marksound Posted May 24, 2006 Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 I just found out about Wishbass basses, and I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with them. Personally, I don't like the designs and the lack of a truss rod scares the batcrap out of me. And starting at $300? I'm not thinking about buying one, but I'd like to know if anyone else has. I have my reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doeringer Posted May 24, 2006 Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 What also scares me is the lack of Quality. It MAY be just the pictures but it looks like he is due for a lesson in Sandpaper 101, and if you look at the bass on the home page, it looks like the strings are off center (on a 5 string bass the middle string should hit the neck thru woods dead center(?)) BUT again, I'm looking at the pictures and can't tell for sure, I have no experience with their product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted May 24, 2006 Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 +1 Crappy finish (Walnut peanut), dull looking control plate (the standard), no individual string intonation or string height adjustment (all of them), non-even outer lines (X-treme Scroll model), cheap Armstrong pickups, No top string through ferules, offset strings/neck laminates (walnut peanut, Hyper 7 and hyper 5) and lack of trussrod as Doeringer pointed out, and the list goes on. I don’t think this is a pro, or even semi pro builder. This is one happy amateur (which if perfectly OK) that has built exactly 12 basses (not models, basses, every one unique) and would like to build for his/her first customer. He/she will definitely have to learn how to sand and buff a finish before I would consider placing an order there I think that this builder WISH hat he had some customers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fookgub Posted May 24, 2006 Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 No top string through ferules, No bottom ferrules on most models, either. I don’t think this is a pro, or even semi pro builder. This is one happy amateur (which if perfectly OK) that has built exactly 12 basses (not models, basses, every one unique) and would like to build for his/her first customer. He/she will definitely have to learn how to sand and buff a finish before I would consider placing an order there I think that this builder WISH hat he had some customers Nope, he's actually built and sold quite a few basses, and has been doing it for years. He's got quite an... umm, interesting reputation over at talkbass.com if you're interested in reading up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted May 24, 2006 Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 Looks to me like you are probably getting about what you pay for. Strip down all hardware that can be swapped for a cheaper alternative ($3 bone nut bridge). Don't add frets cause that would be more work and material (which is kinda scary thinking, bacause a good fretless has to have a spot on fretboard level that warrents special attension.). Truss rod as an "upgrade". If it improves reliability that should NOT be an "upgrade". The material is definately a case of you get what you pay for. You are paying squat for the labor required to build the guitar. My bet is you will get what you pay for. Kinda reminds me of an organization I have seen at events that builds $100 hand made acoustics(bear with me they do it for a cause- to get more instruments out there, and I understand the theory). I have looked the instruments over and at 10' they look like a regular acoustic. They can be played (I go no further than that). Looking closer at the materials used. I found flat sawn tops, painted woods and stained woods to simulate the actual materials. The finish was not applied well, nor sanded out and polished. Looking inside the box. I found poorly attached bracing (unprofiled), kerfing, and globs of glue. Fret work was not done well (but they were attached), and string height/ nut height/ bridge height/ neck angle had not been set well. So all things considered it is a guitar worth $100(to certain folks), and for $125 you can upgrade to the one at Toys-R-Us (finish and construction is much improved). I suspect you could go buy one of those Music Yo Kramers and upgrade from these $300 models(of course that would not be a "custom instrument", so maybe the comparison is unfair). Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 24, 2006 Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 Hey, he uses an open headstock design, that's pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crafty Posted May 25, 2006 Report Share Posted May 25, 2006 Dude, that looks like something you'd buy from a booth at the State Fair, Affair of the Heart, or the Arts Festival in OKC. You could build a better bass yourself for less money than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tjensen Posted May 25, 2006 Report Share Posted May 25, 2006 I aint buying one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyd Posted May 25, 2006 Report Share Posted May 25, 2006 The reputation isnt very good.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokeros Posted May 25, 2006 Report Share Posted May 25, 2006 I bet this was an overnight job just trying to make a quick buck. For crying out loud, and he wants profit?? Big mistake... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted May 25, 2006 Report Share Posted May 25, 2006 Nope, he's actually built and sold quite a few basses, and has been doing it for years. He's got quite an... umm, interesting reputation over at talkbass.com if you're interested in reading up. OMG! I had a look at talkbass. That guy gets slammed even worse there! I (and a lot of people at talkbass) think that he is selling mostly over E-bay. The main opinion over at talkbass is that he is also scamming people by making fake bids himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted May 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2006 Ok, the reason I asked. I got a forwarded email from the OK Blues Society, and being the curious guy that I am, decided to do a little research. Here's the email: From: steve wishnevsky To: ********@yahoo.com Sent: Saturday, April 22, 2006 12:49 PM Subject: Blues Tales Could you please post this on your website, or get this out to your membership? Thanks. You can see my website at wishbass.com, or google me to establish my bone fides. Blues Tales My name is Steve "Wish" Wishnevsky, and I have played the blues for over forty years. I am a published historian, with one book due out in June and another almost finished. I am working on a book, "Pale Dude Blues" on the white blues players, from Jimmie Rogers to date, and am soliciting Blues Tales, short reminisces on how you became a blues player, meetings with Old School Bluesmen, travails on the road, epiphanies, hard times, good times, wild times, illuminations, tales of dope and glory, essays on being a pale blues dude and anything else you have.. When I say "white" I mean anybody not from Clarkesdale, Ms, no matter your skin color. I am interested in how the music of the most oppressed people in American became the default idiom of musical expression for the whole world. My email is ********@bellsouth.net, and my phone is ***-***-****.. Thanks a lot.. If you ever wanted to be "in the book" here is you chance to help write it…wish -- "The Essence of Tyranny is the Denial of Complexity." Jacob Burkhardt. Journal http://www.livejournal.com/users/stwish/ Electric Basses http://wishbass.com Custom Stringed Instruments http://www.wishnevsky.net My History book on WWII General Courtney H. Hodges will be out this summer. Available on order from Borders and Amazon.com. E**** B*****, Prize winning SF and Fantasy author is a relation. Check out her website, and buy her books. http://www.*******.com/ Personally, I think the guy is a hack. But that's just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgmorg Posted May 26, 2006 Report Share Posted May 26, 2006 I would refer him tothis page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitey Posted May 26, 2006 Report Share Posted May 26, 2006 lol...wat the heck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefox2551 Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 (edited) For some reason I doubt any of his models are consistent. I doubt one of the same model looks much like the exact same model. That scroll bass..... Ew.... Looks like the poor thing was hacked to death. Edited May 27, 2006 by Firefox2551 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsguitar Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 That is some scary lookin stuff AND TRUST ME I AM BEING KIND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Must cut everything with a hand held jig saw!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 When I say "white" I mean anybody not from Clarkesdale, Ms, no matter your skin color. I keeps comin' back to dis one and scratchin' my haid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 That is some scary lookin stuff AND TRUST ME I AM BEING KIND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Must cut everything with a hand held jig saw!!!!!!! Hey, to date, I've cut everything with a handheld jigsaw. And then used a template and a router, but still, don't malign the trusty jigsaw! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abarson Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 I finally found one of his basses at the local used shop. It was a double cutaway fretless 4-string, with a serial number around 170. The body had been formed out of a conglomerate of leftover wood glued together. This makes for a striking and unique look, but I was dismayed to see some of the blocks coming unglued. Finish is very rough, but you can order an instrument unfinished and do it yourself. From photos I've seen of people who have taken this route, they look spectacular! I was initially skeptical of the bassball batlike neck, but found it surprisingly comfortable. I have no doubts about it not needing a truss rod! Now, about the sound... The woody sound of the bass itself really comes through, and makes you forget all the imperfections. The approach proves that "less is more", meaning that all the tone variation comes from the players hands and not from "stuff" on the bass. Wishbasses aren't for everyone, and they quite often are flawed, but they are original, individual, and they sound like nothing I've ever encountered. So, don't be too critical until you actually try something yourself, and draw informed conclusions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahilltrade Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 thats the jannnky-ist crap ive ever seen in my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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