Need comments on CORT Artisan B5 Bass

[Shanekua]

Anyone has it or played it before?

i understand it has impressive features and looks for the price.

I've played it and it feels quite good, although the sound was abit thin on a flat bartolini eq, though i suspect it was cuz the amp they plugged it into was only 15watts..

Understand that the natural non-laquered finish would give some probs, but i play mostly jazz and dun use no pick/plectums so i guessing that wun be much of a prob.

Would appreciate some 'expert' opinions on the bass before i commit to it.
I know bout the 'if it feels good to you and you like it just buy it' thing, but my concern is whether

1.)its worth the price for a stage worthy 5string, with Bartolinis and all,
2.) how it rates with other similarly equiped basses?
3.) Any similar but better models i should consider?

edit: It cost S$1200 undiscounted

Thanks a bunch peeps!

http://www.cort.co.kr/english/products/common/view.asp?product_id=83
The one on the webbie is the ash wood finish one, while the one im looking at is the mahogany body one.

 

[Z3r0_G]

i think its a pretty good buy looking at the specs. hope it feels good for you though. exactly wad kind of sound are you going for? it's be easier if u name a song (which i hope we know) which has a bass sound you want to emulate.

how much does this roughly cost? so we can help you with basses ard this budget range.

 

[Shanekua]

Oh, it costs 1200 undiscounted.

haha, i do know what sound i want.. something deep and rich, but with clarity, not muddy.. For the life of me i can't find a song with exactly what i want now...

I think what George Benson's Bassist in Breezin' comes close.. Pardon the jazz exampl =x cuz thats pretty much alot of what i listen..

Thanks alot for your reply!!

 

[srxt]

Cort actually makes some pretty decent stuff. I have a $450 acoustic that beats most in its price range. At $1200 undiscounted, you could be looking at a $900-$1000 buy price... which really isn't bad for a bass with Barts. It's about the same price as buying a passive Japanese Fender from Ishibashi. They're two different beasts, though.

The next time you go down, ask if you can try it out plugged in to a bigger amp. The Bart pre usually needs a kick in the lows and mids for it to sound good... at least, that's been my experience. YMMV

 

[exin]

Honestly,

At price you can try looking at the Yamaha BB series. Very good reissues. If you can find those older Yamahas 2nd hand it'll be better.

Can't go wrong with a Yamaha.

 

[Z3r0_G]

so far what comes to my mind after describing your ideal bass sound are these basses:

lakland (shoreline/skyline series?), yamaha (TRBs, I personally dun like the new BBs), MTD (there are some budget ones to try out at davis).

but then i thinkthat the cort you chose is a good buy, but if u want brand recognition, laklands are pretty neat too. they cost ard the 1k price range including shipping right?

 

[kreed]

i've got a feeling the laklands are a little over his price range...like ard 2k? i think yamaha's are great band for buck! real versatile (especially the TRBs)

 

[Shanekua]

hmm i admit i was looking for something with Barts but given the overwhelming positive reviews of TRBs i think i will check them out.

Never really looked at them before cuz they look rather bulky, but hey, its worth a shot.. Thanks alot peeps.

Btw, i just checked out soundgears but they all see more exp and no where near the features of the cort now.

Anywhere i can go in singapore to take a look at laklands or other basses same range as the cort i can consider?

 

[prophecy6972]

I currently own an Ibanez SR506, having the same pickups and preamps with the Cort. The sound is warm, not too bad for jazz, but the pickups are not too loud. May need to boost it a little. I've seen and tried it at SL at Sims. The neck thru version is really nice, with hipshot tuners and metal nut...it's worth the price if you asked me. The neck thru version is about 1300 undiscounted.

 

[iman]

bro, i tot the sr 506 and sr 900 both comes with the same barts pu? Thankx for the input btw

 

[exin]

no shop really carry laklands in singapore ..

used to be sinamex but they stopped .. dunno why also ...

laklands for the Skyline series will cost around 2.2K - 2.5K SGD with shipping into singapore ... but you definitely can't go wrong with them ..

the new TRB series are just strange ... it seemed the quality compared to the older TRB series dropped ... but they still are great instruments ... i wouldn't mind owning one either ...

i'm using a BBN5A .. older yamaha series .. plays well .. sounds great .. no complains.

Ibanez you can check out their higher end models .. especially the prestige series ... ask 2.f.f. and he'll swear by ibanez-es ...

 

[Z3r0_G]

but i'll swear by warwicks!!!

 

[prophecy6972]

Oh yeah! I swear by Warwicks too. I sold off my SR506. Wanted to switch to 5 string. Anyway to answer Iman's question, the SR500 and 900 series have the same electronics (Barts Mk1 pickups and eq). Doesn't sound fantastic but it'll do the job. I swapped my preamp to EMG BTC and VMC. Sounds better than stock..but in the end, i got myself a warwick. What a world of difference.

 

[warwickw]

Maybe you can check out the Ibanez BTB405QM bass.
I like it for the 18 volt preamp and string spacing. Very comfortable bass to play.

http://www.ibanez.co.jp/world/country/frame_singapore.html