Show us your F-Bass

[adrian garcia]

The bursts are so classy.

 

[JuanG]

Hey fcleff.....thanks man...that's a buckeye top and it's a fretted!!
And I'm also thinking about a AC5 fretless for the future

Juan G, that's a beauty! Is that a walnut top? Is that a fretted neck? Is this a fretless thread? Either way, that's just a frickin' beauty!

 

[JuanG]

I didn't choose the bridge, It came with it. tx juan

JuanG--is there a reason you chose the Hipshot Model A bridge over the stock Model B, or did the bass just come that way?

 

[Debased]

Swamp ash/maple/wenge/gaboon ebony with an oil finish. Passive; lightweight; super resonant.

 

[Mark Wilson]

Hey you Canadian TBers...

how do you pronounce Ceruse?

is it Seh-ruh-say, with the accent on the last syllable?

Not many of us Hawaiians have taken a French class, and neither do we get up to Canada very often, if at all.

It's Say-ruce

Well, that's how George said it anyway haha


-Mark

 

[wjr5]

For sure these are gorgeous basses. I own one as well. Unfortunately I have a dead spot on frets 6, 7, and 8 on the D string. Anyone else experienced this on an F neck? The string isn't brand new now but I noticed it even when the strings were changed.

 

[GRoberts]

The very first Buckeye F Bass which i should have not sold ( along with the ceruse fretless) but i really wanted a matching heel.
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Hey Adrian, yeah, the non-matching heel was my only issue with that otherwise stellar Buckeye F Bass.

 

[dveeus1]

For sure these are gorgeous basses. I own one as well. Unfortunately I have a dead spot on frets 6, 7, and 8 on the D string. Anyone else experienced this on an F neck? The string isn't brand new now but I noticed it even when the strings were changed.

Not on any R I have ever owned. Have U call the shop to get advice or help??

 

[puff father]

For sure these are gorgeous basses. I own one as well. Unfortunately I have a dead spot on frets 6, 7, and 8 on the D string. Anyone else experienced this on an F neck? The string isn't brand new now but I noticed it even when the strings were changed.

If it doesn't just drop out or you just notice it while playing by yourself, I wouldn't worry too much about it. My Alembic has "dead" spots wherever I play a C. But while I'm playing in an ensemble I don't even notice it.

I think my new F has a slight dead area like yours only on the G string. No worries, it still kills!

 

[Hajime]

If you mind dead spot much, I recommend to use other tuners (like Hipshot Ultralite). Sometimes, it can solve the problem.

 

[Jerry J]

Swamp ash/maple/wenge/gaboon ebony with an oil finish. Passive; lightweight; super resonant.

Man I love this bass!

 

[winston]

Just wondering--

1) Has anyone had problems with getting the fretless Fs with wooden bridge to intonate properly, especially if using strings besides stock LaBella Super Steps?

2) Anyone had a chance to compare wood-bridge and metal-bridge fretless Fs?

3) Can someone comment about the sound difference between the Hipshot A and B bridges on an F (Adrian Garcia, maybe?) Mine has a B, sometimes I wish it had a bit more sustain/bite, wondering if the more massive A would help.

Thanks!

 

[Debased]

Just wondering--

1) Has anyone had problems with getting the fretless Fs with wooden bridge to intonate properly, especially if using strings besides stock LaBella Super Steps?

2) Anyone had a chance to compare wood-bridge and metal-bridge fretless Fs?

Fretless intonation is arrived at via your left hand for the most part. I find that the fixed bone saddle on the wooden bridge gets the intonation in the ballpark just fine, and further fine-tuning is mostly about ear and technique.

AFAIK, there are no fretless Fs with a metal bridge, and no fretted Fs with a wooden bridge, so such a comparison would be difficult. My fretted and fretless F-Basses sound completely different.

 

[Debased]

Man I love this bass!

Thanks, Jerry. If George still made em this way (neck-through, oil finish) I'd order a VI-string version. This is my second neck-through F-Bass, and none of the current bolt-on fretless Fs I've played can touch this one for the tone I'm looking for.

 

[Georges Abitbol]

Here's mine....I haven't even touch it but it's on its way...Invalid Link Removed
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Awesome!

 

[Hajime]

Just wondering--

1) Has anyone had problems with getting the fretless Fs with wooden bridge to intonate properly, especially if using strings besides stock LaBella Super Steps?

2) Anyone had a chance to compare wood-bridge and metal-bridge fretless Fs?

3) Can someone comment about the sound difference between the Hipshot A and B bridges on an F (Adrian Garcia, maybe?) Mine has a B, sometimes I wish it had a bit more sustain/bite, wondering if the more massive A would help.

Thanks!

1. I think all basses with wood bridge (not all wood bridge, as some of them have movable saddles) have this kind of problem sometimes due to neck condition, if you look fret lines. It does not depend on strings.

2. F Bass New Model - BN5F is fantastic. I tried to play BN5F with Maple Center and Alder Wing's body. I prefer this.
Wood bridge makes warm and organic tone, but Metal Bridge's BN5F is one of greatest fretless basses, as it has very warm character due to this combination.

3. I bought a BN5, and it originally had Style 'A', then I chenged it to Style 'B'. Style 'A' makes more compressed sound, and 'B' makes open sound.
Also I tried to use 'B' with Brass, and 'B' with Aluminum. Some basses
suit Brass, Brass Bridge makes dark tone. But Aluminum makes bright tone. Thus my first BN5 Ebony has Brass Bridge, 2nd BN5 (Ash & Alder) has Aluminum Brigde. This combination make perfect situation.

 

[gfab333]

A newer pic of my older model BN5

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[brandonwong]

[/QUOTE]

There was an eBay auction that ended on $2300++ just last week.
If it hadn't been for the 34" instead of the usual 34.5", i would have pulled the trigger.
Made me GAS for a BN6 thru-neck, ebony fingerboard NOW!!!

If i'm not wrong, i read somewhere George prefers the B style bridge to the A for sound preference.
Adrian G/Vince, can you verify that?

 

[Ostinato]

I've had both bidges, a B on my FBass and an A on a J-Bass...I prefer the B bridge because it's simpler and there are less moving parts to suck away sustain, which I think the A bridge does.
It was huge pain in my @ss because one or two of the saddle cylinders would actually loosen and shift after playing for extended periods which forced me to practically do a setup every time I picked up the bass. They look great, but are way over-engineered. My opinion.

When I get a new bass, the first thing I do is check all the hardware. You'd be surprised to find that things aren't as tight as they should be....again, my opinion.

 

[dveeus1]

Just wondering--

1) Has anyone had problems with getting the fretless Fs with wooden bridge to intonate properly, especially if using strings besides stock LaBella Super Steps?

2) Anyone had a chance to compare wood-bridge and metal-bridge fretless Fs?

Thanks!

I have owned Three BNF5 basses. Two with wooden bridges, one with metal (yes BNF not BN5F). I never experienced an intonation problem with the two wooden bridge basses. However, I did have a problem with string height based on string gauge and type. With my second BNF I had the bridge saddled shaved and shims made so that I could change height via the shims based on wheter or not I used open core strings or not. I dont have this PITA with the metal bridged bass.

As far as tone is concerned. yes there is a difference. But not one that I miss when I take into account the versatility the metal bridge brings to the party.. But, that's me