The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Other Bass Brands => Topic started by: drbassman on August 18, 2015, 12:04:59 PM
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I had an H22 years ago, should have kept it. So, I saw this reissue with one flaw, a very small dent in the side of the neck (an easy fix), I grabbed it for $295. It will be fun to fix and try out. A really funky bass and a very accurate reissue except for the tuners. Nicely done but they were way overpriced when they came out.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Harmony%20H22/Harmony%201_zpsdliiabsx.jpg) (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/drbassman/media/Harmony%20H22/Harmony%201_zpsdliiabsx.jpg.html)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Harmony%20H22/Harmony%202_zpssha27qxy.jpg) (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/drbassman/media/Harmony%20H22/Harmony%202_zpssha27qxy.jpg.html)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Harmony%20H22/Harmony%202_zpssha27qxy.jpg) (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/drbassman/media/Harmony%20H22/Harmony%202_zpssha27qxy.jpg.html)
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Am I glad I didn't see that first! For $295 I might have gone for it.
Those are MEGA-COOL, Bill!! Delighted you got it!
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Thanks Al. I just can't resist a hollow body. I'm not even particular that it be MIA as long as it sounds and plays well. More details after it arrives.
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Nice... new one on me...!
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I have "lusted in my heart" after that Kay...
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Great price on that. I recently read a review somewhere where the reviewer really liked it but said it didn't sound much like the original. Hopefully you'll like it for what it is.
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I almost pulled the trigger on that one a few weeks ago. Looking forward to your review.
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Like most RIs, I don't expect it to sound like the original. It's hard to do exactly that! But, as an example, I have a 76 Guild M-85 and the RI M-85. Very different sounds, but I love them both for what they can do. I don't know if I'll keep it after I fix the ding, depends on how much the sound and playability appeal to me.
Either way, a cheap investment for sure!
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Soooooooooo, when are you going to join that Small Faces or Spencer Davis Group trib band ?
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Cool! Unfortunately not available in Holland, but I looked at them at some NAMM shows. John Stirratt of Wilco plays a reissue. I played his and I like it.
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Got the bass yesterday. Put it through its paces and I am really pleased with it. First, the ding in the auction picture isn't there. It's just a scuff mark on the surface. I can buff it right out. Since he had several of these, I'm wondering if he sent me the wrong one? It's otherwise a 10.
The first thing I noticed, it's an excellent replica of the original. The pickup, pick guard, knobs, body and neck shape, bridge and tailpiece are all accurate to the original. They did go with chrome tuners, but that's the only modern touch.
The bass is heavier than an original. Maybe it's wood type, but it feels more substantial. I like it. It does have a sound block running down the middle, don't remember it the original had one.
The neck profile is pretty much the same. I think of it as a nice medium thickness. It's really comfortable and has a D shape. The 30 inch scale is a breeze to play.
The sound through my B-15 is sweet. With rounds on it, it has enough clarity not to sound muddy in spite of the pup placement. Its not an overly strong output, but it is reminiscent of the original. The pup has a surprising strong output on the G and D string. Overall I like the sound out it. It's not a p bass!
I'm keeping it.
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Very Cool, Doc!
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Very Cool, Doc!
+1 Carlo! I played it some more today and I'm really enjoying the sound and simplicity of the bass. I am going to adjust the rod and lower the action slightly. The second fret buzzes so I'm dressing that too. Naturally, the intonation is off some so I'll have to slide the bridge around a bit. Typical stuff on a low tech bass. Going to practice next week!
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Finally got the frets leveled and the action set. I was so busy with work starting up and traveling, I took it to my luthier backup and let him do it. Turned out great. Going to practice tonight.
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Dangit, if you ever want to turn loose of that, let me know, please.
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Bill mentioned the guy had "several", unless I miss-read that, so... ;)
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Dangit, if you ever want to turn loose of that, let me know, please.
You are #1 on my list. You know how fickle I am, don't you? :o Kenny's correct, there are two on the Bay under $400 and we know you might get one with a $295 offer.
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Practice update: The H-22 did a really nice job last night at practice. Of course it helped that I'm getting better at managing my amp based on the bass I'm using. It has a tone and sound reminding me of a EB-0. With the original rounds on it, it wasn'y as muddy, but it sure has that nice thumpy full HB tonality to it. It could easily do an entire gig of all of our usual tunes. It was comfortable to wear. It's slightly neck heavy, but my usual leather strap counteracts that with no effort. The short scale is perfect for me. The neck isn't chunky and was comfortable to play. Since the fret job, it plays smoothly and is really intonated well, even with the funky wood bridge. Playing "All Right Now" up in the octave register way up the neck was right in tune. I was really surprised by that! The pickup is plenty powerful enough but has a bit of a hum if you turn toward the amp too closely. A single coil of very simple design. It had nice output across the 4 strings and I was surprised by this evenness. The baritone switch does work, but the difference in tone is minimal, but perceptible. I preferred the treble setting.
The key to making it sound good and stand out in the noise of our band is my learning to use my amp better. I have discovered that my Mesa M-Pulse is a beast to be reckoned with. A tube driven preamp, a huge EQ section and a compressor circuit. Thankfully, all of the features can be turned off with a switch. I tried the amp with just the preamp controls: gain at 11 o'clock, bass, mid and high full on. Plenty of output and it sounded great with the e-string a bit louder that the others. Flipped on compression, dialed in just a little and the output evened out and it sounded really sweet. Flipped on the EQ and everything went to hell. The EQ on these amps is particularly complex with freq settings and gain levels for a full range of Hz. I'm realizing that for my needs, the EQ is way over the top and really not necessary. Especially when I take a different bass every week and the EQ is totally in need of a reset every time. Not a good use of my time! Honestly, I'm realizing that the preamp, EQ and compression are wonderful, but you need to use them all together and individually in a judicious manner.
So, bottom line is the bass is great for the price and handled classic rock without a problem. Glad I snagged it.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Harmony%20H22/IMG_0207_zpskceufvfb.jpg) (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/drbassman/media/Harmony%20H22/IMG_0207_zpskceufvfb.jpg.html)
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Nice (legs) Doc... :mrgreen:
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Nice (legs) Doc... :mrgreen:
Thanks Kenny, I'm not surprised you noticed. I inherited them from my Scottish grand dad, Melvin Mustard! Built for a kilt!
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Bill, you have a potential new sig line: "Built for a kilt."
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Thanks Kenny, I'm not surprised you noticed. I inherited them from my Scottish grand dad, Melvin Mustard! Built for a kilt!
Was he a military man? A colonel, perhaps? As in, Col. Mustard, in the library, with a bullet (bass)?
And are these folks from Glasgow any relation?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NjWUL8TIQo
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Bill, you have a potential new sig line: "Built for a kilt."
I just might take you up on that!
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Was he a military man? A colonel, perhaps? As in, Col. Mustard, in the library, with a bullet (bass)?
And are these folks from Glasgow any relation?
He was a private in the U.S. Calvary during WWI, but didn't see action overseas. After the Beatles song, we referred to him as "mean Mr. Mustard." But not to his face. He was one badass grandpa, not to be messed with.
The lead singer does remind me if one if my cousins. A reform school escapee.
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The lead singer does remind me if one if my cousins. A reform school escapee.
;D
There's at least one miscreant in every family, isn't there?
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;D
There's at least one miscreant in every family, isn't there?
Unfortunately, I have more than the usual share of those. Should I mention my cousin who was shot by her boyfriend with a .38 special and then married him after getting out of the hospital? Or the one who went to jail for engineering a burglary of her mother's home? Or the cousin who moved her elderly mom into her home so she could drain her bank accounts and steal her pension checks? Don't get me started!!!!!! It's too much to even contemplate. I should note that all of these relatives were on government programs designed to help them, but it only made them more dependent and feeling entitled (my assessment after decades of watching these things play out). A sad commentary on family members from my generation. :sad:
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Ah, but I'll bet there's not a kilt-wearer among them. :o
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Ah, but I'll bet there's not a kilt-wearer among them. :o
Nope, mostly orange jumpsuits. :P
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Nope, mostly orange jumpsuits. :P
:rimshot:
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:rimshot:
Good one Dave! 8)