In case I haven't plastered these pics up here enough already, here goes:
I've always liked EB-2 style basses. So far I've had
an Ibanez AS-140 (had it less than 6 months, and had to sell it to pay my daughter's hospital bills. I think I paid as much for the case, as I got for the bass AND the case
)
A Hofner 500/4, I got it in the early 90's from a music store in Minneapolis. THey knew nothing about it ("I think it's a Beatle bass neck on a Univox"), nobody else locally seemed to know what it was either. I loved it though, and only sold it recently because I got laid off and needed $. (Stupid bills)
A "Conqueror" EB-2 copy, I totally got ripped off on this. I paid $300 for it, and it was completely warped (neck AND body), the electronics didn't work and I'm pretty sure it was made of cardboard.
Anyway I keep looking at semis in/near my price range, and found a "Douglas SPB-1100" at Rondo Music. It looks (and feels) just like the Ibanez I used to have. I could actually afford it, too which is a plus
ANyway, on to the pics:
I remember my Ibanez having really sloppy F-holes (raggedy wood with no finish on it) and this one appears painted. It has nice multi=ply binding, nice inlays, the neck feels REALLY nice (as much as I liked my Hofner, that had a teeny neck. I'm glad I don't have them both to compare because I'd rather play this one)
It arrived while I was at work. I get home after midnight, so I saw a box leaning up against my garage door. (I thought I'd have to sign for it, apparently not...) The one side looked fine, but the side against the garage had a GIANT hole in it!
Well I was fully awake now! I of course ripped it all open right in the driveway, expecting the worst, but fortunately the bass itself was in another box, and completely unmarked (and still reasonably in tune!)
I also ordered what was billed as the gig bag for it (they listed a hard case, but that was out of stock)
THe bass fits in it (barely) but the looooong pocket on the front and the hole in the bottom
make me think this is a cello case or something. I gotta find something to put over the hole, since the strap button is totally outside the case when the bass is in there. The headstock more or less pushes the top of the case tight, so there's NO extra room.
So the action is nice (if a little high), it sounds good thru my little Peavey amp (better than I remember my Ibanez sounding, but that could just be the "honeymoon period" I'm in with it. Of course since I always have terrible ideas, now I'm wondering if a "Thunder Bucker" could fit in here without major surgery. I can feel that this has "mini pots", so my "mod-itis" wants to get in there to put full-size ones in. Oh, and what does everybody think of the "Stingray" pups? I know I've never played a "real" one, but I see replacement ones all over online, not that this really NEEDS to be changed.
Anyway I'm stoked, I stayed up WAY too late playing this last night, and was almost late for work fooling with it today. I got a semi again, after not having one for too long. LIfe is good.
