Reflex HH - Talk to me about it!

[Movielife]

Reflex HH bass.

I've heard a lot about this bass. I've heard it can go from a Stingray/Sterling tone to a more warm vintage tone with a few button presses.

I've been tempted to get one for some years now. I've not seen one 'in the wild' in the UK, ever, and I like to try new EBMM gear (I've always been impressed).

A store has provided a great quote. No doubt the new financial year will mean this may rise, so I'm tempted to bite.

I know it will be a 5 HH, but I want to see pics and reviews

I'm very tempted by Tangerine Pearl/Rosewood. I personally like the feel and ease of maintenance with rosewood (although I have a few maples as well).

 

[keko]

All I can say about the Music Man reflex 5 HH bass is, ...a damn good bass, almost unreal, so many sound options, perfect neck, perfect tone balance (3-way body wood construction), ...very focused tone in all switch positions, splendid 4 band EQ powered with 18V dual battery power supply, which gives any bass player a wide signal bandwidth, so any distortion is almost impossible, great ceramic splittable pickups...etc.

 

[tunaman4u2]

Its awesome but has a bit of neck dive, is heavy, more complicated to change tone on the fly vs a Sterling & pretty warm with the mahogany tone block. If you really want to add to the diversity of the instrument grab a maple neck to make sure you can get some aggression. I sold my Reflex HH5 ebony for all the above reasons but wouldn't mind it if a maple one fell back into my lap!

 

[keko]

Interesting? I didn't noticed any neck dive on my 5 HH reflex???

However, if I buy a reflex bass 5 again, it would be a single H model, ...I don't know? After all these Years, I finally realized that I'm a Music Man single H guy, well, after all...

 

[Tollywood]

Interesting? I didn't noticed any neck dive on my 5 HH reflex???

Hi Guys,

I have a 25th Reflex 4 HSS, and I find that mine is well balanced; no neck dive. I really like the contoured heel.
I also like how the pickups have scalloped tabs where the screws go to rest your thumb on.

 

[tunaman4u2]

I had the Ebony BFR which could have been the difference with the neck dive.

 

[BigAlis4me]

No neck dive with my 25th HH 5 maple neck. But the distance from your body to the nut & lower register is longer than with the other Musicman basses. Because the upper horn/strap button ist at the 15th fret, not at the 12th.
And being humbuckers the PUs do not have the same snappiness as the Big Al SSS's singlecoils (maybe except the Bongos, whose ergonomics I tried und liked, but not had the opportunity to test their sound).
Nevertheless the Reflex/25th HH has the most focused tone without losing the MM signature growl.

It took some weeks to get habited to the ergonomics and the tone. But now, if I had to choose, I would prefer it to my Classic Series Stingray 5, because of the more refined tone: Rehearsing with the band it is very easy to hear the fundamental of the note played. And with a fivestringer, my most often used position of the left hand is between the third and the tenth fret. This is different to using a fourstring bass.
And of course, the variability of the electronics (though there were times I liked the plug'n'play appearance of the Stingray better). But now for me all of my Musicman instruments are plug and play.

 

[nurnay]

Hi Guys,

I also like how the pickups have scalloped tabs where the screws go to rest your thumb on.

Funny, that's the only thing I don't like about my Bongo (and it's really a minor thing). I prefer the Stingray pickups for thumb resting.

 

[BobKos]

I have a 25th BFR rosewood 4HH. It is the best bass I own. It's the same thing as a Reflex except with a solid rosewood neck and a fancy flame top. I also have a Reflex 4HH. It is a great bass also. I have owned many EBMM basses over the years. I do not care for the single H instruments. The SR 4HH and the Bongo 4HH have been good instruments for me but not keepers. The Reflex / 25th are keepers. I'm very happy with them.

The tonal options on these basses are ridiculous. The pickup coils are selectable as neck pair, bridge pair, all, or center pair. Series or parallel. Ahead of a passive tone control or active 4 band. It's all there. It's easy to work, powerful, and well matched to the instrument.

I feel the Reflex HH is the best bass ever offered by EBMM. If I could wish for one change, I would like to try an SLO narrow neck on one. It will probably never happen and may change the bass too much, so I am quite happy with what I have. I hope you have the opportunity to play one. If you do, you will probably buy one.

FWIW - neither of my basses are neck heavy. They balance perfectly. Both weigh in at 9.5 lbs roughly. Also FWIW - I have played the 4SSH and was not as thrilled with it as I was the 4HH.

Ed Freidland has a video review on youtube. I think you can find it by keywording 'bass whisperer 25th'. He really shows all the different tones and it is worth your time to check out.

 

[MadMatt]

I have a 25th 4HSS and a roasted neck fret-less Reflex 4HSS. Neither are neck heavy. I have owned both a 4 and 5 string 25th HH. The 5 String was not quite as balanced as the 4HH but definitely not neck heavy.

For me the HSS got me the combinations of sounds I wanted (I play in a rock/pop cover band) but both HH's where very versatile and sounded great!