So I've been sitting on this for over a month before posting on here because I had to see if this was a keeper or not. Oh, brother, is it ever…
Snagged a WattPlower II, the yellow one, off Guitar Center used section for an insanely low price. Too low to not jump on it. I've been really curious about them, glowing reviews everywhere but could never justify the cost when I already play a Stingray Special HH as my main bass. (Have a Sterling Ray34 as my back up but never touch it).
Why was it priced so low? It was a NAMM 25 show model so it probably got handled a lot. Seems like Reverend went through and made sure it was set up before they moved it on because it was perfect out of the box. Curious thing is that it was sold by GC but the shipping label was direct from Reverend which is why I'm speculating they fine tuned it after the show.
Anyway, this thing is AWESOME! Such an easy player, loud and punchy, all three switch positions produce a noticeably different sound, incredibly lightweight. Tone-wise, Watt and Reverend nailed it. I put Slinky flatwounds on it and it just got even better sounding.
My Stingray hasn't been to a rehearsal since this showed up, the WattPlower may have moved to the top of the totem pole for at least one of the two bands I'm in, the main/more active one for sure. I was rooting against the Reverend too but the sound speaks for itself. Even the rest of the band has noticed that it sits in the mix better.
I never thought I was a short scale player either, until this one I haven't played one that moved me. This is a sweetheart to play, one of those guitars that makes you smile when you play.
There is one strike against it, minor and easily rectified though, and that is the side fret markers. They used the glow-in-the-dark ones and on a maple fretboard during the day you cannot see them at all, in the dark they don't glow very well, if at all. I think I am going to have to drill them out and put some black ones in instead. To a lesser extent the fretboard inlays also disappear on the maple board but that doesn't bother me since I can't see them while playing.
Anyway, this one is sticking around and is getting played like hell. If there is a number for me I will proudly take one.