M Basses M3 5 'er on the Low End

[markcv]

Anybody know anything about these? Looks like a very nice boo-teeky bass with Nordstrand jazz pups and a believe an Aguilar OBP3 pre.

http://www.thelowend.net/gallery/viewtopic.php?t=5142

Seems like a reasonable price too.

[gravesbass]

I played that bass at the vintage guitar show in Philly a few weeks back. Brian took it there along with a bunch of others. It felt nice for a reverse string player. Didnt plug it in tho.... Too crowded. It has a peace sign on the back of the headstock with Jimmy Haslip's name on it. I suspect it was built for him. Low action. It was light (8.5lbs-ish) The body appeared to have some weird finish issue. Like cracks in the thin finish/clearcoat. I would confirm with Brian on this. They were streamers going horizontally with the grain. The ramp was very cool. I took pics of it to take to my luthier. It was cut perfect. The neck is right handed... Just an FYI...

[Lefty007]

I asked Jon Maghini about this bass, and here is his response:

Solid Alder body with cherry burst finish
3 piece maple neck
Macassar Ebony fingerboard 24 frets
35” scale
1- 7/8” nut width, 19mm string spacing @ the bridge
Lindy Fralin single coil pickups
Aguilar OBP-3 pre-amp with active passive bypass and Mid freq. Switch
The ramp is ebony and it is removable
The bass is very lightweight maybe 8 – 8 ½ lbs…

It seems like a good deal. I just don't like 35"-scale or 19 mm spacing, otherwise I would have thought about it. M Basses have great reputation.

[markcv]

Ah, Fralins... Brian told me they were Nordstrands. Whoops.

Sounds like it might be a nice bass for somebody. I'm working on a deal for a couple of 5 strings (one fretted and one fretless) right now and if the fretted falls through I may look into this one further.

[Bassaria]

hey all -
I too played it at the philly guitar show - really played nicely - and i did play it - as i play (or should i say STRING) like Haslip...
Wouldnt put it in the same category as my Roscoe 5 but it was a light, well balanced ax with some useful tonal variety...
as far as finish, it was pretty bland...but then again you are talking to a guy that has a pink and an orange bass in his collection!
hit me if you need more detail before it fades in a sea of belgium ales....

[Bassaria]

btw - jimmy must have signed it that sunday night AFTER the show had closed - he was playing in town with robben ford...

[gravesbass]

btw - jimmy must have signed it that sunday night AFTER the show had closed - he was playing in town with robben ford...

Damn, you were there? I wish I pinged you that I was going. I was in town and there on Saturday for half the day. Actually, Jimmy's signature was there when I played the bass on Sat morning. If you look closely on the lowend site, you will see his signature on the back of the headstock with a peace sign. That was already there...... The fingerboard was very nice!!

[Bassaria]

damn! could have made a lefty bass hang....must have missed that signature...belgium ales???
next time the show comes thru we should discuss going on the board here...i'm sure a few folks makes the pilgramage for bass porn...even though leftys are poorly represented there...