Reverend Brad Houser 5

I go this new in 2004. This Brad Hauser Reverend is a US made Bass with more laminate than my Grandmas kitchen cabinets. 35" scale and 5 strings, this instrument is all RETRO looking. Please take a look at it's specs on the Reverend Web Site, two double humbuckers, all the passive flexibility you could imagine but a solid straight maple neck with rosewood fretboard. I was lucky and got this thing with an original Reverend case. Nobody makes a case that looks like this one.... Fantastic.

Here's where this Bass stands out. I play blue, jazz, celtic and roots. I also play mostly in the pocket where a solid clear bottom is valued - my huevos shake when notching this thing down to the bottom on my SVT. Clear balanced tone and no shyness to a great growl... The double 'buckers' that come loaded on this bottom rocket are not noisy and quite ballsey. I could get all techno geeky here but if you want a reliable partner to stand up to the glitter guitar boys and still feel respectable, this Preacher of a Bass will not disappoint you..

Like I said, I can't laminate a kitchen counter top as well as the Reverend folks can build a bass. Which by the way is pretty much the same as far as I'm concerned. Most of the solid tone I get is due I guess to the semi-hollow body. The neck was a bit bowed when I got it however after an adjustment the neck has stayed reliably straight. It's light and balanced though the neck feels a bit wide at the 12th fret.

This is a tough instrument. I play mostly in my studio now so I don't worry much about bouncing the thing off a stage floor or dueling with a guitar neck. All the hardware is USA made and solid. The finish is flawless. Like I said, I don't gig out much anymore but I used to play out quite a bit and this bass can take it. When first purchased the neck was a bowed a bit, once I adjusted the truss rod the neck went straight - I hear it will stay that way... Hmmm. Not sure why Reverend gave up making basses however it must have been a 'bidness decision' of some sort.

No Comment here. I've had no need to seek service from the Reverend folks, though I hear the folks there are great to deal with.

I've been playing both guitar and bass for 34 years. Though I've owned a slew of great basses, my current favorites are a US Masters fretless 5 string and this Brad Hauser 5 string. Thie Reverend is a solid retro looking - mind blowing total bass pounding tone machine. Hey one problem - Reverend doesn't make basses any more.......... darn shame.

I bought this very recently. (This year,as a matter of fact.)Made in Detroit, MI, this bass has a 35" neck, passive electronics and a few other peculiarities of design that I won't go into here. (If you're interested, visit the Reverend website.) I will say that the features and construction are top-notch and that this is one of the best basses I've ever played. The only reason I'm giving it a nine is that the pickups are not easily height-adjustable. (It can be done, but it's a pain in the ass.)

You have to know what you're getting when you order one of these. I play pop/rock and roll with a brooding psychedelic edge, and the bass suits the style of music perfectly. Although no bass can do everything, it is a more than adequate replacement for my Jazz bass. I use it with a Carvin B1500 amplifier and a veritable arsenal of preamps/effects. The low-end is crazy! This thing can cause structural damage, so be careful! The pickups are stacked J-type models with a coil-tap switch for each one. (Parallel, single-coil, and series.) Although I am not a tech-head and do not know what this means, the sounds for each position of the switch are different and series is the most lethal option. (It's like an afterburner for each pickup.) Overall, the sound is very Fender jazz-like, with very full lows and mids with subtle highs. I use flats on my BH5, and IMHO these basses should be issued with them. The only thing I can't get used to is the table-sized neck on these things! (That is more of a five-string thing, though.)

Although Joe Naylor does a great setup, the bass just doesn't belong to me until I set it up. From the factory, the setup was flawless, and should suit the average player just fine. Like I said before, the pickups are hard to height-adjust. (They're huge, and the screws aren't long enough for them.) Everything else is excellent.

It is a hollowbody, so don't go swinging around or anything. As far as materials and workmanship go, this bass will go the distance. (Unlike many other basses, even really expensive ones, this bass is put together by people who appreciate music and musicians.) I got mine with the brushed aluminum "lava swirl" finish, and it is fantastic! Solid straplocks, and the trussrod is very stable. (The bass also stays in tune very well.) This will be one of two basses I will take on stage with me.

Joe is aces in my book. Although it takes a few months to get your bass once you order it, the wait is well worth it. Take my advice and buy the case, it's sweet! The warranty is one year, parts and labor. (I haven't had to use it yet, and I doubt that I will.) Joe is very knowledgeable, and will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

This bass is incredible! If you put flatwounds on this thing and use it with the right equipment, you will rule the bottom, guaranteed. If you like vintage tone combined with modern features, definitely pick one up. I chose to purchase mine on the strength of the review in Bassplayer magazine. Be warned: This is not a high-tech, "wankers/slappers/diddlers" kind of bass. If you want to be Michael Manring, buy one of those stupid Zon things. If you are into exploring the sonic depths and really take the low way, you've found your vehicle.

Bought new from reverend direct. I play straight forward rock/pop. For a semi hollow passive bass this thing is loaded with features.
Based on the Rumblefish 5L featuring it shares many of the same features. The body is the same with outer plastic rim , the top and back are phenolic laminate made from wood fibers and resin, and the 6 inch wide center block is white mahogany. 35" neck. The Brad Houser has two double-J humbucker pickups, 3-position voicing switch (parallel, single coil, series) for each pickup, volume for each pickup, master tone control, Hipshot bridge and wide neck that is 3 inch at 22nd fret. Co-designed with Brad Houser. Maple neck with rosewood fretboard.

This bass fits me like a glove. I use to be all active electronics, solid state, 8 billion effects, slaping machine. Now I have gone another direction. I am going back to the pocket with the drumer. I've been playing a warwick thumb 5 and a 1967 Fender Jazz with EMGs.
Both of these basses have their place but I wanted something different. My band just recorded a new CD. In the studio I ran through an Avalon tube preamp/comp and a Tech21 Sansamp bass driver. I haven't been able to get that sound live. It was massive low end but with great upper mid clarity. This bass nailed it for me live.
Because of the semi hollow body, I get this organic sound that is almost like an upright. This bass may not be for everybody. If you slap alot you may look for a solid body bass. By its self the bass sound a lot like an upright with dead strings. I wasn't very impressed at first. However, with the right tools and amp this bass is my new best friend. My live signal chain goes like this: Bass- boss octave, tech21 bass compactor, visual sound H2O chourus/delay, proco rat distortion, tech21 sansamp bassdriver di. From the bassdriver di is send one signal to the house and another goes to one of my 2 rigs depending on the gig. Large gigs its a Mesa Boogie 400+ powering ampeg 4x10 and 1x18 cabs. Small gigs its a Trace Elliot V type tube head powering a 1975 Fender bassman 2x15 cab and a 1x12 monitor. I stongly recomend this bass for players with tube amps. I have played it though solid state amps and it sounded good but the tubes realy bring out the nature of this bass. I also recomend the Tech21 bass compactor and bassdriver di. These two pedals realy bring out the clarity of this bass (or any bass).

The Brad Houser 5 is made as well as some 3500 bass I've played.
Absoutly flawless. The action came lower than any other bass I've played. Pluse, because of its semi hollow body I can get away with medium strings. The neck is wider that anything I've played, 3" at the 22 fret. However, I never would have thought it would play so well. The playability is great. I have small hands for a bassist and I have no problem reaching every note. Don't let the wid neck scare you off from this bass. The rounded edges of the neck and its shape make the bass very playable. The finnish was perfect as well. The bass balances perfectly. I expected it to be neck heavey due to the wide neck, 35" scale and head stock.

So far it has held up. The only reason I am scoring the bass low here is because it is semi hollow. I don't know how well it would stand up if it were mistreated. It does seem to be built like a tank though.

Out side of ordering the bass I've never delt with them.

Overall, this bass is perfect for what I'm doing. This bass have really naild down my tone. Not to mention it looks realy cool.
If anything happend to it I would order another. As a matter of fact, as soon as I save up, I'm ordering a 4 string rumblefish from reverend.