Comments: Off the rack these basses are overall mediocre . The finish bridge and tuners are good . The tone is very muddy and the action/fretwork is poor.
If you have one and get pro neck and fret work ( to get nice action with no buzzes) and install new pickups and electronics (EMG'S sound great with it) the instrument can be outstanding . I have 2 Vaccaro Basses and after extensive custom work they are my primary live basses. I like them better than my Ken Smith basses , but it takes a lot of custom work to get them to a pro instrument level .
Comments: Very playable instrument. Very comfortable - balance & weight, Great sustain. Tone a little unbalanced. mine has non stock pickups - was rewired and pots replaced.
Comments: I am now the proud owner of a red sparkle Vaccaro X-RAY bass. New-old stock, wasn't played by its owner. Included all the case candy.
Sound is amazing, action outstanding. This is a low serial number. In many ways superior to my XL-4, and the craftsmanship rivals my 1977 Kramer 650B. I have Hartke medium strings on it, which sound great. I am switching to La Bella flatwound 760FX, as the lighter guage will be more forgiving on the neck and the string sound will more suit my style.
Comments: I actually have a Hartke XL-4 which is identical in everyway to the X-Ray with the exception of the headstock, which is solid versus the "V". Made in Asbury on the same production line. Necks are the same.
Only thing about craftsmanship is the place where the wood encapsolation meets the aluminum head and neck. Some gapping. Less then on imported V2 and Hartke XK line but still there. I know Henry Jr. and even he said the fit and finish in this spot could have been better.
Has the perfect, updated metalneck tone you expect. Long sustain, definitely a piano like quality, especially on the D and G strings. Sounds as good or better then the 250B I had back in the day...
