Travis Bean Owner's Club

[questhe]

Member #1

Thomas Peasley #2

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Travis Bean # 610 in Koa. The only bass I kept when I quit playing in the 80's to focus on my career, marriage, and kids.

Now, I only have the career left and my Travis Bean bass is there for me to get back into playing.

The Travis Bean is characterized by sustain, and the metallic tone. It sounds like a suspension bridge in the wind. This is a good thing, because it has harmonics into the sky.

When I play it, I use a tapping technique to emphasize the harmonics, and the guitarists have a buddy in their range.

Also, the B-string is very clear and not muddy. I have mine strung with B E A D. Not a problem.

The Travis pickups are also quite advanced for their time, being high output and single-coil to get those harmonics.

Well, there is a downside. The thing weighs like a suspension bridge, too. I am going to get a scale, but it makes it hard to keep it on for a full set.

 

[Thomas Peasley]

I own suspension bridge #375 also in KOA. When I bought it, it already had one of the pickups replaced but still sound good.

Yes it stayed true thru the 80s and 90s and now I use it still for that harmonic rich, punchy sound that only a Bean can give.

Comes in handy with roudy crowds too!

-Tp

 

[FL Knifemaker]

I own suspension bridge #375 also in KOA. When I bought it, it already had one of the pickups replaced but still sound good.

Yes it stayed true thru the 80s and 90s and now I use it still for that harmonic rich, punchy sound that only a Bean can give.

Comes in handy with roudy crowds too!

-Tp

Cool basses!! Is that a Peavey pup in the bridge???

 

[questhe]

Interesting that you own a Carvin and Travis.
As you can see, I do, too.

Let me guess - we both worship precision in our sound and build?

Oh, yeah, the travis did stay in tune for years between playings.

 

[rusty66]

I lusted after those in the 80's. Could not afford one then. They still have a place in my heart! Love the headstock!

Cheers

Rusty

 

[MAGUS®]

Member #1 .

Well, there is a downside. The thing weighs like a suspension bridge, too. I am going to get a scale, but it makes it hard to keep it on for a full set.

Perhaps Mick Karn went to the gym on a regular basis

The sound he got out of that TB fretless was just amazing, and i'd love to know how he did it but i've never found out.

 

[questhe]

OK, the more I think about it, "Suspension Bridge" is a great nickname for our bases.

 

[mcbassdude]

I have #462 Koa. Having it restored. I traded Roger Capps of Pat Benetar for it back in the early 80's. The finish is worn in spots, but I'm thinking I should leave it as is. Thoughts?

 

[cataract]

I'd leave it as is. Did I mention that I want one?

 

[rickwebb]

mcbassdude- leave it. it's called mojo...

i got to play one of those once through my old SVT, about 28 years ago. it was strung with old flatwounds. it sounded and felt like a bomb going off under your chair- in a good way !

 

[hlava]

TB 2000 # 932 (lefty fretless)

http://www.travisbeanguitars.com/in...2adcbafdfc6254/fuseaction/database.detail.htm

 

[Roscoe East]

oh god... my local used instrument shop now has a pair of TB-2000s -- one in koa, one painted black --and they're in mint condition! But they want $3,750 each!!!

 

[cornfarmer]

Let's revive this old thread now y'hear

Owned a # 400-ish (it think it was #465) back in the mid 90's. Bought it from Gruhn when they were still down on Broadway (in Nashville). Scraped together most of my reserve cash to take it home. It was one of the later body styles, looking back I think the early bodies looked better. Neck was pretty thick, and the zero radius was weird to me. As mentioned by others, it had mammoth tones all across the frequency spectrum. It also had a mammoth weight problem. My only regrets are: not keeping it longer and gigging with it more with louder/harder bands, giving myself time to get used to it, and lastly, knowing what I know now, I should've kept it 20 years and flipped it for 4-5 times the price.

Years later, the planets aligned, and there's a new one coming to me next week. Yes, new, but not quite a TB2000. Electrical Guitar Company (which makes great and very similar aluminium necked gtrs/basses themselves) started repro-ing the Beans a few years back and they have recently built a few TB500 basses, which AFAIK was a model that never got past the prototype stage back when Travis Bean was still in business....the company folded before anything came of it.

Travis Bean Designs | Bean is Back

 

[D.A.R.K.]

Just grabbed TB2000 #437 while passing through California- was told it came from North Carolina.
Had ancient, low tension flats and the neck is ruler flat, so I had to put some heavy tension strings on it to get enough
relief. Plays nicely now and i'm starting to get it dialed in. Low E seems to be a little quieter though. Lots of caps etc. in the control cavity, I should test the values and make sure everything is right before getting into the pickups. Has plenty of gig wear but seems to be original.
Photo by Douglas Kallmeyer

 

[Bob_Ross]

Lots of caps etc. in the control cavity

Any idea what for? iirc the original electronics are VVTT, all passive, w/ a 3-way pu selector switch.

 

[Tbean]

Have bean 2000 #484 ,heavy yes , played it in the 80,90s, getting to old to play it now.