CertainBass Jazz Bass

For a Jazz Bass - it has everything, of course! Custom built by D.C. for me mid 2008, all to my specification and choice. Standard but very good quality components so the features are top-notch. AND AT THAT PRICE??? More than a 10. Waht mre can one say? It's a Jazz bass.

Now I'm good at coming up with streams of superlatives but still don't know where to start here to do it justice, it really is that good. Let me be more emphatic by being economical and subtle with words. It is STUNNING in all the tone versatility you'd expect from a Jazz. It is STUNNING in rich vintage vibe tonality. It is STUNNING in cut-through in a mix or in live playing. And perfectly quiet for noise. Again, 10 is not enough.

I'd have to be really nit-picky to mark it down here, and I'm not, so I wont. If I had decimals here maybe it would be 9.9 - simply that I had to adjust the truss rod by 1/3 turn after it cam over the Atlantic, which is not at all unusual or objectional, and adjust the pickups slightly which is just my style and taste. That done, my goodness what an impeccable setup. Bliss. Perfection. Man & bass merging to a single entity. That territory. NO I AM NOT IN LEAGUE WITH MR CERTAIN IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER! Just a happy customer. Truly. But I know neither I nor he need to convince you of that.

Solid as a rock. Has the feel that you could use it as a bludgeon and it wouldn't just play, chances are it would still be in tune. Honestly, you'd have to start Pete Townshend antics to cause it more than cosmetic damage. What else is to go wrong??

Took a while, which I didn't mind a bit, and every single email was answered - engagingly, and directly (neither fobbing-off nor flannel - David tells it like it is). And I did send lots of emails. I doubt 'support' as such will ever be an issue (I'm in the UK and can't imagine sending it to the States) but I feel 100% confident of the guarantee offered, such was the customer service. So it has to be another 10. BELIEVE ME I'D BE CRITICAL AND ACCURATE if I had reason to be.

Where do I start? 68 Fender Mustang bass, 59 & 1990s Danelectro basses, 1963 Fenton Weil Contrabass, high quality Mosrite & Vox copy basses. Nice warm vintage Laney head and an assortment of killer home-built cabs, 1x15 and 2x10. Been playing about 25 years and much in demand locally nowadays. This bass is as superlative as I'm making out. Now I'm playing more, enjoying it and doing greater things with it, I decided to buy this to honour my playing. That's a big statement and a big gesture to myself. I had no idea the fruition of that would be this perfect. Couldn't have done a better thing or bought a better bass, even for 5x as much money at least. If stolen? I'd call DC and order within the week, no question.

In June of 2008 I had David build a Vintage 60's Style Jazz Bass. We emailed back and forth to decide on what features I wanted/needed. I went with the following. Olympic White alder body with matching headstock (David's idea) Gotoh reverse vintage tuners, vintage bridge, 21 fret rosewood slab fretboard and tort pickguard. Got the Varitone option but to maintain the vintage look wired the pickups (David's stock pups) to one volume knob, Varitone in the center position and the blend in the tone position all CTS pots. David added vintage ashtray bridge and neck pickup covers to complete the look.

I play everything from jazz to rock and this bass works for all of it. Strung with rounds. Play it through a Mesa Boogie Walkabout Scout 1x12 clean eq. Unbelievable tone, no fret buzz or noise period. Sounds like a Jazz should full bottom and crisp highs. Varitone works well and is passive which I prefer. Tested in rehearsal with a full band and got a lot of compliments (should be noted here that I own 2 other Jazz Basses a Jaco Fretless and a Geddy Lee so my band and sound guy know what good jazzes sound like) It had tremendous bottom end and resonance.

David and I discussed how I wanted it set up and it arrived exactly right. The neck is as tightly mounted as can be with no gaps or play. The hardware is all first quality and the finish is beautiful. The great thing is David has tons of options to choose from so you can mix and match pickups, tuners, necks etc. The only change I made was I raised the bridge pickup as I like it a little higher than David set it.

This is one SOLID bass it feels like it could take a serious hit and keep on going. I have had it for a few months and I play it daily and gig with it as well and it hasn't let me down yet. I tweaked the neck a bit when the weather changed but that's not the basses fault. I always have a backup when I gig because I use 2-4 different basses but I would feel fine if this was the only one I had.

From the moment I contacted David he was great. He made some suggestions -- some I took some I didn't. He knows his stuff but isn't arrogant or pushy he is a very laid back guy. When I asked him to call me because I had some questions he did so in a matter of minutes. To me service is everything whether your in a restaurant or buying a custom bass. There is too much competition out there to not have great service and frankly I don't have any patience for bad. When I needed the bass for an upcoming gig and regular international shipping wasn't going to make it David sent it at an additional expense a -- cost that he bore-- so that it would arrive on time. It did and was in perfect condition.

I have been playing for 30 plus years and I have owned a lot of gear. Currently my basses are the Fender Jaco Fretless, the Fender Geddy Lee, a Fender BG-29 acoustic/electric, a 1985 Rickenbacker 4003 and of course the beautiful Certainbass Jazz Bass. If it was lost or stolen I would replace it for sure. This is one beautiful sounding bass and it is as good or better than any MIA Fender I have played or owned. This is like getting a Custom Shop bass for about a 1/3 of the price.

I would recommend David Certain and his basses 100%. It was a first class transaction from beginning to end. You won't regret working with David to build a bass the way you want it I sure don't.