Review: Music Man Caprice & Cutlass Basses

Fender's Precision Bass is a well-loved platform that has seen many different modifications over the years.  Various interpretations have also been successful, from nearly every company that builds bass guitars. Ernie Ball Music Man is the latest, but perhaps the most interesting.

Music Man basses are known for active preamps, and its instruments are highly regarded.  The 2016 Cutlass and Caprice are Music Man's first venture into passive basses which is a very odd thing for fans of Music Man.  Many people have embraced the new addition, while expectedly the die-hard "traditionalists" have given the new line a cold shoulder.  

Luckily I had the good fortune to spend a few weeks with each of the two basses, which also began a new chapter in my bass-playing life.

- Cutlass vs Precision
As a huge fan of Fender's Precision Bass, I was eager to do an A/B with the Cutlass.  Long story short, the Cutlass is a somewhat more refined classic bass, with it's own flavor of Precision tone.  However, it is important to note:

**The Caprice is NOT a Fender bass**

Visuals aside, it has it's own sound.  Meaning, if you want that classic Fender Precision tone, buy a Fender Precision-- the company offers so many versions that you are sure to find one you like and can afford.  What the Caprice excels at is offering a classic-type bass that's more comfortable and unique.  

Tones from the Cutlass are rounder, and slightly darker than a Precision bass.  My baseline when comparing instruments is the Fender Precision, so when playing the Cutlass through my Mesa Subway 800, I kept wanting to turn the tone knob up-- but it was already maxed.  If these basses were whisky, the Precision would be freshly brewed, where the Cutlass would be aged 25 years.  The Cutlass sounds familiar, but it's smoother and lacks the clanky-mids of the age-old Precision; this could be a good thing... could be a bad thing.  Personally, I like the Precision and it's ability to dial back via the tone knob.

Feel, Fit & Finish:
Everything about the Music Man feels tight, and solid, while the finish is flawless.  It's neck feels comfortable with rolled edges, the frets are perfectly finished and plays as effortlessly as anything from small boutique builders.  The bridge is a little different from the standard version but you would probably have to look twice to catch it.  The body is VERY comfortable, with nicely rounded sides all around, and the weight is right about 9-lbs; enough to mostly offset neck dive.

The Caprice Twist:
Along side the single pickup Cutlass, the dual, P/J pickup Caprice adds those midrange tones lost on the Cutlass though its bridge pickup.  The particular example only weighed about 8.5-lbs, but had significant neck dive.  Everything else about the instrument was fantastic.  The Caprice also offers a slightly offset body, with a narrower sized neck.  If I had to choose between the two, that Caprice would be the one-- hands down.  

Cost & The Recent Price Increase:
Early this year and following suit with most of its California based competitors, Music Man increased it's prices.  Perhaps the increase can be attributed to the cost of doing business in California these days?

Comparatively, Fender basses increased about $500 more than they were last year as well; American Standards were about $1k, while the 2017 "Professional" models are approx $1,500. G&L had a somewhat modest price bump in 2016/17. Kiesel prices have slowly risen over the last few years as well. Rickenbacker has been consistently around $2K for some time now, and Taylor guitars have seen a consistent price increase over the last several years also.
Prior to the price increase early this year, the Cutlass was going for around $1,600. Now these are listed for $2200!  When compared to Fender's offering, the increase puts a lot of pressure on the Cutlass to be a better instrument.

Is It Worth It?
If I didn't already have a small collection of basses and was looking for a primary go-to instrument-- yes. This bass is worth that kind of investment. However, having multiple quality instruments makes it more difficult to justify the expense; is it that much better than those I already have? 

2018's "Special" Introduction:
While I was exploring these new Music Man basses, I began to reconsider my small collection of mostly P-type basses.  "Why have so many of the same type... especially while there are so many other equally enjoyable instruments?"  

As I was exploring that question, something Special was begging to arrive in our local music stores-- the StingRay Special.  AND the new Special is priced within a few dollars of the Cutlass & Caprice!  Test driving one for myself completely changed my perspective! But more on that later.

Not only do these basses have to compete with Fender's lower priced alternatives, but now the new passive basses must compete within the Music Man family; "why buy a Caprice when you can get a Stingray Special HH for the same price?!"   

Only time will tell what happens to the new passive line at Music Man.  These are fantastic instruments regardless of price.  However, with the newly redesigned StingRay Special hitting the streets, a whole new world of possibilities has opened up; an example of which I will review here very, very soon...

...Stay tuned & in tune!