Modern Hollowbody basses?

primusfan1989

primusfan1989

Jan 17, 2005
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new jersey
#1
Just curious as to what are the current hollow/semihollow basses with a classic style on the market these days? Im talking med-short scale, passive, and most importantly made in US
So far Im aware of Guild Starfire, Hofner's many offerings, gretsch but none of them are really doing it for me.

So again Im interested in what iollowbodies are out these days that fall under this criteria:

Made in USA
Short scale
Passive (with non fender type pickups)
Classic Style (gibson, hofner, guild type style, not into the offset hollow basses out there like lakland or the Epi jack casady)

Owned an EB-2d for years and I'm looking to get something that has a very similar feel but a little more hifi sounding than a gibson mud bucker
 
#2
Im also familiar with Drake custom basses and some of the EB-2 like basses he's made. So to add to the parameters of this search, Im not limiting myself to production models, interested in luthiers in US or Canada who build basses of this nature
 
#3
I don't think the Lakland is very offset looking (the USA Model, that is, one of the skylines is kind of wild), though I think the traditional looking one is long scale.

Welcome to Lakland

With that many paramaters, you may have kind of a tough time. There are a lot of cool imports (eastwood, Waterstone, etc). The current Guild basses, as far as I know, are Imports, and Hofners are german or Asian depending on the price point.
 
#4
MobileHolmes said:
I don't think the Lakland is very offset looking (the USA Model, that is, one of the skylines is kind of wild), though I think the traditional looking one is long scale.

Welcome to Lakland

With that many paramaters, you may have kind of a tough time. There are a lot of cool imports (eastwood, Waterstone, etc). The current Guild basses, as far as I know, are Imports, and Hofners are german or Asian depending on the price point.
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I know I'm being a bit ridiculous but the lapland is still too much offset for me.
 
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#8
primusfan1989 said:
Just curious as to what are the current hollow/semihollow basses with a classic style on the market these days? Im talking med-short scale, passive, and most importantly made in US
So far Im aware of Guild Starfire, Hofner's many offerings, gretsch but none of them are really doing it for me.
Click to expand...

Fender Starcaster and Coronado come to mind but not made in USA.

Over the last year and a half or so I've become interested in sub-short basses with scales around 25 inches. Good luck finding anything at all out there, so I decided to make my own out of converted guitars. Below is my most recent and most successful conversion.

Ibanez AF-55 Bass Conversion.jpg
 
#9
Shameless self-promotion...

Sorry, I just have build pics.

Single cutaway semi hollow body, Poplar inner frame with swamp ash center section, Masonite top and back, 31" scale bolt on maple neck with rosewood fretboard (24 frets). T.V. Jones ThunderBlades pickups (1 or two), passive electronics with custom switching. Gotoh 2x2 tuners, T.O.M. style bridge with tailpiece (Hipshot hardware is an option). I have one in process scheduled for a Candy Green metal flake finish (neck & body) with White pearloid "angelfish" pickguard, headstock overlay and body side trim.

Built in a cabin in the woods in the hills of Tennessee...
20130918_112156_zps4242eaa2.jpg

MCG%20SC%20Bass_zpsmtp4m9l0.jpg

SANY5477_zps465e95a9.jpg

20160311_233251-1_resized_zpsq0j9p9oo.jpg








Moonshine :bassist:
 
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#13
kodiakblair said:
No idea about USA hollowbodies but here in the UK, Stephen Chowny has had a successful start
with his company Chowny Bass.
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It's Stephen Chown and Chowny bass. The "y" added to the brand, but not to my name. :) I really didn't think it through. When I opened the company bank accounts, they put Stephen Chowny on all my debit cards. I had to get 'em all changed.
 
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#15
Gibson Midtown and ES335 bass. Both are out of production. The 335 was good and expensive, but I don't think the Midtown was too bad. I don't know, though. They currently make a hollow Les Paul bass. Its also plenty expensive.
 
#16
Novarocker said:
Wow moonshine! I never took a good look on a PC screen at your build. That thing looks fantastic! I'm real interested to see how it turns out, especially those TV Jones pups.
Click to expand...


Thanks! Those TV Jones ThunderBlades are killer; they have plenty of bottom and a decent amount of top end but it's the mids that make these pickups so great.

This is my main bass...
Astro%20Custom_zpspcz3ypuf.jpg


It is identical to the single cutaway bass with the exception of body shape (same scale, neck/body construction, electronics, etc...). I have a decent collection of basses but this one cuts through better than all of the rest.



Novarocker said:
I'm on the same hunt Primusfan. I've been doing some searching and the closest I've found that I like is the Reverend Dub King. I've been lucky and had a chance to play one, and I gotta say I'm impressed.
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I'm a huge fan of Reverend basses, the Dub King is beautiful!



Gaolee said:
Gibson Midtown and ES335 bass. Both are out of production. The 335 was good and expensive, but I don't think the Midtown was too bad. I don't know, though. They currently make a hollow Les Paul bass. Its also plenty expensive.
Click to expand...

I've looked a both of these and personally I prefer the symmetry of the ES-335. I really like the black model with no binding on the body. I've seen both of these models going for around $1200 used. Not cheap, but I've seen a couple go for right at a grand.



Moonshine :bassist:
 
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#18
In the USA, you're options are largely going to be custom instruments.

If you're liking the Moonshine look, that may be the way to go. I've never played their semi-hollow basses, but a shop here in town had one of their P-basses in stock. It was a real gem and very well assembled with great attention to detail. I wish I'd taken some pictures of it, but it didn't stick around for long. It was the first time I'd seriously considered owning a purple bass!
 
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