Bruce Johnson's Scroll Bass

Rhythm N. Bliss · June 25, 2009, 04:48:27 PM

Quote from: Iome on June 25, 2009, 02:10:01 PM
The price will be the same, don't worry. 22K for a bass??!?!?! It's gonna be amazing for shure.

It's a guitar; see this thread:

http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=1884.0

Hey Gary~ Congratulations on getting your Scroll bass!
Give us a thorough review, willya?
Too bad someone had to cancel their order (like I might) but that's goood for you.
I'm still tryin' to decide whether I want one fretless or not.
I guess fretless is the way to go to get that URB sound.
If I can get a good URB sound & a good Boz Burrell Bad Co. sound I'll be stoked!!

gweimer · June 25, 2009, 05:39:41 PM

If you haven't ordered it yet, you should know that Bruce's waiting list is up at about 3 years. I got mine in under 2 because I paid for it in full. His prices have also gone up since then, so I got a good deal. Bruce says I could turn around right now, and sell this bass for a healthy profit. He's had people offer him far over his price to get a better spot on the list.

Highlander · June 25, 2009, 05:41:29 PM

Hmm... did you cancel your order to take the slightly higher up the list or buy both then...?

Rhythm N. Bliss · June 25, 2009, 06:02:53 PM

It was only a hun to get on the list when I did, about a year & a half ago.
So is yours fretless, Gary? What paint job did you get?
I love the way he paints 'em red, then goes over it in black & somehow makes the red show just on the edges of the soundholes & here & there.
Badass!

www.xstrange.com

gweimer · June 25, 2009, 06:10:44 PM

Mine is the AEB-2 (fretted), and I got the original red/black finish. Seems like we've hijacked this thread. I'll start a new one when I get the bass next week (of all things, I'm going out of town, and actually had to ask Bruce to delay shipping by a couple days), and post some pics. I'll also go into more of the background of this bass in particular.

Highlander · June 27, 2009, 08:19:20 PM

Really quite surprised... I checked Terr's link and the prices of Scroll basses are very reasonable for an exotic custom... I remember seeing Mr Burrell playing one, 35 years back, and have remained entranced by them ever since...

Rhythm N. Bliss · June 28, 2009, 12:42:08 AM

Here's Big Bad Boz in Black playin' an Ampeg fretless Scroll:

Yep~ We've hijacked this thread all right. haha
They are reasonably priced for a custom made ax & it's a real labor of love for Bruce.
Just about the same waiting time as a Bach tooo

gweimer · June 28, 2009, 08:44:35 AM

Quote from: Kenny Five-O on June 27, 2009, 08:19:20 PM
Really quite surprised... I checked Terr's link and the prices of Scroll basses are very reasonable for an exotic custom... I remember seeing Mr Burrell playing one, 35 years back, and have remained entranced by them ever since...

I don't think Bruce has updated the website in about 5 years. Current price for one of his basses is $3900. I paid $3400 up front for mine two years ago.

Rhythm N. Bliss · June 28, 2009, 01:26:11 PM

Woh~I hope he'll keep to the 34 hun price for me.

Yeah~ he is. Just checked with him.
Still got 23 ahead of me tho, dammit!

Cool that we got the Scrolls a thread of their own. Thanks Ol'ManC

Lookin' forward to pics of yours, GW!

copacetic · June 29, 2009, 12:33:37 AM

Yeah, good 'ol Bruce has not updated his website since 2003, as much as i have hampered him about it. I assure you he is busy though. He puts his nose to the grinder every day. I came across him a little over 10 years ago as I had a collection of Ampeg Scroll basses and when I heard he was making basses along those lines we foud each other. I have # 055 of his creations. The other 2 Ampeg Scroll tops I have have both been scutinized by him as he is interested in each and every one ever produced and has most of what exists logged in his files. Even back then it was a no less than a year if not 2 year wait. When I mentioned to him a year or so back if he would ever think of fretting my #55 he balked a bit and said please leave it fretless. Thing is I am getting on in years and have taken a liking to short scale basses for the most part or at least with jazz neck profiles. I'l try and post some pictures of mine. It has some unique features.Might even think about putting it up if the notion strikes me as i am not doing it justice letting it just sit in it's case.

Highlander · June 29, 2009, 04:49:23 PM

I'll look after it for you... That's look after, no money down...

gweimer · June 29, 2009, 04:57:11 PM

Mine left Indiana today on its way here by UPS. It may show up tomorrow. Pics and story at eleven.

gweimer · July 01, 2009, 04:10:02 PM

Well, the waiting was the hardest part. UPS must have my address as the last stop of the day. So, I'm now the proud owner of Scroll bass #066. I haven't had a chance to run it through paces yet, but I plan on hitting a jam night tomorrow to break it in. Bruce has improved on the originals, especially with the neck. The original Ampegs were pretty beastly in the neck. You really had to work at it. I'm still trying to figure out the knobs and jacks - three output jacks, and each seems to have a distinct flavor to it.
As I said, this particular bass already has a history. Before this one became mine, I was scheduled to get #067, but the person who ordered it cancelled just as Bruce was completing it. The original body on this bass started bubbling on the finish, as Bruce told me. He refinished a couple times, and then discovered that there are certain types of beetles that can lay their eggs in wood, where they can be dormant for several years. The piece of wood he used on the body just happened to have eggs in it. The bubbling was actually the beetles hatching. He ended up having to make an entire new body for the bass.

Pilgrim · July 01, 2009, 04:34:57 PM

FINALLY!

A true....................................

Wait for it..................................

BEETLE BASS!!

TA DA!!!!!!

Freuds_Cat · July 01, 2009, 06:43:31 PM

That looks great Gary. I have only ever played knock offs of scroll basses which ironicaly copied the monster neck.