body might even be legit - but that tailpiece ain't right. Neither is the headstock or the electronics. I'll bet Rick doesn't know anything about it.

*I did send him a message.

Whatchu' guys think?

 

[saltymonkey]

Art Of Sound is a Chinese guitar company. That's the brand.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Thanks, figured you would know saltymonkey!

Interesting. Maybe it's been around a while... I've just never seen such a blatant knock-off of a Turner before.

and "Rick Tuner" was just a typo, or lost in translation no doubt. <snicker>

 

[saltymonkey]

I've never seen a knock off Model 1 either! But I guess that's the Chinese way. The body shape is off too. The lower bout is too big in relation to the upper and it's too long. The top and back do not seem to be arched as much as a real Model 1 either although it's hard to tell from the pictures.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Spotted this new RB-5 on Reverb the other day:

Renaissance Bass RB5 2015 | Reverb

Adding to the WOW factor, I noticed RT is now featuring the control box backplate made of the dropout piece of wood. Very cool option.

I did that mod on both my Rens last year, though since obviously I didn't have the exact piece that was cut out of the back, I used a contrasting wood veneer of rosewood on the maple guitar, and maple on the mahogany one.

 

[mimaz]

Spotted this new RB-5 on Reverb the other day:

Renaissance Bass RB5 2015 | Reverb

Adding to the WOW factor, I noticed RT is now featuring the control box backplate made of the dropout piece of wood. Very cool option.

I did that mod on both my Rens last year, though since obviously I didn't have the exact piece that was cut out of the back, I used a contrasting wood veneer of rosewood on the maple guitar, and maple on the mahogany one.

That's a gorgeous bass. The wood cover does look better than the plastic!

 

[FretNoMore]

That's a beauty!

 

[HeavyJazz]

What other strings have people tried on these basses apart from the bajillion dollar TE strings?

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

We hashed strings out a few posts back, (page 2-3) but the consensus was that while you could use whatever, the unique voice of the Renaissance basses has a lot to do with the Thomastik-Infeld Acousticores. It's been a while, but I remember folks using everything from Status Graphites, Blue Steels, TI Jazz Flats, to LaBella Black Tapes. FWIW the new Michael Kelly licensed Renaissance basses come with boilerplate roundwounds.

Yours is a knockout btw... if I didn't have a full stable I'd be all over it.

 

[RNG1]

Love the headstock detail binding on that one.
Mine doesn't have that rear access plate but has the jack/battery assembly built in the under edge which I always thought was a really clean design. Wonder why that was changed.