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 styled after the well-known JB, refining his past work and making it more like a modern bass.
As all are custom models, there are no fixed woods, but the body is particularly important for its weight, and some woods are chambered.
In this particular model, the body is made of alder.
The weight has been reduced by chambering.
The neck and fingerboard are made of clean-grained maple.
The PU is a split coil type, manufactured by DiMarzio.
This is similar to the Sadowsky Metroline when it was made in Japan.
Characteristic features are low noise and trebly.
Passive pickups for 5-string JBs often do not have the treble of a 4-string JB.
You won't find a shortage of such points here. Attractive.
The preamp is a custom type designed by EMG especially for this model.
It has a simple specification, boosting bass and treble only.
This fits perfectly as it should.
When boosted, the peak of the mid-range dip is exquisite and the bass seems to tighten up in a stylish way.
And yet it doesn't lose its bass-like character and retains a beautiful overtone feel.
This is an eloquent illustration of the meaning of boosting with a two-band EQ.
Controls are volume, balancer, tone (preamp bypass with push/pull SW) and treble/bass.
The string height is extremely low at shipping, and even in that state the strings swing wildly, with no odd glitches in all positions.
The precision around the neck, which has always been particularly appreciated, is excellent and the quality is well demonstrated.
The neck shape is slightly flat and thin.
It also feels like a trendy shape for a 5-string JB in recent years.
One of the factors that makes the difference between a 4-string and a 5-string is the difference in neck mass.
The neck is thinner and narrower, and this kind of design makes it feel less like a 5-string bass in a good way.
It is characterised by an extremely fast, speedy playing feel.
Yet it has a sufficient amount of bass and a treble-rich, trebly sound with plenty of overtones.
This is a supreme piece of bass guitar that was only possible because Mr Kikuchi makes basses in the modern age.
Accessories : Semi-hard case
Text by Shunsuke Saga
With manufacturer's guarantee
Ships in a sturdy cardboard box.
International shipping is also possible.
Contact Info
LINE : vwj2699r
email : info@bassick.jp
tel : 045 534 7133