Sometimes you’ll see a new bass and it seems
familiar—an instrument you’ve gotten used
to over the years. But then you look again and
realize your first glance deceived you. That’s
the case with the new series of basses from
Reverend, the company that brought you the
legendary Rumblefish before leaving the bass
business in 2004.
Reverend basses are back, but are now
being produced in a high-end Korean factory
rather than their US headquarters. The
designs and specs still spring from the brain of
Reverend’s founder Joe Naylor, who aimed for
seasoned woods, tight tolerances, and high-quality
components. Naylor also designed his
pickups with specific tonal characteristics in
mind—so that the bridge and neck pickup
each bring something unique to the sonic palette—beyond what comes naturally from their
onboard locations.
Like the original Reverend basses, these
new axes bring a fresh take on design, but have
only a slight resemblance to their predecessors.
Two of the five new basses were designed with
a set-neck, while the other three use a more
conventional bolt-on. For this review, Reverend
sent one from each group.
The set-neck Thundergun bass is reminiscent
of a well-known bass that also begins
with “Thunder,” while the Justice bass reminds
you of an old standby model that also has the
letter “J.” The two basses share some common
details including a 1 21/32" nut width, a
two-way locking bridge, a korina wood body,
and a bound-and-blocked five-piece maple/
walnut neck with a rosewood fretboard. The
bi-directional truss rod, tuners, and knob set
are the same too. But after that, the similarities
depart pretty significantly.
The Thundergun: Old-School
Meets Modern Sound
This bass has a striking look that makes you
want to go a little bit nuts by playing a little
harder and driving the music a little more.
It’s like getting behind the wheel of a muscle
car and feeling the need to drive a little more
aggressively. The Thundergun has a familiar
and sturdy feel in the hand, yet weighs in
lighter than expected at about 8 pounds. Its
Vintage Clear glossy finish was applied very
evenly, with nary a glitch on some of the more
difficult finishing spots like the raised lip of the
body’s center section.
The setup was carefully adjusted, and the
control knobs and tuners felt solid, smooth,
and consistent. One of my pet gripes about
many basses is that the nut slots aren’t cut
deeply enough at the factory. That wasn’t the
case with the Thundergun. The wiring in the
control cavity was tidier than most basses I see,
with less excess wire and a tie keeping things in
place. Shielding was accomplished via a good
coat of conductive paint.
As I mentioned, Naylor created pickups for
this bass with a specific sound in mind. The
Split Brick neck pickup is essentially a P-style
pickup in a humbucker case—with mighty
big magnets. Sound-wise, this pickup’s voice
is aimed toward the lows and mids. I thought
it served decently when soloed, much like a
P-style pickup should. The Thick Brick bridge
pickup, in contrast, provides mainly mids and
highs. I can’t imagine its somewhat nasally
sound being very useful on its own, except for
the muddiest of rooms.
Blending the bridge with the neck pickup
created several useful sounds with both body
and bite. This task was made easy with the
black plastic Blend control, along with the master
Tone and Volume controls. On most basses
with two pickups, there would be two volumes
and one tone instead. When the pickups were
balanced evenly right at the detent, I noticed
that the volume went down a little, but that’s
normal for any two-pickup, parallel-wired bass.
I can see this bass working well when edge
is needed rather than thump, as most of the
sounds lean toward the modern, but a simple
Tone knob adjustment imparted more warmth
and thump when needed. Another thing to
consider is the body edge shape, which is slab
cut on the front side. If you’re the type of
player who rests your wrist on the body top
while playing, the sharper edge could create a
pressure point on your wrist joint.
Thundergun Rating:
Buy if...
you’re after a dependable bass that’s eye-catching on stage and you like some edge to your sound.
Skip if...
you’re a traditionalist in both sound and design.
Rating...
Street $1098 - Reverend Guitars - reverendguitars.com |
The Justice: A Twist on the Familiar
From the moment I pulled the “Chronic Blue” Justice from its case, I puzzled over the simultaneous familiarity and oddity of its design. Reverend admittedly dubs the Justice their “take on the classic ‘J’ setup,” and there should be an emphasis on take rather than copy. I’ve played a Fender Jazz since the late ’70s, so I know its nuances well. Like a J bass, the Justice bears a pair of skinny pickups in the neck and bridge positions. On closer look, these are not the usual noise-prone single-coils, but instead have a humbucking rail design and are appropriately named J-Rails. Unlike a J bass, you’re free to blend the pickups to any proportions without inducing hum— the neck or bridge can even be soloed with confidence.
This emphasis on take carries over to some other features. The body is certainly a departure, both in its shape and slab-cut top. The usual J-style design includes a pickguard that’s separate from a metal control plate, but the Justice combines everything on one plastic plate— much like a P-style axe. One of the attractions of a J bass is the skinny nut width, usually spec’d at 1 1/2". Instead, the Justice sports the same nut width as the Thundergun at 1 21/32". And the Volume-Tone-Blend setup is yet another departure from a traditional J bass with its Volume-Volume-Tone arrangement.
Some other design features help out in the resonance category. The bridge (same as the Thundergun) has a solid feel going well beyond the customary bent plate of a J bass. Locking saddles enhance the transmission of energy from the strings to the body, and stringing can go through the body or through the back of the bridge for a somewhat different attack and sound. On the flip side of the body, the neck is attached with six screws—rather than the usual four— also enhancing the instrument’s resonance.
Tone-wise, Reverend once again designed its pickups to work with the characteristics of their locations. They created a bridge pickup that emphasizes highs and mids, and a neck position pickup that covers the lows and less of the highs. In an instrumental blues rehearsal with electric guitar and drums, I favored the sound of the neck pickup with its warm and focused tones. Even though the neck pickup didn’t produce a lot of highs, its note definition made it easy to hear in the mix.
In all, the Justice might be a good choice for a J bass player looking for something a little different—both sonically and visually. And unless you’re a J bass traditionalist, the added benefit of humbucking pickups makes the Justice all the more appealing.
Justice Rating:
Buy if...
you like a bass designed from tradition yet with a take all its own.
Skip if...
you need a bright, aggressive bass, both in looks and sound.
Rating...
Street $998 - Reverend Guitars - reverendguitars.com |
The Verdict
Reverend has returned to the bass scene after several years with some new designs that build on bass guitar traditions, yet head in new directions without blasting off to another planet. Like their predecessors, these basses bring a quality build with top-drawer components. While they are no longer made in the US, they are set up in Michigan by Reverend veteran Zach Green (look for the “ZSG” in silver ink alongside the serial number on the back of the headstock).
Although their appearance is based on familiar designs, the sound is not. Be sure to give a good listen to the Reverend you’re considering to make sure it meets your needs. The pricing is just on the brink—higher than a typical import, but a little lower than basic models built in the US.
Epiphone Firebird I
When Gibson debuted the Firebird I and Firebird V in 1963, the design was as innovative as it was radical. Like the Flying V and Explorer, the Firebird seemed Martian—or at least like a work of futurist art, with its offset body shape, extended lower and upper bouts, reverse headstock, and through-body neck.
Firebirds came in three versions: The single-pickup Firebird I, the two-humbucker Firebird V, and the three-pickup Firebird VII, with the latter two featuring a Vibrola tailpiece, trapezoid inlays, and neck binding. The first time I saw a Firebird in action, it was in the hands of Johnny Winter, who gave no quarter as he ripped conflagrant solos from its fretboard, but Brian Jones, Clapton, Allen Collins, Paul Stanley, and Phil Manzanera also helped make the model a legend. Original ’60s Firebird V’s sell for as much as $35,000, and reissues peak at nearly $10,000 for the Gibson Custom Shop’s ’63 Firebird V. That’s a lot of dough to look badass on stage. But now, Epiphone—in collaboration with Gibson’s Custom Shop—has taken high-quality reissues of the 1963 Firebird I and V into a more affordable realm. They’re still pricey for an Epi’, at $1,299 and $1,699, respectively, but undeniably brimming with panache.
“I was surprised by how sweet and heavy Gibson’s Firebird Mini Humbuckers sound. There is nothing mini about their tone.”
An’ a I, an’ a V
Our review Firebirds arrived impeccably set up, with action low enough for speed, but high enough for slide—my comfort zone, coincidentally. They are handsome guitars too. The I is finished in gleaming cherry, while the V is decked out in vintage sunburst and a shiny Vibrola tailpiece.
The necks are the not-so-secret weapons on these models. They are 9-ply mahogany and walnut (original Firebirds have a 5-ply neck), sandwiched between mahogany wings, but both guitars are still fairly light. The I is 7 1/2 pounds and the V weighs about 9 pounds due to the additional pickup and bridge hardware. There are 22 comfortable, medium-jumbo frets, which allow easy navigation and elegant bends, a Graph Tech nut, dot neck inlays on the I and trapezoids on the V, a classic Gibson-scale neck length of 24 3/4", and an Indian laurel fretboard. The banjo-style Kluson Planetary tuners, as well as the reverse headstock, take time to get to use to, but contribute to the instruments sleek, clean lines. The Firebird I’s electronics are simply a master volume and tone, with CTS pots and Mallory caps inside, in service of a warm-to-cutting single alnico 5 Gibson USA Firebird Mini Humbucker. The V offers more ways to shape your tone: The Vibrola is cool and vibey and there’s a classic four-dial Gibson control set (also routed through Mallory caps and CTS pots), a 3-way pickup switch on the lower bout, and a pair of those Gibson USA Firebird Mini Humbuckers.
Epiphone Firebird V
Trial by Firebird
I was sure I would prefer the Firebird V playing experience, because I am typically a neck-pickup player, but both guitars revealed sonic charms through Carr Vincent and Telstar amps running in stereo, my vintage Marshall Super Lead, and a Positive Grid Spark.
Low-action setups on both accommodate everything from campfire chords to screaming single-note playing past the 12th fret, with the perfectly smooth fret ends and comfortable neck making it all a pleasure. The neck broadens to 2 1/4" at the body, from 1 3/4" at the nut, making it easy to hit high notes accurately. But what really excited me, besides how artful these guitars look, is the power and sound of the pickups.
I was surprised by how sweet and heavy Gibson’s Firebird Mini Humbuckers sound. There is nothing mini about their tone, whether slashing and growling through the Marshall or pouring thick honey out of the Carrs. And through the Spark, a highly pleasing snarl and juicy warmth were all on tap. Despite my predilection for neck pickups, I became really excited by the Firebird I. The simplicity and elegance of its look, streamlined controls, clean surface, and light weight made the I a joy to play, especially with the treble rolled to near-zero. There, early Clapton-esque tone was a cinch to find, and for blues and pseudo-jazz-licks (the best I can muster in that genre), the warmth and clarity were delightful. Despite its basic construction, the Epiphone Firebird I is assuredly more than a rock machine.
Sure, having the addition of a neck pickup on the Firebird V provides a wider selection of tones, but the voices achievable on the I were no less winning and, honestly, I could not find any pickup-and-dial configuration on the V that sounded all that different or better than those available on the I. But, ah, a Vibrola is a very nice appointment—not just for its grand appearance, which is like some antiquarian treasure, but for the subtle bends its enables. If atmospheric guitar tones from the Ventures to Hermanos Gutiérrez are your passion, you’d want the Vibrola, which stays remarkably in tune, given its relatively primitive design.
The Verdict
Make no mistake: With their uncommonly proportioned offset bodies and reverse headstocks, guitars like the Epiphone Firebird I and V require time to get acquainted. But if you’re unafraid to stand out from the crowd, these instruments will serve you visually and sonically. Both play well and offer a good scope of vintage tones—from aggressive to dark maple sugar—with simple dial adjustments. And while many other Epiphone models sell for less, these well-crafted copies of original Gibson designs provide custom-shop or boutique-builder quality at a much lower price. PG
The 4-ply white pearloid pickguard is fitted with a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound split-coil P Bass pickup custom mounted in reversed position, the final piece of Hoppus regaled pop-punk tone. A limited number of these bases will be produced, and they are offered in a traditional 3-Color Sunburst or Sea Foam Green.
“It has a Jaguar body; it has a Jazz bass neck – C style, Rosewood fretboard, pearloid pickguard, 1 volume knob because I don’t need a tone knob, my tone comes from the wood, which in this case is Alder, the Maple neck, and of course, it comes from my pickups. I've used Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound pickups that are mounted inverted so that the lower strings are closer to the bridge and give them a little more brightness. This bass is really nice, and I hope players enjoy it.” said Hoppus on his new signature bass.
Fender first worked with Hoppus in 2002, bringing to life a Mark Hoppus Signature Jazz Bass. This instrument played with the elements and electronics of a traditional Jazz Bass, essentially creating a hybrid of a Jazz and Precision Bass, giving him the best of both worlds. This bass is still sought after today, and fans will be happy to see Hoppus continue the legacy of that model with his new Jaguar Bass, which combines his preferred Jazz Bass neck, reverse-mounted P Bass pickup with a comfortable and stylish offset Jaguar Bass body.
“Mark knew what he wanted when ideating this bass,” said Justin Norvell, EVP of Product at FMIC, “in turn, that is what fans of blink-182 fans want too. It’s been a true joy to work with Hoppus and help create this signature Jaguar bass. Hoppus's use of this bass on stages worldwide showcases its exceptional sonic capabilities. By incorporating Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound pickups in a reverse position, he's enabled fans to achieve the iconic blink-182 tone they've always dreamed of. I can't wait to see how musicians worldwide will bring their creativity to this instrument.”
In addition to all its elevated specs, this bass is topped off with a custom neck plate and gig bag with the “Hi, My Name is Mark” octopus logo. An ode to his company that realises, in apparel, the cool things in life that can not be captured in anything other than art. Hoppus taught himself bass, and this new signature release from Fender hopes to encourage new players and established “blink” fans alike to pick up this instrument and start playing bass.
In true tradition, the Fender Artist Signature Series honors iconic musicians through product progression and storytelling, creating instruments inspired by the unique specifications of the world’s greatest guitarists and bassists.
MSRP $1399.99
For more information, please visit fender.com.