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fronobulax

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Builder's pics. I will take my own "soon".

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Built by Darryl Betts of Carlisle, PA to specs developed by me, Mrs. Fro. and Darryl. Neck is a maple, walnut and cherry laminate that goes straight through. Body is a cherry, poplar, walnut laminate. Body shape was inspired by a Pilot although it is deliberately not a Pilot clone. Short scale. Curtis Novak BS-DS pickup, selected after mellowgerman convinced me it would sound awesome in a solid body. TRC and control cavity cover are made from the wood. Conceit items include 24 frets ("This one goes to 11"), a "matching" thumb rest (not installed at the time of the pic) and a suck switch that doesn't suck. According to Curtis the vintage Bi-Sonic and the later Hammon Engineering Dark Stars are not wound to the same spec, but a coil tap can be used to get either spec from the same PU. So the mini-toggle is really just a coil tap.

First impressions - in person it seems weirdly disproportionate compared to a Pilot but it is not supposed to be a Pilot clone so who cares? It does not neck dive when strapped on. I'd guess maybe six lbs. although weight and more pics are going to be forthcoming. If you consider four modes - each position of the tap and the tone full on or full off it produces four distinct but related tones. Furthermore the way those tones change as you move up the neck differs. I'm not ready to compare the PU to my '67 Starfire. There is a difference but I think that is more due to hollow vs solid body. Regardless the PU makes a good first impression.

It will probably be called "Walnut Bottom" for reasons that will be obvious when I post pictures of the back and because the builder's shop is on the corner of Walnut Bottom and Burnt House roads and "Walnut House" or "Burnt Walnut" just don't seem appropriate.

Reasonably good chance that it will make the trip to a LTG gathering in the NE or Mid-Atlantic with "Party at Steve's House" or "The Assembly of Fans of Night Shift" being two potential activities.

If the Pics don't show up it is probably a permission problem that I will fix once I check back. Please be patient.

Edit: Pics seem to be showing all right. Scroll down for more pics.
 
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walrus

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Great looking bass, frono! I particularly like the headstock style - nice!

walrus
 

twocorgis

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Congrats on the new arrival, and it looks great from here! I've mostly moved back to 34" scale, but am thinking about having Darryl build me one in the near future myself. How does the Novak sound compared to the Guild pickup in your Newark Street Starfire? I'm assuming the Novak must sound great and be more versatile, because it's more than twice the money!
 

fronobulax

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Congrats on the new arrival, and it looks great from here! I've mostly moved back to 34" scale, but am thinking about having Darryl build me one in the near future myself. How does the Novak sound compared to the Guild pickup in your Newark Street Starfire? I'm assuming the Novak must sound great and be more versatile, because it's more than twice the money!

This is the first short scale bass Darryl has built so a 34" will be no problem. I'd love to introduce you and maybe drag you to PA and let you try the 5 string Darryl built for my nephew. Then we can drink beer.

I want a little more experience before I make a definitive comment but I don't think there is anything I can get from the Newark Street that I can't get from the Novak except for that hollow body woody growl. Off to practice now.
 

twocorgis

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This is the first short scale bass Darryl has built so a 34" will be no problem. I'd love to introduce you and maybe drag you to PA and let you try the 5 string Darryl built for my nephew. Then we can drink beer.

Five strings? I'm lucky if I can play four! I'm down for the beer, though...

I want a little more experience before I make a definitive comment but I don't think there is anything I can get from the Newark Street that I can't get from the Novak except for that hollow body woody growl. Off to practice now.

I'm leaning toward just going with the Guild pickup, but still have some thinking to do here. Darryl really builds some beautiful stuff, too!
 

fronobulax

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I am somewhat chagrined to say that the photos here now show me and Mrs. Fro with the bass as well as my nephew and his wife and the five string that started me on this quest.

As for the Novak, Curtis had a couple of comments about the Newark Street pickup that both confirmed my experience and suggested to me that I either go with his or abandon the Bisonic clone idea entirely. After another hour of playong I'm still really happy with the neck and the PU but wondering if my amp has finally crapped out. To be continued including pictures of the back which is almost nicer than the front.
 

txbumper57

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That is a Beauty Fro! Love the wood on that one.:love-struck:
 

davismanLV

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Wow, just wow!! That's a classy instrument, right there. Love the headstock! The rest of it I have no idea what I'm supposed to like on a bass like this but.... I'll just consider this a lesson and let you show me how it's done!! Congrats!! Can't wait to see the BACK on this one!! :encouragement::encouragement:
 

fronobulax

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Cell phone pics so the usual disclaimers about focus, lighting and awkward background apply.

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Note the TRC and thumbrest :)
 

Happy Face

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Wicked! The shape evokes the Rick 3001 as well.
 

mavuser

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wow Frono that is quite the creation. i bet it sounds as good as it looks, u must be a happy camper!
 
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