Single Cut Basses Love or Hate?

[SoonerBill]

I'm not a fan. I'm a traditional guy that likes traditional stuff. But I'm glad they exist and there are those who like them.

 

[ricibanez]

Wasn't a fan until I saw one in person and played it. be a fan of some since. it was the ibby srs805 for me.

 

[Pauly 4001]

Les Pauls and Magnums are as close as I'll get to that concept

Link Removed

 

[Aqualung60]

I never cared for them in the past, but I find myself really liking them to the point I want one now.

 

[smtp4me]

I personally don't like how they look. They look unfinished to me.

^^^ This.

 

[JRA]

I don't think "single cut" is an adequate term for the type of bass you mean, because that term would include things like Les Paul basses which really aren't in the same category as the big horn/whale hump type design.

i agree --- my comments/attitude pertain to the "whale humps" i see on basses. the gibson style single cut in all the pics being posted is traditional stuff. ordinary, IMO.

to extend my POV: if @Glarry made a whale hump body i'd already have one! the fact that FSO parts are cheap and abundant keeps me sporting those traditional looks, but whale humps are attractive on some designs, IMO.

 

[Koshchei]

They look both cool and silly to me at the same time. It's a weird sort of cognitive dissonance I feel when I see one.

And you had better have Anthony Jackson chops if you ever show up to a cutting session with one. That hump comes with a lot of unspoken expectation.

 

[George Nosca]

I like them, but as it was said above... depends on the shape.
This is my Joseph Red Violin (I think for the moment is unique). It came with gold hardware but I've changed it to black... I like black

 

[Smooth_bass88]

27299915[/URL], member: 233586"]I was wondering if it was permissable to be indifferent.

Lol.

I’m gonna buy a singlecut relic’d lined fretless and just sit here and watch peoples’ heads explode.

 

[RGerhart]

I didn't really think twice about them until about ten years ago, after I saw Damian Erskine performing in Portland with his Skjold Whaleback 6. I was blown away, both by his playing, and the tone and look of the bass. After that performance, I was determined to own one of Pete's basses in the future.

Fast forward a few years and I was able to order my first Skjold, a 6-string Drakkar (first pic). I love, love, loved that bass. After that, I ordered an in-stock/consignment bass, my JP Zia 5 (second pic). The JP Zia 5 is still, to this day, one of the finest-looking, easy to play, magnificent sounding basses I've come across. There were some aesthetic choices I wanted to make to make it seem less like a fancy piece of wood furniture, so I ordered a custom 6-string Zia from Pete (third pic).

I haven't noticed any difference with playability above the 12th fret for these singlecuts at all. I'm assuming there would be a weight difference if you were to take the same exact bass model and make it a doublecut, for obvious reasons. However, I feel that difference is offset by the fact that singlecuts seem to balance better in my opinion.

 

[LowWay]

I don't mind the look.....I don't love or hate 'em, but I tend to stay away from anything that looks like it carries "extra" wood/weight.

My 5 bordwells and 2 Rob Allen’s are (and will be for the ones being built) all under 7 pounds. All but one under 6.5 pounds.

 

[mngnt]

I've always liked these. Not sure I want one, but they're beautiful:

 

[ole Jason]

Not usually a fan of the looks of these usually but that first one is a beaut! What bass is that??

I think I fell in love. What is that?

Thanks guys it's a Manne Multibass MULTI BASS 6 SATIN SPECIAL

 

[jimmydean]

Never owned one , played a couple that I liked and were worth buying , but never did the dirty deed .

 

[HolmeBass]

Read two pages, and didn’t see an explanation of the “why”, and TL; DR: the idea is the body support adds additional stiffness to the neck, which should improve sustain and kill dead spots due to neck resonance.

As far as the look goes some are beautiful, some are not. Just like all of the other basses.

 

[Pet Sounds]

Not for me. Glad if others dig 'em.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

I'd play that! The teeth are a great motivator for proper technique on the upper frets... or, just staying down where I belong!

 

[alex1fly]

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.

Theory is that it makes a deeper more solid tone due to the extra connection between neck and body. To learn about it in spades look up differences in Les Paul (ultimate single cut guitar) vs SG or vs Strat or vs Tele. Tons of chatter out there about this subject.

 

[Appogee]

Not a fan of them, sorry. Just looks "imbalanced" to me.

 

[Jefenator]

I like the traditional style single cut that hits the neck around the 16th fret. Like on my hollowbodies & ABG:

Double would actually look weird on these basses to me.

I'm not as keen on the contemporary "whale hump". Though if the right one - like a Fodera Anthony Jackson model - were to somehow fall within my grasp, I would give it some serious thought.