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xbassman_K « Cheaper, you die! »
Published on 04/26/13 at 11:03
Audience:
Beginners
Eagletone (Woodbrass at home, the way I find this no brand name! This is a pun or what? "Gueuletonne I?") Offers this fairly faithful copy (except for the shape of the head is different) of Fender Precision made in China, of course. The body is basswood (3 parts on mine) with a 3-tone sunburst finish polyurethane not too thick and very successful.
The 21 fret neck is maple with a beautiful rosewood (which is pretty amazing for the price), but too bad they do not offer an all maple neck with a thin layer of satin varnish on the head and back of the neck, classic chrome mechanical relatively poor apparent quality but do their job without flinching. The nut is cheap enough resin. The frets are relatively well placed, even if a job planning frets seems necessary for a truly perfect action, and a little finish on the edges of the handle because some of them hang a bit, but nothing serious in all. Functional and adjustable truss rod in the head with Allen key. And it is of course equipped with the eternal vintage bridge in chromed steel.
The electronics are everything from classic for Precision, namely 1 micro split coil, 1 volume and tone. The components are of decent quality and no more, but it is mounted.
Note that the bass was not set at all, surprisingly, this is often the case on low-end instruments. Action too high and intonation again. So I adjusted the handle (I was able to check the proper functioning of the truss rod), and set the jumpers (height and intonation). I also had to adjust the pickup height to balance the sound.
UTILIZATION
The good news is that it is light enough for Precision, thank you basswood body. Honors for the neck with a modern C-shaped (like Ibanez) which is in my opinion very well cut, quick and easy, but the appreciation of a handle is a matter of personal taste, so I speak only for myself. Otherwise everything else is consistent with the model shows, no more, no less!
SOUNDS
Question her (and before modification, see below ...), no change of scenery not for those who have already attended Precision. This is consistent, whether the fingers, a pick or even slap. However, its basswood body gives it a little more rounded character than usual. The acoustic characteristics of lime, in fact, could be likened more to the mahogany alder or ash wood that are most commonly used for the manufacture of body Precision (at least Fender).
As for the microphone, it is simply amazing! Do not rush to change it because it is more than okay. By disassembling, I observed a great similarity with Wilkinson micro lying around at home, and it is likely that these pickups actually come from the same Chinese factory and are in fact identical ...
OVERALL OPINION
I stumbled upon it by visiting the site Woodbrass balances at beginning of year ... At € 62, it is frankly difficult to find cheaper. I do not really need another bass (I was already close to 20!) And even less of a Precision (I already had 4!), But I'm curious by nature, I 'I wanted to see firsthand what it was like in a real Precision to 62 €. So direction Woodbrass shop Porte de Pantin in Paris! As the promotion was successful, the seller informed me that he is not more than half a dozen including 4 sunburst. Luckily, I just want to see this finish because it allows to inspect the wood that lies beneath! First finding: the bodies are not all equal! Some are made of 4 parts of three others and differences in the nuances of tone sunburst of a model to another should be noted ... In any case it is the lime. I try the one that seems most successful without an amp (it's a good test to see if the instrument sounds properly), as I said earlier, the bass is not set and the strings are not of a very high quality. Yet despite this, the bass sounds pretty good ... So, I leave with! Because for € 62, there is no loss of life and I think it will serve me as a low-lab for future changes ...
Since then I have worked on it a little: I set properly, I changed the strings, changed the original single-ply white pickguard the ugly, changed the nut to a Tusq graphite mechanical changed for Wilkinson much better, and for less than 20 €, I would have concocted a better electronics (pots Bourns, Russian condo oiled paper, Switchcraft jack and son vintage sheath tissue) while maintaining the original microphone that is satisfactory. The result is up to my expectations, and very clever one who could recognize a real Fender U.S. to the Chinese in a comparative listening! Although the sound is slightly different, it is not significantly better or in one case or the other ...
All that to say that with a little work and a ridiculous additional investment, this bass can be quite suitable for an experienced bassist and broke! So not only for beginners, which they, however, will find with this bass a great way to grow and especially to know the legendary sound of Precision.
In terms of regrets, I just wish it is also available with an all maple neck, and also, as I am not very fond of the satin finish on the sleeves, I would have liked a vintage tinted gloss varnish ...
Value / amazing price! Even huge! ... So, I'll see if they do not make a JazzBass also in Eagleton by chance ...
The 21 fret neck is maple with a beautiful rosewood (which is pretty amazing for the price), but too bad they do not offer an all maple neck with a thin layer of satin varnish on the head and back of the neck, classic chrome mechanical relatively poor apparent quality but do their job without flinching. The nut is cheap enough resin. The frets are relatively well placed, even if a job planning frets seems necessary for a truly perfect action, and a little finish on the edges of the handle because some of them hang a bit, but nothing serious in all. Functional and adjustable truss rod in the head with Allen key. And it is of course equipped with the eternal vintage bridge in chromed steel.
The electronics are everything from classic for Precision, namely 1 micro split coil, 1 volume and tone. The components are of decent quality and no more, but it is mounted.
Note that the bass was not set at all, surprisingly, this is often the case on low-end instruments. Action too high and intonation again. So I adjusted the handle (I was able to check the proper functioning of the truss rod), and set the jumpers (height and intonation). I also had to adjust the pickup height to balance the sound.
UTILIZATION
The good news is that it is light enough for Precision, thank you basswood body. Honors for the neck with a modern C-shaped (like Ibanez) which is in my opinion very well cut, quick and easy, but the appreciation of a handle is a matter of personal taste, so I speak only for myself. Otherwise everything else is consistent with the model shows, no more, no less!
SOUNDS
Question her (and before modification, see below ...), no change of scenery not for those who have already attended Precision. This is consistent, whether the fingers, a pick or even slap. However, its basswood body gives it a little more rounded character than usual. The acoustic characteristics of lime, in fact, could be likened more to the mahogany alder or ash wood that are most commonly used for the manufacture of body Precision (at least Fender).
As for the microphone, it is simply amazing! Do not rush to change it because it is more than okay. By disassembling, I observed a great similarity with Wilkinson micro lying around at home, and it is likely that these pickups actually come from the same Chinese factory and are in fact identical ...
OVERALL OPINION
I stumbled upon it by visiting the site Woodbrass balances at beginning of year ... At € 62, it is frankly difficult to find cheaper. I do not really need another bass (I was already close to 20!) And even less of a Precision (I already had 4!), But I'm curious by nature, I 'I wanted to see firsthand what it was like in a real Precision to 62 €. So direction Woodbrass shop Porte de Pantin in Paris! As the promotion was successful, the seller informed me that he is not more than half a dozen including 4 sunburst. Luckily, I just want to see this finish because it allows to inspect the wood that lies beneath! First finding: the bodies are not all equal! Some are made of 4 parts of three others and differences in the nuances of tone sunburst of a model to another should be noted ... In any case it is the lime. I try the one that seems most successful without an amp (it's a good test to see if the instrument sounds properly), as I said earlier, the bass is not set and the strings are not of a very high quality. Yet despite this, the bass sounds pretty good ... So, I leave with! Because for € 62, there is no loss of life and I think it will serve me as a low-lab for future changes ...
Since then I have worked on it a little: I set properly, I changed the strings, changed the original single-ply white pickguard the ugly, changed the nut to a Tusq graphite mechanical changed for Wilkinson much better, and for less than 20 €, I would have concocted a better electronics (pots Bourns, Russian condo oiled paper, Switchcraft jack and son vintage sheath tissue) while maintaining the original microphone that is satisfactory. The result is up to my expectations, and very clever one who could recognize a real Fender U.S. to the Chinese in a comparative listening! Although the sound is slightly different, it is not significantly better or in one case or the other ...
All that to say that with a little work and a ridiculous additional investment, this bass can be quite suitable for an experienced bassist and broke! So not only for beginners, which they, however, will find with this bass a great way to grow and especially to know the legendary sound of Precision.
In terms of regrets, I just wish it is also available with an all maple neck, and also, as I am not very fond of the satin finish on the sleeves, I would have liked a vintage tinted gloss varnish ...
Value / amazing price! Even huge! ... So, I'll see if they do not make a JazzBass also in Eagleton by chance ...