Just heard from Alex. Unfortunately notrt's fanned fret isn't likely to be in a playable condition by then, and they have very few seis in stock now... I'll talk with Martin anyway
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What date you due to visit DragonLord? If your struggling to get your hands on a Sei to play with - PM me and I'll meet you there with mine. It's not a fanned but would give you a feel.
Honestly, Rusty is right - there is no feeling quite like the anticipation. Knowing that all your ideas are being incorporated. An off-the-peg bass just won't give you that feeling. If you get the good vibes and the price works for you then I don't think you would be disappointed.
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Thanks for the feedback guys
So it seems an Ebony board is unanimous then
Talking to Martin tomorrow and he will leave out some wood for me to look at Saturday. I like the idea of the Nordstrands - I've heard good things about the fatstacks.
Honestly, Rusty is right - there is no feeling quite like the anticipation. Knowing that all your ideas are being incorporated. An off-the-peg bass just won't give you that feeling. If you get the good vibes and the price works for you then I don't think you would be disappointed.
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Thanks for the feedback guys
So it seems an Ebony board is unanimous then
Talking to Martin tomorrow and he will leave out some wood for me to look at Saturday. I like the idea of the Nordstrands - I've heard good things about the fatstacks.
If you could that would be great! Actually, apart from the fanned frets, your bass' specs are REALLY close to what I have in mind - same neck and body woods. What I have planned is to be at the gallery on Monday, Dec. 4 when they open - at 11:00 the latest, so that I'll have some hours ahead and maybe have some time left for sightseeing. Hope I'll find it easily, I've read it's a little hard... any tips on this btw? So, I expect to be there at the very least until 12:30 - wanna try a few basses and amps as well. If you can come I'd love to meet you, if not never mind. I've actually played a Sei, but it was a jazz, not my type of bass. They have two for sale right now and there might be another one in the next ten days, who knows... Thanks for the offer either way!
Dragonlord said:
It's easy enough to find - come out of the left-side exit (as viewed coming up the escalators) of Camden Town tube station (you might have to go out the right hand side, but if this is the case, simply walk around the station to where the left side exit is), cross the road towards the World's End pub and The Underworld, and turn left and walk up Camden Road (with the big Sainsbury's on your left). You'll come to a bridge over the canal with a little letting agent on the corner - turn right down the path along the canal, and walk down until you hit Royal College St at the end of the path. When you come out onto Royal College St, The Gallery is pretty much directly over the road.
Great, thanks! I've got my maps ready, I had just read some ppl in BW saying that they couldn't find it the first time around and I thought it would be "hidden" somewhere between streets or something. Cheers again for the great info anyway!
Hey there Dragon - you've picked a date where I'm on a course so I won't be able to get up there. Sorry.
Found this on the Sei site - this is pretty close to what I'm looking for in the facing woods - although the back may be a bit too figured for my tastes, the front is very close. Anyone got any ideas what it is? Close Match
Will be a 5 string Flamboyant offset. Probably a swamp ash body. Will be an Ebony board with a Flamed Maple neck and possibly the purpleheart stringers (that sounds interesting to me).
Going to look into the Nordstands more but they sound promising.
Found this on the Sei site - this is pretty close to what I'm looking for in the facing woods - although the back may be a bit too figured for my tastes, the front is very close. Anyone got any ideas what it is? Close Match
Will be a 5 string Flamboyant offset. Probably a swamp ash body. Will be an Ebony board with a Flamed Maple neck and possibly the purpleheart stringers (that sounds interesting to me).
Going to look into the Nordstands more but they sound promising.
Nah, I'm stumped on that one !! Front.. curly maple ?? Back looks like birds eye maple... Looks cool though !!
Purpleheart stringers sound good. A little different from the wenge.
I thought that this bit, planning the specs, would be the easy bit. But I found it a lot harder than I though it would be.
Good fun though !!
Purpleheart stringers sound good. A little different from the wenge.
I thought that this bit, planning the specs, would be the easy bit. But I found it a lot harder than I though it would be.
Good fun though !!
Pad - no worries. If you could post some soundclips in the next week or so it would be great though. Still, IF you get any free time, don't wanna seem pushy.
I thought I would post my initial findings about my new Kent Armstrong pickups in my fretless 7 Sei following my first band practice with them.
First off I had only been ably to play them for about 15minutes prior to the practice so all I had really done was check the tone was even across all strings and messed around with the eq a little. At practice it was evident from the first song that even with the Schack 3 band eq set flat these pickups sat much better in the mix. I could cut through across the whole range without trying but wasn't overpowering.
The old Bartolini G6's were very powerful in the lower range with some sound engineers complaining they were too overpowering! Whilst this was great at home I had to be very careful live or in the studio. The Kent Armstrongs are much more controlled in the lower range not as 'huge' but they still giving me masses of sustain, mwah and growl which is all I can really ask for in a fretless.
All in all the change in pickups has given me a much more usable bass with total eveness of volume across the strings, more control, greater clarity and a better sit in the mix.
I think that Aaron Armstrong who did them for me has made a wonderful job of it and I am very happy with the results I am getting already. I now have to start the gradual tweaking of the eq to get the final sound I am after but I expect that that will take me some time.
I would recommend custom Kent Armstrong pickups to anyone with a Sei or having one built. Definately a brand to seriously consider.
An additional plus is that they are wound in the UK and Martin has a very good relationship with Aaron so they really can be bespoke items to get the tone you are after.
Regards
Matthew
First off I had only been ably to play them for about 15minutes prior to the practice so all I had really done was check the tone was even across all strings and messed around with the eq a little. At practice it was evident from the first song that even with the Schack 3 band eq set flat these pickups sat much better in the mix. I could cut through across the whole range without trying but wasn't overpowering.
The old Bartolini G6's were very powerful in the lower range with some sound engineers complaining they were too overpowering! Whilst this was great at home I had to be very careful live or in the studio. The Kent Armstrongs are much more controlled in the lower range not as 'huge' but they still giving me masses of sustain, mwah and growl which is all I can really ask for in a fretless.
All in all the change in pickups has given me a much more usable bass with total eveness of volume across the strings, more control, greater clarity and a better sit in the mix.
I think that Aaron Armstrong who did them for me has made a wonderful job of it and I am very happy with the results I am getting already. I now have to start the gradual tweaking of the eq to get the final sound I am after but I expect that that will take me some time.
I would recommend custom Kent Armstrong pickups to anyone with a Sei or having one built. Definately a brand to seriously consider.
An additional plus is that they are wound in the UK and Martin has a very good relationship with Aaron so they really can be bespoke items to get the tone you are after.
Regards
Matthew
im really looking forward to get those Nordies in my Fodera, and purpleheart is a real good neck wood.
as for the top wood, it looks like Curly maple to me, or maybe even birdseye, its a real nice top though.
another thought for getting a bit more of an "old skool" tone would be not having a back on the bass, having a larger core wood more than likely mean that woods tone will be more apparent in the tone of the finished bass, definetely ask Martin about the nordie's i know he has used the fatstacks before and i think he really liked the results.
Dave
as for the top wood, it looks like Curly maple to me, or maybe even birdseye, its a real nice top though.
another thought for getting a bit more of an "old skool" tone would be not having a back on the bass, having a larger core wood more than likely mean that woods tone will be more apparent in the tone of the finished bass, definetely ask Martin about the nordie's i know he has used the fatstacks before and i think he really liked the results.
Dave
Must admit Matthew I wondered about the pickup covers still saying Bartolini lol. I only played it for a couple of minutes but it's a lovely sounding instrument.
DragonLord - I'll sort out some sound clips with various settings for you so you can judge the Schack and the Barts together. No taking the **** out of my playing though - OK? Take the *** out of my bass players gut - thats fine - but not the mediocrity of my playing
Well guys - deposit goes down on the fretless Saturday morning and I'll be back in the waiting game. Emailed some thoughts off to Martin today (pretty much what's on here) and talking to him tomorrow.
I think the plan is for him to leave some woods out for me to take a look at Saturday - but I'm sure I'll need to go visiting.
And no Howie - I will NOT append a '(w)' to my membership number - not going to happen...
DragonLord - I'll sort out some sound clips with various settings for you so you can judge the Schack and the Barts together. No taking the **** out of my playing though - OK? Take the *** out of my bass players gut - thats fine - but not the mediocrity of my playing
Well guys - deposit goes down on the fretless Saturday morning and I'll be back in the waiting game. Emailed some thoughts off to Martin today (pretty much what's on here) and talking to him tomorrow.
I think the plan is for him to leave some woods out for me to take a look at Saturday - but I'm sure I'll need to go visiting.
And no Howie - I will NOT append a '(w)' to my membership number - not going to happen...
No worries lardy boy 
I bet your (or almost everyone's) playing smokes mine, so I wouldn't go there. The gut on the other hand... hmm no, neither that, we'll call it a tie there.
I bet your (or almost everyone's) playing smokes mine, so I wouldn't go there. The gut on the other hand... hmm no, neither that, we'll call it a tie there.
That's great news, Paddy !!
It's damn exciting going down to order the bass and choose the woods.
Any idea what wood Martin is leaving out for you to see ??
It's damn exciting going down to order the bass and choose the woods.
Any idea what wood Martin is leaving out for you to see ??
Not yet - will know more after speaking to Martin tomorrow.
I'm pretty much sold on the Ebony Board and the Flamed Maple neck with Purpleheart stringers.
Not quite so sure on the body wood. The Alder and Swamp Ash look great but I wonder if something slightly darker would offset the lighter top I got in mind. Howie and I bounced some ideas around at work today.
As for the facings I do want full front and wings on back. I understand what your saying Fretless Bob but I do like the facings on the rear. I can see this being the problem area for me - I want something light with slightly more figuring than the Madrona but not at the Buckeye end of things. The front of the bass I linked to earlier is there or there abouts whereas the back was too much (IMHO)
A lot of the above is cosmetic stuff though - I will compromise slightly on this if it makes for a better instrument. It's all about tone.
But these are all questions I'll ask tomorrow.
I'm pretty much sold on the Ebony Board and the Flamed Maple neck with Purpleheart stringers.
Not quite so sure on the body wood. The Alder and Swamp Ash look great but I wonder if something slightly darker would offset the lighter top I got in mind. Howie and I bounced some ideas around at work today.
As for the facings I do want full front and wings on back. I understand what your saying Fretless Bob but I do like the facings on the rear. I can see this being the problem area for me - I want something light with slightly more figuring than the Madrona but not at the Buckeye end of things. The front of the bass I linked to earlier is there or there abouts whereas the back was too much (IMHO)
A lot of the above is cosmetic stuff though - I will compromise slightly on this if it makes for a better instrument. It's all about tone.
But these are all questions I'll ask tomorrow.
Walnut is little darker in colour but might change the tone a little. No doubt someone else can chime in as to exactly how the tone differs from swamp ash or alder.
i think walnut will give you a great fretless tone, it is a little bit less open than swamp ash but you can so easily get a great "old skool" out of a bass with a walnut body.
i saw Richard Bona playing his NYBW fretless a few weeks ago and that was neck through with a walnut body, no preamp and one nordstrand fatstack on the bridge and he got the best jaco tone out of it, i was amazed!
ooh ooh, i just thought, i think it is a must to have a passive tone and an active/passive switch on any high end bass, and you never know you may end up liking it in passive better
Dave
i saw Richard Bona playing his NYBW fretless a few weeks ago and that was neck through with a walnut body, no preamp and one nordstrand fatstack on the bridge and he got the best jaco tone out of it, i was amazed!
ooh ooh, i just thought, i think it is a must to have a passive tone and an active/passive switch on any high end bass, and you never know you may end up liking it in passive better
Dave
Spoke to Martin today. Some interesting suggestions on the body wood.
Martin has suggested looking into Zebrano/Mahogany or indeed Alder for the body wood. I expressed my thing about something a little darker as the body wood to offset the lighter top - he said I would want a dense wood and that Zebrano could work well. Thats nice wood from what I've seen - any thoughts?
On that link it's Birds eye maple front and back - looks like two different woods to me but it was not a great photo of the front. He is leaving out some different facings for me to look at.
As for the Passive/Active switch - I have to say I'm not really concerned about that. Could always do that retrospectively if I felt it was needed, but I've never had a use before.
More news tomorrow...
Martin has suggested looking into Zebrano/Mahogany or indeed Alder for the body wood. I expressed my thing about something a little darker as the body wood to offset the lighter top - he said I would want a dense wood and that Zebrano could work well. Thats nice wood from what I've seen - any thoughts?
On that link it's Birds eye maple front and back - looks like two different woods to me but it was not a great photo of the front. He is leaving out some different facings for me to look at.
As for the Passive/Active switch - I have to say I'm not really concerned about that. Could always do that retrospectively if I felt it was needed, but I've never had a use before.
More news tomorrow...
Paddy said:
sounds interesting, i was pretty sure that it was birdseye on that bass.
one thing i have heard about Zebrano is that it can change in tone very drastically over time, i heard about a few wals doing that, maybe ask Martin about it, i know he used to exibit with Pete Stevens, so you will probably get a good answer from him on the subject.
about the switch, i never ever ever saw myself using that switch when i got my Fodera, seriously, but i have found that it sounds so much better, and you can do so much more with your hands that way, especially on a fretless, am i alone here or what?
hey matt, your Sei is all active right? ever thought of using it just passive?
all in all sounds like an interesting build, they had a fretless 5 in shop when i was there last week, was pretty nice bass as well.
let us know how it goes tomorrow
Dave
I have to agree it sounds like another great bass. I've just used Google to look at some zebrano basses. It's very dark and kinda stripey. No doubt the wood Martin has in stock will be superb...
With regards to the passive/active question, I have to say that I have never really used tone controls on a bass, that's why I've only opted for the volume control on my Sei. I have the Fender Urge which has 3 pickups and is active/passive but I just seem to find a tone and leave it.
By the way Dave, how did you get your sign-in name. We have a suspicion there could be a Simpsons reference ??!!
With regards to the passive/active question, I have to say that I have never really used tone controls on a bass, that's why I've only opted for the volume control on my Sei. I have the Fender Urge which has 3 pickups and is active/passive but I just seem to find a tone and leave it.
By the way Dave, how did you get your sign-in name. We have a suspicion there could be a Simpsons reference ??!!
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