Kikuchi Guitars is a new high brand by Yoshiyuki Kikuchi (and Ocata International), who has earned the trust of many professional bassists, especially for his work with Sadowsky.
This model is based on the well-known JB style, and is a refinement of his work to date, but with a more modern bass feel.
The body is chambered, depending on the wood, with special emphasis on weight.
In this particular model, the body is chambered ash on the back and flame maple on the top.
Finished in see-through Trans Red, it is as beautiful as it looks.
The price of this type of maple with wood grain has gone up quite a bit recently.
The neck is maple and the fingerboard is Perferro.
The fingerboard is finished with a 12" radius. It is relatively flat.
The tuners and bridge are HIPSHOT.
The pitch between strings at the bridge is 19mm.
The neck is finished relatively slim, so it does not seem as big as the image, rather, I think the clean feeling in the right hand is positive.
The PU is a split coil type, manufactured by DiMarzio.
This is also similar to what Sadowsky Metroline used to be made in Japan.
What makes it unique is that it is low noise and trebly.
Passive pickups for 5-string JBs often do not have the treble of 4-string JBs.
Such a point is not felt to be lacking here. It is attractive.
The preamp is a custom type designed by EMG especially for this model.
It is a simple spec that boosts bass and treble only.
This fits perfectly as it should.
When boosted, the peak of the mid-range concave is exquisite, and the bass seems to tighten up in a stylish manner.
Yet, it does not lose its bass-like character and retains a beautiful overtone feel.
This is an eloquent example of what boosting with a 2-band EQ can do.
Controls are volume, balancer, tone (preamp bypass with push/pull SW), treble/bass.
The string height is extremely low at shipping, and even in that state the strings swing widely, with no odd glitches in all positions.
The precision around the neck, which has always been particularly appreciated, is excellent, and the quality of the neck is well demonstrated.
The neck shape is a little flat and thin.
It feels like a trendy shape for a 5-string JB in recent years.
One of the factors that makes the difference between 4-string and 5-string JBs is the difference in neck mass.
The neck is thinner and narrower, and this design makes it feel less like a 5-string bass in a good way.
It is characterized by an extremely fast speedy playing feel.
Yet, it also has a sufficient amount of bass, and is finished with a trebly sound rich in overtones.
This is a supreme bass made possible by Mr. Kikuchi's modern bass production.
Accessories : Semi-hard case
Text: Shunsuke Saga
Comes with manufacturer's warranty
Shipped in a sturdy cardboard box.