Raven RB6000

I Love This Bass! I bought my Raven West RB6000 early in 2007 from Ravenwest on eBay. Neck-thru, solid walnut wings, String-thru bridge, beautiful vine inlay down the entire neck. Curiously, my bass didn't have the passive/active switch on it - it's active only. But I was able to write the company and get a schematic to convert it (I haven't yet). The string spacing was comfortable, thin neck, easy to play. It's a little neck heavy, but I installed a Dunlop strap lock - lengthening the horn 3/4" helped that problem. A 4-inch wide guitar strap completed the fix. No more neck dive.

The action was not set up at all - the bridge saddles were lined up pretty in a row and so the intonation was off. But that didn't matter to me because I play 'lefty strung righty' and needed to convert it anyways. The conversion was a cinch - all the right parts (double truss rods, solid easy to adjust bridge etc.) makes for easy conversion, although I can't use the 'string-thru' feature of the bridge as my 35" scale strings aren't long enough now. I don't use that feature anyways because I regularly remove my strings to boil them clean, and the straightening required weakens them. I prefer hooking them to the top - much easier and no real loss in sustain that I can tell.
Right away I noticed the preamp was way too hot causing distortion. But that was easily corrected by turning down the gain pot (all the way down) on the preamp. Sounds great now, full, 'piano-like' bass and total control over tonality. I'm playing it thru an Ampeg BR4 and a 610 cab. Also through a Peavey TNT130 -nice clean, deep sounds from each. The B-string has a subwoofer quality to it. What a tone-bone!

I rate this a 4 as-received but a 10 when corrected (why dwell on the baddies -I think it just slipped-by the setup person). That would be a problem to someone not knowledgeable (would require a trip to a Luthier) and I sympothise with that. But in my circumstance it was no problem. So I'll rate this as 'after tinkering' like 'were you able to get it like you wanted'. Yes I was.

This is now my regular bass. My Fender Precision sits idle lately. Easy to get the note you want on the lower registers, without climbing the neck to do it. A working musicians bass for sure.

It has a limited lifetime warranty and as long as they are in business, I feel like they would honor it. I had no problems getting an active/passive conversion scematic from Ravenwest. Nice to deal with. I'm happy

Like I said early on, I'm thrilled with it. This is a bass that will stay with me. Probably last longer than me, to be sure. I have played guitar for 35 years and took up the bass 8 years ago. I play Classic Rock, Blues, Country, some Metal and Easy listening and am in a working blues band and use my RavenWest on all gigs. Haven't needed my backup yet. Get lots of 'Ooh's & Ahh's" from lookers too. The string spacing is further apart from a previously owened 6-string and I can 'dig in' with this better (I don't use a pick). I do wish it had the passive switch as it won't make a sound without a battery (or a dead battery). But I have just kept a fresh battery in my case just in case. If it were lost or stolen I would searh for another to be sure. Probably pay more for it, but worth it.

This is a 24-fret, neck-through 6-string model with solid walnut wings. Satin finish and very well done. Not sure of place of manufacture. Active electronics (bass/mid/treble) with pan control to select between the two pickups. Bridge gives the choice of string-through or normal setup. Don't know make of hardware, but tuners are contoured so that your fingers stay put, a neat touch. With over 40 years of playing, I, as the previous reviewer, have owned/used everything from el cheapo to high-end instruments, and so far (after two weeks of using the bass nightly in shows) have to give it high marks for looks and sound.

Have been using only the active circuit, which can go anywhere from a nice p-bass tone to grand-piano-like sound. Great for finger style or slap/pop or anything in between. Haven't experimented yet with passive configuration. There is some minor RF noise from our lighting system at times (may need better shielding), but our FOH engineer hasn't complained. We use the Shure 600 in-ear system, so I hear everything up close and personal; not everything may be heard in the house mix. Overall, I have to give the range of tone and sound quality high ratings with the very minor exception of RF noise. This instrument should work just as well in the studio (I'll find out soon) as on stage.

The factory set-up by a highly trained tech was highly advertised on the Raven West eBay auction where I bought the bass. The action/neck relief was set just to my liking out of the box, but the intonation was nowhere near correct. Of course, resetting the intonation meant readjusting the action as well, but I probably would have tweaked that anyway. The neck will have to be readjusted soon as well, since it's beginning to have less relief than I like. Keep in mind, though, that it's traveled from the factory to my home, to Ohio and Florida, so some movement is to be expected. Pup height was OK out of the box. There is some poor soldering inside the electronics cavity, which itself isn't laid out as cleanly as I'd like to see, but this doesn't seem to be causing problems, and we're not talking a multi-thousand dollar instrment here, either

The Raven 6000 looks and feels like it'll last through years of playing. Haven't owned it long enough to tell about hardware or instrument finish, but it all looks very durable at this point. The original strap buttons have been replaced with straplocks (just good insurance; no dis to the original buttons). Since starting to use this bass, it's become my main axe, but I always have a backup available no matter what bass I'm using.

This company gives their instruments a lifetime warranty. I haven't yet needed to contact the company, but they were very informative about shipping, and the bass was double-boxed and very well protected.

I've been playing over 40 years, mostly pop/rock have been doing so full-time for the last ten years. I currently own two Peavey TL-6s, one fretted, and one fretless, a Peavey Cirrus redwood 6-string, and a Conklin GT-7, and have owned more than thirty basses from Fenders to Gibsons, but never a high-end boutique instrument, although I've played some. Front-end gear includes an X-Wire wireless, Line 6 Pod Pro, the Shure PSM-600 ear monitor, and a BBE preamp. This bass has exceeded my expectations for the price. Our LD asked if I'd paid a thousand dollars for it, and was surprised at the real price. I usually don't respond to these reviews, but the previous reviewer gave Raven such a bad rap that I thought it only fair to give my impression.

This is a new 2006 Neckthru 6 string model.Don't know where it was made.It has 24 fret maple neck and walnut body wings.After 40yrs of playing I know a little about bassess and I've had everything from top to bottom as far as price goes.Even though the bass has active pickups,three band EQ,string through body,active passive toggle switch,the neck is comfortable and wide enough to thump and pluck,mine has a major flaw.THE ELECTRONICS SUCKKKKKKK.

I wanted this bass just for the body and neckthru features.But I did hope the electronics would work.But the bass pot shorted out and the preamp dies in active mode.In passive mode the bass still sounds terrible.But as I said before I wanted the body.This bass has a lot of possiblities and I'm going to install a bart. 3band preamp and keep the pickups that came with the bass.all the wiring and pots will go too.After some adjustments this will be a slammin frankinstein bass and a good backup for my RoscoeSKB neckthru 6 string,thats right neckthru.Roscoe made just a few of these and I got this on Ebay last year but thats another story. I'm not going to send the RB6000 back because I knew what I wanted to do before I got it,but for those of you who don't have the funds to modify please be carefull with your money.I think the tech who approved this bass must have been smoking crack or something if he let this one pass by. But for five minutes out the box this bass sounded great before it crashed and burned.

Setup was horrible,action tooo high like the tech who approved this bass.The bridge pu wasn't level,frets need filing,and as I said before the bass died but it will rise like again like frankinstein.

At some point I will use this live but only after the rebuild then it will be rock solid.The hardware will be replaced,but not the tuners.The strap buttons will get stap locks,truss rod will be adjusted.The body seems solid and should age as well as I have.

Dont know dont care,but the electronics have a 2 yr warranty but guess who's going to void that real soon.

So after 40 yrs of touring all over the world and down sizeing,I use a AER basic performer combo amp,and a bag end with a 15 coaxil speaker and 3500 hatrke head. Roscoe skb 6string don't forget its a neckthru,yamaha Trb 6string neck thru with piezos,a PBC 5 string headless,and finally,my frankinstein Raven West RB6000.If this bass was stolen I would find another RB6000,if they still make them and then perform my surgery on my new frankinstein bass,then after I first pluck the brand new strings I will proclaim "ITS ALIVE ITS ALIVE"