The 2000 Golden Axe Awards
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Bass Best Value (Top 5)
<--Back to Introduction | <--Back to #6 thru #10
#5: Wood Instrument Company
This great piece comes from the Wood Instrument company in Brazil. And you thought they just grew coffee beans down there. This beauty proves that they make really great basses in Brazil too.
Definitely in the class of American made instruments, this bass takes a back seat to no one. The bass is made of all Brazilian woods including mahogany, ivory wood, and ipe which gives it a unique and well crafted sound. Check out the beautifully executed five-piece neck. The instrument is armed with EMG 45J pickups and preamp.
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| (Click for a view of the back) |
Now here is the kicker - the instrument is priced at $2,243. This is a great price for an instrument of this caliber.
To find a dealer near you, go to www.woodguitars.com.
#4: W M Guitars
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| Will Miller (Click for a close-up of the body) |
The wood on this bass from W M Guitars is one of the most difficult woods in the world to work with. It's called spalted maple. Basically, this is maple wood that has been laying about in a swamp for a while gaining character. Spalted maple is a great and different look.
Along with the mahogany back, the woods of this bass give the instrument a unique sound. I know that this mass of wood looks heavy, but it was surprisingly light. The neck is smooth and responsive. Armed with Bartolini pick ups and Hipshot hardware this bass is a definite A in my book. With a price tag of $3,300 however, it's priced like it too. However, if you're sick of the look every other top end bass has, this one is a real breath of fresh air.
If you'd like to contact W M Guitars, you can send email to 75032.3676@compuserve.com.
#3: Spector
Stuart Spector is back again (he was also in the Bass Unlimited) with yet another example of an excellent instrument. Priced at $2,370, this is a high-end bass at a high-middle end price.
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| Stuart Spector |
If you're not familiar with Spector it's time to change that. This bass is hand-carved back and front from a solid piece of maple (not just the top). The instrument molds to your body and just seems to fit. It uses EMG pick ups, and top notch hardware. The bass plays like a dream and sounds great. What more could you want in a high-end instrument. I had a chance to get a great deal on one of these babies about six months ago. I thought about buying it for only two days and it was gone. I've been kicking myself in the seat ever since. If you see one on the shelf, do yourself a favor and try it. Tell them Cliff sent you.
To see the whole Spector line, check out www.spectorbass.com.
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| (Click for a view of the back) |
#2: Conklin Guitar Company
From last year's Bass Unlimited Award winner comes this excellent value in a bass. This is the Conklin GT-4FL GrooveTool bass.
Check these specifications: 5-piece wenge/purple heart neck with a purple heart fingerboard (not something you see everyday), swamp ash body, figured maple top, and custom Conklin pick ups. Based on the popular Conklin design, this bass is manufactured by others to Bill Conklin's exact specifications.
The best part of the bass is the price, $995. Now, before you start comparing this instrument's price to other basses you've seen at the local music mart, remember that this is the list price. I've seen this bass for much lower. The neck of this bass is a bolt-on, but the Conklin design allows for much more body contact than your average bolt-on giving it excellent sustain. If you're looking for a bass in this price range, this bass should be at the top of your list.
Surf to www.conklinguitars.com to see some of Bill's great custom work.
#1: Renaissance Guitar
And now the moment you've all been waiting for . . . (pause for dramatic effect) the Y2K Golden Axe - Bass Best Value winner is Rick Turner! If you've been following the Golden Axe Awards you know I'm keeping a Christmas list. Well . . . here is another instrument for me to write down.
This bass from Renaissance Guitar Co., Inc., aka Rick Turner Guitars is an absolute gem. It may not look as fancy as some other basses, but don't judge this book by its cover. This baby smokes.
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| Rick Turner (Click for a close-up) |
The RB-5-FL is a semi-acoustic fretless that is definitely in a class by itself. The tone of this instrument is almost upright bass-like, with a little bass guitar thrown in to make its sound unique. When you bend a string . . . did I say bend . . . I should have said roll the string. The string actually rolls under your finger making it incredibly easy to bend and vibrato. The neck just about plays itself. This is one of those instruments that's hard to put down. I give it an A+. Congratulations Rick on a job well done.
To get more information check out www.renaissanceguitars.com.
Well, there you have it, the Golden Axe 2000. I hope you've enjoyed all four of these articles as much as I've enjoyed writing them. The NAMM show is a great place to see and play great new stuff. We've tried to bring you the very best of the show. I think the above list of great basses is representative of the great instruments we can all expect to see in the future.
Selecting the Bass - Best Value finalists was a difficult job. There are so many deserving instruments that didn't make the finals. But, hey . . . there's always next year. Good luck to all the bass manufacturers in 2001 and congratulations to all those who were honored this year. If you have time, drop on in to your favorite finalists web site and congratulate them yourself.
Keep Jamming,
Cliff
Cliff Suttle (cliffnotes@harmony-central.com) has been studying music for over twenty years including studies at the University of Michigan. Fluent on keyboards, guitar, and bass, Cliff is currently playing in an all original rock band Middle Earth. Cliff's motto: Understand the theory and you can play anything.
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