Just ordered My Caprice!

Just wanted to share the good news with the community. I just ordered a Caprice with that stellar black finish via Sweetwater. They had 2 models available(8.6lbs & 8.3lbs) and as I’m getting older I opted for the 8.3 lb model.
Should be here within the week and I will be sure to update the community with my impressions. I’d just like to take a moment to express the many reasons why I fell in love with this instrument.

Full disclosure, I’ve always been a jazz bass guy myself. My main bass up to this point is a Himalayan Blue G&L JB w/matching headstock. The main thing I love about the jazz bass is the 1.5” neck width(my hands are on the smaller side) and the articulation of the single coil pickups. The downside is jazz basses always lack that bump in the low mids that P basses have. I’ve always loved the concept of the PJ but have never played one that fit all my criteria. When most are soloed on the J pickup they always sound rather “tinny” to my ears. In addition, sometimes the P pickup when soled has too much of a mid range bump and sounds excessively “honky” if that makes any sense. This Caprice meets all of my criteria…and then some.

First the neck. I mean it’s a satin finished MusicMan neck…need I say more. Don’t get me wrong, I love the satin neck on my G&L. But as we all know their are satin finished necks…and then their are Ernie Ball MusicMan satin finished necks! Best in the industry, IMHO. My G&L has a 12″ neck radius which is pretty comfortable but with my hand size the 7.5” just makes playing so fluid and effortless. I don’t have to roll my thumb towards the E string to get a proper arc w/my fretting hand any longer. The G&L is a great vintage style J bass but man when you play the Caprice all the modern enhancements are immediately noticeable. That cutaway makes A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. And at 8.3 lbs, I can play much longer without a sore back.

Tonally Ernie Ball absolutely nailed it. I’m a player who has always preferred my tone to be both round and smooth w/articulation. That may sound like an impossible combo but this bass truly delivers. The neck pickup when soloed is full and round w/just enough focus on the low mids to give the tone a gentle lift. Their is absolutely no aggressiveness to the mid range at all. And the bridge pickup…words can’t even! I’ve never heard a bridge pickup that sounds so rich and full when soled. And the shielding is so superb you can adjust the volume of the pickups w/o fear of any noise.

So thank you Ernie Ball MusicMan for making my perfect instrument. The only thing I ask…is can we get a fretless model too 😉

Best Regards,

-Greg P