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Sei Owner's Club (Part 2)

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#781
That Sei 5 looks darn marvellous.

I hate to take this thread to a new low level, but I just showed my wife the above pics and she said "That's a thin neck or is it just because I'm used to your big monsters".

Wait for the Sei24bass's 9 string to turn up, it'll be like the Sei ogre!!

matthewfoote said:
Matthew

p.s it seems my fretted 7 is going to Italy after Martin has put a pre amp put in it.
Click to expand...

Damn. That's all I can say.
 
#783
Flaneur, thanks for the details. What woods are to be used in the neck and the wings? Good choice on the scale length, unless you really do need that extra inch!

Matthewfoote, in some respects good to hear of the quick sale of your bass, though I do agree with 7Strings posting 'D***'. I know you are remarkably philosophical about it...

Can't say I agree about the Sei 9 being the ogre...:scowl::rolleyes::D:D You just wait...:ninja:

Aidan, I liked the link, especially the tone on your bass and the rather different video. Hope the trip to the US goes well.
 
#786
Rusty Chainsaw said:
Just wanted to post an observation... I've owned my Sei singlecut 5 for nearly six years now, and it still never fails to put a smile on my face.

The bass has the most amazing tone, and it just gets better with age. It feels like the neck has finally "settled" into the perfect action, and, if anything, the amount of "growl" has increased over the years - the upper registers now have an almost fretless quality. The bass has been over the Atlantic and back several times, and yes, it's picked up a couple of little bruises along the way, but, overall, it's been a bass that just keeps on giving. :)

Here's a couple of pics of me with it from a little local gig I did a couple of weeks back:

l_9ea626bdf41f4dca8792de01e4b95e36.png

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Nice one Russ - cool pics - you and the bass look good together.

It's also great to hear that your bass has 'matured' with age - I already feel like that about mine after 10 months ownership - the tone seems sweeter and it feels easier and easier to play - I'm loving the fact that it will only gain in character the longer I have it. I can say the same for my custom fretless, not a Sei but a really great bass, that I've had for 5 years now and that just seems to keep getting sweeter and sweeter and the growl has got to mad levels now too!

BTW little news flash on my Jazz - the neck is all ready for shaping and the bass itself is being built in parrallel with one for Pino Palladino - though his is going to be a 5-string P bass tuned E-C - so it's nice to be in such illustrious company!

Hope you are all surviving out there - just think you can stay home, save money and play your Sei bass... it's a comforting thought. You can go out and gig the buggers as well though!

Cheers

Mike
 
#787
quick Q for fellow Sei players, Wanting to replace the pre and pups in mine, the pre has had a batter over the years and I dont particularly like the Bart' pickups. I want some oompf and out of my baby, what would you recommend?

current plan is an ACG 02 pre and Nordstrand duals, any ideas?
 
#788
7string said:
Flaneur - If you're having a Sei built then you're no ignoramus !!


Sei24bass - I read your post and it came to me like a bolt out of the blue.

The Sei 9 string should be named "Shrek".
Click to expand...

If the SEI 9 is Shrek, does that make the ACG 9 either Princess Fiona or Donkey? :ninja: :hiding:

Seriously, one of the core design objectives of the SEI 9 was for it to not look enormous (I don’t like either the ‘masses of strings on a regular sized bass body’ or the ‘enormous bass with masses of strings’ looks). Clearly a 9 string bass will always look larger than a 5 string bass and the SEI 9 is without doubt a big bass. However, the design we settled on tries to keep everything in balance and ‘fool’ the eye into thinking that it is not quite as big as it is!

Martin has been working on the bass quite a bit recently (should go to the finishers hopefully sometime this month) and has received a number of comments from other bass players who have dropped by. Whilst all have commented that is a big bass, everyone so far has guessed it will have less than 9 strings. You’ll all be able to let me know what you think fairly soon, once I can post some pictures…
 
#789
Hi

Don't post on here too often these days, mainly reading!
Spent the last hour going through this thread, the Sei bass guys never cease too amaze me, they continue to turn out some of the most amazing instruments out there.

I own a 5 string Sei Jazz, this is the second Sei jazz I've owned, the first being an amboina topped beauty, but, as much as I appreciate fine topped basses, I'm more of a solid colour man these days, with a nod towards classic jazz styling. I also own a 4 string Buttercream 'ray, the two make a classy pairing :cool:

There is a bit of a story behind this bass! It was made for one Paul Turner, then found it's way into the possession of a guy called Ian King, a session guy who was playing the west end show, hairspray around the time he put this bass up for sale. I first saw it for the sale the day before I had to travel to Scotland to do some kitesurfing photography work and as a result missed it :crying:
Some weeks later, it came up for sale again as the guy who bought it didn't get on with 5 strings :) so this time I didn't miss and a deal was struck!

Now for the twist, this Sei currently bears the name McIntyre as it had an overall by Chris McIntyre who had previously worked at The Gallery.

So here's the detail.....

5 sring jazz in "off white" Ash body. Crushed ice scratch plate. Flame Maple neck. Rosewood Fingerboard with Oval inlays. Neck Binding with blue side position L.E.D.s. Bartolini Soapbar pick-ups with 3 band Bartolini preamp. Coil taps for both pick-ups. Strap Locks.

The work done by Chris McIntyre was as follows....

Neck re-lacquered with AC lacquer and McIntyre name added
New nut fitted. Ebony/Aluminium
New frets
New ‘crushed ice’ scratch plate added
New truss rod cover added
Bolts and cups renewed at neck joint.

So thats the story, now for the pic's....

P1000581.gif


P1000585.gif


P1000587.gif


index.php


index.php


All pictures have been supplied by a previous owner, must do some myself!

Some changes are in the pipeline! This bas is fantastic to play, but the Bart pre' does frustrate me at times, so I've just e-mailed John east a whole load of info prior to calling him this week to order a new pre (figured it was easier to do it that way instead of all over the phone)
Need to decide if I'm going to keep the coil taps, they will make the plate very crowded. where they currently are, I need to be very careful not to knock them when moving the pots. But JE's switched are a lot smaller, so this may not be an issue.
Beyond that, Nordy Fat Stacks are screaming at me :hyper:

Have a nice day!

Tony
 
#790
I saw this bass for sale both times and thought it looked fantastic.

Seems that you're in the same boat as D-Basser in not liking the Barts. Have to say that I'm a convert to the ACG/East filter-based preamp. I'll be having one put in my Sei 7, when the piggy-bank allows :D

sei24bass said:
If the SEI 9 is Shrek, does that make the ACG 9 either Princess Fiona or Donkey? :ninja: :hiding:
Click to expand...

Ooohhh :eek: :crying: :crying:

In Glasgow you would be called "a cheeky wee bam" :D:D


sei24bass said:
Seriously, one of the core design objectives of the SEI 9 was for it to not look enormous (I don’t like either the ‘masses of strings on a regular sized bass body’ or the ‘enormous bass with masses of strings’ looks). Clearly a 9 string bass will always look larger than a 5 string bass and the SEI 9 is without doubt a big bass. However, the design we settled on tries to keep everything in balance and ‘fool’ the eye into thinking that it is not quite as big as it is!
Click to expand...

I quite agree, if a 9 had the same proportions as a Precision then it would be huge indeed. It's a very difficult nut to crack as not only does the whole instrument have to look as if it was conceived as a 9 (and not a scaled up 4 or 5) but it has still to be of manageable proportions. I'm no graphics or design expert at all, but to me it seems as if the shape of the body has to make way for the extra width of the neck (OK not a good description but I hope you get the drift).

After having a 9 for a few days now, it is incredible how the instrument makes you play differently and also how many ways a big ERB can be used within a song context. I haven't even tweaked the eq yet, but just having a blast enjoying the freedom that the instrument gives.

I'm really looking forward to the progress pics.

You have so much to look forward to and the end of the build will be the beginning of a great adventure. :bassist::bassist:
 
#791
It may be a bit more difficult to come by, but my Millennium-7 has Lane Poors with a Demeter tri-band preamp -- the neck is a stacked HB and the bridge is a single coil with a phantom hum canceling coil. Blended with the Ghost piezo system you can go anywhere from a monster growl to a Steinway with everything in between.
 
#792
KCOBLE said:
It may be a bit more difficult to come by, but my Millennium-7 has Lane Poors with a Demeter tri-band preamp -- the neck is a stacked HB and the bridge is a single coil with a phantom hum canceling coil. Blended with the Ghost piezo system you can go anywhere from a monster growl to a Steinway with everything in between.
Click to expand...

Hi man - I saw your Millennium last week and it's gong to be wicked man - especially with the same beautiful spalted maple top wood that I have on my Jazz... plus I have the Demeter with the Ghost piezo thingamy on my Single Cut it's a mighty fine combination and will give you a whole universe of tonal possibilities - great choice@! I was sceptical about the usefulness of the piezo sounds at first but I've really got into them, it adds a significant amount of sizzle without sounding like you've just maxed out the treble - it's a whole different sound. It works really well for slap with both pups on, or I like to get that sparkling Wooten finger style sound for lead stuff with it on the bridge pup soloed - like say - hours of fun!

Hey SShorePunk - good to have you here as well - that is a lovely bass you have - it reminds me why I'm getting a Sei J made for me - I'm very excited about it... ;)

Ciao

Mike
 
#793
By coincidence! There is a Sei 5 string fretless Jazz on e-bay in the UK now, the guy says it is one of a pair of Jazz basses made for Paul Turner, I guess I have the other one!

Text from e-bay...

This is one of two intruments commisioned by Paul Turner (Jamiroquai, Annie Lennox) to be made by Martin Peterson at the bass gallery in camden and were completed in 2001, this along with its fretted sibling were the first two Sei Jazz basses, they were effectively the prototypes for the new shape and the first two in the line!

There is also a 4 string sei Jazz on there which is way too close to where I live :eyebrow:

Tony
 
#795
7string said:
I quite agree, if a 9 had the same proportions as a Precision then it would be huge indeed. It's a very difficult nut to crack as not only does the whole instrument have to look as if it was conceived as a 9 (and not a scaled up 4 or 5) but it has still to be of manageable proportions. I'm no graphics or design expert at all, but to me it seems as if the shape of the body has to make way for the extra width of the neck (OK not a good description but I hope you get the drift).

After having a 9 for a few days now, it is incredible how the instrument makes you play differently and also how many ways a big ERB can be used within a song context. I haven't even tweaked the eq yet, but just having a blast enjoying the freedom that the instrument gives.

I'm really looking forward to the progress pics.

You have so much to look forward to and the end of the build will be the beginning of a great adventure. :bassist::bassist:
Click to expand...

Yes, the body does have to give way to the neck but it is also about trying to get everything else to work in unison to 'fool' the eye (e.g. size of wood grain patterns, size & shape of pickups, use of fretboard bindings, control knob sizes etc.)

I'm so pleased that the ACG has turned out so well for you. I would be very interested to hear what you make of the ACG pre-amp after a couple of months playing with it (I considered it for the SEI 9). Whilst I love the concept and potential sonic flexibility of it, I really like simple EQs and therefore suspect it would be a bit too complex and 'fussy' for my preferences. I've read several posts about that pre-amp and it seems to be a bit like marmite, love its flexibility or hate its complexity!

No SEI 9 progress pictures for the moment I'm afraid, though hopefully they will come in the next month or two. We are working on LED colours at the moment...:rollno:
 
#796
sshorepunk said:
By coincidence! There is a Sei 5 string fretless Jazz on e-bay in the UK now, the guy says it is one of a pair of Jazz basses made for Paul Turner, I guess I have the other one!

Text from e-bay...

This is one of two intruments commisioned by Paul Turner (Jamiroquai, Annie Lennox) to be made by Martin Peterson at the bass gallery in camden and were completed in 2001, this along with its fretted sibling were the first two Sei Jazz basses, they were effectively the prototypes for the new shape and the first two in the line!

There is also a 4 string sei Jazz on there which is way too close to where I live :eyebrow:

Tony
Click to expand...

Tony,

I can't seem to find that Paul Turner Fretless Jazz listing on EBay. Do you have an item number or a link?
 
#800
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