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I’m a long term fan of short scale bass. It’s smaller, lighter and the shorter scale length just fits my asian hand better. My first bass was an early 2000 Ampeg AMB1 bass, bought the bass when I was like 17 years old with my first part-time salary. As my bass adventure goes throughout the years, knowing how a bass should sounded like, it became more difficult to find a short scale that delivers the same tonal quality as their full size brothers. And while I’m more financially stable compare to my teenager days, and how much more precise people are building musical instruments now. We’re in a very great era where there are some fun short scale basses that actually play and sound great. It was first the Stingray short scale, and now I have a chance to test drive this Fender Mustang bass.
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For a short period of time in the early 70, Fender came up with a bass that has alder body(60s) plus an all maple neck(70s) later on they started building basses with ash body, but these ‘transition’ basses had earned their reputation in bass history, the most famous one is probably Geddy Lee’s 72 jazz bass, the tuxedo.
Named after a New York bassist playing the same bass. RA is Jimmy Coppolo’s take of this special ones, and it happened to be the best of both world.
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Solid body string instruments are not rocket sciences, Stingray was first introduced in 1976, and throughout the years they’ve made their name in the music history and had their particular printed onto countless modern music.
Throughout the years, instrument design evolves, but mostly a little at a time Often manufactures would put their 1 or 2 signature product in all kinds of variations possible and try to squeeze out as much value as they possibly can and calling them the new innovative thing while they still keep in mind to ‘not mess around with the core product’ . However, in 2018 , EBMM had announced a new line of bass based on their best selling electric basses and they’re pretty darn serious.
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Alot of the high end, boutique level started in the early 80s, and after 4 decades of hard work building their art and crafts to where things are. Many of these builders are shifting into their retirement. Some of them had decided to train a group of apprentices and continue the brand in a more systematic way, some of them decided to sell the brands, and some of them have the 2nd generation taking over the business.
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This bass happen to pass by the shop for a quick setup and I was able to do a quick test drive before it goes .. here's the simple quick review of this Sadowsky Metro MV5
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Sadowsky has been around since the 80s serving professional musicians starting from NYC then soon all over the world. They’re famous for their stability and that ‘guarantee’ great sound night after night for most demanding players. When something doesn’t sounded right at a gig, it’s possibly something else other than the bass itself. In 2003 they’ve started the Metro line offering the least customizable and more affordable instruments that are manufactured in Japan. And in 2019, they’ve partnered with a factory producing even more affordable MetroExpiress basses and ended the Metro line.
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Here comes the little brother of that special Fender Deluxe Jazz V I played early this year . This was the famous John Suhr era Jazz bass who later started his own guitar company, their boutique killer at the time and it's still preferred by many players and highly in demand after 25+ years.
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Building solid body instrument is not really rocket science, and most of the secrets in building were being revealed in the pass several decades. The truth is, there’s not that much of secret, building things precisely, carefully, with musicians in mind on what/how they need and how an instrument can possibly help would be the key.
Here comes a bass built locally from Toronto by Chris Seldon(Chris Seldon Guitars / aka Owl Bass) and here’s some thoughts of mine to share.
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Another personal bass of mine. My 2nd kbp5, a Classic Supreme in Plum Crazy finish. and this will most likely be with me for the next short while .
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CBS sold the right to the Fender brand in 1984 and that was the end of the era, Fender later became Fender Musical Instruments Corp (FMIC). And soon after the Custom Shop was formed in 1987 starting with 2 master builders to start their high-end boutique product line and had great success til these days.
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For a very long time, Sadowsky had been well known for being the most practical, efficient instrument praised by all the pro-gigging musicians all over the world. They are seen on all the main stream stages delivering great focus sound night after night. Roger surely knows his art in modern music.
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Here comes a special one, the Fender Deluxe Jazz V . it was designed by John Suhr who later started his own guitar company. It's still preferred by many players and highly in demand after 25+ years.