--- In conklininstrumentowners@yahoogroups.com, Stewart McKinsey
<subcontrabassist@...> wrote:

THANKS STEW,
that is very helpful. I personally never use a preamp ans apart from
good pickups don't care about electronic voodoo. So the "organic
tone" of a GT7 is fine for me. (My philosophy is if you can't make
the bass sing--unplugged--with your own two hands you haven't
mastered the instrument}. A couple of questions on the finish: I
take maybe the GT7 has an oiled neck, and the GTBD overall
gloss/poly? Also if anyone could chime in on the string spacing; as
far I'm concerned the wider (i.e. more conventional) the better.
Anyone have measurements? I only ever played full/XL scale and my
right hand technique is reaaally physical (old school geezer here).
Stewart, and anyone else please speak up; this is helpful. I might
just go for a GT7 and not sweat my old neck-thru orthodoxy.
Thanks man,
Tosh
> hey Tosh,
> there are several considerations differentiating the GT-7
and the GTBD-7. aside from the cosmetic/aesthetic disparity and the
bolt-on vs. neck-through differences, the active circuit on the
basses is entirely different. the Dickens signature model also has an
all-encompassing gloss finish. to top it off that instrument, the
GTBD, has tighter string spacing that the "standard" GT.
> in my experience the primary sonic difference is that the GT
can deliver a slightly more organic tone and the GTBD almost
inevitably sounds more hi-fi.
> I have a verging on Neanderthal right hand so the spacing on
both instruments was difficult for me to negotiate both. I eventually
got a GT and picked up an aftermarket bridge from Bill and Mike at
the Conklin shop.
> I've heard and seen a lot of players tear up both
instruments. personally I don't see the GT as being inferior, simply
more barebones.
> both instruments are nice but if you're worried about not
picking up the GT because it's a bolt-on you should disabuse that
notion. I loved mine.