Willcox Bass Club (Lightwave)

[Les Ismoor]

Looks interesting...
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[kirkdickinson]

Looks interesting...
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Yeah, any idea on cost? I bet +$4000

 

[kirkdickinson]

I bought a used Dingwall about 2 weeks ago. Amazing bass. I can't help but think that the Dingwall design would lend itself perfectly to the Lightwave system.

 

[farshore]

I bought a used Dingwall about 2 weeks ago. Amazing bass. I can't help but think that the Dingwall design would lend itself perfectly to the Lightwave system.

You mean you want fanned fretlines on your Lightwave?

 

[Kirk Bryant]

Ok how many of you guys are actually using your Lightwave basses in regular rotation? Or have they been they been moved to the closet as a novelty? Please let me know how you"really" feel about them.

 

[kirkdickinson]

Not many of "Us Guys". I have two of them. My Saber VL5 Fretless is my #1 bass in my rotation.

The Lightwave Saber SL5 has been with me for 6-7 years. Was my main bass all the time for probably 4. Sold all my othe 5's shortly after getting it. I have been playing fretless 90% of the time in the last 2 years. Started on fretless first with the Michael Kelly. The Acoustic only gets used now if I have an acoustic type gig. The GWB-35, I have had for 3 years, and Got the VL back in October. It is a gorgeous bass and sounds awesome and is fun to play. Since I got the Dingwall as my 2nd fretted bass a couple of months ago, the fretted Lightwave hasn't been getting much play.

For fit and finish, Lightwave is up there with the best Ibanez and as good as Dingwall. (at least my Combustion, I haven't played a Canadian made one).

The pickups are DEAD Silent with no hiss or 60 cycle hum ever.

Check out this guy with my bass's sister.

 

[Kirk Bryant]

Hey Kirk, thanks I'm hoping some other owners will chime in too. That's the kind of info I am seeking.

 

[Kirk Bryant]

Well Kirk it's looking like you're just about the only one in the world still playing one! Kidding but still curious. Anybody else?

 

[kirkdickinson]

I think the guys playing them aren't here talking about it. This thead has been slow.

 

[IGotGas]

Two of mine (Hydrid 5 [i have several, just different colors, SL 4 [have several of those too]) are always in my travel inventory when I do hired gun work. My Hybrid 5's are, quite frankly, my "go to/confidence" basses simply by virtue of their versatility, reliability, comfort and weight. I have more basses than I care to admit, but the Lightwaves are really how I get'r done 80-90% of the time.

I think I have 5 (maybe 6 or 7) Lightwave basses, but three are in my fly in gig rotation.

 

[warwickhunt]

Not 100% Lightwave but the Sonus platform adds something else!

 

[pablomigraine]

Yeah, any idea on cost? I bet +$4000

We've made some refinements to this instrument, including a slight reshaping of the fretboard to accommodate both Arco and Pizzicato playing styles. We'll be announcing pricing shortly!

I bought a used Dingwall about 2 weeks ago. Amazing bass. I can't help but think that the Dingwall design would lend itself perfectly to the Lightwave system.

Strangely enough... we were thinking that too.....

 

[kirkdickinson]

We've made some refinements to this instrument, including a slight reshaping of the fretboard to accommodate both Arco and Pizzicato playing styles. We'll be announcing pricing shortly!
Strangely enough... we were thinking that too.....

A couple of years ago, when I ordered parts and talked to Chris Wilcox, he told me that he had just a long discussion with Shelton Dingwall at NAMM about doing something with fanned frets. I believe it was shortly after the novax patent expired. Any word on that?

For fretted stuff, my Combustion has pretty much replaced my Saber SL. Digging me that B with the 37" scale. I play mostly fretless so my Saber VL fretless still gets a lot of action.

 

[IGotGas]

I would totally drop large quick cash on an Afterburner 3 with the Lightwave system in place. Not sure how one might fit all of the electronics in the body but that would be killer!! Or even if Dingwall could mimic the Hybrid and just put a magnetic p/u at the neck! Think about a bass like that but with nice top wood (choices), fanned frets and their stellar build quality!!

 

[joenoone]

We've made some refinements to this instrument, including a slight reshaping of the fretboard to accommodate both Arco and Pizzicato playing styles. We'll be announcing pricing shortly!



Strangely enough... we were thinking that too.....

Seems to be a resurgence. I saw the other day a used Ibanez fanned fretted bass (SRFF805) which I read elsewhere was announced at the 2015 NAMM show. Seeing that Ibanez piqued my interest in fanned fretting.

 

[joenoone]

Huh - even Link Removed makes a fanned fretboard bass one now for $570...

 

[IGotGas]

In the USA market, it seems an 800 series Ibby in both 5 and 6 speed models are available. Not sure of their higher end stuff (which is REALLY quite good these days!). I've not had an opportunity to plaid either of said models so maybe I'll have one shipped.

The idea of a Wilcox created model is most intriguing for sure! Second to that would be the Lightwave system on a Dingwall build.

I'm very curious of the members in this group: who owns and plays a Hybrid model? Frankly, they are by far my favorite, though they tend to be a lower spec rig in the model lineup. I'm sure hoping Chris will consider at least a run of higher spec Hybrid models (nice tops and any upgrades electronically) in the near future. Granted I'm not the target market (my fly in gigs are generally headliner country and sometimes rock), but I've found a wide, useful, repeatable and brilliant tonal pallet with the hybrid basses just through a change of strings!

 

[pablomigraine]

A couple of years ago, when I ordered parts and talked to Chris Wilcox, he told me that he had just a long discussion with Shelton Dingwall at NAMM about doing something with fanned frets. I believe it was shortly after the novax patent expired. Any word on that?

For fretted stuff, my Combustion has pretty much replaced my Saber SL. Digging me that B with the 37" scale. I play mostly fretless so my Saber VL fretless still gets a lot of action.

Glad to hear we're still holding down your fretless duties!! That Combustion sure is hard to beat tho! As far as a Fanned Fret Willcox.... we are currently exploring several possibilities, but nothing firm yet. Stay tuned!!

I would totally drop large quick cash on an Afterburner 3 with the Lightwave system in place. Not sure how one might fit all of the electronics in the body but that would be killer!! Or even if Dingwall could mimic the Hybrid and just put a magnetic p/u at the neck! Think about a bass like that but with nice top wood (choices), fanned frets and their stellar build quality!!

How about just Willcox Custom with the new V2 LightWave pickups and the Novax Fanned Fret System, built by our team in our California Custom shop? Hypothetically, of course . Years ago this was a Technology Company selling basses. Now we're a full-fledged boutique bass builder, offering extremely high-quality instruments in their own right... that also happen to come equipped with the cutting edge evolution in pickups.

....The idea of a Wilcox created model is most intriguing for sure! Second to that would be the Lightwave system on a Dingwall build.

I'm very curious of the members in this group: who owns and plays a Hybrid model? Frankly, they are by far my favorite, though they tend to be a lower spec rig in the model lineup. I'm sure hoping Chris will consider at least a run of higher spec Hybrid models (nice tops and any upgrades electronically) in the near future. Granted I'm not the target market (my fly in gigs are generally headliner country and sometimes rock), but I've found a wide, useful, repeatable and brilliant tonal pallet with the hybrid basses just through a change of strings!

While there were a bunch of LightWave / Magnetic Field Pickup "Hybrids" floating around for a time, these are definitely a thing of the past. We have refined Optical Pickup technology (in combination with ICEtone) to the point where we feel the addition of Magnetic Field pickups in the same instrument would only harm the output signal... the only thing traditional pickups would ADD would be EMI & other noise, infrasonic distortion, amplitude limitation, general mud, and 30% less harmonic content.

LightWave Optical Pickups perform the same function as traditional Magnetic Field Pickups, they simply do a much better job of it. We're not for everybody, and we're not trying to be. We're trying to ADD something new and exciting... not copy or re-do. Our little club of Optical Pickup converts is all about Attraction rather than Promotion... Although many players find they can get all they'll ever need and more from a Willcox Bass, we're not trying to replace the "J" and "P" Basses. I love Jazz basses and still own 2. But this is something different! The signal from our pickups is inherently noiseless... because there's no giant electromagnet right near the electronics!! Our pickups read 30% more harmonic content than even the best magnetic field pickups. Furthermore magnetic pickups only measure string oscillation from side to side... LightWave Systems Optical Pickups measure string movement on two axes... side to side AND up and down....

Many players who are looking for that "neck pickup sound" or that "P-Bass tone" realize that these sounds have as much or more to do with where on the string you position your right hand and play over as they do the placement of the transducer itself... they just mistakenly attribute it to the pickup itself because they're resting their thumb over it.

Obviously much of this is subjective. Optical pickups are a wide departure from what most players are used to... and like I said we're not for everyone.. just the cool kids ;-). Hhahah seriously though..... the stuff we're working on right now is so exciting It's all I can do to not spill the beans on all of it but suffice to say... we're going to be rewarding our acolytes with some very special stuff very very soon. We are adding new dealers every day so check our website for more info, and watch for the big unveiling of our new website and lots of other cool announcements coming in August!!

In the meantime think of it this way, and Chris Willcox said it best: "In terms of amplification, sound reproduction and recording, we’re living in the glory days. Amplifiers have amazing new modeling & profiling capabilities, new topologies and they’re very low noise. Speaker enclosure design for bass is finally reaching maturity and can provide honest full-range / flat-response in a portable format and the world of recording is a whole universe of possibilities….The only thing that hasn’t evolved is the pickups!! They haven't changed one bit since they first put the "Electric" in Electric Basses. When you combine the cleaner, more powerful, more complete signal from Optical Pickups with these other advanced technologies, the possibilities are truly limitless!"

 

[Les Ismoor]

Myself, I don't have a need for a hybrid; I have the Lightwave because its sound is so unique. I have an older fretless Saber 5 that sounds like no other bass I've ever owned. With a nice set of tape wounds, it sings with a deep, woody voice. I'll take that over a P any day. Not that there is anything wrong with a P bass, but there are lots of basses that can cop a P sound.

 

[Marko 1]

Hi, I'm "Marko5657", member #2.

Finances became such that I had to sell a lot of gear (mostly guitars/amps and extra PA stuff) but I had to let the Lightwave go as it was the only bass I had that was worth much, lol... I actually sold it for more than I paid.

So unfortunately I can't be a member anymore, but it was a very special bass and I hope the guy who bought it is enjoying it much.