Product: Maton JB4FL
Price Paid: AUD 850 USED
Submitted
01/01/2009
at
05:23am
by
Adam Phillips
Features
:
9
This is one of the most brilliant basses I've ever played or owned. The features are as the other person described. Of particular note is the feel of the neck. It's a neck-thru & feels very thin, but it's so excellent in the hand. Passive pickups & the rear buzzes a bit now, but you get that - it was made in Feb 1982.
Sound
:
10
FAT & WARM!!!!! Unbelievable! I mainly use 2 sounds on this one, both volume knobs up full, tone up full, pickup selector to the rear & play anywhere to vary the sound a little, but it's full & rocky & the other sound is the front volume on 7, the pickup switch to the front & play over the end of the fingerboard, That give it almost a true double-bass sound.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
Finished really well & hangs in there year after year for playing several times a week all over Australia & parts of Asia.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
The neck has had a slight twist once & Maton fixed it to be better than it ever was.
Customer Support
:
10
The guys at Maton are sensational. I take it in every 2 or 3 years for a service & check over & it comes back to me in a beautiful state. I love their work.
Overall Rating
:
10
If you ever have the chance to buy a Maton JB4 fretless or fretted, PLEASE DO IT! It's a rare & collectable bass & if you ever play one, you'll know why they're in hot demand.
Product: Maton JB4FL
Price Paid: Gift
Submitted
07/28/2004
at
06:14am
by
Greg
Email: greg_d_t at hotmail<dot>com
Features
:
10
1983 Australian made Fretless 4 string bass
This bass is made out of sasaphras timber and has a qld rock maple thru body neck,
Pickups are passive jazz style dimarzios with a series / parrallel switch, individual volume controls and a tone control.
Finnish is satin, Bridge is a Badass, Tuners are shalier and i have the original case for it.
Sound
:
10
this bass has an extremely round fat tone yet it can also get quite a bit of punch if needed. i have done numerous recordings with it and constantly get comments on the tone of this particular bass.
it is especially sweet for getting those sliding harmonic tones for over dubs.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
Not sure how it was from factory as iam the second owner but since i got it i had my guitar doctor work some magic on it which included routing the bridge into the body so that it would sit lowwer as the badass bridges were quite high.
since then it has been an absolute dream to play.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
this bass has toured all around australia with me and its previous owner and has never once failed either of us. i have never had a backup bass on a gig as i know it wont let me down at all.
Customer Support
:
10
I have dealt with maton over the years for my custom made accoustic guitars and the guys and gals down in melbourne have been legends to say the least.
Overall Rating
:
10
This bass was a very special gift to me and i have played it for many yeras before he gave it to me. this is the nicest fretless i have played in a long time and if it were stolen i would be lost as it is so dear to me i wouldnt know what to do. also it cant be replaced as maton dont manufacture these anymore.
