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Single Cut Basses Love or Hate?

It's going to be a wait. He has left Russia. Currently in Georgia (the country) and going to Canada where he has a job lined up. Will probably be several years before he's building instruments again under his own name.
It's good to hear some news about him. All I knew was that he had finished doing basses indefinitely.

If I have to wait 5-10 years for one, I'm OK with that.
 
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It's good to hear some news about him. All I knew was that he had finished doing basses indefinitely.

If I have to wait 5-10 years for one, I'm OK with that.

His life has been totally uprooted (wars can do that) but he will be back working on instruments soon - though first as a worker. He definitely plans to restart the business down the road (though guitars are where he has the most demand). I'm glad I have mine! (two, actually)
 
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I'm not into most of Padalkas designs, but THIS! :drool:

On topic though: single cut designs are (aesthetically) hit or miss for me. SC designs I like:

Sadowsky single cut

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Marleaux MBass
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Franz bassguitars Sirius
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But then again there are designs I realy can't seem to like:

Fodera Imperial
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Ibanez BTB
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Warwick SC Thumb
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I played a Warwick Thumb SC at NAMM a few years ago and I loved the look and feel of it. I was surprised at how light and well-balanced it was. You could just tell that it sounded like a million bucks.
 
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I think the design, which IIRC goes back to an Anthony Jackson concept, is interesting. But, I don’t get too excited about novel optical designs which don’t have some kind of technical advantage. Also, my available gigs are increasingly Classic Rock / R&B / Country gigs, which really don’t call for non-FSO designs. I wish my local live club scene was otherwise.

And, I certainly understand the premise for SC’s: to make the B string more well defined.

But, I am increasingly asking myself the questions for newer bass guitar technologies: Can I hear a difference on recordings; can I discriminate that difference; if there is some difference is it better for the mix; and can the audience hear the difference? For my needs, most of the time the answer to most of those is no.

If someone can point me to a recording demonstrating some improvement in performance sound from the SC design, I’d be happy to reconsider.

I remember the 90’s fondly for the wide range of musical styles, which were happening in the clubs; and the explosion of newer bass technologies, which were appropriate for those gigs. That scene was far more dynamic than what we seem to have settled on.

And I recognize that a lot of players are spending their time recording, putting material out on the internet or whatever. Gigs have certainly fragmented into dozens of directions. So, tomorrow, I could have an entirely different perspective.

TL;DR: ATM, I remain not persuaded.
 
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All good with me except for Les Paul / Telecaster or any other body shape that has the upper strap button up around the 15-16-17th fret. Those don’t balance well on a strap for me.

I don’t own any basses that have the upper body attached to the neck up to the 12th fret area, but I wouldn’t have any reservations about owning one other than physical balance, playability, & tone. I can live with the look of about anything if it’s comfortable to wear on a strap, plays well, and sounds good. I like the looks of most of the basses pictured in this thread; some more than others, but pretty much all would be acceptable to me if it had the characteristics I listed.

If a musical instrument sounds good and plays well, but you don’t like the appearance of the instrument, try looking at it with your ears….
 
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I have seen some very cool looking single cut basses.
But thought the big horn for lack of a better term would get in the way of fretting below the 12th fret. It's been years since I tried one so not sure that is a true statement or just felt different because it wasn't what I was use to. (Like going from a 4 to 5 type of a thing.)
What is the theory behind the design of these basses?
More wood provides a deeper tone?

Please Feel free to educate away and show your cool basses.

It’s new, I’m old = yuck!
 
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