Leading the classic bass guitar to the highest level of Quality and Performance
For years, many J-Basses inspired instruments have been available but now with the F-Clef Bass, an instrument capable of combining the sound and feel of the best exemplar of the "classic" basses from the 60's and the 70's with the quality experienced before only in the finest works of world class luthiery has finally taken shape!
In a nutshell.. The finest components and craftsmanship in the U.S.A.Hands down!Here is what we have achieved with our bass from a player's perspective:
- A true"vintage" sound and feel!Yes,even in a 5 string!
- Useful real world "Tone Quality": eveness, clarity and articulate in all registers.
-String to string balance, sensibility to the bassist's playing and dynamics.
- Superb playbility and comfort: string flexibility.Ultra low settings fast and effortless "D" shaped neck profile.
The woods selected for each instrument are aged and come from a hand picked stock billets, to acquire the maximum acoustic resonance. We utilize alder and ash for our bodies according to the vintage philosophy and sometimes mahogany on the "Elite" styles basses.
- Alder bodies deliver a rounder, deeper tone
- Ash bodies: faster attack, more mid-rangy growl
- Mahogany: warm low end, structured mids and high mids
The weight of these woods can vary upon the customer's request: lighter body woods deliver a smoother attack and deeper resonance in the low end; heavier woods deliver faster attack, punchiness and more structured mids. In stock instruments usually are medium weight.
Woods of choice for the fingerboards are Indian rosewood, Bolvian rosewood, sugar maple, birdseye maple, Indian ebony and macassar ebony; we feel that fingerboard is an extremely decisive factor for the final sonic result.:
- Maple fingerboads: clear and defined lows, growly mids and bright highs
- Rosewood fingerboards: warmer lows and darker mids
- Ebony fingerboards: very focused and even tone; full range with a slightly compressed and very lyrical attack. We recomend this fingerboard to achieve by definition a variety of modern tones.
Any wood combination on F-Clef basses delivers its own character and behaviour.Still, undeniably keeping the fundamental vintage flavour.Check some examples of these tone varieties in our Audio Gallery
The Fclef passive/active electronics In passive mode the Fclef reproduces accurately and faithfully the old J-Bass. In active mode, the passive tone control is also usable maintaining an absolutely clean and natural tone when flat.
As you start tweaking the preamp.You will realize it yields an array of powerful modern tones without hindering the instruments true vintage bass character.
We chose Seymour Duncan as our signature sound.The "Seymour Duncan Custom Vintage Single Coils" matches the instrument's character still delivering extremely clear, hi-defined, and dynamic response that's always natural and true to the acoustic sound of the different wood combinations. Other brands and types of pick ups can be choosen on an individual custom-order basis.
Every aspect of the construction from neck carving truing, neck/body joint and hardware components, have been carefully designed, realized and are some of the reasons why your first experience when playing an Fclef is tactile familiarity and quality craftsmanship at hand.
Feel free to contact us for any further information on our instruments.
The F-Clef "Custom Series" bass guitars
Presenting, our latest and the pinnacle of our research and development process.The new F-Clef "Custom Series" bass guitars. Manufactured entirely in the USA with the best craftsmanship, materials and components.The F-Clef "Custom Series" are available in preselected customizations styles such as the "Classic" and the "Elite", or can be individually customized according to your liking.
F-Clef "Custom Series" Classic Style: Tech-specifications
- Solid Body
- 34" scale
- 21 frets
- strings spacing at bridge: 19mm
- bone nut
- body woods: alder or ash
- neck wood: western rock maple
- fingerboard woods: indian rosewood or sugar maple
- fingerboard inlays: mother of pearl dots;ebony/black dots
mother of pearl blocks and binding
ebon/black blocks and binding - Finishes: "Vintage Gloss" neck and fingerboard
Nitro Cellulose body - Bridge: Hipshot "style A"
- Tuners Hipshot Vintage Ultralight
- Hardware Color: Chrome
- Pick Ups:Seymour Duncan "Vintage Single Coils" custom 60's or 70's style wirings
- Pick ups positions: 60's; 70's
- Electronic: active/passive, 18v, 2 band (Volume, blend, tone control working in both active and passive, bass and treble cut/boost)
- Strings: DR "High Beam", "Fat Beam" or "Sun Beam" 45
- Available in 4 and 5 strings; fretted or fretless; righty or lefty
- Body woods: mahogany
walnut - Fingerboard woods: birdseye maple
bolivian rosewood
indian ebony
macassar ebony - Fingerboard inlays: abalone blocks and binding
- Custom Inlays on Fingerboards: Call
- Custom shaped necks: Call
- Chambered body
- Pick ups: Seymour Duncan "Vintage Dual Coils" custom
Other brands and types (Call) - Pick up positions: custom (Call)
- Electronic: "Individual" custom order (Call)
- Hardware colors: black
gold - Neck finishes: Satin
F-Clef custom "Semi-Gloss" - Fingerboard finishes: Satin
F-Clef custom "Semi-Gloss" - Body Finishes: Satin
Gloss/Vintage Tint - Matching Headstock
- Fretless with lines
F-Clef "Custom Series", Elite style: tech-specification
- Solid body
- 34" scale
- 21 frets
- spacing widht at bridge: 19mm
- bone nut
- body woods: mahogany, alder or ash
- top woods: 5A Quilted or Flame Maple
- top/plate woods: maple or ebony
- neck wood: western rock maple
- fingerboard woods: sugar maple, indian rosewood, indian ebony
- fingerboard inlays: mother of pearl/ ebony dots
mother of pearl blocks and binding
ebony "black blocks"/binding - Finishes: Satin Neck
SatinFingerboard
Satin Body - Bridge: Hispshot "style A"
- Tuners: Hipshot Vintage Ultralight
- Hardware Color: Chrome
- Pick ups: Seymour Duncan "Vintage Single Coils" Custom 60's or 70's wirings
- Pick ups positions: 60's style
70's style - Electronic: active/passive, 18v., 2 band (Volume, Blend, Tone control working in both active and passive, bass and trebles cut/boost)
- Strings: DR "Hig Beam", "Fat Beam" or "Sun Beam"
- Available in 4,5 strings, fretted or fretless, righty or lefty
- Body woods: walnut, korina, koa
- Tops: spalted maple, flame koa, crotch walnut, macassar ebony, buckeye burl,
horse chestnut, fame or burled redowood, hawayan mango
madrone burl, olive, others (call) - Fingerboard woods: Macassar Ebony
Bolivian Rosewood
Birdseye Maple
Pau Ferro
Zyricote - Figerboard Inlays: Abalone Blocks/Binding
Custom (Call) - Chambered Body
- Custom shape neck: Call
- Hardware Color: Gold or Black
- Pick Ups: Seymour Duncan "Vintage Dual Coils"
Others (Call) - Custom positioned pick ups: Call
- Neck Finishes: F-Clef custom "Semi-Gloss"
- Fingerboard Finishes: F-Clef custom "Semi-Gloss"
- Body Finishes: F-Clef custom "Semi-gloss"
- Fretless with lines
