Item Reviews for:
Subject
Massive tone that won't break the bank
S. Blackmon from Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Quality
Would you consider this product to be made well? How dependable?
This bass is rock solid and feels like a professional instrument in your hands. The hardware is very solid. Even though it's a bolt on, you can really get that sustain and fundamental tone because of how tight the construction is. The finish will last a good long while too. It easily matches the quality of basses costing 3 times it.
Features
What do you consider to be the best features of this product? What features would you add to this product if you could?
The best features of this bass are the active Bartolini pickups and EQ. They pick up all the great woody qualities, and make the bass sound much more expensive than it is. The active EQ is also very strong and sensitive.
Sound
How is its Tone?
This bass definitely has a lot of character and has a massive mid end growl to it. The flamed maple top gives it some bite. The low B sounds tight and defined, and the bass can easily handle a low G or F#. The highs really sing, and slaps are incredibly punchy. It sounds great unplugged!
Playability and Feel
How does it feel, Heavy, Fast, Chunky? How was the neck? Are the controls easy to get to while playing?
SR basses are famous for the super thin fast neck. This bass is no exception. Even though it's a 6 string, it feels like a lot of 5s neck wise. If you play with a pick or have smaller hands, you should have no problems. People with fat fingers like me will have to adjust. Slapping is possible but it is harder. Once you get used to it though, you will notice your precision on other basses to be much higher after a while.
It's not a light bass, not too heavy either, but it is very neck heavy. You will need a good thick bass guitar strap to hold this beast up and to prevent it from dipping. Save your neck.
Tone
Bright and snappy? Dark and smooth? Were the pickups hot, mellow, thick, thin?
If you like the growl driven sound of a Warwick thumb, you will naturally love this tone. If you want tone that's generic and balanced, this bass can produce it though some EQ work, but I'd suggest another bass if that's your primary sound.
Finish
How did the stain or paint job look?
The finish looks great! It's not really black, but closer to gray. The aggressive body and the finish make it perfect for metal and harder rock scenes, though it'll look great in any setting.
Action
How was the action out of the box?
The set up out of the box was OK. There was a lot of minor fret buzz and the B string action was a bit too low. But, as it's a 6 string, I wasn't expecting perfect. Once the bass is set up properly, it stays that way forever.