 | Download Example 1 Active - Bridge |
| Download Example 2 Passive - Neck |
| Download Example 3 Active - Both |
| Download Example 4 Active - Humbucking |
Flair for the Xotic
The XJ-1T is more than just a classic Jazz-style bass. Even though the body is inspired by a timeless classic, the bass is pure Xotic. There are some traditional features that players would expect, like a bolt-on 22-fret neck, offset body and all the appearance of a high-end J-bass clone. Features that distinguish the XJ-1T from other offerings on the market are the eye-catching Lindy Fralin pickups, Hipshot UltraLight tuners and bridge, a custom-shaped pickguard and the secret weapon of any Xotic: the electronics. Xotic has always been known for their pedals and preamps, and bassists can revel in the fact that their popular 3-band preamp is onboard the XJ-1T. The system runs at 18 volts for extended headroom and is a tone tweaker’s delight. The chrome knobs are the same as a traditional J-bass: an individual volume control for each pickup and a master tone. The mini-knobs are for the active preamp and control bass, mid and treble.
This is not all that dwells deep within the XJ-1T. Both of the volume knobs on the bass are push/pull. The first allows the bass to go into passive mode for going completely classic J sonically. The second is a unique humbucking mode that combines both pickups as one big pickup. In this mode, your front volume control now becomes a master volume for some serious thunder. For the tweaking obsessed, we’re still not over with the Xotic. Accessible through the back panel are additional mid-frequency switches and even an output gain control. You can literally spend hours dialing in the bass to whatever you fancy. Granted, the stock settings are top notch, but this is a super-cool option nonetheless.
Feature-wise, the bass is very similar to the 2009 Xotic XJ-1T 5-String—the most obvious difference being the fact that it’s got one less string. But due to its wood combination, the XJ-1T 4-String has the heart of a ‘70s J-bass. It sports an oil-finished maple neck with a maple fretboard, unlike its 5-string cousin. Both basses do use 6150 Jescar nickel-silver frets. The other difference is the ash body on the XJ-1T. The instrument just has the feel of a ‘70s gem… without the disco music and large collars.
Just taking it out of the case, I was seriously impressed with the overall craftsmanship, and after hours of inspection I was honestly quite surprised not to find any real flaws. The stock setup was nice and even, but due to my lighter playing style, I dropped the action. Luckily, the bass didn’t need any other tweaks and it was set up like an absolute dream. The oil-finished neck has a wonderful worn-in feel. Most surprising was how resonant the bass was even unplugged. Sustain and articulation was off the charts, and there was just the right amount of midrange bark, which was surprising since maple and ash combinations have the potential to be overly bright sounding. To test the bass, I used it on a number of live dates as well as master and demo sessions. In every aspect the bass delivered completely. You can really tell that Xotic has done some serious homework on this bass, and I’d venture to guess they’ve been asking players for their needs as well. Every tone setting proved to be useful for a number of needs. Slap players can get a very Marcus Miller-like tone from the active electronics, and the Fralins are seriously clean and easy to record. What I particularly dug was the fact that I could also dial in a good Jacoesque tone out of the soloed bridge pickup. J-basses can usually cover one or the other well, but not both.
The Final Mojo
Is it worth the funds for this bass in comparison to other, US-built J clones? Absolutely. It sounds as good, if not better than, any other contender out there. Even more important is that it’s more flexible than most. This bass is a Swiss Army knife and could be considered a main axe regardless of what genre you’re in. I myself am already enjoying being able to leave a number of other basses in my studio and just taking the XJ-1T to sessions. If you’re a lover of high-end J-basses, this may very well be your axe.
Buy if...
you’re into great-sounding, high-end J-basses.
Skip if...
you’re not ready to drop more than $2K on an import.
Rating...
MSRP $2700 - Xotic - xotic.us |
Gibson originally launched the EB-6 model with the intention of serving consumers looking for a “tic-tac” bass sound.
The Gibson EB-6 was announced in 1959 and came into the world in 1960, not with a dual-horn body but with that of an elegant ES-335. They looked stately, with a thin, semi-hollow body, f-holes, and a sunburst finish. Our pick for this Vintage Vault column is one such first-year model, in about as original condition as you’re able to find today. “Why?” you may be asking. Well, read on....
When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s eye. The real competition were the Danelectro 6-string basses that seemed to have popped up out of nowhere and were suddenly being used on lots of hit records by the likes of Elvis, Patsy Cline, and other household names. Danos like the UB-2 (introduced in ’56), the Longhorn 4623 (’58), and the Shorthorn 3612 (’58) were the earliest attempts any company made at a 6-string bass in this style: not quite a standard electric bass, not quite a guitar, nor, for that matter, quite like a baritone guitar.
The only change this vintage EB-6 features is a replacement set of Kluson tuners.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
Gibson, Fender, and others during this era would in fact call these basses “baritone guitars,” to add to our confusion today. But these vintage “baritones” were all tuned one octave below a standard guitar, with scale lengths around 30", while most modern baritones are tuned B-to-B or A-to-A and have scale lengths between 26" and 30".)
At the time, those Danelectros were instrumental to what was called the “tic-tac” bass sound of Nashville records produced by Chet Atkins, or the “click-bass” tones made out west by producer Lee Hazlewood. Gibson wanted something for this market, and the EB-6 was born.
“When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s eye.”
The 30.5" scale 1960 EB-6 has a single humbucking pickup, a volume knob, a tone knob, and a small, push-button “Tone Selector Switch” that engages a treble circuit for an instant tic-tac sound. (Without engaging that switch, you get a bass-heavy tone so deep that cowboy chords will sound like a muddy mess.)
The EB-6, for better or for worse, did not unseat the Danelectros, and a November 1959 price list from Gibson hints at why: The EB-6 retailed for $340, compared to Dano price tags that ranged from $85 to $150. Only a few dozen EB-6 basses were shipped in 1960, and only 67 total are known to have been built before Gibson changed the shape to the SG style in 1962.
Most players who come across an EB-6 today think it was a response to the Fender Bass VI, but the former actually beat the latter to the market by a full year.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
It’s sad that so few were built. Sure, it was a high-end model made to achieve the novelty tic-tac sound of cheaper instruments, but in its full-voiced glory, the EB-6 has a huge potential of tones. It would sound great in our contemporary guitar era where more players are exploring baritone ranges, and where so many people got back into the Bass VI after seeing the Beatles play one in the 2021 documentary, Get Back.
It’s sadder, still, how many original-era EB-6s have been parted out in the decades since. Remember earlier when I wrote that our Vintage Vaultpick was about as original as you could find? That’s because the model’s single humbucker is a PAF, its Kluson tuners are double-line, and its knobs are identical to those on Les Paul ’Bursts. So as people repaired broken ’Bursts, converted other LPs to ’Bursts, or otherwise sought to give other Gibsons a “Golden Era” sound and look ... they often stripped these forgotten EB-6 basses for parts.
This original EB-6 is up for sale now from Reverb seller Emerald City Guitars for a $16,950 asking price at the time of writing. The only thing that isn’t original about it is a replacement set of Kluson tuners, not because its originals were stolen but just to help preserve them. (They will be included in the case.)
With so few surviving 335-style EB-6 basses, Reverb doesn’t have a ton of sales data to compare prices to. Ten years ago, a lucky buyer found a nearly original 1960 EB-6 for about $7,000. But Emerald City’s $16,950 asking price is closer to more recent examples and asking prices.
Sources: Prices on Gibson Instruments, November 1, 1959, Tony Bacon’s “Danelectro’s UB-2 and the Early Days of 6-String Basses” Reverb News article, Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars, Tom Wheeler’s American Guitars: An Illustrated History, Reverb listings and Price Guide sales data.
Originally released in the 1980s, the Victory has long been a cult favorite among guitarists for its distinctive double cutaway design and excellent upper-fret access. These new models feature flexible electronics, enhanced body contours, improved weight and balance, and an Explorer headstock shape.
A Cult Classic Made Modern
The new Victory features refined body contours, improved weight and balance, and an updated headstock shape based on the popular Gibson Explorer.
Effortless Playing
With a fast-playing SlimTaper neck profile and ebony fretboard with a compound radius, the Victory delivers low action without fret buzz everywhere on the fretboard.
Flexible Electronics
The two 80s Tribute humbucker pickups are wired to push/pull master volume and tone controls for coil splitting and inner/outer coil selection when the coils are split.
For more information, please visit gibson.com.
Gibson Victory Figured Top Electric Guitar - Iguana Burst
Released in 1983, the Roland SDE-3000 rackmount delay was a staple for pro players of the era and remains revered for its rich analog/digital hybrid sound and distinctive modulation. BOSS reimagined this retro classic in 2023 with the acclaimed SDE-3000D and SDE-3000EVH, two wide-format pedals with stereo sound, advanced features, and expanded connectivity. The SDE-3 brings the authentic SDE-3000 vibe to a streamlined BOSS compact, enhanced with innovative creative tools for every musical style. The SDE-3 delivers evocative delay sounds that drip with warmth and musicality. The efficient panel provides the primary controls of its vintage benchmark—including delay time, feedback, and independent rate and depth knobs for the modulation—plus additional knobs for expanded sonic potential.
A wide range of tones are available, from basic mono delays and ’80s-style mod/delay combos to moody textures for ambient, chill, and lo-fi music. Along with reproducing the SDE-3000's original mono sound, the SDE-3 includes a powerful Offset knob to create interesting tones with two simultaneous delays. With one simple control, the user can instantly add a second delay to the primary delay. This provides a wealth of mono and stereo colors not available with other delay pedals, including unique doubled sounds and timed dual delays with tap tempo control. The versatile SDE-3 provides output configurations to suit any stage or studio scenario.
Two stereo modes include discrete left/right delays and a panning option for ultra-wide sounds that move across the stereo field. Dry and effect-only signals can be sent to two amps for wet/dry setups, and the direct sound can be muted for studio mixing and parallel effect rigs. The SDE-3 offers numerous control options to enhance live and studio performances. Tap tempo mode is available with a press and hold of the pedal switch, while the TRS MIDI input can be used to sync the delay time with clock signals from DAWs, pedals, and drum machines. Optional external footswitches provide on-demand access to tap tempo and a hold function for on-the-fly looping. Alternately, an expression pedal can be used to control the Level, Feedback, and Time knobs for delay mix adjustment, wild pitch effects, and dramatic self-oscillation.
The new BOSS SDE-3 Dual Delay Pedal will be available for purchase at authorized U.S. BOSS retailers in October for $219.99. To learn more, visit www.boss.info.