The Official MARUSZCZYK CLUB!

[Barticus]

Standard elixirs….

It was apparently some kind of design flaw because a lot of people had the problem. I have a couple of newer Kiesel headless guitars with no issues - but I actually can't recall off the top of my head if they have zero frets!? I think their new headpiece solved the problem.

I love the hipshot headless guitar trems and think the headless bass bridges are awesome, but I think the design on the Marusczyk is better. I was noticing last night on a gig how much lower the action feels and how much closer the strings get to the pickups with the two piece design on the Marusczyk. I think the head piece on the Kiesel is a little more low-profile. Nothing inherently wrong with the Hipshot, just a different way of getting to the same solution.

Either can be setup with low action if installed with a zero fret. The ETS headpiece is mounted on the end of the neck vs the Hipshot which is surface mounted (pros/cons for each). So depending on the surface mounting area (if it's lower) you could essentially build as a bit lower profile if desired. There may have been too dramatic of an angle on that bass you had issues with if the zero fret was wearing. I've used stainless on my builds for the zero frets and it is a really hard material to shape and file so it would take a lot of tension for strings to damage it. Your 6 is a cool bass btw!

 

[Bartrinsic]

Although I do appreciate when people are posting about bad experiences I'd be interested in hearing sound samples showing the problem. Maybe people here can help you fix it?
Of course I'd try a new set of strings first, even if the current ones are new(ish). Another brand and/or gauge might work wonders.

The worst bass I ever owned was an Elrick. A very nice bass, but the neck did not turn out well. Of my 3 Maruszczyks, 2 have great action (1 headed and 1 headless) and the 3rd has average action, OK but not the best. I can rank any manufacturers identical models by neck quality and group those into 5 tiers. For any model, by any manufacturer, if I have 10 to rank: the worst one will make you never want to buy another from this brand and the best one will make you never want to by another brand. Go figure. I haven't bought another Elrick since the 'bad' one; I wonder if I would buy the 'best bass ever made' if it had 'Elrick' on it. I might pass it over! PS: Elrick is a great bass builder--no slight intended.

 

[Barticus]

The worst bass I ever owned was an Elrick. A very nice bass, but the neck did not turn out well. Of my 3 Maruszczyks, 2 have great action (1 headed and 1 headless) and the 3rd has average action, OK but not the best. I can rank any manufacturers identical models by neck quality and group those into 5 tiers. For any model, by any manufacturer, if I have 10 to rank: the worst one will make you never want to buy another from this brand and the best one will make you never want to by another brand. Go figure. I haven't bought another Elrick since the 'bad' one; I wonder if I would buy the 'best bass ever made' if it had 'Elrick' on it. I might pass it over! PS: Elrick is a great bass builder--no slight intended.

Yeah, it's crazy how a small boutique builder would let a bad build get out into the wild like that.

I mean, they build, then setup and test and play and adjust… they obviously would know at any of these points in the process if there is an issue, so why not just fix it!? vs. sending out to a customer, who then has a potentially terrible story to tell about what should have been an amazing experience with a custom instrument.

 

[Beej]

By far the worst Bass I've ever owned. It's beautiful to look at but my Ibanez BTB just kills it. From the 13th fret on the B string it goes dead, I mean like incredibly dead, like a rubber band strung across a Coffee can dead. I emailed Adrian, since I bought it used he couldn't help me. The Bass brand new was like 3500.00. I'm so glad I didn't pay that for it. Never again!
View attachment 5234951

Standard elixirs….

It was apparently some kind of design flaw because a lot of people had the problem. I have a couple of newer Kiesel headless guitars with no issues - but I actually can't recall off the top of my head if they have zero frets!? I think their new headpiece solved the problem.

I love the hipshot headless guitar trems and think the headless bass bridges are awesome, but I think the design on the Marusczyk is better. I was noticing last night on a gig how much lower the action feels and how much closer the strings get to the pickups with the two piece design on the Marusczyk. I think the head piece on the Kiesel is a little more low-profile. Nothing inherently wrong with the Hipshot, just a different way of getting to the same solution.

I can't understand this either, it's a bog standard bass design overall, nothing special, there are literally thousands like it. He builds basses just like almost every other builder does.

I've been building customs for many years and have built all number of designs with various materials and in different configurations, and there's something significant missing in this explanation. Everything I've ever built, even with questionable materials, has sounded like a bass. Some are more articulate than others, some play better or suit various players' ergonomic needs better, but nothing has fallen into the camp of what you're describing - I can't imagine it being a design flaw, but has either a structural flaw that is eluding those who are working on it, or a setup issue, possibly also related to a structural flaw, or it's an end-user issue. And I don't mean it's your fault in any way, but some people have a sharper ear for certain things or are more sensitive to configuration/ergonomic issues and so they just can't get on with certain instruments and may not even be able to clearly put their finger on what exactly is 'wrong', they just know it's wrong.

I for one would love to hear it as well.

 

[basssalad]

I've started reading through this whole thread… not sure yet if it's been asked… but has anyone been able to get stainless steel frets?

Both of my headless basses have stainless steel frets.

 

[basssalad]

I just bought a Headless Frog 6 from a local TB'er yesterday and took it to a gig last night. I'm a huge fan of Kiesel basses and own a bunch and I definitely think the Maruszczyk is a step up. I was hesitant about the passive electronics but I was really impressed with how clear and punchy the bass sounds, and the B string sounds amazing. My only concern was with ergonomics - like most headless basses, I found that my fretting hand had to reach a little to get to the lower frets and it put some pressure on my shoulder - I think a non-recessed strap button might solve this problem by moving the bass more to the right. But I plan to live with the bass and take it to a few gigs before making any decisions.

This is surprising because I owned 2 Kiesel Headless basses. both of the upper horns were shorter than the Frog. The Vader only reached the 15th fret and the Osiris went to 13th fret. The frog goes to the 11th fret so there should be a shorter stretch to reach the first fret. That doesn't make sense to me!

 

[basssalad]

By far the worst Bass I've ever owned. It's beautiful to look at but my Ibanez BTB just kills it. From the 13th fret on the B string it goes dead, I mean like incredibly dead, like a rubber band strung across a Coffee can dead. I emailed Adrian, since I bought it used he couldn't help me. The Bass brand new was like 3500.00. I'm so glad I didn't pay that for it. Never again!
View attachment 5234951

From this picture it looks like whoever installed the strings did a sloppy job.
Be careful that you install the strings correctly because if they aren't centered in the hole on headpiece, you may not have enough downward pressure. It will cause the open string to not sustain correctly. It's like not having a string tree on a Fender bass. This hardware is very different than any on a violin so find a person who can see if the instrument was set up correctly.
If there are bad frets, truss rod issue etc, it's pretty easy for the right person to spot.

 

[Core Creek]

This is surprising because I owned 2 Kiesel Headless basses. both of the upper horns were shorter than the Frog. The Vader only reached the 15th fret and the Osiris went to 13th fret. The frog goes to the 11th fret so there should be a shorter stretch to reach the first fret. That doesn't make sense to me!

I had to make some serious modifications to my Vader to get it to sit right. I extended the upper horn with a longer screw and a bunch of strap buttons and put a recessed strap button on the back of the body. But now the Vader is perfect.

I actually think the Frog's upper horn reaches the 12th fret on mine because of the recessed strap locks. I don't think I'd ever order recessed strap locks since I can't easily make the modification I made on my Vader.

Maybe it's just the way I'm built, but the only headless that sat right for me out of the box was my Ibanez EHB. The Kiesel Osiris was definitely better than both the Frog and Vader, but it's being rebuilt with a different finish so I don't have it on hand to compare.

 

[basssalad]

I had to make some serious modifications to my Vader to get it to sit right. I extended the upper horn with a longer screw and a bunch of strap buttons and put a recessed strap button on the back of the body. But now the Vader is perfect.

View attachment 5266749


I actually think the Frog's upper horn reaches the 12th fret on mine because of the recessed strap locks. I don't think I'd ever order recessed strap locks since I can't easily make the modification I made on my Vader.

Maybe it's just the way I'm built, but the only headless that sat right for me out of the box was my Ibanez EHB. The Kiesel Osiris was definitely better than both the Frog and Vader, but it's being rebuilt with a different finish so I don't have it on hand to compare.

Is your frog a 35 inch scale? I own both basses and like I said before the Osiris only goes to the 13th fret.
I'm attaching a photo of my Frog and the top of the horn is to the 11th fret. That's not counting the strap button. My Elwood L (I'm Holding in my profile Pic) goes to the 12th fret.
Fender Jazz and Precision Bass have the upper horn to the 12th fret, So that's what I'm used to.
The headstock also changes the way the bass balances on strap. Usually neck heavy.
In general I prefer Headless basses which makes the body heavier.
I have had plenty of issues of Strap pins falling out, so the recessed are appealing to me.
Good luck with your Vader fix. That looks pretty scary to me.

 

[KJMO]

By far the worst Bass I've ever owned. It's beautiful to look at but my Ibanez BTB just kills it. From the 13th fret on the B string it goes dead, I mean like incredibly dead, like a rubber band strung across a Coffee can dead. I emailed Adrian, since I bought it used he couldn't help me. The Bass brand new was like 3500.00. I'm so glad I didn't pay that for it. Never again!
View attachment 5234951

In all fairness, it's a used bass, so you have no idea what the previous owner(s) have done to it. If you watch talk bass for awhile you'll see that people do absolutely crazy things to their basses. In addition, many people have had good experiences with Maru, and there are many videos of great playing and sounding Maru on YouTube. Even if yours was originally made with some kind of flaw, it's a mistake to condemn the whole brand due to one bad bass. All brands make some stinkers.
Personally, my Maru cost fender money, and is WAY nicer than any of the 5 fenders I've owned. I think most people have had similar experiences.

 

[gazzatriumph]

In all fairness, it's a used bass, so you have no idea what the previous owner(s) have done to it. If you watch talk bass for awhile you'll see that people do absolutely crazy things to their basses. In addition, many people have had good experiences with Maru, and there are many videos of great playing and sounding Maru on YouTube. Even if yours was originally made with some kind of flaw, it's a mistake to condemn the whole brand due to one bad bass. All brands make some stinkers.
Personally, my Maru cost fender money, and is WAY nicer than any of the 5 fenders I've owned. I think most people have had similar experiences.

I have a custom Elwood and recently got a customer Jake, the neck on the Elwood is fantastic, better than the Jake but the Jake is still an excellent bass which I'm now gigging with. They are both better than any Fenders I have owned, not that the Fenders were bad but the Marus are that good.
I agree with the above that it's unfair to criticise a brand on your experience with a second hand bass. If the guy who bought it from new had the same problems surely he would have sent it back, especially at that price.

 

[Core Creek]

Is your frog a 35 inch scale? I own both basses and like I said before the Osiris only goes to the 13th fret.
I'm attaching a photo of my Frog and the top of the horn is to the 11th fret. That's not counting the strap button. My Elwood L (I'm Holding in my profile Pic) goes to the 12th fret.
Fender Jazz and Precision Bass have the upper horn to the 12th fret, So that's what I'm used to.
The headstock also changes the way the bass balances on strap. Usually neck heavy.
In general I prefer Headless basses which makes the body heavier.
I have had plenty of issues of Strap pins falling out, so the recessed are appealing to me.
Good luck with your Vader fix. That looks pretty scary to me.
View attachment 5267520

Yeah, I guess it is more like the 11th fret. But if you look at the overall proportions compared to the Vader, the rear button on the Maruszczyk is much further to the right.

Again, I compensated on the Vader by putting a recessed strap button on the back, moving it much more to the left. This made the Vader so much more comfortable.

I experimented a little this morning and I think if I do the same thing to the Maruszczyk it will feel just about as good as the Vader - coincidentally, the point that felt most comfortable for a recessed strap lines up pretty much where I have it on the Vader (the pink sticker). I may end up doing this with my Osiris when I get it.

As you can see from the pics, and I'm sure you noticed on yours, the Vader is just a much smaller, and **significantly** lighter bass. Playing 3-4 hour gigs, the Vader is definitely easier on the shoulder, and easier to squeeze on a tight stage. Not that I don't like the Frog… just, the Vader is smaller and lighter and for anyone looking for small and light the Vader wins.

As for my extension on the horn, I can see how that might scare some people. I'm pretty sure it's not going anywhere. The screw goes in as far as the original strap button screw, and is pretty strong. I also used the toothpick technique… it's not going anywhere, and at this point I don't even notice it. And most importantly, it's easily reversible.

I'll admit, in a quest to go smaller and lighter, I'm considering a medium scale headless, possibly an S. Martyn. I'm even considering trading the Maruszczyk if someone is willing. I love the Maruszczyk, especially the finish and natural wood. I just wonder if something easier to carry to gigs and keep on my shoulder for a long gig might make more sense. The reality is I might end up keeping the Maruszczyk and getting the S. Martyn anyway… time to save up.

 

[MrClassicMetal]

Opinions, please.View attachment 5243516 View attachment 5243517 View attachment 5243518 View attachment 5243519

2, 3, 4, 1

 

[villis]

anyone have or had the 6 string elwood L6? any reviews?

 

[xbud]

Plenty of 5 strings personaly.....no 6'rs

 

[villis]

You still giving numbers or what?

 

[RickDeckardCain]

About to put in my order for a 5-string fretless Jake! Wouldn't mind if y'all gave it a once-over. I've already emailed them about the following modifications and was told they could be done. First, I wanted 17.5mm string spacing to match my current basses. Second, I wanted a 3+2 headstock configuration, as seen on a 5-string Elwood L. Third, I wanted to use the Lusithand Double NFP preamp because I thought 5 knobs looked too busy (but really, I saw their YouTube videos using this preamp, and then watched all of the other Lusithand videos I could find, and decided I wanted to try it out). Fourth, check out my sweet photoshop skills.

 

[TK4261]

Hoping to get a couch pic soon of my Cazpar order. This is the end of week 22 since placing my order. The company seems to be growing and getting more popular every year which is a good thing but the wait gets a bit longer every year. Looking forward to it though.

 

[PotsdamBass8]

Hoping to get a couch pic soon of my Cazpar order. This is the end of week 22 since placing my order. The company seems to be growing and getting more popular every year which is a good thing but the wait gets a bit longer every year. Looking forward to it though.

Every couple months it's nice to check in and see what awesome short scale you have on order

 

[basssalad]

I ordered this as a headless. Trying to keep it simple. I love my Elwood L headless. My Frog headless is like mission control! The body is big which makes it a little harder for travel.