Bass Gear Review

Reviewer	Doug MorTone
Experience	30+
Email	dcmorton@surfbest.net
Review date	December 23 2003
Manufacturer	Epiphone
Model	Jack Casady Signature Bass
Price	$500.00
Item owned for	1-2 years

Bass type	4 string fretted
Neck join	Set Neck
Neck construction	Mahogany
Fingerboard	20 fret rosewood
Body	maple hollow body archtop
Finish	poly
Pickups	1 epi low impedance
Hardware	epiphone chrome
Electronics	passive volume and tone w/ vari-tone switch

Mine is one of the early production runs and one of the bridge bolts is leaning as described in Bass Player magazine review. It does NOT effect the tone, which by the way is outstanding. This bass has the cleanest tone of any electric instrument I've ever played. The electronics are minimal which i like on instruments, and amps also,...the tone is in your hands. Your sound/style can come thru intact on one of these, right hand inflections are tracked flawlessly, as are left hand techniques, it is an instrument capable of being very expressive. You HAVE to throw your hands into this instrument, you cannot glide by with minimal technique and achieve the stock fender bass sound w/ little effort, for me thats a good thing but for some it may not be, i guess it depends on how much time you practice your skills. This is a bass for pizzicato or pick style players, i don't slap much on this, tho i could and get a unique dynamic effect rather than merely an imitation of larry graham. The construction is very good, tho i am looking toward getting a newer one from mr. Casady's web site as I'm extremely fussy and knowing there exist a blemish or two bothers me. My only real dislike is that as an archtop it's difficult to get used to wearing after years of fenders but worth the effort to find your own comfort zone. I applied velcro to the lower body above the bridge and also to the underside of my strap. I then pull the strap up over the body which tucks the bass in toward your abdomen nicely and places the fingerboard in a position more like a Pbass, rather than swinging outward so that you cannot view it. Every ensemble I play w/ gives positive feedback to the tone, especially drummers in blues/jazz/roots rock bands, or guitarists who enjoy a warm bass sound. The rock tone is very much like Casady's or like McArtneys hofner tone but punchier, just roll back the eq and thump away. I find I am leaving my 65 Pbass home more and more in favor of the solidly expressive sound of this epi bass. It's also light which helps, I'm able to play longer w/ less backache, and can figure songs out easier because of how pure the tone is. It's amusing to me that after years and years of luthiers building heavier solid bodies w/ larger bridges, and active electronics , in order to achieve a clean, tighter,more versatile, and rounder bass tone it is an archtop hollow body electric bass w/ a single low impedance passive p/u that finally achieves an electric bass w/ tone to the bone! If you desire a 34" scale 4 string bass that insists your personality comes through, and delivers the goods consistently this is the bass for you. I know I will play this bass forever, it has become my 1st choice instrument, even over my vintage fender's.

Construction	90%
(bridge post, otherwise exc.)
Appearance	98%
(gorgeous to look at)
Playability	100%
(I set my action low w/ no relief and this bass holds it)
Sound	100%
(old school warmth and pure punch in truckloads)
Value	100%
(are u kidding me? $800 new? )
Overall	98%
(for me it is the perfect bass, not sure for others)