Hi Folks,
In researching my recent purchase, there wasn't a lot of info to be had, so I figured I'd share my thoughts on this one. Long post warning...read on at your own peril.
Background
About a month ago I went through my Monday morning ritual: shake cobwebs, pour coffee, peruse retail bass websites for a little window shopping. In doing so, I came across this one at [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]...
Thought to myself, "Mmmm...what a pretty bass." Black Hipshot hardware against light woods...delicious. Read the specs. Ash: check. Maple: check. Bartolini: check. Yep, this is square in the center of my wheelhouse. Birch: Hmm? Being a longtime drum aficionado, I've occasionally wondered why birch hasn't been used as a top wood for basses. Anyway, this one intrigued me. As luck would have it, there was money burning a hole in my pocket from a recent fretless sale. God forbid that money stay in the savings account.
I fired off an email to Brian with a few questions. Nothing. Fired off another one. He answered one question. Hit 'reply', he kinda' answered a coupla' more. I let sleeping lions rest for a few days.
I kept coming back, though. Ran the pics & specs by my local guru. Got a tentative thumbs-up (he's sick of boutique J's, and has never been a fan of those Barts....he's a damn purist
but he's smart). His experience dictated that birch would be a bit softer than maple, but would likely provide some warmth and might even out the mids. Similar to putting a rosewood board against an ash body. All of this intrigued me more, so I called Brian. Bada boom. Great conversation, resulting in me warming up the credit card. The moral of that story: use the phone, not email, when dealing with this shop, and you'll be happy.
The Transaction
Brian was happy to sell the bass, but he wanted to route it back through Devon to attack some electronic demons. I trusted Brian and his return policy, so this was an easy call. Done deal, and for me, so begins the waiting game. (I'll cut to the chase here...moral part two: be patient when buying from Brian. If you catch a break on good timing with the shipping game, well...wonderful. If not....well, be patient.)
Fast-forward a week, and I get a pleasantly surprising phone call. From Devon his own self. He wanted to let me know the diagnosis and fix on the electronic issue, and he was kind enough to offer to set up the bass to my playing style. (As low as it'll go, and then just a wee bit lower.
) Wonderful conversation, and I got to learn a bit more about the bass and the cat who crafted it. Good vibes. Only a few days away...
Okay, let's get to the damn bass, already
When I opened the box and case, my first impressions were very positive. Prettier in-the-flesh than in pictures, not too heavy (best guess...more than nine lbs, less than 10), nice balance. I let it settle for a couple of hours, then slapped on fresh strings (D'Add nickel SL's...not my first choice, but the best-for-me among my local options long enough for thru-body 35" fitment), made a small truss rod adjustment, tweaked the action a bit, and started playing. Intonation was darn-near spot-on...only a little off on the 'D' string. Bada boom, we're ready to play.
What a great playing instrument. Very even and full, from open 'B' to the high 'F' on the 'G' string. In fact, if anything, it seems to get warmer and smoother above the 12th fret. Access to the high notes, as with any bass of this general body style, is somewhat limited. You've got to want it, but heck...there's no money up there anyway, right? By my tape, the nut width is 1-13/16", but it actually feels a bit skinnier. The neck profile is fairly thin - certainly no baseball bat here - and the bass just plays very - "fluid" comes to mind, even if that's a poor word choice. Easy on the hands, for sure.
The craftsmanship is second-to-none. It's a beautiful bass that easily matches up to every handmade instrument I've played and/or owned. The magnetic cavity covers are a really nice touch, too. No worries about being careless with the screwdriver - or losing screws, and battery swaps are a breeze.
The sound? Those descriptive hints above are spot-on. Modern, for sure - but still in the J-bass vein. 60's placement, and the full complement of EQ settings from the three-band/three-mid-position pre offer tons of versatility. Plenty of booty with everything flat & centered, which always brings a smile. Great slap tone, but no shortage of mids with fingerstyle playing. I have found that the snarl from biasing the bridge pickup and lightly boosting the 250hz mids is flat-out addictive. Will it be mistaken for a Fender? Nope, not a chance. However, it will cruise through the neighborhood without offending the old-folk nor generating a call to the gendarmes.
Proof in Pudding
How does it sound on a gig? Short answer: yes. Great bass. Yesterday was the debutante ball, and this one will see ample use from here-on. Great bass...or did I say that already?
Sound clip notes: Rig as you see above - Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0, Bergantino HT112ER. All flat & centered on the amp, except for pre-gain @ 7/10. Cab tweeter @ 11-o'clock. Bass: slight bias toward bridge pickup, slight boost on 250hz mids...all else centered. You will hear the flubs. My excuse: it was an outdoor gig on a really cold day, and my hands are still thawing. Well, that...and I thought for sure I remembered the bridge changes to 'One Note Samba.'
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Bottom Line (heh)
This is a fantastic instrument. I'm generally the last cat to consider buying unheard/unplayed, and that certainly goes double for a luthier I'd never heard of before. However, this one kept calling out to me. Ultimately, I trusted my gut, and I have no regrets. GREAT BASS. And the fellow who crafted it? Devon is an outstanding breed of cat - excellent communication, deep well of knowledge, and obviously a big toolbox of skills and creativity. I would unhesitatingly recommend him to anyone in the market for this flavor of instrument.
Thanks for your time!
In researching my recent purchase, there wasn't a lot of info to be had, so I figured I'd share my thoughts on this one. Long post warning...read on at your own peril.
Background
About a month ago I went through my Monday morning ritual: shake cobwebs, pour coffee, peruse retail bass websites for a little window shopping. In doing so, I came across this one at [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]...
Thought to myself, "Mmmm...what a pretty bass." Black Hipshot hardware against light woods...delicious. Read the specs. Ash: check. Maple: check. Bartolini: check. Yep, this is square in the center of my wheelhouse. Birch: Hmm? Being a longtime drum aficionado, I've occasionally wondered why birch hasn't been used as a top wood for basses. Anyway, this one intrigued me. As luck would have it, there was money burning a hole in my pocket from a recent fretless sale. God forbid that money stay in the savings account.
I fired off an email to Brian with a few questions. Nothing. Fired off another one. He answered one question. Hit 'reply', he kinda' answered a coupla' more. I let sleeping lions rest for a few days.I kept coming back, though. Ran the pics & specs by my local guru. Got a tentative thumbs-up (he's sick of boutique J's, and has never been a fan of those Barts....he's a damn purist
but he's smart). His experience dictated that birch would be a bit softer than maple, but would likely provide some warmth and might even out the mids. Similar to putting a rosewood board against an ash body. All of this intrigued me more, so I called Brian. Bada boom. Great conversation, resulting in me warming up the credit card. The moral of that story: use the phone, not email, when dealing with this shop, and you'll be happy.The Transaction
Brian was happy to sell the bass, but he wanted to route it back through Devon to attack some electronic demons. I trusted Brian and his return policy, so this was an easy call. Done deal, and for me, so begins the waiting game. (I'll cut to the chase here...moral part two: be patient when buying from Brian. If you catch a break on good timing with the shipping game, well...wonderful. If not....well, be patient.)
Fast-forward a week, and I get a pleasantly surprising phone call. From Devon his own self. He wanted to let me know the diagnosis and fix on the electronic issue, and he was kind enough to offer to set up the bass to my playing style. (As low as it'll go, and then just a wee bit lower.
) Wonderful conversation, and I got to learn a bit more about the bass and the cat who crafted it. Good vibes. Only a few days away...Okay, let's get to the damn bass, already
When I opened the box and case, my first impressions were very positive. Prettier in-the-flesh than in pictures, not too heavy (best guess...more than nine lbs, less than 10), nice balance. I let it settle for a couple of hours, then slapped on fresh strings (D'Add nickel SL's...not my first choice, but the best-for-me among my local options long enough for thru-body 35" fitment), made a small truss rod adjustment, tweaked the action a bit, and started playing. Intonation was darn-near spot-on...only a little off on the 'D' string. Bada boom, we're ready to play.
What a great playing instrument. Very even and full, from open 'B' to the high 'F' on the 'G' string. In fact, if anything, it seems to get warmer and smoother above the 12th fret. Access to the high notes, as with any bass of this general body style, is somewhat limited. You've got to want it, but heck...there's no money up there anyway, right?
By my tape, the nut width is 1-13/16", but it actually feels a bit skinnier. The neck profile is fairly thin - certainly no baseball bat here - and the bass just plays very - "fluid" comes to mind, even if that's a poor word choice. Easy on the hands, for sure.The craftsmanship is second-to-none. It's a beautiful bass that easily matches up to every handmade instrument I've played and/or owned. The magnetic cavity covers are a really nice touch, too. No worries about being careless with the screwdriver - or losing screws, and battery swaps are a breeze.
The sound? Those descriptive hints above are spot-on. Modern, for sure - but still in the J-bass vein. 60's placement, and the full complement of EQ settings from the three-band/three-mid-position pre offer tons of versatility. Plenty of booty with everything flat & centered, which always brings a smile. Great slap tone, but no shortage of mids with fingerstyle playing. I have found that the snarl from biasing the bridge pickup and lightly boosting the 250hz mids is flat-out addictive. Will it be mistaken for a Fender? Nope, not a chance. However, it will cruise through the neighborhood without offending the old-folk nor generating a call to the gendarmes.
Proof in Pudding
How does it sound on a gig? Short answer: yes.
Great bass. Yesterday was the debutante ball, and this one will see ample use from here-on. Great bass...or did I say that already?Sound clip notes: Rig as you see above - Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0, Bergantino HT112ER. All flat & centered on the amp, except for pre-gain @ 7/10. Cab tweeter @ 11-o'clock. Bass: slight bias toward bridge pickup, slight boost on 250hz mids...all else centered. You will hear the flubs. My excuse: it was an outdoor gig on a really cold day, and my hands are still thawing. Well, that...and I thought for sure I remembered the bridge changes to 'One Note Samba.'
Link Removed
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Link Removed
Link Removed
Bottom Line (heh)
This is a fantastic instrument. I'm generally the last cat to consider buying unheard/unplayed, and that certainly goes double for a luthier I'd never heard of before. However, this one kept calling out to me. Ultimately, I trusted my gut, and I have no regrets. GREAT BASS. And the fellow who crafted it? Devon is an outstanding breed of cat - excellent communication, deep well of knowledge, and obviously a big toolbox of skills and creativity. I would unhesitatingly recommend him to anyone in the market for this flavor of instrument.
Thanks for your time!
