Overall Rating: I really love this bass for what it is, a cheap Beatle bass knockoff. It doesn't try to be everything, but it does what it does quite well. And for such a little investment! I just can't complain. I've played guitar for 30 years and n...
Overall Rating: I really love this bass for what it is, a cheap Beatle bass knockoff. It doesn't try to be everything, but it does what it does quite well. And for such a little investment! I just can't complain. I've played guitar for 30 years and noodeled on bass sporadically for perhaps 20 of those years. This is my second bass; my first was an SX P/J model, also from Rondo. A great place to buy if you don't have a lot of jack.
Features: Made in China, I assume '06. This is a semi-hollow "Beatle" bass modeled loosely after a Hofner 500/1 played most famously by Sir Paul. It's sold by rondomusic.net. Here are the manufacturer's specs:
The bass features a Real Tiger Maple Flamed Top and Back
The bass also features a maple trus-rod adjustable set neck with rosewood fingerboard and high quality electronics.
2 volume controls and a 1 tone control.
The bass has chrome hardware.
The bass guitar measure 43 1/4¿¿¿ overall not including the strap button.
The neck is 1 19/32¿¿¿ wide at the nut and 2 1/16 at the 22nd fret.
Scale length is 30.3¿¿¿.
String spacing at the bridge is 1 3/4".
Body thickness is 2".
Pickup dimensions are 1 1/4" x 2 3/4"
The bass arrived with no gig bag but triple boxed.
Sound Quality: It's semi, not fully hollow, and it sustains more than I suspected both unamplified and amplified. The sound is warm and full - not very percussive or cutting. I would never slap with this. (Not that I COULD... I'm merely a guitarist/home recordist who fools with bass on my own tunes). If you want a vintage, Beatle-y vibe, this bass fits the bill. And with a good compressor (I use a Joemeek mc2) you can get a more liquidy sound out of it than you might expect. And people - it's only $139!! That is HALF what most Beatle bass copies go for, and the Hofner Icon series goes for $350 or more. I really love the sound. Of course I got rid of the AWFUL stock strings and put La Bella Beatle flats on it immediately. Be warned: you should get medium scale, NOT short scale, for this bass. The short-scale set I got barely fit, especially the A string. But the feel and sound of the La Bellas is wonderful. I give it a 9 in sound, so long as you don't expect a jazz bass or something!
Reliability/Durability: Have no idea. It SEEMS fine, but I only have had it for a week or so.
Customer Support: Rondo is great - send an email and Kurt, the company owner, responds the same day.
Purchased From: rondomusic.net
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