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#1
10-13-2015, 06:06 PM
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The Emerald Flow Bass Has Landed
After doing a lot of research last winter I decided I wanted a lighter bass to gig with. I have owned Fenders', G&Ls', Music Mans' and a Carvin. The Carvin is the only light weight in the bunch at 8 Lbs. They are all fine guitars. I have several G&Ls', my favorite being an M2500, but unfortunately it is 10 lbs and I am approaching 73 years.
This is a fairly long story so fast forward if your not interested. On January 13 2015 I called Michael at MacNichols and placed an order for an Emerald Flow Bass 5 string. It is a Carbon Fiber bass and was advertised at about 7 lbs. Given everything else about the bass this seemed like a good choice. In March Michael informed me about his upcoming closure and he forwarded my down payment to Alistair at Emerald. On the 31s of March I started communicating with Alistair and verified everything about the order. I was also informed initially that the build wait was 3 to 4 months. In early May, Alistair informed me that they felt they needed to make a new mold and that there would be some changes incorporated in the guitar. I agreed that this was what I wanted, especially with the new changes. It took a fair amount of time to build a new mold but I was informed as things progressed and my build was started in mid August. The anticipation was building. I was informed about 3 weeks ago the build was complete. About a week ago it was shipped by Mail and delivered by USPS this morning. The box showed a bit of damage but nothing serious. Upon opening I discovered it was packed in a Hiscox case, thanks Alistair, as the standard is an Emerald Gig bag. The aluminum frame was bent a bit from an impact on the bottom but was easy to straighten with a bit of care. Upon opening the case I was amazed! Now to the guitar. It is absolutely flawless. The neck, stainless frets and finish is impeccable. Even the carbon weave is perfect all over. The setup was exactly as I requested and my initial check playing it verified what I was seeing. I will be gigging this in a couple of weeks but the weight and balance of this bass couldn't be better. Even though it was a long wait (especially for a guy my age) it was well worth it. Keep in mind that their primary business is building acoustic guitars. Thanks again to Alistair and crew for a stellar product. I couldn't be happier.-- Darwin Edit, the weight is just a tad over 7 lbs.    
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Stay Tuned Last edited by Darwin; 10-13-2015 at 06:24 PM. Reason: Added weight. 
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#2
10-13-2015, 06:38 PM
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That's a very cool looking bass. I assume it's a solid body. Glad that Alistair was able to accomplish what you had hoped for. Hope it performs well in your live environment.
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Tom '21 Martin D-18 Standard | '02 Taylor 814c | '18 Taylor 214ceDLX | '18 Taylor 150e-12 | '78 Ibanez Dread (First acoustic) | '08 CA Cargo | '02 Fender Strat American '57 RI My original songs
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#4
10-13-2015, 09:23 PM
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__________________
Tom '21 Martin D-18 Standard | '02 Taylor 814c | '18 Taylor 214ceDLX | '18 Taylor 150e-12 | '78 Ibanez Dread (First acoustic) | '08 CA Cargo | '02 Fender Strat American '57 RI My original songs
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#5
10-14-2015, 05:35 AM
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7lbs for a 5 string is very impressive.
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#6
10-14-2015, 07:34 AM
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__________________
Tom '21 Martin D-18 Standard | '02 Taylor 814c | '18 Taylor 214ceDLX | '18 Taylor 150e-12 | '78 Ibanez Dread (First acoustic) | '08 CA Cargo | '02 Fender Strat American '57 RI My original songs
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#7
10-14-2015, 07:50 AM
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Thanks for the comments. I did solicit the advice on this board back in January and had great feedback from you folks on Emerald. 5 string basses are heavy. I have a G&L Asat 4 string which is my lightest G&L and it is neck heavy. One of my concerns was balance especially on a 7 lb guitar. This bass is well balanced.
I spent some time playing it unplugged while Ginny was watching TV last evening. The feel is spectacular, feeling very similar to my G&Ls which have been my favorites in recent years. It is the easiest to play bass that I have owned as the action is very low along with about .008 relief in the fretboard. I may even raise the action a bit but I am going to use it a bit before deciding. The build and finish are spectacular and for some reason, carbon fiber seems difficult to photograph. It is hard to capture the beauty in a photo. I will report on this after I have used it for a month or two but initial impressions are way above what I was expecting. After all, the price on this is just a bit above what an American Deluxe Fender or an American G&L go for and it is truly a custom build. -- Darwin
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Stay Tuned
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#9
10-14-2015, 08:29 AM
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A balanced bass shouldn't notice any loss of weight from the headstock area, either.
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#10
10-18-2015, 03:52 PM
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That weave is so gorgeous in amber! I'm excited thinking about my 50th birthday purple X7 on order! Hope it's as spectacular as your bass!
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As we hang beneath the heavens, and we hover over hell Our hearts become the instruments we learn to play so well ~ Dan Fogelberg GSmini Mahogany~Rainsong WS1000 Ser# 4641 Emerald X7~Pono Mango Tenor Ukelele Cordoba Acero D10
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#11
10-19-2015, 07:27 AM
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__________________
Stay Tuned
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#12
10-26-2015, 01:37 PM
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That is a gorgeous bass!!! Post some videos so we can hear it
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