Arnold's new 'Time Zone' Bass

[Brian Glassman]

I've been like the cat who ate the canary keeping this under my hat, but now it can be told.

I am honored that our most esteemed Arnold has asked me to Beta test his new and highly awaited New Standard 'Time Zone' RN bass!

I'll be putting it through it's paces on The Johnny Rodgers Band Jazz at Lincoln Center/State Dept. Rhythm Road tour of S. Asia next month. Our itinerary here (http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=698919)

A light weight, hybrid, REAL DB w/ a removable neck. It sports Arnold's specially designed scroll w/ reduced size to cut down on weight.

It's size you might say is somewhere between a 5/8 and a 3/4 w/ a 41 inch string length.

I've been helping develope the flight case for it and we have high hopes that the whole package will come out to be under 50 lbs!

It plays and feels great w/ plenty of growl and unexpected power for a little bass. At first blush response seems to be good too w/ Spiro Mitts on it.
Under the ear it didn't sound too bright as I had expected a newer small bass would, but when I heard Arnold play it from accross the room it even sounded richer.

I'll be posting more soon, but for now check these pics.
AS NS Time Zone RN DB (http://picasaweb.google.com/bribass/TheNewStandardTimeZoneRNDB?authkey=Gv1sRgCIbMvIfR9 I6kmQE#)
__________________
-Straight ahead and strive for tone

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Who's that old dude with the funny shoes? :mad:

Brian, thanks for the kudos, but I think you forgot that the New Standard business is a partnership between myself and Wil DeSola, without whom none of the New Standard basses would exist (or have a finish). Just wanted to point that out...

[Ken Smith]

So that's where that little scroll goes. I saw that head behind your desk now for at least the past year and had no idea what the bass would look like it was going on. Looks nice.. Looks kinda Juzakish too but without the outer linings. I like it. ;)

Funny shoes? Oh, ok. Better not show mine..:eek:

[Brian Glassman]

:pWho's that old dude with the funny shoes? :mad:

Brian, thanks for the kudos, but I think you forgot that the New Standard business is a partnership between myself and Wil DeSola, without whom none of the New Standard basses would exist (or have a finish). Just wanted to point that out...


..ah, but of course! Sorry for the oversight, Wil:o.
And a beautiful finish it has, I might add.

Don't worry 'bout the funky shoes. You look fine. Notice how I didn't post the pic you took of me playing it. I looked beyond funky that day:p

[Eric Swanson]

What a great thing! It looks beautifully done. It will be great to see/hear more.

I don't see bridge adjusters. Does string height adjust with an allen bolt, perhaps similarly to the mechanism I have seen on James Ham's basses?

[Brian Glassman]

I believe you could put adjusters on the bridge and use it the same way. I used to own a removable neck Eminence bass that had bridge adjusters and it was no problem. I just think Arnold wanted to keep this system as simple as possible with less excess parts making it easier to adjust the bridge etc. It has no bolts of any kind. The neck joint simply hooks into the brass plate mechanism in the neck mortise, slides into place and is more than solid w/ string tension.

He says you can adjust string height by adding a thin wood shim on one side of the neck joint which raises the over stand up towards strings thus lowering string height.

It's a great system and besides the scroll being smaller w/ bass guitar tuners, w/ neck in place it has no other differences than any other real DB. I'm looking forward to getting to know it better. I have never played a New Standard hybrid LaScala or Cleveland so I cannot compare it to those. I can say it felt more responsive and seemed to have more of that carved top nuance as compared to a New Standard Cleveland Ply that I've played and performed with. Arnold is putting the finishing touches on the neck heel / neck profile which will bring it to an Eb neck since that's what I'm used to w/ my two main DBs.

I've been working w/ a case maker to develop a good light weight case for it that won't break the bank. The goal is to make the whole package under 50lbs. which looks doable. That would be under weight in all jet airline situations that I know of right now. Hopefully the case will be compact enough that it will be under size as well. The bass will also have a padded belt that tightens around the belly at the C bout to keep sound post in place.

To me it will be the best solution to fly w/ a REAL DB.
Under size & weight, durability of a hybrid w/ better tone & response than a ply, a lot more economical w/ a lot less anxiety then flying around w/ a fully carved master bass converted to an RN, and it's by Arnold & Wil. I have tried many of Arnold's builds over the years from his Master grades (his early ones and recent Walnut), Ergo basses I & II, & Cleveland ply and now this bass and I am always surprised at how he gets such mature sounds from these new made basses. I'm used to playing Old basses mind you. A 1820's Prescott Gamba and a 1920's carved German shop round back. I'm pretty excited to take the Time Zone thru some time zones on tour later this month. I'll post more pics when I get it back in my hands :D

[Thomas Erickson]

Cool little bass; like the scroll.

[Brian Glassman]

Yeah, the scroll is much smaller and those are bass guitar tuners.

Played the bass at several gigs this past weekend and it performed like a champ. Plays really evenly and amplifies well w/ a big warm and punchy sound. Got a lot of compliments on the tone and no one noticed the smaller scroll unless I pointed it out. The carved top makes the bass pretty darn responsive and the arco sound was really quite sweet especially in the mid-upper register. Pizz sound sits really well in the mix w/ a surprising big bottom on the E. I'm finding the 41" string length really fun. W/ Spiro Mitts the tuning stability was excellent. When carting around town in it's assembled config. it's super light weight is also a plus. This thing is definitely a winner.

I'm gonna practice taking it apart and assembling and adjust neck angle/ string height w/ the maple shims Arnold gave me for this purpose.

BTW-unlike the Lemur or any other RN bass that I've seen the "Time Zone" neck joint has no screws of any kind and simply slides into place and does not require any tools to adjust (or lose). Solid as a rock w/ string tension. No sticky Post Its marking the bridge position. Arnold just put two very small, shallow and discreet holes (from a tack) on the top to mark where the upper, inner bridge feet corners go. All I needed to line up the bridge perfectly.

The sound post? When breaking the bass down for travel the sound post stays in place by putting a belt around the waist (C bouts) and cinching it tight over a small cork lined, dense styrofoam pad that is placed over the SP area of the top. The pressure applied to the top in this way holds the post in place so strings can be loosened when removing neck, strings and tailpiece.

Flight case arrives tomorrow. I'm leaving for Fiji w/ it on Sat. for a month long tour of S. Asia. Will try to post pics of the whole system soon.

Arnold & I A/B ed the K&K Bass Max in the wing slot vs. an old style Realist both thru a Headway pre into Arnold's old Gallien Kruger combo in his shop. They both sounded great, IMO. Arnold liked the Realist a bit better. I can get excellent tone w/ either thru my AI Focus and Wizzy M 12 or 10.