Eastwood Black Widow Bass - Opinions?

Out of the Gibson and Eastwood, what should I do?

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    5
DosiYanarchy

DosiYanarchy

Sep 26, 2007
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#1
Hi everyone,

I've been sitting tight for a release date and some demos of the new Gibson LP junior tribute bass that was shown at Namm.

I'm somewhat of an impatient chap and was browsing the interwebz for alternatives and came across this:

Black Widow Bass

It ticks alot of the same boxes it seems for me and it's 32 inch scale, rather than the Gibson's 30, which I'd really like to try and most importantly to me, it's almost half the price. It also looks a little similar to the Gibson.

I'd mainly be playing rock music with it (with bright roundwounds) and don't need it to be particularly versatile BUT here are my concerns:

1) there's one YouTube demo, which suggests a vintage, 60s sort of tone, I'm looking for something brighter and more aggressive. I'm not sure if the demo was set up that way but I already have basses that cover that tone. The Gibson has a coil split which may give me a brighter/more aggressive tone.



2) chambered body - I had an Epiphone Viola bass and whilst I enjoyed it, it tended to feedback when at band volume. Similar experience with my Harley Benton ss hollow body. The Gibson lpjr is solid so I wouldn't have to worry about feedback (well, no more than any other solid body).

My feeling is that the Black Widow looks, and is named like, a kick ass rock bass (kinda reminds me of one of Gene Simmons basses) but it may actually just be a vintage styled semi hollow bass, which wouldn't be surprising considering that its a clone of a 60s Mosrite/Acoustic.

I'm looking for opinions on how this bass actually sounds and whether I should just hold off until the Gibson is released.
 
#2
DosiYanarchy said:
Hi everyone,

I've been sitting tight for a release date and some demos of the new Gibson LP junior tribute bass that was shown at Namm.

I'm somewhat of an impatient chap and was browsing the interwebz for alternatives and came across this:

Black Widow Bass

It ticks alot of the same boxes it seems for me and it's 32 inch scale, rather than the Gibson's 30, which I'd really like to try and most importantly to me, it's almost half the price. It also looks a little similar to the Gibson.

I'd mainly be playing rock music with it (with bright roundwounds) and don't need it to be particularly versatile BUT here are my concerns:

1) there's one YouTube demo, which suggests a vintage, 60s sort of tone, I'm looking for something brighter and more aggressive. I'm not sure if the demo was set up that way but I already have basses that cover that tone. The Gibson has a coil split which may give me a brighter/more aggressive tone.



2) chambered body - I had an Epiphone Viola bass and whilst I enjoyed it, it tended to feedback when at band volume. Similar experience with my Harley Benton ss hollow body. The Gibson lpjr is solid so I wouldn't have to worry about feedback (well, no more than any other solid body).

My feeling is that the Black Widow looks, and is named like, a kick ass rock bass (kinda reminds me of one of Gene Simmons basses) but it may actually just be a vintage styled semi hollow bass, which wouldn't be surprising considering that its a clone of a 60s Mosrite/Acoustic.

I'm looking for opinions on how this bass actually sounds and whether I should just hold off until the Gibson is released.
Click to expand...

@Tvrtko has one and loves it.
The Official Eastwood Bass Club
 
#3
DosiYanarchy said:
Hi everyone,

I've been sitting tight for a release date and some demos of the new Gibson LP junior tribute bass that was shown at Namm.

I'm somewhat of an impatient chap and was browsing the interwebz for alternatives and came across this:

Black Widow Bass

It ticks alot of the same boxes it seems for me and it's 32 inch scale, rather than the Gibson's 30, which I'd really like to try and most importantly to me, it's almost half the price. It also looks a little similar to the Gibson.

I'd mainly be playing rock music with it (with bright roundwounds) and don't need it to be particularly versatile BUT here are my concerns:

1) there's one YouTube demo, which suggests a vintage, 60s sort of tone, I'm looking for something brighter and more aggressive. I'm not sure if the demo was set up that way but I already have basses that cover that tone. The Gibson has a coil split which may give me a brighter/more aggressive tone.



2) chambered body - I had an Epiphone Viola bass and whilst I enjoyed it, it tended to feedback when at band volume. Similar experience with my Harley Benton ss hollow body. The Gibson lpjr is solid so I wouldn't have to worry about feedback (well, no more than any other solid body).

My feeling is that the Black Widow looks, and is named like, a kick ass rock bass (kinda reminds me of one of Gene Simmons basses) but it may actually just be a vintage styled semi hollow bass, which wouldn't be surprising considering that its a clone of a 60s Mosrite/Acoustic.

I'm looking for opinions on how this bass actually sounds and whether I should just hold off until the Gibson is released.
Click to expand...

There's always this.
Gretsch Thunder Jet...and it's chambered but SS
IMG_7302.jpg
 
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#7
I love that they're doing a production 32" scale, I didn't know about this bass until this thread so I reached out to them on neck thickness:
As per Vince at Eastwood: The projected spec is 24mm at the first, and 25mm at the 12th. Please note that slight variations can occur given differences in wood expansion / contraction, as well as finish levels
 
#8
Thanks for the responses everyone. I did check out the Eastwood club thread and a couple of people have them, but there didn't seem to be a detailed description of the tone.

I don't see too many used Eastwood's in the UK, although it does happen, there was a beautiful stormbird up for sale the other day.

I love the Thunder jet but already have a bass that does the SS hollow body thing.
 
#9
DosiYanarchy said:
Thanks for the responses everyone. I did check out the Eastwood club thread and a couple of people have them, but there didn't seem to be a detailed description of the tone.

I don't see too many used Eastwood's in the UK, although it does happen, there was a beautiful stormbird up for sale the other day.

I love the Thunder jet but already have a bass that does the SS hollow body thing.
Click to expand...
Or you can jump on this....
Check this out
zqq5shooegcrml39gzym-jpg.jpg


Gibson EB-0 Bass ex Steve Howe YES 1960 Cherry
 
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#10
Black Widow has a thick neck, finish is not up to high standard. There are a few flaws.
But, I was the first to push for it. I, actually, push them to make it, after they made Black Widow guitar. I am not happy with neck dive, bridge (already replaced with similar, without any sound improvement. It's just functionality issue) and with pick up. However, BW has it's own sound and the place.
That video is not the best presentation of the BW sonic capabilities. It might be somewhat narrow. But, with careful choice of strings, it might be your rock bass. Factory strings are garbage. I did try Black Beauties, Roto Sound 66 and right now, I have GHS Pressurewounds on it. DRs do not work for me. Roto Sound 66 were my 40+ years strings of choice and they might work for you. I would say - the brighter strings give more sonic range to the BW. However, I am looking, myself, for somewhat darker sound and GHS seems to be very close to what I would like to sound. Fretwork is also bit of annoying. Every once, you have to hammer some of the frets down. It does not happen to any others of my modest collection of 9 bass guitars (all of them produced in Asia).
I am considering to replace pick up with something more modern and see what happens. But, that's the project which can wait until I pay off (unexpected expense) for Fender P 60 black midnight MIJ.
 
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#11
Tvrtko said:
Black Widow has a thick neck, finish is not up to high standard. There are a few flaws.
But, I was the first to push for it. I, actually, push them to make it, after they made Black Widow guitar. I am not happy with neck dive, bridge (already replaced with similar, without any sound improvement. It's just functionality issue) and with pick up. However, BW has it's own sound and the place.
That video is not the best presentation of the BW sonic capabilities. It might be somewhat narrow. But, with careful choice of strings, it might be your rock bass. Factory strings are garbage. I did try Black Beauties, Roto Sound 66 and right now, I have GHS Pressurewounds on it. DRs do not work for me. Roto Sound 66 were my 40+ years strings of choice and they might work for you. I would say - the brighter strings give more sonic range to the BW. However, I am looking, myself, for somewhat darker sound and GHS seems to be very close to what I would like to sound. Fretwork is also bit of annoying. Every once, you have to hammer some of the frets down. It does not happen to any others of my modest collection of 9 bass guitars (all of them produced in Asia).
I am considering to replace pick up with something more modern and see what happens. But, that's the project which can wait until I pay off (unexpected expense) for Fender P 60 black midnight MIJ.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for this, I feel that maybe I should just wait for the Gibson.
 
#12
B-Mac said:
Or you can jump on this....
Check this out
View attachment 3328623

Gibson EB-0 Bass ex Steve Howe YES 1960 Cherry
Click to expand...
...good gravy, I might use that as a screen saver lol I'll bet that thing is unreal sounding considering what I've heard of similar Gibbys with the Bakelite mudders, and with a small but thick mahogany body... sheesh! cool that he kept the original bridge, I wish I had a few of those. thx for posting that pic even tho it's killing me :D

op, I dig the BW even with the issues mentioned and it's priced well, plus it's way different than the Gibson which should make it worth getting both. if the video had a narrow sound spectrum then it must sound great.
 
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