The Official MARUSZCZYK CLUB!

[Barticus]

Thank you for sharing your experience. Anyone else out there with thoughts to share on the slap tone of an Elwood L, chambered bodies or passive or active on the Elwood L??

It's interesting that you still seem unsure, several people have been super helpful and commented that this is going to be somewhat dependent on the pickups and electronics. Plenty of Sandberg's and Sadowsky's are chambered, and they are considered to be slap machines. If there are specific specs that you feel are super important to getting your slap-tone (e.g. – pickup placement) then you can spec that in your order to make sure you're getting the specifications that you are looking for.

What additional info are you looking for, beyond the responses and the video examples? I'm curious as to the doubt that a chambered jazz shaped bass will serve as a good slapping platform? I slap on ALL of my basses (headed, headless, Maruszczyk, Mensinger, Specter, Warwick, Ibanez, etc. etc...) albeit the sound is a bit different across these, mostly dependent on the pickups, placement and preamps and how I EQ them.

I could be wrong, but I don't think the example I this video is dependent on the body shape.




If you search Youtube for "maruszczyk slap bass" you'll get plenty of examples from random players slapping on the Elwood.

 

[Barticus]

I'm looking for folks that own or have owned a 5-string Joker hollow body bass at full scale 34" or 35" (not short/medium scale). I've been looking at the weights on these and the seem to be fairly heavy. Most of the weight examples I'm seeing are for 6 strings, but usually in the high 9 to over 10lb range. I'm a little surprised because even some of them have been Alder bodies, and it is going to be dependent on the wood selection to get to weight down.

I'm just wondering if anyone has had a full scale 5-string Joker that's been in the 8-9lb range?

I have a project coming up and considering ordering a Joker, but the heavy weights may make me go a different direction.

 

[bassbengoa]

Has anyone done a JHJ pickup configuration? I am thinking of doing a JJ in the 70s position with a H in the Stingray sweespot, but I can't find any good builds already done.

 

[MrVentures]

Has anyone done a JHJ pickup configuration? I am thinking of doing a JJ in the 70s position with a H in the Stingray sweespot, but I can't find any good builds already done.

This is the closest I could find on their YT channel:




Not sure if that's useful!

 

[bassbengoa]

This is the closest I could find on their YT channel:




Not sure if that's useful!

Thanks! They also have a Triplebucker by Haeussel that seems to do the trick. It basically doubles as a MM and a J in the 60s position. Might be good enough!

 

[Barticus]

This is the closest I could find on their YT channel:




Not sure if that's useful!

But man, can you slap that?

 

[MrVentures]

Thanks! They also have a Triplebucker by Haeussel that seems to do the trick. It basically doubles as a MM and a J in the 60s position. Might be good enough!

Coincidences are fun!

The first boutique bass I've ever played was a Pedulla-like fretless by Dutch luthier André van der End. Every since then, I've wanted to own a bass by him, particularly with a walnut top and maple fretboard. A few years back, I bought a blue fiver by him. Didn't really get on with the sound, so I sold it.

And then last week, just as I was selling two other basses, this walnut top, maple fretboard fiver turned up on a second hand website in Belgium. I had to have it. So yesterday I drove to Belgium and took it home. It's not light, but it's pretty darn awesome. Ash body, pickups and preamp by André himself, birdseye maple neck.

 

[nasonm]

Nothing to really add here as I don't personally own a Maruszczyk but these two Jazzus models are the reason I still have "Jazzus" as a saved search on Reverb to this day!

 

[bassbengoa]

Nothing to really add here as I don't personally own a Maruszczyk but these two Jazzus models are the reason I still have "Jazzus" as a saved search on Reverb to this day!

I would love to see a few mockups of these using the Elwood or Frog shapes. A 6 string Elwood with that white and blue would look fantastic, I think

 

[DestinyIsAll]

Welcome! With transparent finishes, you'll see the wood grain peep through. With opaque/metallic/sparkle finishes, you'll just see the solid color. If you choose a top wood for the body, you can only choose a natural (clear) or transparent finish. Nitro wears faster than poly (gloss/matte), which some like.

In the examples below, the top bass has an opaque finish and the bottom bass has a transparent finish. Not sure if they are poly or nitro. Hope that helps!

View attachment 5491669

Is the fretboard of the bass on the top birdeye maple without vintage tint? ALso the headstock? Looks awesome!

 

[MrVentures]

Is the fretboard of the bass on the top birdeye maple without vintage tint? ALso the headstock? Looks awesome!

Looks like it is without vintage tint. The vintage tint has a more yellow hue, like these:

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[Micha84]

How do you guys rate the Maruszczyk strings, by the way? My J came with the M4DN strings (nickel, 45-105) and I found them pleasant and surprisingly long lasting. However, bringing the bass to a few different sessions recently I noticed that it doesn't quite come through enough and I'll be trying out new strings to see if that might be the problem.

What are your experiences with the strings?

 

[Barticus]

How do you guys rate the Maruszczyk strings, by the way? My J came with the M4DN strings (nickel, 45-105) and I found them pleasant and surprisingly long lasting. However, bringing the bass to a few different sessions recently I noticed that it doesn't quite come through enough and I'll be trying out new strings to see if that might be the problem.

What are your experiences with the strings?

I don't keep stock strings from any brand. I usually swap as soon as I receive the bass during my initial setup. I play nickel hybrids and use several different brands that work for different styles of basses that I play, all Nickel wound. I'm playing Skjold hybrids on my Cazpar, Sadowsky Black's on my US Spector's and NYXLs on my other 2 headless. I just started playing SIT Nickels on my Flea Road Worn Jazz and super happy with them, nice tension and very even tone.

 

[BlueTalon]

How do you guys rate the Maruszczyk strings, by the way? My J came with the M4DN strings (nickel, 45-105) and I found them pleasant and surprisingly long lasting. However, bringing the bass to a few different sessions recently I noticed that it doesn't quite come through enough and I'll be trying out new strings to see if that might be the problem.

What are your experiences with the strings?

I liked them enough to leave them on for a few months when I got my Frog.

 

[BlackWolf]

How do you guys rate the Maruszczyk strings, by the way? My J came with the M4DN strings (nickel, 45-105) and I found them pleasant and surprisingly long lasting. However, bringing the bass to a few different sessions recently I noticed that it doesn't quite come through enough and I'll be trying out new strings to see if that might be the problem.

What are your experiences with the strings?

The stock nickel strings are good enough but not my cup of tea, however the coated strings are excellent! I use them on my Mopped 5-string with Nordstrand Big Splits, at first I wasn't sure but after a few weeks they settled in way better than I thought. Really good strings and not too bright like Elixir for example, just warm and punchy, growly, they have a nice feel and also the B string is great.

 

[1kinal]

There's not much discussion about nitro finished Maruszczyk basses.

Anybody chose nitro on their built? How do you like it? Do you feel that it's thinner than poly finished basses?

I chose nitro on my present build (due around April) as I've really liked my other nitro basses in the past (Moollon P and a Fender Mike Dirnt signature).

 

[Metalmongrel]

Just placed an order for a Mensinger Leaf 33" scale with PJ pickups. I'm sending my own wood (lacewood) for the top, so fingers-crossed it turns out as expected.

Can't wait for June!

 

[MrVentures]

Just placed an order for a Mensinger Leaf 33" scale with PJ pickups. I'm sending my own wood (lacewood) for the top, so fingers-crossed it turns out as expected.

Can't wait for June!

I haven't seen many Leafs (Leaves?) out there, but have always been intrigued by the design. Looking forward to your NBD post!

 

[T McClure]

Pulled the trigger on one of these months ago, and it arrived recently.

I went with a P/MM short scale in a p shape because I don't own a bass with either pickup type. I read a bunch about how people don't like them on full together, and I get why. I won't ever have them up 100% either because it is an exaggerated mid scoop. But the P up 100% sounds like a P, and the MM up 100% sounds fun. I know the true Stingray placement would have the pickup another half or three quarters of an inch toward the neck, but it still sounds like the passive StringRay I used to have. Having either with 25% or so of the other added in works well also.

It's interesting. These are fully custom, but they still are essentially the same price as a Fender Mod shop bass, which isn't even the higher end of Fender's offerings. I created my own configurator vs reality comparison.

 

[MrVentures]

I found a Jake for sale online (coincidentally similar P + MM setup to @T McClure's lovely new bass). I asked about the string spacing at the bridge, which was first reported as 6.5 CM! Could have been a translation issue. On my second attempt to explain what I was asking for, the seller measured and reported 15mm center to center. Could that be correct? In the photo, it doesn't look that narrow:

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The bridge also looks like a Hipshot A style to me, but these only go to 16.5mm as far as I can tell on their website. I'm also not sure if Delano makes pickups with that tight of spacing for the poles.

Additionally, I'm looking for more of a traditional P sound (in a 5 string package) to play for a Elvis-themed musical*, but I'm not sure if these Delano's will get me there. Bass is a great price and a really good weight, so I'm considering this along with the Sire P5r and the Sadowsky MetroExpress Hybrid P/J 5.

Thoughts on the string spacing or choice of bass for the musical project?