So the BTB745 has landed. How is it? Well, the electronicals all electronicate. I’m surprised that the bridge pickup sounds kinda usable when soloed. I doubt I would ever do that, but it’s not a completely trash sound. Overall, this instrument does not strike me as thin-sounding like my SR505. True, I might bump the lows on my (otherwise flat) amp EQ if I was going to play a set with it, but I don’t hate it at all. The slap sounds are tremendous. As juicy as my Jazz bass was.

The neck is pretty darned straight. I’m pegging it at 12 thou under the low B. Don’t know if I’d put it straighter than that. But I might lower the bridge saddles a smidge. It plays great, but maybe it could play phenomenally. The intonation is pretty good, too. All the frets work.

That locking output jack is going to take some getting used to. The tuning machines feel great and my tuner shows they deliver even on an ever-so-slight turn. There will be no chasing around, sharp and flat, trying to zero in on A440

Overall, I’m lovin’ it so far.

Note for posterity: If this website can be believed, this bass was made in September 2017. So not quite three years old. I wonder why the original owner gave it up? Maybe they were trading up for something even more magnificent?