WCriley Posted August 25, 2008 Posted August 25, 2008 Today during lunch I took my Acme B-2 cab to a local music shop for the owner to try out with his Conklin 7 string. What a gorgeous instrument! The lower part of the body is capped with the most beautifully quilted piece of maple Ive ever seen, while the upper part is capped with an excellent piece of walnut. The fret board and the cap over the center of the body is purple heart. He handed it to me to play while he waited on a customer! That critter plays every bit as good as it looks! The neck was so comfortable, I barely noticed the extra width for the 7th string. Luckily my ability doesnt justify the expense or Id have a serious case of GAS right now.
saxofunk Posted August 25, 2008 Posted August 25, 2008 The one time I played a real Conklin was a day I showed up at GC and found a bassist I had met a few months before. He barely knew my name but he trusted me with his 10 string for a couple minutes as he was blowing up a Marcus Miller Jazz bass. It was wonderful bass. As you observed, a few extra strings didn't seem to make all that much difference on a well shaped neck. Bill Conklin makes good stuff. He doesn't get all the press that many other custom shops get, but it seems his customers keep going back for more. - Matt W.
b5pilot Posted August 25, 2008 Posted August 25, 2008 Lucky dog! Lydian mode? The only mode I know has the words "pie ala" in front of it. http://www.myspace.com/theeldoradosband
jeremy c Posted August 25, 2008 Posted August 25, 2008 What would Jamerson say? Free download of my cd!.
kenfxj Posted August 25, 2008 Posted August 25, 2008 I'm not sure how practical this is, but it's a fine piece of woodworking. http://www.conklinguitars.com/images/awardbass.jpg I'd like to see Jason (G7TZ) cut loose on this sucker. Push the button Frank.
1111000 Posted August 26, 2008 Posted August 26, 2008 Found out some months ago that this Conklin fellow lives in my city. They say he's a nice guy--I'd like to tour his workshop if he'd let me. I did hear a weird rumor that you have to impress him with your bass skills before he lets you buy one, though. Probably dubious, but interesting.
kenfxj Posted August 26, 2008 Posted August 26, 2008 Found out some months ago that this Conklin fellow lives in my city. They say he's a nice guy--I'd like to tour his workshop if he'd let me. I did hear a weird rumor that you have to impress him with your bass skills before he lets you buy one, though. Probably dubious, but interesting. I would think not, since you can buy them through Musician's Friend. Maybe for him to make you a custom ? Push the button Frank.
jeremy c Posted August 26, 2008 Posted August 26, 2008 Found out some months ago that this Conklin fellow lives in my city. They say he's a nice guy--I'd like to tour his workshop if he'd let me. I did hear a weird rumor that you have to impress him with your bass skills before he lets you buy one, though. Probably dubious, but interesting. I've met the owner of the bass which is pictured and the rumor cannot be true. Free download of my cd!.
... Posted August 26, 2008 Posted August 26, 2008 Found out some months ago that this Conklin fellow lives in my city. They say he's a nice guy--I'd like to tour his workshop if he'd let me. I did hear a weird rumor that you have to impress him with your bass skills before he lets you buy one, though. Probably dubious, but interesting. I've met the owner of the bass which is pictured and the rumor cannot be true. I too have met JT and have the same opinion. I've also heard much of his band's "music" with hope to understand why he needs those basses to play the same 2 licks over and over again - both of which are easily played on a standard 4 string bass. However they are nice pieces of wood.
davio Posted August 26, 2008 Posted August 26, 2008 *drool* I still love looking at the pics I have of meeting Jeremy and Jason up here in Boston and getting to play that beast of a Conklin. If I ever decide to invest in an ERB, Conklin will be the first maker I investigate. *drool*
DavidMPires Posted August 27, 2008 Posted August 27, 2008 How did the Acme behaved with a 7 string? www.myspace.com/davidbassportugal "And then the magical unicorn will come prancing down the rainbow and we'll all join hands for a rousing chorus of Kumbaya." - by davio
Tenstrum Posted August 27, 2008 Posted August 27, 2008 I got to play a 7 string Conklin several years ago. Nice bass, just not for me. Tenstrum "Paranoid? Probably. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face." Harry Dresden, Storm Front
1111000 Posted August 27, 2008 Posted August 27, 2008 Found out some months ago that this Conklin fellow lives in my city. They say he's a nice guy--I'd like to tour his workshop if he'd let me. I did hear a weird rumor that you have to impress him with your bass skills before he lets you buy one, though. Probably dubious, but interesting. I've met the owner of the bass which is pictured and the rumor cannot be true. As you may have guessed, the person who told me this rumor heard it from a friend and is himself somewhat of a new kid on the scene. His band opened for mine awhile back and I think he was just trying to convert me to Conklin fandom--although he plays an Epiphone SG. Nice guy, just misinformed I guess.
Danzilla Posted August 27, 2008 Posted August 27, 2008 My friend and early influence, Freddie Louden, is a Conklin user (2 of them). I don't make it sound anywhere near as nice as he does. (Jason will attest to that) He's busy making som Phat Blues Music with the Kelly Bell Band these days. http://phatblues.com/PhotoGallery/20080809-UnknownPhotographer/02.jpghttp://phatblues.com/PhotoGallery/20080804-MichaelMcCleary/20080804-14.jpg "Am I enough of a freak to be worth paying to see?"- Separated Out (Marillion) NEW band Old band
WCriley Posted August 27, 2008 Author Posted August 27, 2008 How did the Acme behaved with a 7 string? We used the shop owner's SWR amp. (Sorry, I was so taken by the bass that I didn't notice what model.) He didn't change any settings on the amp or bass before or while he played. (I guess he's a "set it and forget" kind of guy.) In his hands, the bass, amp and speaker combination was absolutely the best bass sound I've ever heard. Clean, articulate, full bodied and woody...I think he had some of the piezo dialed in. In my hands (I didn't change any of his settings) there was slightly less top end "tick" to the notes, but still the best sound I've ever gotten. Although he commented on the bottom end being tight, he seemed to be more impressed with the smoothness of the top end. He said he turns the tweeter attenuator down on his normal cab to keep it from being harsh. (I don't recall if or what he said it was.) He played a lot of upper register chord lines. They sounded very guitar-like, but not a solid body sound like my ESP 6. Blindfolded I'd have mistaken the sound for a nice archtop guitar. (Think Joe Pass.) I've heard him gig and can verify that he and his bass sounded much better in the upper register with the Acme cab.
DavidMPires Posted August 28, 2008 Posted August 28, 2008 Hurray ten points for the Acme. www.myspace.com/davidbassportugal "And then the magical unicorn will come prancing down the rainbow and we'll all join hands for a rousing chorus of Kumbaya." - by davio
_Sweet Willie_ Posted September 2, 2008 Posted September 2, 2008 G7TZ plays a Conklin 7. He also plays it well. Maybe he'll comment. I'm wondering now if his Conklin 7 made an appearance at one of the BBB Fests...hmmm... Anyone remember? Peace. --s-uu spreadluv Fanboy? Why, yes! Nordstrand Pickups and Guitars. Messiaen knew how to parlay the funk.
LLroomtempJ Posted September 16, 2008 Posted September 16, 2008 I was doing my forum lurking and i stumbled across this thread! i would love to hear/see the guy with the double neck conklin play that bass. link anyone? I'm still loving my 7, but i recently fell in love with MTDs. I'm going to drop by the boutique in times sq and see what they have in stock!! i've got some stuff with the conklin 7 up on my youtube and myspace. www.youtube.com/llroomtempj and www.myspace.com/llroomtempj2 suu - i do believe that i brought my 7 to your 2006 bbb!! j 2cor5:21 Soli Deo Gloria "it's the beauty of a community. it takes a village to raise a[n] [LLroomtempJ]." -robb My YouTube Channel
... Posted September 16, 2008 Posted September 16, 2008 i would love to hear/see the guy with the double neck conklin play that bass. link anyone? Trust me on this one, man. You don't want to. Really. If you really want to torture yourself: His band Don't say I didn't warn you.
_Sweet Willie_ Posted September 16, 2008 Posted September 16, 2008 I enjoyed this . Thanks, G7. Peace. --s-uu spreadluv Fanboy? Why, yes! Nordstrand Pickups and Guitars. Messiaen knew how to parlay the funk.
LLroomtempJ Posted September 16, 2008 Posted September 16, 2008 i would love to hear/see the guy with the double neck conklin play that bass. link anyone? Trust me on this one, man. You don't want to. Really. If you really want to torture yourself: His band Don't say I didn't warn you. who would ever associate such a bass with this kind of music?!?!?!? I thought that it was going to the worst music EVER...it wasn't that bad...just not really my cup of tea. sounds like he has some intonation problems. Has this guy ever posted on the board? I doubt that he ever has..or if he did, he left on bad terms 2cor5:21 Soli Deo Gloria "it's the beauty of a community. it takes a village to raise a[n] [LLroomtempJ]." -robb My YouTube Channel
LLroomtempJ Posted September 16, 2008 Posted September 16, 2008 I enjoyed this . Thanks, G7. Peace. --s-uu thanks, suu!! 2cor5:21 Soli Deo Gloria "it's the beauty of a community. it takes a village to raise a[n] [LLroomtempJ]." -robb My YouTube Channel
... Posted September 16, 2008 Posted September 16, 2008 who would ever associate such a bass with this kind of music?!?!?!? I thought that it was going to the worst music EVER...it wasn't that bad...just not really my cup of tea. 99% of what I've ever heard him play could be done easily on a standard 4-string bass. sounds like he has some intonation problems. True story. Has this guy ever posted on the board? I doubt that he ever has..or if he did, he left on bad terms Not that I'm aware of. They think he is some sort of bass god over at the talkbass.com forums.
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