Birdsong Guitars CortoCustom

2007 USA built. 24 frets, Passive pickups - Lace Sensor single-coil neck/Birdsong Punchbucker @ bridge. Controls are volume/volume (I didn't want a tone control knob), front jacked. 31" scale Maple neck/fretless ebony fingerboard. Oil finish. Cortofusion body shape. Hipshot A-style bridge and Ultra-Lite tuners. Hard case and wrenches included.

I run through GK Backline combos (110 and 210) and have run it through both a 25 watt Hartke combo and Peavey TKO 115. Just with the volume knobs for each pickup, I have a large number of tones. With the bridge pickup, I can get the clich?? fretless sound, while with the neck pickup and playing over the fingerboard, I can get as close to an upright tone as I've ever heard from an electric bass. With both pickups on full, it's a whole new thing...closest comparison might be Tony Franklin's tone with "The Firm." I used it for rock tunes, acoustic rock, folk, blues, and both traditional and free jazz within the first three days of owning it. It's perfect for me on all of them.

Excellent work across the board (as I was expecting from Birdsong).

This thing is a tank - tough, sturdy construction. It's an oil finish, but it's a good one. This is about to become my no-backup primary player.

What is this "truss rod adjustment" of which you speak? I don't expect to need to do much of that between the shorter scale, climate in which I store it, and thickness of the neck.

It's Birdsong - I first played this bass at a weekend Gathering they hosted for friends and customers. They offered changes/fixes to anything I asked for before shipping it to me. I watched as they made tweaks/took notes regarding my friend's two guitars they have built/are building for him. They're awesome and they've treated me like family.

5 year warranty info is on their site.

I've been playing almost 21 years and this is my 2nd Birdsong, along with a Fender Jazz 24, Breedlove Atlas Fretless Acoustic Bass Guitar. I've owned a Pedulla and a number of other basses. These folks have built my two dream basses for me - I'd replace them in a heartbeat.

2007 Cortobass Custom. Ebony on mahogany. Dual Birdsong Punchbuckers (passive), each with independent vol/tone control. Maple neck with Rosewood board. Build quality - jaw droppingly beautiful. Granted, this is one special bass (Scott & Jamie from Birdsong nicknamed it "Ebony Eyes") just from everything the Birdsong gang accomplished with it, but words (and pictures) don't do it justice. Scott translated every last detail that I hoped for (including things that I didn't ask for because I felt like it would be unreasonable to expect them) in this bass. You can't say enough about a builder that goes the extra mile, rather than just churning out 'yet another instrument'. The good news is, I know that the Birdsong gang treat every last one of their basses the same way and all they ask for in return is that we play 'em.

This Birdsong, I believe, is somewhat unusual in that it was built with a dual humbucker configuration and two sets of vol/tone controls. I'm sooooo happy with the WIDE range of tones I can get from each pickup. Neck: d-e-e-p, warm and wooly without crossing over into the "mud". If you want to just hang out and hold the bottom -- this is where it's at (and I hope that the Birdsong gang builds more this way... then again, maybe not -- then I can say I have one of the only basses in this config ;). Bridge: punch right through that mix, yessir; very nice, defined upper end. Pickups mixed together: I don't know how Scott wires this stuff up, but you end up getting some real cool possibilities with a nice honk coming through the cab. Professional tone right here... come and get it.

I think I've said it all... amazing workmanship, amazing attention to detail. I'm glad I've got my Birdsongs now. If the rest of the world figures out about these little jewels made in Texas, you'd wait forever to get your hands on one.

Built like a tank. Top notch hardware. Lots of practice and some gigging with my Birdsongs and they are just fine thank you. It's real wood, man. Expect it to live, breathe and take some hits -- it ain't going nowhere but to be played.

There is absolutely no one, anywhere, that provides better customer service than the Birdsong gang. They want to know you and know that their "children" are going to good homes. Just pick up the phone and call... you'll get that great Birdsong vibe after just chatting with Scott and Jamie for a few minutes. They are real good people.

If I thought I could find a better bass, I would have bought one. This is my second Birdsong. The first experience and product were so outstanding I went back. I also had confidence that Scott would be able to transform an incredible piece of ebony into a work of art. He did.

this bass is Cortocustom 6C-047X (sonny) completed 10/16/06 in wimberley ,texasbody is honduran Mahogany,neck maple,fretboard-rosewood,truss cover vintage tortoise,nut-ebony..weight 7 lbs 14 oz..bridge is Hipshot style A in brass,pickup is Hot Lace HB, wiring/varitone,tuners are Hipshot ultralites w/cloverleaf buttons..has a unique natural finish and a unique one-off custom body..includes a plushlined hardshell case...

LOVE the sound and with a very high output pickup ,my toes just curl when I play this !!You can get any sound you want with this baby !I have several birdsongs and each have their own personalities....but this one is wild and loves to scream...

I received this birdsong from its original owner of two months(had some obligations and regretfully had to sell and knew I was a birdsong lover ...I didnt hesitate and sonny has 2 years to get it back from me and I have no doubt it will be back in his hands)the setup was still perfect and no adjustments were needed...I could not find any flaws...

this birdsong is just as reliable and dependable as my other 6,yes 6 other birdsongs...these instruments are so well crafted they are my primary instruments..everything is solid on these basses and the finish makes them a work of art....I would take this bass any and everywhere !!!

Not enough praise can be given to Scott and Jamie ,,so a perfect 10 they receive...I wish it could be more..Hech here is a 1000+...they deserve it..they know the meaning of customer service !!!!

been playing for over 34 years and I have found my basses...Birdsongs,never enough....if you want them !!!!!

I've had my Corto Custom for about a year now (arrived Nov. 2005) and am still extremely pleased with it. I've played about 30, 3 set shows, each gig it's been a true pleasure for my back, hands and of course, my ears. I went hunting for a decent short(er) scale bass that would be light weight, well made and sound great. I've been playing somewhere almost every weekend for over 36 years and smallish hands and a weakening back had lead me to switch over from long, heavy, full scale basses to Dano Longhorns about 5 years ago. I love their sound and playability, but there were not many other options. I'd originally played a "Beatle" bass and a Gibson EBO but I knew I didn't really want to go there, so a Google search brought me to Birdsong. My Corto bass is special in that it has a spruce top, no body contours, 2 pickups and a unique blending system that uses an assignable volume control and a switch to blend either pickup with the other on full. This system of my own design allows me to explore all the subtle blending possibilities that the 2 pickups have to offer. There is no tone and no volume control as I never use them anyway. It has a solid spruce top and a Spanish ceder chambered body. The it has the typical Birdsong combo of Lace and Select pickups and a slightly enlarged feather on the headstock. The matching spruce topped knob and thumb rests were added complements of Scott & Jamie the 2 main builders, whom you will get to know well via plenty of emails if you order yourself one of these fine instruments) and they even sent me their cell phone number the weekend it shipped since they were going to be out of town. I put an 8 here because it doesn't have a lot of features, but since that's because that was totally by my own choice, I'm giving it a 9.

I can solo one pickup or the other with the switch and then blend in exactly how much of the other PU via the single 500k control knob. It produces no noise at all, even under the most critical situations with the exception of a club that has a florecent light only inches away from my bass amp. I shut that sign off and it's dead quiet as always. I can get a very wide range of tones from this bass, but may favorite is the tone you get with of both PU's on full. I eventually wired up a second switch to do just that! Now I can go from a special "dialed in" sound to both PU's on full instantly. It always sounds great to my ears and I often hear compliments from listeners that confirm this. Basically there are no bad tones to be had on this bass, and the only reason I change sounds at all is to suit the song, or sometimes when I change from pick to fingers in the same song, or just for the heck of it! Some settings have more volume or mids, etc. so depending on the amount of presense I need at the time, I can get what ever I want, pretty much at will. The tone is warm and thick with plenty of top end, mostly due to the fact that there's little in the way of electronics to muddy the tone. I think it sounds and plays fantastic, on stage and in the studio as well.

It came perfectly set up with 50-110 strings. They were a tad heavy for me so I'm using 50-105's now, and it plays and intonates flawlessly. It stays in tune all night is is often perfectly in tune when I open the case at the next gig. It's all hand made by what amounts to a 2 person operation with Scott doing the building for the most part and Jamine doing the intricate wood buring and lots of other stuff. They will even send you photos of the entire process if you so desire, but in my case they just sent a few at key stages of the building. My bass was basically an experiment since at the time they had not built any chambered or hollow body instruments yet. It came in at under 7 lbs and my back could not be happier, esp. on that 3rd set! I have a number of basses, and this is my main one for all but the scariest of venues. It's got a satin finish spruce top with matching knob and thumbrest and a redish brown body, so it looks kind of "acoustic-ish". It was tastefully and artfully customized to my needs with out compromising what Birdsong already does so well and as such I can't imagine a bass that would suite me better.

It only has a very light satin finish over a (thicker than normal) spruce top, and Scott himself even said that due to the construction materials, multiple chambers and light finish, it's not really meant to take tons of abuse. However, after a year of hard giging, being knocked off the stand by a caloused club owner, and my own bouts of clutzyness, it's barely showing it's age at all. The top is a little warn were my thumb and pinky touch the bass while playing and a tiny ding or two, but that's it. The over all playability, electronics and hardware remain unchanged.

Scott and Jamie have answered all of my emails either the same day or the very next day, and like I said earlier, they even gave me their cell number since they wouldn't be in the shop the weekend I was supposed to receive my bass. I've talked with Scott on several occations regarding the construction and electronic plans for this bass, and to be able to shoot the breeze one on one with the designer, builder of your bass who also happens to be fellow bassist who's also had his share of live gigs, is really a one of a kind experience. The whole purchasing experience was truly a pleasure and the byproduct is a bass that "fits" me better than any of the dozens I've owned in the past. Plus it's handmade in Texas! All this for the bargin price of only $1500 or so bucks? I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

For something I couldn't put my hands on until it was bought and paid for and although it took the full 45 days to complete, what arrived at my door was exactly what I wanted, no more and no less. Actually, I take that back, the neck it self was also an extremely plesant suprise. It's soooo comfortable to play. I know this all sounds too good to be true, but this is what you get when you are lucky enough to have Birdsong build your dream bass. In my mind, the price was barely even "a tip" for a job well done. If you want a bass that looks and sounds like the 5000 others just like it that came out this year, then go ahead, but if you want something that you alone can appriciate, then you owe it to yourself to check out Birdsong.

single Lace Sensor Gold single coil 250K pot
Passive electronics,
Body - Poplar - solid body,
neck - 3 piece laminated Maple, Fretboard - Rosewood, Finish - natural oil blend, Body - custom, Bridge - Hipshot classic -brass, - Nut - Ebony, Tuners - closed, Hardshell case, Strap buttons - Gripper T, Truss rod tool included.

I play all kinds of music from bluegrass to progressive jazz and am able to get any sound I want simply with my amp adjustments. I use a Behringer BX-1800 workstation. I have only had a chance to play on stage so far but I expect it will do just fine in the studio.

At my request, the action was a little low for using a pick but was good foe plunking country style.
The single pickup was right on. The fret markers are a little hard to see on stage against the maple background on half of them with rosewood on the leading half. It was easely fixed with a woodburning tool in just 5 minutes.

Its the onlt tool I use on gigs. It's still pretty new but I forsee no problems with it. It is rock solid dependable. Everything came from the shop well adjusted and set up. I only had to tune 1 string about 1/2 a step after shipping due to climate change.

Support is there if I should need it. They have contacted me several times to make sure I am happy and each time they tell me to let them know if I should have ANY problems.

I've been playing for 37 years and have never been happier with any bass I have had. As a matter of fact, this was the best bang for my buck! I have it well insured and have my old bass sitting out as a decoy where burglers will steal it and leave.

The balance is right on. No neck dive at all. Alot of thought went into the design.
I'm not real crazy with the case latches because they are not real secure. Big deal - neither am I!!

Weight: 7 lbs, 10 0z
1 peice solid Honduran Mahogany body
Maple neck
Rosewood Fingerboard
Pearloid Truss Rod Cover
Rosewod +Pearloid nut
Hipshot Ultrapite Tuning machines
Dunlop Straplocks
Hipshot Vintage style brass bridge
Nickel Roundwounds
Lace Gold pickup in neck position, EMG select in bridge position. Passive Pickups
6 position Varitone for EG control
Chickenhead knobs
Hand Rubbed poly/oil finish
Chrome Hardware
Pearloid Control Plate
24 frets
Short Scale 30" neck
Body is 'Retro' Look on the www.birdsonguitars.com
Strings are through body
Neck is a bolt on with 5 bolts.
Came with case.

I play a variety of styles but mostly alternative and progressive. I play with my fingers, slap, tap, and use a pick. My picking style is very fast and I move around the fret board alot.
I play through a Mesa Boogie WalkAbout Scout 12" speaker and cab. For going direct I use either the scout head or a Tech 21 Bass DI.
This bass is clean clean clean. No noise. The sound is similar to a Warwick in the standard position with both pickups on full and the Varitone in the first setting. It punches, growls and is incredibly responsive. I guess you could say it is bright and warm. Very detailed, natural and woody. Everything you love about a Warwick Corvette is in this bass's sound. The short scale does nothing to diminish the power of this tool.
The thing I really love is the Varitone. Heres the explanation from the site:
is a series of tone filters designed to change the tone of the bass with each setting of the switch. There are five settings and one bypass setting which allows the stock, unaltered tone of the pickups to pass through. It's not a circuit designed to emulate the tones of other basses, it's not a pickup selector... it replaces a standard useless tone control with five variations on the voice of whatever pickup or blend you select. No batteries required!
Good lord! I can dial up ANYTHING I want and I don?t have some crappy digital device to do it. It?s all analog, and it is just incredible. This device lets me get a funky 'Wah' type of sound for slapping, a full and deep blues sound, a punchy rock growl, et. I could figure a thousand ways to describe it but just know this: You will never have to hit another foot switch or adjust the EQ on your amp again. Any sound for any style, in Analog, warm and no gimmicks involved. I am currently using this bass for my next studio CD on Jello Records. I used a Warwick Corvette on my last CD, but this thing is equal too if not better sounding than the Warwick with tons more in terms of sonic variations. Just a fine fine piece of work. You can get them now for a great price, but I suspect that these are going to be much more expense very very soon!
The only thing I miss, but this cannot be changed due to having the 24 frets is that you cannot have bigger frets like with a precision. I have adapted however, and I can literally fly on this bass. I practice all my styles religiously but live I tend to use a pick.

Bass was set up perfect, action just right, pickups adjusted great, no flaws, great finish, nothing loose, neck just set in tight and solid. Fantastic!

Built like a Tank without the weight! I will never need another bass.

5 year warranty, hand on support and discussions. Not a problem in the world. How'd you like to have the artist making your instrument consult with you on the details? Warwick do that? Fender??? Nope. Birdsong does but again, I feel like I got a steal as the word is getting out.

I have been playing since 1974. I have owned and gigged with a MusicMan Stingray, Warwick Corvette, Italia Maranello Z bass and currently own and have gigged with a Danolectric Longhorn Pro; Fender Precision; Fender Mustang; Epiphone Allen Woody RumbleKat and the Corto Custom.
If it were lost or stolen I would get another. I can play a long scale or short scale bass equally well, but I just fell in love with the feel of a short scale bass. The neck on this is more like a percision in terms of roundness and girth. I want to put some flats on this at some point just to hear what sounds I can get but I'm having too much fun right now with the rounds.