Bruce Johnson's Scroll Bass

[chromium]

Ishibashi always changes their links up - you'll have to navigate to the main page to find it.

Another scroll derivative along the lines of the Greco that looked to be nicely executed was/(is?) made by a Japanese company called "Combat".  I've seen at least a few of these floating around in the 1K range:





I miss our Ebay seller with the hardwood floors - always taunting me with pretty Orville birds, and other mostly-Japan-market-only rarities.  I got my scroll from him:

[gweimer]

Well, at least that's a copy that did the headstock right.  I've seen a few, like Eastwood, that don't even come close.  Others don't even bother with the baffled body.  I figured that for the money of most copies, I could have an original.  Having played one of the originals, I decided to go with Bruce.  I don't regret it at all.

[Highlander]

Never had the chance to play one... and still waiting for the lottery win...

[birdie]

Can't afford one of Bruce's scrolls?  Here's an affordable Greco (US$1200 shipped worldwide) .....

http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/e/ubox.cgi?T=syosai&sline=389&print=1&keys2=tsudanuma%40ishibashi%2Eco%2Ejp&tid=list3

hmmm....would they sell parts, i wonder?

[Highlander]

I still remember the first time I saw Boz Burrell with one (and if I find the pics I'll post) back in the mid 70's at Earls Court... such a cool bass... 

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

Well, at least that's a copy that did the headstock right.  I've seen a few, like Eastwood, that don't even come close.  Others don't even bother with the baffled body.  I figured that for the money of most copies, I could have an original.  Having played one of the originals, I decided to go with Bruce.  I don't regret it at all.

Agreed~ At least they got the headstock right on the Combat. Greco is cool too!!
Wonder how they sound tho??

Lookin' forward to gettin' MY Johnson Scroll! I keep braggin' about it.
It will console me when I've sold my Zemaitis guitar & '53 Gibson EB.

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

Talked to Bruce today & he said I've only got 7 or 8 ahead of mine now!
Some guys aren't following thru cuz of tough economic times.
I'm still livin' in a van down by the river myself, but I'll be following thru somehow.
I'm guessing I'll have it within a year. 

[gweimer]

Talked to Bruce today & he said I've only got 7 or 8 ahead of mine now!
Some guys aren't following thru cuz of tough economic times.
I'm still livin' in a van down by the river myself, but I'll be following thru somehow.
I'm guessing I'll have it within a year. 

If a couple people drop out ahead of you, you'll probably see it in a year.  My wait was cut short when the buyer for #66 dropped out just as Bruce was getting ready to finish it.  It happened to be the same thing I ordered.  I was originally supposed to get #67.  I paid for mine up front, because I knew that if I dropped $100 deposit, there would likely be a reason for me to back out, and I didn't want to do that.

[bluesblaster]

Hi all,

  Just stumbled upon this site by accident while looking for info on scroll basses, I remember some of these names from the old "dudepit" site. At any rate, I have a scroll bass project that Bruce is putting together for me and we recently had an oppurtunity to visit with him at his shop in burbank, while I have had several phone conversations with him, it was really great to me the man in person. He was very gracious and showed us around the shop , antigue machines are another one of his passions, great old lathes and drill presses fill his shop. He pulled out a bunch of his creations from over the years, my favorite was an early one with the pickup mounted towards the rear like a MM stingray. They were mostly fretless models and that convinced me to have him replace my fretted board with a new fretless one,they just seem "right" that way, he also pulled out a Ampeg AMUB for me to try as I had never had the opportunity to play a real one before. As a one man operation I know thigs move kind of slow in the production area, but I,m hoping mine will be finished sometime this year. We had a great time visiting with him, he,s really an interesting and nice fella. He also told me he found a manufacture to replicate the scroll bass hardshell cases, and that they are much nicer than the originals, so hopefully he will have some of those available in the near future. I will post some pics of my bass when I recieve it. 

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

Talked with Bruce today & he'll be starting on mine soon! YES!
He said I may have it by Jan. & definitely by March. Yay, hooray & freakin' A
Gonna get ready for this fretless by working on my skills with my maple blankplank '78 Fender P modded with a Jazz pickup added.

How do you like yours by now Gary? Have you played it for a whole gig?

How 'bout you, copacetic? Are you still thinking about selling yours or are you playing it?

[Freuds_Cat]

Welcome Bluesblaster,  look forward to seeing pics of both yours and Terr's. I will probably never buy one myself but the Scroll basses certainly have a certain appeal about them. I admit that I have only ever heard nice things about Bruce.

[gweimer]

Talked with Bruce today & he'll be starting on mine soon! YES!
He said I may have it by Jan. & definitely by March. Yay, hooray & freakin' A
Gonna get ready for this fretless by working on my skills with my maple blankplank '78 Fender P modded with a Jazz pickup added.

How do you like yours by now Gary? Have you played it for a whole gig?

How 'bout you, copacetic? Are you still thinking about selling yours or are you playing it?

I still love mine, but haven't had it out to a gig in a while.  I did record one song off the upcoming CD with it, though.  I've actually reached that point where I consider where I'm playing when picking a bass to bring.  We're currently playing in all the worst places in town.  One club owner was shot and killed in his home not too long ago.  I'm also having trouble with the blend knob, and just haven't gotten around to doing anything about it.  And, with the Embassy back home, I not only have some catching up to do, but it's another bass that I will have to worry about.  Looks like the fanfret may be the main gig bass for a while.

[jumbodbassman]

I am still loving mine.  what i have done  to get around the only for specific song scenario is the following. With the blend pot all the way, the magnetic pickup still has some of the percusive pickup thumb which  doesn't really work with more modern sounding bass songs.  However if you use the direct out for the magnetic picup it is clearer and more treble.  So i know use an AB pedal so i can "switch off the bass"  and change output jacks on stage without having to get to my amp and avoid the sound....

the direct out for the magnetic pickup is a much more modern sounding option.  I asked Bruce about putting in a zero load cap but he says that would not work so this is my solution,  for now.....  Makes the bass a whole set worthy versus how i was using it when ifirst got it - for  Broomberg type tunes only....

My 2 cents....

On a side note i bought one of bruce's SSB models from someone here ,  Bill Jones,  and it is a really nice bass.  sounds great.  believe it or not the direct out is also the way to go.  Very beefy sounding bass.  he did a great job.



One thing you should consider is the fret lines that he does just on the side of the neck.  IMHO a great idea on bruce's part.
http://www.xstrange.com/Gallery/AUB069.html


Jim

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

I am still loving mine.  what i have done  to get around the only for specific song scenario is the following. With the blend pot all the way, the magnetic pickup still has some of the percusive pickup thumb which  doesn't really work with more modern sounding bass songs.  However if you use the direct out for the magnetic picup it is clearer and more treble.  So i know use an AB pedal so i can "switch off the bass"  and change output jacks on stage without having to get to my amp and avoid the sound....

the direct out for the magnetic pickup is a much more modern sounding option.  I asked Bruce about putting in a zero load cap but he says that would not work so this is my solution,  for now.....  Makes the bass a whole set worthy versus how i was using it when ifirst got it - for  Broomberg type tunes only....

My 2 cents....

On a side note i bought one of bruce's SSB models from someone here ,  Bill Jones,  and it is a really nice bass.  sounds great.  believe it or not the direct out is also the way to go.  Very beefy sounding bass.  he did a great job.



One thing you should consider is the fret lines that he does just on the side of the neck.  IMHO a great idea on bruce's part.
http://www.xstrange.com/Gallery/AUB069.html


Jim

Cool idea puttin' the fret lines on the side of the neck for a fretless. I'll buy that!
That SSB is a beaut! Cool that it ROCKS as good as it looks!!
Mine will ROCK on one pickup & be m-e-l-l-o-w on the other.

[exiledarchangel]