# Anyone ever tried or heard of Brubaker?



## HeHasTheJazzHands (Dec 8, 2012)

Did a search, no results.

So, yeah, anyone ever heard of them or tried them? Especially the Brute series? Reviews sound VERY promising. 

And here's a few models I found on eBay since this brand seems pretty obscure, making it hard to find stores that stock them. 

New Genuine Brubaker Brute Series JJX 5 5 String Bass Guitar with Case White | eBay






New Genuine Brubaker Brute Series JJX 5 5 String Bass Guitar with Case White | eBay


----------



## J7string (Dec 8, 2012)

Hmmm... I've never heard of them. They look pretty nice.


----------



## HeHasTheJazzHands (Dec 8, 2012)

I'm not a fan of wider string spacings, but these look cool enough for me to get used to it. 

They also seem kinda Warwick-y with the wide necks.


----------



## iron blast (Dec 8, 2012)

great basses My friend has a brute 5 string its a nice piece of kit


----------



## Thep (Dec 8, 2012)

Looks nice and probably plays like any other generic import bass...but I wouldn't want to take that risk.


----------



## GenghisCoyne (Dec 8, 2012)

i played one at manhattan guitar center a few years ago. it felt comfortable but there was a sterile sound to it that i couldn't get into.


----------



## angus (Dec 8, 2012)

Brute's are ugly but are way better than the average bass in the price range. 

In case you are wondering who they are, they're made by Kevin Brubaker here in the US. He's been around since early 90s, if not before then. His finish work is, imo, probably the best in the country for sprayed finishes, and his basses are insane. I've never played one of his guitars. The body shapes are not for me (though I really wanted one when he was still making the "Lexa" body), but the basses are top notch in every way. 

Website: WELCOME TO BRUBAKER INSTRUMENTS!

Example of crazy finish work: 





















That fretboard is airbrushed spalted maple. Insane. Somewhere there is a multicolored version where the colors follow and fade along the grains of the spalt. I can't even imagine how many hours it took.


----------



## LordCashew (Dec 9, 2012)

Sadly, I've never played one personally. But I've only heard great things about them. An unbeatable value, allegedly.


----------



## TemjinStrife (Dec 9, 2012)

The high-end stuff is very, very pretty and quite nice.

Never played a Brute.


----------



## HeHasTheJazzHands (Dec 9, 2012)

Well since I'm on a hunt for a 5-string, I'm keeping an eye on these, and a Carvin BK-50 kit.


----------



## TemjinStrife (Dec 9, 2012)

You should buy my Lodestone instead. A little cheaper, narrower string spacing, and very punchy/aggressive 

Honestly, in that price range, I'd have a Schecter Stiletto Studio before a Brute, or the aforementioned Lodestone. But that's probably because I'm not a huge J-bass fan and wide string spacing on a 5er is not ideal for my tiny hands.


----------



## jeleopard (Dec 9, 2012)

Omnomnom.

But longer spring spacings? That'd fuck me up so badly...


----------



## HeHasTheJazzHands (Dec 9, 2012)

TemjinStrife said:


> You should buy my Lodestone instead. A little cheaper, narrower string spacing, and very punchy/aggressive
> 
> Honestly, in that price range, I'd have a Schecter Stiletto Studio before a Brute, or the aforementioned Lodestone. But that's probably because I'm not a huge J-bass fan and wide string spacing on a 5er is not ideal for my tiny hands.



I have pretty big hands, but was looking at narrow-stringed basses because I'm more into picking, but was looking to expand my skills. 

Tell me more about, Lodestone, though. Just searched them and they don't seem to have any dealers in the US.


----------



## ToMurderAMachine (Dec 9, 2012)

Kevin walker seems to like his, you should probably check out the review he did of it.


----------



## HeHasTheJazzHands (Dec 10, 2012)

ToMurderAMachine said:


> Kevin walker seems to like his, you should probably check out the review he did of it.



Checking it out. Also, this was the review that really interested me:

Brubaker Brute MJX5 - Bass Gear Reviews at TalkBass.com


----------



## LivingTimmy (Dec 13, 2012)

angus said:


>



Any idea how much something like that would cost!!! That's freaking amazing! I love the airbrushed spalted board on the red one too.


----------



## HeHasTheJazzHands (Dec 13, 2012)

I think they can get pretty expensive. I saw someone on TalkBass selling a pretty "plain" looking 5-string in near-mint condition for $2400.


----------



## LivingTimmy (Dec 13, 2012)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> I think they can get pretty expensive. I saw someone on TalkBass selling a pretty "plain" looking 5-string in near-mint condition for $2400.



Oh how I wish I had money for these things  
A 7 string with that airbrushed spalted finish would be pure WIN in my opinion.


----------



## roast (Dec 13, 2012)

angus said:


>



Holy shit....
I gotta get me one of these Brubakers!! :O


----------



## TemjinStrife (Dec 13, 2012)

Expect to pay mid-range Blackmachine money for the crazy finish work


----------



## angus (Dec 13, 2012)

Yep. Nice basses are way more expensive than nice guitars.


----------



## TemjinStrife (Dec 13, 2012)

angus said:


> Yep. Nice basses are way more expensive than nice guitars.



Although I can't admit I really understand a lot of the "whys."

I mean, $16k for a solidbody instrument is, when it really gets down to it, quite ridiculous to me. At least with a Brubaker (which isn't five figures, IIRC) you're getting some seriously unique finish work, while a Blackmachine or Fodera or a Dingwall Prima is a little harder to see the inherent value proposition.


----------



## HeHasTheJazzHands (Dec 13, 2012)

Well, I'd hate to use Ed Roman ugh as a price reference, but according to the Ed Roman site, this one goes around $5500.

Brubaker Xtreme 6 Bass - Ed Roman Guitars

So, I guess for something like that green one, you're looking at around $4000 - $6500.


----------



## LivingTimmy (Dec 14, 2012)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Well, I'd hate to use Ed Roman ugh as a price reference, but according to the Ed Roman site, this one goes around $5500.
> 
> Brubaker Xtreme 6 Bass - Ed Roman Guitars
> 
> So, I guess for something like that green one, you're looking at around $4000 - $6500.



Well, if I ever win the lottery (or get a job  ), I think I'm pretty certain on who I'd get to build my next bass!


----------



## angus (Dec 14, 2012)

TemjinStrife said:


> Although I can't admit I really understand a lot of the "whys."
> 
> I mean, $16k for a solidbody instrument is, when it really gets down to it, quite ridiculous to me. At least with a Brubaker (which isn't five figures, IIRC) you're getting some seriously unique finish work, while a Blackmachine or Fodera or a Dingwall Prima is a little harder to see the inherent value proposition.



It's never a linear process. With a Fodera, you are paying for the brand and history, for sure, and the fact that they are made in NYC, are very popular, etc. But what you get is a flawless instrument (normally) that has few equals in terms of playability. But is it wildly better than Zon, MTD, etc? Nah, not really. But worth it? Well, if you really like it, definitely. I really like mine (but it was like $11.5, not 16!). 

Real answer for why they charge so much? Because they can, and because they want to stay in business. Nobody is getting rich.


----------



## HeHasTheJazzHands (Dec 14, 2012)

Well, unless I can find ANOTHER bass in the price range, I'm keeping an eye on the Brute MJX-5 or a Spector Legend 5 or Euro 5. I like the idea of a humbucker bridge pickup and J-bass neck pickup.

And dammit, this flame maple pickguard looks classy.


----------



## LivingTimmy (Dec 15, 2012)

Oh my, that pickguard is sex. And I'm not a pickguard person  . I am really toying with the idea of getting a Conklin GT-7 or a GTBD-7 , mainly cos I want a 7 string bass, and these are the cheaper ones I know of


----------

