what's going on here

[kidsmoke*]

Any of you that have been playing bass for a while seen a set up like this?

Is it some sort of Piezo set up? Serviceable?

This is a late 80's Washburn. That vintage Washburns were typically good quality instruments. Do I want to go near this? the price is right.

[progrmr]

Wow - never seen anything like that...most of the pics I found all have pickups! lol - is there anything in the bridge?

http://forums.washburn.com/index.php?topic=15479.0

EDIT:

Is it this one??

http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/msg/3237431779.html

I'd just call the guy - not like anything I've seen though.

[kidsmoke*]

yep that's it. Dude knows nothing about it, Pawn shop.

I'm a long time washburn fan, and have info about it. I just was hoping perhaps someone here had players exposure to this sort of thing.....

Low impedence active pickup? English Please? DVM?

B32 (ABT SERIES)
- offset double cutaway ash body, figured top, bolt-on maple neck, 24-fretless rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay, black pointy headstock with four-on-one-side tuners, standard bridge, low impedance active pickup in the bridge, Washburn Cruise Control active electronics, three knobs, black hardware, available in various finishes, mfg. late 1980s.

[FrankenFretter***]

So it is a piezo bridge? Interesting. I kind of like that svelte look, very organic looking.

Edit: I do think it needs some big-@$$ knobs on it, though. Big old muffin knobs, like Syo uses on the Bender.

[NWBasser]

Hmmm, I'd say a lot would depend on whether or not you like the piezo tone.

Probably a very good quality bass, but rather specialized.

However, if that piezo system is proprietary, then finding replacement parts for something that old could be quite a problem. Not like you can just drop in new pickups.

[NWBasser]

Also, low-impedance refers to active circuits that typically have a battery-powered preamp.

High-impedance is typically passive pickups.

One advantage of low impedance is that it can get a full signal through longer instrument cable runs.

You can get some upper-content signal loss with a passive bass and a long cable.

[kidsmoke*]

Thanks for the input!!


if you notice the promo material mentions "distinctive sound" from the electronics, and the model in the photo is fretless. Would you imagine that perhaps this was oriented at jazzier, softer sound, or something similar?

[NWBasser]

Thanks for the input!!


if you notice the promo material mentions "distinctive sound" from the electronics, and the model in the photo is fretless. Would you imagine that perhaps this was oriented at jazzier, softer sound, or something similar?

Yeah, most piezo basses that I've seen and heard tend towards a softer tone. One very famous piezo bass is the Rob Allen Mouse. It has an acoustic sound to it.

You won't be getting P-bass grunt or jazz growl from one of those.

[hubberjub***]

I'd just buy it at that price (as long as the electronics are working).

[kidsmoke*]

I'll certainly go take a look, if for no other reason than to satisfy my own curiosity. There's another dual humbucker acoustic electric full scale bass that I'm interested in. That may be a more versatile guitar in the long run. I'll keep you posted.

[NWBasser]

Dual humbucker acoustic-electric??

Do you mean a hollowbody of some sort?

[kidsmoke*]

click on this.

Washburn AB90

[NWBasser]

Ah yeah, a hollowbody it is!

That looks very cool!

[jtees4]

If it was cheap, I'd buy it just for the cool look.