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Wishbass Club

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#203
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#204
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#205
BassDudeSA said:
Well, forget about THAT one, check THIS one out. A beauty. The other striped model currently listed is pretty cool too.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bass-Fretless-F...oryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Click to expand...

I saw those two... I like the first one as it has two features I'd desire in a Wish...Kent Armstrong soapbar (have 'em in my 4 string Hoyt and they're wonderful) and rear mounted controls.

The striped one looks too much like a Jr. High wood shop project to me (back when schools actually had wood shop, ours don't).
 
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#206
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#209
... if Steve didn't change his serial numbering system, like maybe the first digit is the year, maybe #666 is the 66th bass of 2006? Mine just has #74 pressed into the wood, as you can see.
I wish I could remember what year I bought it...
 
#210
I don't think Steve's changed his numbering - I've been watching the basses that show up on eBay for the past several years, and have noticed the continuity of numbers.

He _has_ switched from a punched / stained (?) company name and city (like yours) to a transparent sticker, but the serial numbers are still punched into the wood. I think he switched to the Wishbass sticker back in the '400s or so.
 
#211
PeteH said:
I don't think Steve's changed his numbering - I've been watching the basses that show up on eBay for the past several years, and have noticed the continuity of numbers.

He _has_ switched from a punched / stained (?) company name and city (like yours) to a transparent sticker, but the serial numbers are still punched into the wood. I think he switched to the Wishbass sticker back in the '400s or so.
Click to expand...

Very true. That #74 is the 74th Wishbass built. Right now they are in the upper 600s and that is the actual number of Wishbasses produced. It has nothing to do with the year.
 
#213
M.R. Ogle said:
Although I hate to say this, but I'd think after 600 basses that he'd have sort of "refined" his processes a little more.

But they all have "character", don't they?
Click to expand...

Yes, they do have character. The whole thing that is unique about Wishbass is that they are unrefined. If they were refined, with more attention to detail then you'd see the price go way up. But for $300 - $400 you are still getting alot of bass for your money.
 
#215
Hey all.

I'm thinking about going for a Wishbass shortly (probably going to custom order it), and I have 2 questions.

In your opinions would it be better to have the 2 octave neck or 3 octave neck?

and

Since I am a noob to the ways of fretless, I was wondering if anyone had it lined and if his lines were accurate (unlike the nails :rollno: )

Thanks,
-Chris
 
#216
Akeris said:
In your opinions would it be better to have the 2 octave neck or 3 octave neck?
Click to expand...
All of Wish's necks are essentially the same scale length (34", with few exceptions). The Peanut body style, however, has a much deeper lower cutaway that lets you reach for 3 octaves. I'm not sure if the Peanut's fingerboard is actually any longer, but I guess it would have to be.

However, just because you could reach into a third octave doesn't necessarily mean that it would sound very good. Think about how thunky and muddy normal 45-105 bass strings sound up around the second octave. Also, up in that third octave, the difference between semitones is a matter of a few millimeters anyway, so you'd have to be ultra-precise. So if you like the body style, cool, but I wouldn't expect to get a lot of useful playing done waaaayy up there.

and Since I am a noob to the ways of fretless, I was wondering if anyone had it lined and if his lines were accurate (unlike the nails :rollno: )
Click to expand...
The single biggest factor in fretless intonation is the bridge position. Since Wish uses a tension bridge, it's possible that the bridge could simply be in the wrong place, which would blow the accuracy of any position markers. Never assume that the bridge is in the right place when you first pick up a bass!

There's a good fret-position calculator at Stewmac.com. If you put in 34.00 inches as a scale length, it will show you where the proper 'fret' positions should be on a nominally-34"-scale bass. If you're not sure about your Wishbass, start by carefully measuring the distance from the nut to the first octave nail and move the bridge to exactly double that distance. Because of varying string thickness, you may want to actually move the bass end of the bridge further back (essentially a slightly longer scale) than the treble end, but not much. This will be less of an issue with a low action. Test the octave, then start checking the 3, 5, 7, and 9 to see if it makes sense. Also, as a doublecheck on Wish's nails, use the octave length, double it, then put _that_ number into the Stewmac calculator as your scale length, and see if the 3,5,7,9 nails are in the right place.

Some combination of these methods should get you awfully darned close.

Cheers!

(edit) Oh, and for the above reason, try not to remove all the strings at once, unless you've carefully marked where the bridge goes with some masking tape.
 
#217
Akeris said:
Hey all.

I'm thinking about going for a Wishbass shortly (probably going to custom order it), and I have 2 questions.

In your opinions would it be better to have the 2 octave neck or 3 octave neck?

and

Since I am a noob to the ways of fretless, I was wondering if anyone had it lined and if his lines were accurate (unlike the nails :rollno: )

Thanks,
-Chris
Click to expand...

IMHO the most important thing you should order on a fretless is a truss rod. His standard package does NOT include one, but the option is (a fairly reasonable) $75.
 
#218
eli said:
IMHO the most important thing you should order on a fretless is a truss rod. His standard package does NOT include one, but the option is (a fairly reasonable) $75.
Click to expand...
I have 2 Wishbasses and one on order. No trussrods. I don't see a need. The necks are thick and strong. They will not move. Very comfortable too.

If the neck is straight and strong enough not to move, why do you need a trussrod? Steve claims that the instruments sound is affected by the vibrations going from wood to metal and back. When I first read that I was not convinced, but after spending the last year playing a Wish I'm totally sold on the concept. I think its one of the major reasons his basses sound like they do.

Another word about the neck. I used to do this goofy thing, hitting some harmonics and then bending the neck of my bass by putting my left hand on the headstock and pushing out. It was sorta cool, but not really musically meaningful. Anyway, I can do this with my BC Rich, MIA J, and 4001 Ric. I can't do it with the Wish... the neck is too strong to bend.

BTW. One of my Wishbasses has frets and they are very accurate up to about fret 15 after that they seem slightly sharp, but not too bad, and I don't play that high anyway. The other one is fretless and has lines, they are accurate too. The one I have on order is a fretless, but I asked him not to put on side markers. I'll do that myself.

If you order a bass from him, you can have the controls mounted from the rear. I did that with all of mine.
 
#219
You know, it would be nice to Myth-Bust this once and for all.

If you build a nice flat zero-relief neck (for fretless, of course, not fretted) from the get-go, and it doesn't ever shift due to tension or weather, does it even matter if you have a truss rod? Does the multipiece construction obviate the need? Any double basses out there with trussrods? Sure, my store-bought 6-string has two truss rods, but it's got a Stratocaster-thin one-piece maple neck, and I've needed to adjust the rods to fix a buzz.

So here's my question - does anyone have a Wishbass that's warped and/or bowed over time, to the point of affecting the playability or sound, or needing repair? Let's get it out in the open.
 
#220
PeteH said:
So here's my question - does anyone have a Wishbass that's warped and/or bowed over time, to the point of affecting the playability or sound, or needing repair? Let's get it out in the open.
Click to expand...

Well, I haven't had mine for very long, but I understand that Wish has sort of an unofficial warranty on ones you buy direct from him - that if there is a problem, he will take care of it.
 
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