- Joined
- Sep 25, 2006
- Messages
- 1,011
- Reaction score
- 9
After a frustrating three week wait, I got my Stage 1 yesterday night 
I've had a couple of PMs asking to post my thoughts, so I'll give you my initial impressions now, then update on Wednesday after my band practice on Tuesday night.
A few things to note first - the E string on the Streamer is dead (although the other 4 strings are very bright), and I'm booked in for a setup tomorrow so I'm not going to restring it today. Any comparisons I make will be with my workhorse Thumb NT 5, which is also in need of a restring and setup tomorrow.
Looks - I always wanted a Stage 1 from about 20 years ago, but I find the 5 string a bit disappointing in the looks department. This is mainly because I don't like the way the extra width for the broadneck makes the body look. However, the AAA maple is stunning and the neck laminates are fantastic. It is a very eye catching guitar and good looking in it's own right, but to me the shape doesn't look quite as right as the 4 string Streamer or the 5 string Stage 2
Neck - I was a bit worried about the broadneck having played the Thumb for the last 12 years, but it was comfortable to play from the moment I picked it up. The neck, although wider is much shallower, with almost a flat feel to it in the middle (a bit like a Status). The fingerboard is very much flatter than the Thumb. The string spacing is a revelation for slap. I didn't realise that I had trouble popping the A and the D string on my Thumb, but play the broadneck for a couple of minutes and you quickly realise how much more difficult the narrow necks can be.
Body - a good weight, but I need to get a strap today so can't comment on the balance yet.
Sound - Just through a practice amp at low volume so far, so I'll update this on Wednesday. But, unsuprisingly considering the woods, it is so much brighter than the thumb. Play the Stage 1 and the Thumb back to back without plugging them in, and the brightness difference is incredible. For me the Stage 1 sounds like a normal bass - but one of the best normal basses I've ever heard, as opposed to the unique sound of the Thumb. It'll be interesting to see which one I settle on as a main bass once the honeymoon period is over with the Stage 1 - I have a feeling that the Thumb will win, just for it's bottom end and growl.
I am so pleased with the purchase. I was really lucky with ebay, because it was as described and although it's a 2001 bass (99 serial number) it is completely as new, not a mark on it and the brass frets are all lovely and shiny still. It's making my Thumb look like an old wreck at the moment :lol:
I've had a couple of PMs asking to post my thoughts, so I'll give you my initial impressions now, then update on Wednesday after my band practice on Tuesday night.
A few things to note first - the E string on the Streamer is dead (although the other 4 strings are very bright), and I'm booked in for a setup tomorrow so I'm not going to restring it today. Any comparisons I make will be with my workhorse Thumb NT 5, which is also in need of a restring and setup tomorrow.
Looks - I always wanted a Stage 1 from about 20 years ago, but I find the 5 string a bit disappointing in the looks department. This is mainly because I don't like the way the extra width for the broadneck makes the body look. However, the AAA maple is stunning and the neck laminates are fantastic. It is a very eye catching guitar and good looking in it's own right, but to me the shape doesn't look quite as right as the 4 string Streamer or the 5 string Stage 2
Neck - I was a bit worried about the broadneck having played the Thumb for the last 12 years, but it was comfortable to play from the moment I picked it up. The neck, although wider is much shallower, with almost a flat feel to it in the middle (a bit like a Status). The fingerboard is very much flatter than the Thumb. The string spacing is a revelation for slap. I didn't realise that I had trouble popping the A and the D string on my Thumb, but play the broadneck for a couple of minutes and you quickly realise how much more difficult the narrow necks can be.
Body - a good weight, but I need to get a strap today so can't comment on the balance yet.
Sound - Just through a practice amp at low volume so far, so I'll update this on Wednesday. But, unsuprisingly considering the woods, it is so much brighter than the thumb. Play the Stage 1 and the Thumb back to back without plugging them in, and the brightness difference is incredible. For me the Stage 1 sounds like a normal bass - but one of the best normal basses I've ever heard, as opposed to the unique sound of the Thumb. It'll be interesting to see which one I settle on as a main bass once the honeymoon period is over with the Stage 1 - I have a feeling that the Thumb will win, just for it's bottom end and growl.
I am so pleased with the purchase. I was really lucky with ebay, because it was as described and although it's a 2001 bass (99 serial number) it is completely as new, not a mark on it and the brass frets are all lovely and shiny still. It's making my Thumb look like an old wreck at the moment :lol:
