• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Sei Owners Club

Status
Not open for further replies.
#81
matt hunt said:
Hello Sei lovers, thought I'd get some thoughts while we're on the subject.

I've seen a Sei Jazz 5 for sale which I'm very interested in. It's got a J PU at neck position and a MM at bridge. It has the 18v Shack preamp. Any opinions on this set up would be gratefully received!

I've noticed most Sei owners, on here anyway, don't own the jazz. Why is that? Are the other models better or just different.

Cheers
Matt
Click to expand...

I think the pickup combination and preamp will sound really very nice. I have the Schack 18v pre in one of my Flamboyants and it is a very flexible peice of gear with many many tone options. You might find that the MM has a coil tap to allow you to run a JJ option as well as a J MM. If it hasn't then Martin could fit one :D

I think that the Jazz is very popular with working Pro's who need a Jazz or P to get the call. And as a big generalisation which I can't back up semi pro and weekend warriors like the Flamboyants etc as they just look so good and we don't have to worry what others say about string numbers woods etc.

There is one guy on these boards who owns or used to own a Sei Jazz and I will try and remember his name. Lives in Harrow if I remember so not to far from you.

Anyway, do try the Jazz out and let us know if you get it cause we all want to see the photo's :D

Regards

Matthew
 
#82
matt hunt said:
I've noticed most Sei owners, on here anyway, don't own the jazz. Why is that? Are the other models better or just different.

Cheers
Matt
Click to expand...

I've never really liked Jazz basses. I don't know why just they never really did it for me. I've always liked the Sei 'Flamboyant' shape though and I've gone for the offset version.
 
#83
fullrangebass said:
I am the owner of a Custom Sei 5 (MM/J/Piezo w/ LEDs), very nice bass indeed. I do hold a question for you (for what I've quoted above):

If the basic sound of your bass is not all that Stingray-ish, do you think that by placing an East preamp with the SR frequency centers will make the bass sound like a Stingray? (I have the outmost respect for both Martin and Mr East).

I feel that each bass has a certain sound and personality that comes from the woods, construction and pickups (preamp is of lesser importance for me; if you need to look in the preamp for the sound then you have the wrong bass)
Click to expand...

It'll obviously never sound quite like a Stingray, being through-neck, having totally different woods, and not official MM electronics and hardware, and I do love the bass' own sound. But I know the bridge pickup is capable of reproducing that Stingray bite better than it can right now, as I've tried running the bass in passive mode through a parametric EQ and been able to approximate it. It still sounded like my bass, but with a bit more of that characteristic bite. I liked the sound a lot, but I can't get it with the current Aguilar preamp. I'd just like to get that tone onboard, that's all.
 
#85
Re the Sei Jazz basses, I think I am right in saying that Martin was at the outset reluctant to go the Jazz/P route wanting to do his own designs. It was only after a long period of pressure from pro players that he started building Jazz style basses to his own exacting standard and to meet the needs of the many players reqesting them from him.

This in no way makes them 2nd class citizens in the Sei family as Martin gives his usual list of options as well as his fantastic craftmanship and attention to detail.

to misquote Carlsberg 'Possibly the best jazz basses in the world' ;)

Regards

Matthew
 
#86
Does anyone know anything about Martin's wood sources? I know most good luthiers keep and dry woods to use, but I dunno if that's also true for Martin, being that he has a small shop instead of a dedicated work lab... Is there a way to know that the woods are well-dried, the best possible for this use?
Don't want to be picky, but if I'm gonna spend this kind of money I'd like to be sure about all aspects of the bass, let alone one as important as woods.
 
#89
Hey Dragonlord

I think 7 originally was going to do the fan fret thing but changed his mind. It wouldn't be a problem for Martin - talk to him, he may have pics somewhere he could pass on.

Change of subject - I am SERIOUSLY thinking of ordering a fretless 5 to go with my new beast!!!!!!!! I am absolutely in love with my new baby and rather than rip the frets out the Warwick I'm toying with a new order. (little divorce pressie could be in order I think :D )
 
#90
Paddy said:
Hey Dragonlord

I think 7 originally was going to do the fan fret thing but changed his mind. It wouldn't be a problem for Martin - talk to him, he may have pics somewhere he could pass on.

Change of subject - I am SERIOUSLY thinking of ordering a fretless 5 to go with my new beast!!!!!!!! I am absolutely in love with my new baby and rather than rip the frets out the Warwick I'm toying with a new order. (little divorce pressie could be in order I think :D )
Click to expand...

Yeah, Paddy you're right...

I thought the fanned fret thing would be cool, but realised I wouldn't really gain anything from it. I've never played a fanned fret bass, I'm used to the 34" scale of my GT7, so it didn't really make sense for me to go ahead with it. There's no doubt that Martin can do it though...

Another Sei, Paddy !! Sounds cool... Same again but no frets or different woods etc..:)
 
#91
That's what I thought too until I played a Dingwall. No matter how much you are used to the 34" scale, when you play a bass that has the same tension in all string you realise how floppy a 34" B really is. Also, the B and E "speak" much deeper and with better definition with the longer scale. I had come to the same conclusion as you, then started having second thoughts, got the chance to play a few Dingwalls and now I almost can't stand my Warwick's 34" B.
 
#92
This is exactly the kind of conversation that highlights what I love about Bass as an instrument.

With a guitar your Hendrix or your sh$$ - end of story.

With Bass you got pluckers, pickers, strummers. You got groovers, funkers, slappers. You got pocket players and show-offs :crying:. You got 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10+ stringers. You got flatwound, groundwound and roundwound. You got fretted or fretless. You got fanned or conventional frets. And it's all good, it's all valid - it allows far more room for self-expression - and I love it.

Fan frets and 7 strings just aren't for me but that's not what it's about - it's about finding what's for you. Dragon wants fan frets and I want to see :D
 
#93
7string said:
Yeah, Paddy you're right...
Another Sei, Paddy !! Sounds cool... Same again but no frets or different woods etc..:)
Click to expand...

Well - I'm undecided whether to go for it or not. It's either rip the frets out the Warwick and maybe change the Bart circuit for the Schack or a new Sei.

If I do then it will be a whole new project as I'm after a different sound. Much smoother and slightly cleaner (my baby is a growly beast :)) so it would be new woods and all that - but I would probably still go for the Schack circuit - I'm starting to get some cool tones out of it, it's very flexible
 
#94
Paddy said:
This is exactly the kind of conversation that highlights what I love about Bass as an instrument.

With a guitar your Hendrix or your sh$$ - end of story.

With Bass you got pluckers, pickers, strummers. You got groovers, funkers, slappers. You got pocket players and show-offs :crying:. You got 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10+ stringers. You got flatwound, groundwound and roundwound. You got fretted or fretless. You got fanned or conventional frets. And it's all good, it's all valid - it allows far more room for self-expression - and I love it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I agree. I have a great friend who's a guitarist (he's plays a Tyler which ain't too shabby). He's always commenting though on how much more varied the bass marketplace is than guitarsville, where everything is so generic. We bassists seem to be much more open to new instruments (more than 4 strings for example) or new ideas like fanned frets.
 
#97
Dragonlord said:
Nice, thanks!
Does anyone know if he's done any fanned fret basses except the Pino Paladino custom? I see he's got it on the options list, but can't find one in the galleries on Sei's site...
Click to expand...

I am having one finished about now---I think that mine is in the last stages of its more than one year build. I will try to attach an image or two...well, so much for that---not easy to do, and the workday beckons. Mahogany body, wenge and mahogany neck through, cocobolo facings, macassar ebony 'board, 36-34inch scale length, 18V Schack preamp, bartolini 'buckers with coil taps and active passive...she looks real nice; sure wish she'd get done with...

Richard Collins

:ninja: waiting with bated breath...:ninja:
 
#99
notrt said:
I am having one finished about now---I think that mine is in the last stages of its more than one year build. I will try to attach an image or two...well, so much for that---not easy to do, and the workday beckons. Mahogany body, wenge and mahogany neck through, cocobolo facings, macassar ebony 'board, 36-34inch scale length, 18V Schack preamp, bartolini 'buckers with coil taps and active passive...she looks real nice; sure wish she'd get done with...

Richard Collins

:ninja: waiting with bated breath...:ninja:
Click to expand...
Whoh
That sounds really really nice. I can't wait to see any photo's you have. I do know that Martin does not do very many mahogany bodied basses so and reviews on sound would be interesting.

Regards

Matthew
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back