I recently got a Waterstone Indra and thought I'd give my thoughts on it.
First thing was that the bass was a great deal. I paid under $400 shipped, and that included a "Invalid Link Removed" hard case. The case is cheap (and actually came slightly damaged, with Invalid Link Removed, but very usable.
First of all, this bass is Invalid Link Removed. The back is a gorgeous Invalid Link Removed which can't be reproduced in pictures, and the front is an equally gorgeous Invalid Link Removed. Note that the knobs on the bass aren't the original chrome knobs, I swapped them out with some others for the time being. It came with a spare tortoiseshell pickguard.
In terms of details, the bass shows its inexpensive-made-in-Korea origins. The bottom of the fretboard, for example, is Invalid Link Removed. The Invalid Link Removed and also isn't finished well (could have used some additional sanding). The Invalid Link Removed is a bit uneven in places. The wiring is clean, and the pots Invalid Link Removed. The adjustment screws on the bridge were Invalid Link Removed through the chrome to the metal underneath, obviously from whatever tool was being used to adjust it, but isn't really noticeable unless you're right on top of it.
There were a few issues with the instrument shortly after unpacking it. It didn't like to hold tune very well, particularly the D string. The Invalid Link Removed are adjustable tension using the screws in the ends, which has helped, but it still isn't rock solid. However I just replaced the stock strings with D'Addario medium scales, so once it settles in we'll see whether that changes.
The nut for the instrument jack also fell off within a few days. It went back together easily enough, but I'll probably put Loc-Tight on it to make sure it doesn't happen again. It's always a bummer when pieces are falling off your new instrument, though.
The bass apparently had minimal setup at the factory or afterwards. The intonation was a bit off and there was some string buzz on the higher frets. I ended up spending quite a bit of time playing around with the the truss rod and the bridge/saddle height (the saddles aren't individually adjustable, it's all or nothing), but was able to get it dialed in without a lot of effort (I'm new at this, so it takes me a bit longer). Also of note, the bass came with allen wrenches for making adjustments, but was missing the size needed to adjust the saddles.
No paperwork came with the bass, and the website offers minimal information on setup, so there aren't any factory specs to start with for setup. This was the biggest bummer for me, and screams "cheap." Including some paperwork would make a big difference in terms of confidence. The good news is, an email to their customer support showed them to be responsive and thorough.
So, after looking it over and setting it up, I spent some time playing on it, and was impressed with how good it sounds! It's really thumpy (likely owing to the semi-hollow body), and has great tone. It's very dynamic, much louder than my MIM Jazz. The short scale makes it easy to play.
Although I sound grouchy about a lot of things, the important point to remember is that this was an inexpensive bass, at under $400 shipped with a hard case. It could possibly benefit from some new tuners, but the rest of the hardware seems to be doing its job just fine so far, and I can clean up the little finish things that bother me pretty easily.
All in all, I would definitely be comfortable recommending Waterstone to someone looking for a decent inexpensive instrument. I really think Waterstone could benefit from some better marketing (which seems scattershot and unprofessional, but I did advertising and graphic design for 15 years so I'm a harsh critic), but they're offering uniquely styled instruments at good prices.
Invalid Link Removed
First thing was that the bass was a great deal. I paid under $400 shipped, and that included a "Invalid Link Removed" hard case. The case is cheap (and actually came slightly damaged, with Invalid Link Removed, but very usable.
First of all, this bass is Invalid Link Removed. The back is a gorgeous Invalid Link Removed which can't be reproduced in pictures, and the front is an equally gorgeous Invalid Link Removed. Note that the knobs on the bass aren't the original chrome knobs, I swapped them out with some others for the time being. It came with a spare tortoiseshell pickguard.
In terms of details, the bass shows its inexpensive-made-in-Korea origins. The bottom of the fretboard, for example, is Invalid Link Removed. The Invalid Link Removed and also isn't finished well (could have used some additional sanding). The Invalid Link Removed is a bit uneven in places. The wiring is clean, and the pots Invalid Link Removed. The adjustment screws on the bridge were Invalid Link Removed through the chrome to the metal underneath, obviously from whatever tool was being used to adjust it, but isn't really noticeable unless you're right on top of it.
There were a few issues with the instrument shortly after unpacking it. It didn't like to hold tune very well, particularly the D string. The Invalid Link Removed are adjustable tension using the screws in the ends, which has helped, but it still isn't rock solid. However I just replaced the stock strings with D'Addario medium scales, so once it settles in we'll see whether that changes.
The nut for the instrument jack also fell off within a few days. It went back together easily enough, but I'll probably put Loc-Tight on it to make sure it doesn't happen again. It's always a bummer when pieces are falling off your new instrument, though.
The bass apparently had minimal setup at the factory or afterwards. The intonation was a bit off and there was some string buzz on the higher frets. I ended up spending quite a bit of time playing around with the the truss rod and the bridge/saddle height (the saddles aren't individually adjustable, it's all or nothing), but was able to get it dialed in without a lot of effort (I'm new at this, so it takes me a bit longer). Also of note, the bass came with allen wrenches for making adjustments, but was missing the size needed to adjust the saddles.
No paperwork came with the bass, and the website offers minimal information on setup, so there aren't any factory specs to start with for setup. This was the biggest bummer for me, and screams "cheap." Including some paperwork would make a big difference in terms of confidence. The good news is, an email to their customer support showed them to be responsive and thorough.
So, after looking it over and setting it up, I spent some time playing on it, and was impressed with how good it sounds! It's really thumpy (likely owing to the semi-hollow body), and has great tone. It's very dynamic, much louder than my MIM Jazz. The short scale makes it easy to play.
Although I sound grouchy about a lot of things, the important point to remember is that this was an inexpensive bass, at under $400 shipped with a hard case. It could possibly benefit from some new tuners, but the rest of the hardware seems to be doing its job just fine so far, and I can clean up the little finish things that bother me pretty easily.
All in all, I would definitely be comfortable recommending Waterstone to someone looking for a decent inexpensive instrument. I really think Waterstone could benefit from some better marketing (which seems scattershot and unprofessional, but I did advertising and graphic design for 15 years so I'm a harsh critic), but they're offering uniquely styled instruments at good prices.
Invalid Link Removed
