Last bass I'm ever buying

Doctor J · 13-10-2006 9:33pm #1

Well, I've been playing bass about 17 years now, I've played a lot of basses, I've owned a fairly small amount in truth but I've pretty much settled on what I want from a bass and what a bass should do. Firstly, Leo Fender produced the definative design when he knocked out the Jazz bass, the one bass I can think of that'll do any kind of music well, it's comfy and just sounds right for every occasion. I do, however, believe technology has moved on in 50 years, especially in electronics, and it would be foolish not to take this into account. So I knew what I was looking for in a bass and I asked Hotwire in Germany to make it for me. I told them I wanted a bass for life, so I wouldn't have to buy another damn bass as long as I live.

So enough of my rambling, here cometh the pics

Q-Tuner pickups and a Noll TCM3JB preamp (Vol & Blend & Passive Bypass, Bass & Treble cut and boost, Mid cut & boost and passive tone on three concentric knobs, vol is push/pull to engage passive mode).

The fretboard is fairly mentally figured, which I didn't ask for, I was more into it sounding right than selecting figured woods, but I ain't complaining

Q-Tuners and Badass 5 bridge. The electronics are very discreet, there aren't a plethora of knobs and switches.

The 4+1 headstock was custom, they usually do 5 in a row or 3+2, it is also angled back so no need for string trees, also a custom option.

6 bolt neck instead of 4 with a plate, again a custom request Hotwire were happy to do

Comfy neck, slim but still feels right in my hand

Hipshot Ultralight tuners to prevent neck dive.

There's actually a lot of flame on the neck which the flash is hiding, it's a bit more obvious here and the first photo.

Gotta dig the low serial numbers

More of the fretboard

So there it is. First impressions? It sounds superb. Even with the preamp bypassed the tone is full and clear, meat but without any mud. It is everything I could have wished for tonally. The bass is heavy, which I like, but not too much of a strain on my back. The neck is comfy, it plays delightfully and it was definitely worth the money (don't ask) and the wait (even though the wait was ****ing horrible

).

Creamy Goodness · 13-10-2006 9:45pm

my gawd, that fretboard is something else, in fact the whole bass is...

i love that shade of green too, it's very hard to get the right shade of green on a instrument but you sir, have pulled it off + 1.

any chance of some audio from it?

Doctor J · 13-10-2006 9:46pm

In good time. I actually got it on Wednesday but have been doing late shifts in the studio as well as working 9 to 5 so tonight is the first time I've really gotten to play it... dammit

Edit -> Actually, just going to strip it and have me a look so here's the full fretboard

feylya · 13-10-2006 10:45pm

Tell me you're around this weekend! I'm still not sure about the inlays. The first picture looks fantastic but I'll have to see it IRL

It wasn't me! · 13-10-2006 10:48pm

Oh dear doctor...

Doctor J · 13-10-2006 10:49pm

I am. No car though

feylya · 13-10-2006 10:49pm

I have legs.

Doctor J · 13-10-2006 11:05pm

Yeah go on then

Mystic Fibrosis · 13-10-2006 11:13pm

Absolutely fantastic.
And that fretboard is awesome, I think the figuring (or lack thereof) actually adds to the oevure of the bass. I'd say you're right, you'd be hard pushed to want to buy anything else after that!

Eoin Madsen · 13-10-2006 11:16pm

That looks wonderful, Doc.

34" scale length?

Doctor J · 13-10-2006 11:19pm

Yep. 34. 18.5mm string spacing at the bridge (I know you're wondering

)

440Hz · 13-10-2006 11:27pm

Doctor J wrote:

definitely worth the money (don't ask)

Gwan... have to ask!!

Some beautiful instrument there!! Well wear and enjoy. Id say the sound is savage!

feylya · 13-10-2006 11:30pm

Don't worry Doc, she'll have her guitar counterpart soon enough

Beecher · 13-10-2006 11:48pm

Mans thats F8cking bbeeeaaauuutiful1!! (am im not just saying that cause ive just had a bottle o wine!) and despite what some people may think about teh inlays I think they really balance out the minimalistic body and makes the bass look 10x better!

John · 14-10-2006 12:05am

Very nice!

****.gif

david · 14-10-2006 12:18am

Absolutely stunning detail on that ebony (? doesnt look like rosewood to me)

Rustar · 14-10-2006 1:36am

Yes, Doc, that will be the last bass you ever buy, for.....

[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, Serif]ACK! Turns out we only have 2 weeks left to live.....a Russian scientist says he has found a giant comet heading towards Earth, to hit us in late October.[/FONT]

And Nostradamus said it wouldn't happen until 2012. What an imprecise loser.

How come only the Russians know about this???? I like the way the article forgets to mention how far away the comet is, how big it is, or where it is.....who needs those pesky facts, anyway?

http://english.pravda.ru/science/earth/06-10-2006/84913-comet-0

[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, Serif]Fortuitously, the Japanese have film from the LAST time Earth was destroyed.[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, Serif]We can count ourselves as lucky, for it appears at the end of the film that the zebras, monkeys, and Japanese will survive to carry on.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, Serif]Perfect payback for that nuclear warhead/Godzilla thing we foisted upon them.

[/FONT]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=QlYmO4S_Dkk&mode=related&search=

So hurry up and get some sound samples made for us with that awesome new bass!

feylya · 14-10-2006 1:56am

Rustar, can I have some of your acid please?

Rustar · 14-10-2006 2:04am

Heheh, hey, I figured my pals on the Instruments board should be the first to know.

Seriously, that is a honey of a bass, Doc....and if the comet's real, I'll fly over in the last couple of days and try it out!

It wasn't me! · 14-10-2006 9:17am

feylya wrote:

Rustar, can I have some of your acid please?

Seconded.

Johnny Storm · 14-10-2006 9:54am

Rustar wrote:

[[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, Serif]Fortuitously, the Japanese have film from the LAST time Earth was destroyed.[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, Serif]We can count ourselves as lucky, for it appears at the end of the film that the zebras, monkeys, and Japanese will survive to carry on.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, Serif]Perfect payback for that nuclear warhead/Godzilla thing we foisted upon them. [/FONT]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=QlYmO4S_Dkk&mode=related&search=

"Oh no .... there goes Tokyo"

Cool video, Rustar

*** Dr J, Fantastic looking bass. Congratulations and enjoy it !!!

Kenny_D · 14-10-2006 10:53am

Looks great J. But did they miss a spot on the spray job? Looks like you can see the wood on the left side of the fretboard where it meets the body??? Or am I seeing things? Anyway as long as she plays well. Enjoy it

fish-head · 14-10-2006 12:00pm

Doctor, you lucky lucky bastard. That's brilliant. Super dee dooper!

Patricide · 14-10-2006 2:02pm

i want your endless supply of instruement funds, i want your instruments and i want that shade of green on my bass....:( o well i cant have any of them so ill go off and eat my sorrows away.