Harold McKee said,

January 29, 2008 @ 1:50 pm

I have the first F-bass prototype - my friends at SHS were good enough to give the F-bass a try based on my suggestions . Using available parts allowed them to introduce this unique model. There was a Bouzouki (10 string) that already used this body, so tooling costs (read ‘financial risks”) were minimal, but it limited them to the body “as-is”. It has a maple body with a carved solid spruce top, no laminates. It’s very light weight, like the Hofner, you can play all night with no sore shoulders! If you like the Hofner , you will love this bass. It would be a great back-up bass for Hofner players, although they might soon favor it.

I pictured this as an ideal electric bass for a bluegrass based band that wanted to keep a traditional look. The original vision was a deeper body, a vintage finish like a stand-up bass, and a built in pre-amp so the tone and volume knobs weren’t needed. I currently cut the treble all the way off and mute the strings, and I can get a decent stand up bass sound for that type music.

But, I mostly play rock, so it had to be versatile. As it is, you can get lots of treble too, almost too much, like a Ric bass on the early Yes albums, although I don’t have the feedback problems you might imagine from a hollowbody.

I can’t picture it as having the right look for a “Death Metal End of the Universe as We Know It” type band, but you never know.

A straight slanted bridge could improve the intonation. I have also seen one where someone added a Hofner pickup at the neck, to give more of that sound. I may add a pickup on mine someday, or get a second one & do that. Variations and improvements on the retail model depend on sales - if it really takes off, they can consider additional investment.

SHS is a small company respected for the quality of their Morgan Monroe and lower cost Indiana brand instruments , particularly imported acoustic mandolins, guitars, banjos. They do very well with these standard instruments, Sundown guitar amps, PA equipment, and various electric instruments, without spending lot of time or money promoting a unique instrument like the F-bass. So, I kind of hope someone well known picks one up soon & it’s seen at a concert or two or on MTV or CMT…no profit or loss in it for me, whether it takes off or fades away, but I’m happy to have my F-bass.