The Official MARUSZCZYK CLUB!

[Zooberwerx]

The 5-string Caspar I owned had Aguilar DCB soapbars, with passive electronics. Those pickups sat in a live mix as nicely as any pickups I ever owned. And while the tiny bass looked like a toy from the future on me, it was a joy to play.

BTW....what structural issues do wenge fingerboards have?

Keep in mind that a lot depends on the thickness and characteristics of that particular piece of lumber.

Wenge has a nasty habit of finding the weakest grain structure, splitting, then we're off the races. In all fairness, I never had any problems with my late 90's Streamers (all wenge). Two worst examples were a Czech MTD Grendel (wenge FB) and, more recently, a MIJ Soundgear Prestige with an ornamental wenge top-cap veneer. The Grendel fault (a la San Andreas) traversed 5 frets and was a particular challenge. I was able to dust & glue and leveled things out with a J blade...a partial de-fret would have been the proper route.

The Aggies sound just as good bypassed as they do active via the OBP-3. There's actual available wiring limbs should I wish to install a mid-freq switch.

Riis

 

[TonyRo]

I can't remember if I posted this bass here or not - it showed up in the Public Peace shop around this time last year and I just couldn't help myself, as a lover of Wal basses:

So resonant and stiff, best neck I've ever played on. I'm a sucker for those knobs as well. Just a beautiful instrument!

 

[foothilla]

Keep in mind that a lot depends on the thickness and characteristics of that particular piece of lumber.

Wenge has a nasty habit of finding the weakest grain structure, splitting, then we're off the races. In all fairness, I never had any problems with my late 90's Streamers (all wenge). Two worst examples were a Czech MTD Grendel (wenge FB) and, more recently, a MIJ Soundgear Prestige with an ornamental wenge top-cap veneer. The Grendel fault (a la San Andreas) traversed 5 frets and was a particular challenge. I was able to dust & glue and leveled things out with a J blade...a partial de-fret would have been the proper route.

The Aggies sound just as good bypassed as they do active via the OBP-3. There's actual available wiring limbs should I wish to install a mid-freq switch.

Riis

Good to know. I always assumed that wenge was super stable, since Warwick clearly loves it. I've always had blind faith in German products, which probably isn't smart in this day and age.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Good to know. I always assumed that wenge was super stable, since Warwick clearly loves it. I've always had blind faith in German products, which probably isn't smart in this day and age

IIRC, the availability & affordability of quality wenge went south ~2000 which is why Warwick switched-over to ovangkol...so be it. I have a 2011 Soundgear with a 5 piece wenge neck but even Ibanez is now using Panga Panga. As I mentioned, they cut a super-thin wenge veneer for their Prestige series which has been historically problematic. I've never had an issue with the stability when used as a neck wood but my encounters have been well-executed multi-lams, stiffening rods, and such.

Riis

 

[foothilla]

IIRC, the availability & affordability of quality wenge went south ~2000 which is why Warwick switched-over to ovangkol...so be it. I have a 2011 Soundgear with a 5 piece wenge neck but even Ibanez is now using Panga Panga. As I mentioned, they cut a super-thin wenge veneer for their Prestige series which has been historically problematic. I've never had an issue with the stability when used as a neck wood but my encounters have been well-executed multi-lams, stiffening rods, and such.

Riis

I haven't followed Warwick basses for years, and didn't even know they switched over to Ovangkol. For what it's worth, I have an Ovangkol back-and-sides Martin acoustic, and it's one of the best sounding Martins I've ever owned (and I've owned a ton of them). Sounds better than most of my rosewood and mahogany models. That guitar was the first time I've heard of anybody using Ovangkol, I never even heard of that wood prior to that.

 

[Barticus]

IIRC, the availability & affordability of quality wenge went south ~2000 which is why Warwick switched-over to ovangkol...so be it. I have a 2011 Soundgear with a 5 piece wenge neck but even Ibanez is now using Panga Panga. As I mentioned, they cut a super-thin wenge veneer for their Prestige series which has been historically problematic. I've never had an issue with the stability when used as a neck wood but my encounters have been well-executed multi-lams, stiffening rods, and such.

Riis

Ovangkol for fingerboards??
I’ve never seen that.

I’m a big fan of Wenge fretboards and have never personally had an issue with a Wenge neck or fretboard. Not that it can’t happen, and I’ve heard stories of twisted thin necks but never any I’ve owned. I’ve owned Mayones and Ibanez with multi-lam Wenge necks and 17 German Warwicks (all with Wenge fretboards) and 4 with Wenge necks… 15 fivers, 1 six and 1 four string, the four was the oldest (97) and had a bit of fretboard shrinkage (easy fix). I’ve always treated and conditioned my fretboards, never let them dry out, I would think in a really dry climate there might be a risk of cracking due to lack of moisture content, or letting the wood dry out. I also work with Wenge a fair amount in my wood shop for truss rod covers and other accessories, but haven’t had issues. About 5 yrs I bought a bunch of Wenge stock and re-sawed for fingerboards as well (20 or so) and no cracking on those raw pieces.

Some great examples


That Cazpar actually had some type of finish and maybe even grain filler applied to it because it’s the smoothest piece of Wenge I have ever played.

 

[Barticus]

Keep in mind that a lot depends on the thickness and characteristics of that particular piece of lumber.

Wenge has a nasty habit of finding the weakest grain structure, splitting, then we're off the races. In all fairness, I never had any problems with my late 90's Streamers (all wenge). Two worst examples were a Czech MTD Grendel (wenge FB) and, more recently, a MIJ Soundgear Prestige with an ornamental wenge top-cap veneer. The Grendel fault (a la San Andreas) traversed 5 frets and was a particular challenge. I was able to dust & glue and leveled things out with a J blade...a partial de-fret would have been the proper route.

The Aggies sound just as good bypassed as they do active via the OBP-3. There's actual available wiring limbs should I wish to install a mid-freq switch.

Riis

Agree with you on those DCB‘s I have them in several basses and they sound great passive and don’t change when the preamp is engaged. They pair well with different preamps as well.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Ovangkol for fingerboards??
I’ve never seen that.
View attachment 7376291

I’m a big fan of Wenge fretboards and have never personally had an issue with a Wenge neck or fretboard. Not that it can’t happen, and I’ve heard stories of twisted thin necks but never any I’ve owned. I’ve owned Mayones and Ibanez with multi-lam Wenge necks and 17 German Warwicks (all with Wenge fretboards) and 4 with Wenge necks… 15 fivers, 1 six and 1 four string, the four was the oldest (97) and had a bit of fretboard shrinkage (easy fix). I’ve always treated and conditioned my fretboards, never let them dry out, I would think in a really dry climate there might be a risk of cracking due to lack of moisture content, or letting the wood dry out. I also work with Wenge a fair amount in my wood shop for truss rod covers and other accessories, but haven’t had issues. About 5 yrs I bought a bunch of Wenge stock and re-sawed for fingerboards as well (20 or so) and no cracking on those raw pieces.

Some great examples
View attachment 7376297View attachment 7376298View attachment 7376299

That Cazpar actually had some type of finish and maybe even grain filler applied to it because it’s the smoothest piece of Wenge I have ever played.

I was referring to necks, not the fingerboards. My Streamer ProM and LX 4's both had wenge fingerboards and never had an issue with either.

Riis

 

[Barticus]

I was referring to necks, not the fingerboards. My Streamer ProM and LX 4's both had wenge fingerboards and never had an issue with either.

Riis

Ah, okay I misunderstood... Ovangkol necks for sure and those weigh a ton as well

 

[demian04]

I'll receive this beauty this week and I couldn't be happier! I've waited almost a year to get it (about 10 months). I'll send some more pictures when I'll actually get it.
This is a Sputnik 6 string with Eye Poplar top and Olive fingerboard. I picked the Delano soapbars too

Glad to be apart of the club

 

[Lamma]

I'll receive this beauty this week and I couldn't be happier! I've waited almost a year to get it (about 10 months). I'll send some more pictures when I'll actually get it.
This is a Sputnik 6 string with Eye Poplar top and Olive fingerboard. I picked the Delano soapbars too

Glad to be apart of the club

When did you place your order?

 

[demian04]

When did you place your order?

The order was confirmed on the 23rd of january. As I understand, some of the hardware wasn't available when I ordered the bass, hence the wait.

 

[BlackWolf]

Don’t have the money to buy it right now nor I really need a new bass, but I was a bit bored so I configured a 5-string Elwood L just for fun.


Anyway after months of use I can say I like Maru coated strings a lot. Way better than Elixir for my taste.

 

[Lamma]

I received an email from Adrian saying that my dream bass has been completed.

“I can’t wait to play it.”

 

[Barticus]

I received an email from Adrian saying that my dream bass has been completed.

“I can’t wait to play it.”
View attachment 7386555

WOW, that’s a lot of figured wood!
Congrats

 

[demian04]

The order was confirmed on the 23rd of january. As I understand, some of the hardware wasn't available when I ordered the bass, hence the wait.

Here it is!!!

 

[fretless714]

hi all, so after watching this video on youtube last night I pulled the trigger on this very instrument. TOTAL impulse buy! got an email this morning that it’s on its way to Canada from Germany and could possibly be here this week. woo-hoo!

 

[justBrian]

Just picked this Jazzus 5a this morning. Got some killer Delano pickups and preamp, but I don’t know what all of the controls do.

 

[Cardsfan85]

Just picked this Jazzus 5a this morning. Got some killer Delano pickups and preamp, but I don’t know what all of the controls do.

I want to do what you do for work lol! Here I am nit picking about what the controls are/do before I buy 500 dollars bass.

 

[justBrian]

I want to do what you do for work lol! Here I am nit picking about what the controls are/do before I buy 500 dollars bass.

I’m retired—just did a little horse trading.