I've owned several. They're my favorite bass of all, and I've owned over 25 basses, including 7 Alembics. My first Surine was a fretless Affinity II 4 string. Sold it to a friend of mine here in San Antonio simply because he said he couldn't live w/o it. He still owns it so I still get to play it at his place. It's a work of art, and far from the top of the line. Still beats the pants off 99.9% of the basses around. Second one was the first Esprit X 5 string---yes, the first. Serial Number 001. This was Scott Surine's personal bass. He lent it to Christina Aguilera's bassist for her tour around 2004 or 2005 and he tore the hell out of it before returning it to Scott. Scott agreed to sell it to me "as is" w/some serious damage to the headstock laminate and a literal delamination of the top caused by Aguilera's bassist dropping it onstage. I sent the money to Scott. No bass for weeks. Emails sent. Scott emails me and says to be patient. GUESS WHAT SCOTT SURINE DID? For no extra cost, he repaired the delamination of the top. He cut a new headstock laminate out of the original macassar ebony he'd made the bass from. He repaired every imperfection in the bass caused by Aguilera's bassist. GUESS HOW MUCH HE CHARGED ME EXTRA? NOTHING!!! He literally did about $800 in repairs to this bass before he sent it to me because he said his pride would not allow that bass to go out to a customer looking like that. Now, who do you know who treats customers like that nowadays? Scott Surine, that's who! It was literally a mint bass when I got it. So, when I decided I couldn't live w/o a Surine fretless, I asked Scott to build me a fretless 5. He sent pics of blocks of amboyna. He sent pics of every stage of construction. He delivered the best bass I've ever played. Massive sound. Flawless construction and appearance. Every email I've ever written has received an immediate response. He's actually called me on Sundays because he didn't get to my emails during the week, just to be sure he addressed my questions. Who do you know that will call you on a Sunday? Scott Surine is a class act and a great luthier. First pic is the first Esprit X s/n001. Second pic is my 5 string Quest Performaxe Series X Fretless. You cannot go wrong w/a Surine bass. Used ones are hard to find but well worth the effort and much cheaper than a custom build.
