AXL Player Deluxe P-Bass

This is a 2004 model P-Bass copy made in China, So you can imagine my surprise when this arrived and upon opening the box i found an exelently crafted instrument. Im a guitarist mostly and only bought this bass to pad out my 4 track recordings, so i suppose i am not the utmost expert on all things bass. Though i know a good guitar when i see one and this fits the bill, It has all the standard P-Bass features you'd expect, split single coil pick-up (designed by EMG.) A tone and volume control neither of which crackle, and some solid tuners. Its a P-bass, its got everything you could want!

As i said before my appretiation of what classes as exellent bass tone, is severly lacking. However to my ears it sounds great, it has a full and woody thump (my personal favourite kind)and the pickups sound deep and full, and that is through equipment meant for guitars (a marshall Vs265, or mg 30 dfx, depending on which is more suitable) I sometimes stick my BigMuff in front of it, and it fuzzes up nicely without feedbacking to the point of agony at high volumes. Also sounds good for slap bass if thats your style.

Superb! This was where i was most surprised, the finish is exellent, this particular model is a lake placid metallic blue which is beutiful. The paint job is thick and looks like it'll stand up to years of punishment, ive dinged it a few times and its not cracked or anything. The neck is wonderful and smooth, no frets were sticking out and the rosewood is beutiful stuff. This thing feels expensive I actually had a play of a friends #400 Fender Mexican Jazz bass and to be honest i found this thing to play and feel like it was in the same catagory. Which is a testament to AXL. I havent actually needed to change the factory strings as of yet as they play really well, and everything was set up well with no hint of fret buzz, ive not had to go near it with a screw driver or allen key. I am rating this next to basses that are in a similar price bracket, though it must be said that the rating wouldn't be much different if i was rating next to basses many times the price!

Everything is well built, and put together. I have no clue what the wood actually is but its nice solid stuff that exudes quality. This thing would most certainly withstand live playing, it stays in tune wonderfully, i've only ever really had to tweak it once or twice in the year or so i've had it (i can't actully remember when i got it) and that was at times such as when a friend stood on it, he was subsequently killed but the bass was fine.

I've never had to deal with them but they're a big company with offices and factories all over the world so whether there any good or not i dunno. However i have to say that any company that is willing to put such good materiels and workmanship into a budget instrument is mighty impresive. I only wish AXL were the leading guitar manufacturer of budget guitars in Britain rather than the horrible exploitative excuse for a company JHS who produce the encore and vintage lines. I wonder how many people have been put off playing guitar thanks to their crappy instruments. There may be a few more Vai's and Satrani's out there if every kid started with somthing like this.

This is the only bass i own, though i have a ridiculous amount of other kit, way to much to list! However i don't believe i'll ever need another bass with this about. It is exellent quality at an extremely low price, even in the shops this is about #90 new which is mighty impresive (i tried one out in a shop before buying this)I suppose the only downside to these guitars is the crushingly ugly headstock, something AXL should seriously consider changing (however i suspect the reason these things are so cheap is because of this) so if your willing to overlook this minor flaw you'll get an exellent bass at a low price. Besides this is rock'n'roll so you really shoudnt care about such things!