5 string Epi

[Denis]

Never seen one of these before. Are they any good?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Epiphone-Gibson-5-Str-Bass-Guitar-Dual-Rail-MINT-/110740598608?pt=Guitar&hash=item19c8a76f50#ht_1690wt_1067

[uwe]

I've never played or heard one. They were heralded by Epi as the next big thing and then went away quickly and quietly. By nature, these things are hilariously neck-heavy (someone who owned one once said), which can't be rectified but lived with, and the pups aren't great, which can't be lived with, but can be rectified. They hardly ever show up so sales during their comparatively short lifespan (two years or even less) must habe been minimal.

I'be played with the thought of getting one to pimp up ... TB Plus pups should work magic here. Maybe I should go for this one if no one else wants it here?

IIRC, there was also another 5 string Epi model introduced at the time, was it an LP?

[Denis]

It sure looks neck heavy, but the all black finish probably has something to do with it. The headstock looks strange with five tuners on it; not symmetrical yet not asymmetrical enough.

[uwe]

That is something even Dave W can't argue with: Finish does influence weight. We should have thought of it before.

[Dave W]

At the neck joint, that neck looks wide enough to land a small plane.

[aluminumcatfish]

I have the LP version of that bass, and the neck is pretty massive. It looks to be about 3 1/8" at the end of the fretboard.

[uwe]

The LP doesn't sound much different probably, so how does it sound? Does the B string cut through?

[aluminumcatfish]

It's a nice bass, but could use better pickups. The huge neck is a little hard for me to zip around on, but playing fewer notes is sometimes better. The B string is...OK. The pickups sound a little harsh to my ears, kind of cheap.

[uwe]

Ah, the old Epi disease then, enhanced high mids to make them seem louder and get heard better over a beginner's rig. It does sound a little nasty and cheap though.

[exiledarchangel]

I call it "the mid freq hell".

[dadagoboi]

I've got a set of Ebay pups from an Epi TBird Pro V coming tomorrow, including pots and pre.  Coincidentally the guy who's buying the first JAEbird V told me yesterday he got rid of his because the pickups didn't cover the B string.  He thinks they use the same pups in both the 4 and 5 string models.  Epi seems to drop the ball in the pickup department quite a bit.

[ramone57]

some of pickups from the Pro series had issues, hopefully the ones you're getting are trouble free.

[dadagoboi]

some of pickups from the Pro series had issues, hopefully the ones you're getting are trouble free.

Thanks for the info.  These are from Riceage so they are probably pretty new.  No biggie, they were only $60 shipped and they're basically 'research'.

[uwe]

That was an issue with the first batch - they eradicated it subsequently. Those Pro pups sound nothing like the reg Epi fare at all. They have no mid bias but focus on bass and presence. But there are mids enough.

[dadagoboi]

That was an issue with the first batch - they eradicated it subsequently. Those Pro pups sound nothing like the reg Epi fare at all. They have no mid bias but focus on bass and presence. But there are mids enough.

I'd heard good things about the 4 string pro pickups, that's why I hit the BIN.  Today a FrankenFiver arrived: Fender 5 in line blocked maple neck; G &L body, tone circuits and pickups; Alembic bridge and tailpiece.  More parts to parse.  It weighs 12.5 lbs, that maple body should burn pretty good.