Bilt Basses - even a Bass VI

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
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Fiddy
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Re: Bilt Basses - even a Bass VI

Post by Fiddy » Sun Jun 26, 2022 2:02 pm

I like some Bilt, "Fender inspired" models.. I don't like these basses. Not polarizing at all. I wouldn't think...

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Re: Bilt Basses - even a Bass VI

Post by hexes » Sun Jun 26, 2022 2:21 pm

glad there’s a new option. agreed on mastery bridge being not a great choice. I REALLY dislike bilt shapes. so bloated and unattractive, but maybe this paves the way for affordable quality bass vi like instruments.

the copper VI is a good color choice, and the black guard tones down the waist. I still get a schecter vibe from it for some reason.

that said, Creston nails the vibe for me. Their blue metallic baritone bass vi like thing is just pure class. svelte and engaging.

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Re: Bilt Basses - even a Bass VI

Post by javier-san » Sun Jun 26, 2022 7:52 pm

vpich wrote:
Sun Jun 26, 2022 10:18 am
Wasn’t aware how polarizing bilt was. I’ve always been impressed.
Same. I love em!

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Re: Bilt Basses - even a Bass VI

Post by BTL » Mon Jun 27, 2022 7:06 am

I'm a fan, but I understand why they can be polarizing. Still, if you like the style, they're quite a good value in a custom instrument.
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Re: Bilt Basses - even a Bass VI

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Mon Jun 27, 2022 7:40 am

I'm not in love with all their designs, but they make some cool stuff. Lefties too!!
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Re: Bilt Basses - even a Bass VI

Post by dropthebeat » Mon Jun 27, 2022 7:55 am

Bilt fan/Zaftig owner over here; also mostly a bass player.

Not fully convinced by how the Bilt designs (which I like!) translate to bass, but I'm happy to see some boutique basses other than, like, Serek (& I guess FCS) that aren't completely egregious. The "very expensive potato" aesthetic that has long defined the fancy bass world is super depressing.

Anyway. Cool stuff!

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Re: Bilt Basses - even a Bass VI

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Mon Jun 27, 2022 10:07 am

dropthebeat wrote:
Mon Jun 27, 2022 7:55 am
The "very expensive potato" aesthetic that has long defined the fancy bass world is super depressing.
It's like there's no middle ground. Basses are either "very expensive potato" or "very expensive and very pointy".
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Re: Bilt Basses - even a Bass VI

Post by wooderson » Mon Jun 27, 2022 1:04 pm

The wrong body proportions and blobbiness are my beef with Novo guitars, I get some of the Bilt dislike on that front, the Relevator proportions hew close enough to the JM shape to make me happy.

Bilts heavily depend on the custom touch choices IMO - the right paint job and hardware/dots/etc.. They did a special run for a shop that are Mary Kay blonde with gold hardware and all of those are butt ugly IMO.
Last edited by wooderson on Mon Jun 27, 2022 1:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Bilt Basses - even a Bass VI

Post by Larry Mal » Mon Jun 27, 2022 1:14 pm

$2300 for a handmade Bass VI is a pretty good price, though.
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Re: Bilt Basses - even a Bass VI

Post by marqueemoon » Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:07 pm

dropthebeat wrote:
Mon Jun 27, 2022 7:55 am
Bilt fan/Zaftig owner over here; also mostly a bass player.

Not fully convinced by how the Bilt designs (which I like!) translate to bass, but I'm happy to see some boutique basses other than, like, Serek (& I guess FCS) that aren't completely egregious. The "very expensive potato" aesthetic that has long defined the fancy bass world is super depressing.

Anyway. Cool stuff!
Same. Most high end basses do nothing for me. Way too fancy/too many toanz options.

I feel like a VI is a fundamentally different instrument, and having some options there is ok, but for a straight up bass simple is the way.

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Re: Bilt Basses - even a Bass VI

Post by vpich » Tue Jun 28, 2022 2:03 pm

Hi lo circuit seems great. Thin it out for some melodic stuff, slap a capo on for some baritone action. Options add up though. The standard paint looks meh. Probably get it to shine nicely with some work though. To get shiny from them is 350 more.

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