After searching online for 6 months for a new bass and then traveling to the ISB to try candidates this June, I found the maker of my next instrument, Nick Lloyd. Nick’s basses had all the qualities I was looking for- clarity, a tight but substantial bottom, playability, great aesthetics, and the price was just right as well. Since then, I have been trying to figure out how to get into one of his 3/4’s and finally lined it all up after much planning, hand wringing, long chats with my wife, and thinking for months. (Still need to sell my Hawkes FS here!)
Anyway, I’m thrilled. Nick and I have been talking for months, and one of my students just purchased the 7/8s he had at the ISB, which was few points shy of a gold medal but had a solid silver for tone and certificate for workmanship.
We went over some details today. I’m getting the 3/4 walnut with standard F holes, violin corners, 41″ scale length, and chromatic extension. This will be a jazz bass, so Nick’s going to put high arching on the top and give it some real punch and clarity, maybe slightly brighter than the one 3/4 he had at the convention. And he’s just updated his top varnishing. The new results will be on his website in the next week, and I could tell he’s excited about the outcome. It should be a good match for his walnut back and sides.
The bass should be done in January. I’ll fly out to pick it up in person and do small setup adjustments, and perhaps a few beers with the luthier himself. I’ll post some pics and vids here when it arrives. Hopefully this will be the bass I play for the rest of my days, or at least the next 20 years!
Are you picking up the bass THIS January or a year from now?
Will,
It was supposed to be this January (2012) but it’s going to March. Nick’s finishing up one bass right now and will be starting mine in a few weeks. Check back to see and hear the results, and thanks for the comment!