Now THIS is how you market your own signature bass....

OldManC · October 17, 2009, 05:32:50 PM

I would own a Punisher but even then I'd prefer the sunburst one (no signature please).

Lightyear · October 17, 2009, 08:01:35 PM

Me too. I'm fine with black but I could do without the P/J pickups - rather have have some type of humbuckers.

What gets me is why the selector switch after all of these years? I thought that he only used the P pickup on the Punishers?

Also did the Punishers have a 16" radius fingerboard like these do? Seems Warickian in it's flatness.

uwe · October 19, 2009, 11:57:53 AM

Except for the body shape, those new Axes look an awful lot like Punishers. Punishers were made by Fernandes - they are well-made (if not strikingly original as regards the components, it#s just their design that is different) basses (active with EMGs, maho construction, neck-thru, Schaller hardware, double-octave neck, yet the bass balances excellently), so he's at least not selling junk under his own name though of course only the collector/Kiss nerd effect commands a price as high as 5.000 bucks for a bass that cost probably one fifth or less than that.

Cort makes fine instruments these days, you're getting value for money, just like with Yamaha or Ibanez.

I don't think that a single one of these Axe basses will remain unsold for long. Previous runs of Axes and Punishers were all gobbled up by the insatiable Kiss Army too.

OldManC · October 19, 2009, 12:22:25 PM

Quote from: uwe on October 19, 2009, 11:57:53 AM
I don't think that a single one of these Axe basses will remain unsold for long. Previous runs of Axes and Punishers were all gobbled up by the insatiable Kiss Army too.

$5000 in today's economy seems a bit of a stretch. I remember Spencer's blowing out Punishers at $1200 after the reunion tour. Should've grabbed one then but even that seemed insane to me. Yeah, I'm a KISS fan but I'm not retarded!

Highlander · October 19, 2009, 02:01:32 PM

The one I know of (Punisher) was an autographed one and he paid £1,400 (around $2,800 at the time IIRC) in 2000... I thought that was a ridiculous figure... He was definitely K.A. type...

Dave W · October 19, 2009, 03:10:17 PM

Uwe bought a Punisher off eBay about 5 years ago, I think he paid around $1500.

Hornisse · October 19, 2009, 03:18:46 PM

I'll stick with my "original" Gene Simmons signature bass.

Dave W · October 19, 2009, 03:21:38 PM

Just think about how much more you would have had to pay if it had Gene's signature on the headstock.

Highlander · October 19, 2009, 04:29:34 PM

I'm sure a gentle dab with some cleaning products would remove any unsightly blemish like that off so fine an instrument...

Dave W · October 19, 2009, 07:56:37 PM

IIRC Uwe was hesitant because he would rather have had one without Gene's signature. But the price was right and it is a collector's item.

uwe · October 20, 2009, 01:26:27 AM

I like the Adams Family look of the bass. It also has great upper register access, a perfect fret job and a sleek yet stable neck. I'm no fan of split coils, but here it is put up that close to the neck, it has a nice dark growl. While the EMGs are active, the solitary tone knob works passive and therefore unfussy. Some small user-friendly detail: trc just has one screw, yet is firmly in place. Yup, I bought mine for the amount Dave said, Gene's signature played no role, but at least he has a nice signature and has applied it in a fitting place on the body not just all over (like T.M. Stevens did on the 8 string LP and then upside down to boot!).

At the end of the day it is a well-made Japanese (or Korean) rock bass with an individual styling and state of the art pups and hardware. Something you might expect from, say, ESP. Not really worth more than 2.000 bucks new, but in no way a crappy or lovelessly executed instrument. For some reason, the E string on mine is so dominating and overpowering that I have to slant the upper half of the split coil quite a bit to have the E balance with the other strings. But that is hardly a drawback.

Dave W · October 20, 2009, 08:42:14 AM

Is the P pickup position really different, or does it just look that way because the neck is 24 frets instead of 20?

uwe · October 20, 2009, 11:12:06 AM

Good question, I'll measure tonight.

Highlander · October 20, 2009, 03:41:14 PM

There's a Grabber for £450 as a "buy it now" on UK ebay at the moment - Simmons "wine" coloured one... UK only... don't know if that is a good price...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1974-Gibson-Grabber-Bass_W0QQitemZ110447546492QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item19b72fd07c

Shift this to Gibson if you want to Dave...

Would be possible for me to dismantle and ship-on if someone wants her...

Basvarken · February 26, 2010, 03:27:34 PM

The Cort Axe is available in The Netherlands for 444 euro.
That is something different than 5000 dollar...

link to silly € 444 bass

Now THIS is how you market your own signature bass....

Hornisse