Among bass-importing countries, the Czech Republic has a strong reputation. The quality and consistency of our test Elricks reveals why. Each was flawlessly assembled and finished with an unimpeachable attention to detail. Their fretwork was exquisite and each arrived with a comfy mediumlow setup that didn’t budge during testing. I dug the Hipshot hardware and Dunlop strap buttons; the cheap-feeling knobs, on the other hand, need to go. The electronics are your basic Bartolini rig: linear hum-cancelling J-style pickups and a 3-band EQ with active/passive and midrange-frequency switching governed by push-pull pots.
The Expats’ contour is J-esque, but it takes welcome liberties with the original design. The deeply carved six-bolt neck joint made high-register playing a snap. The zero-fret improved consistency between open-string and fretted notes. On my lap, the 5-string felt a tad neck-heavy, but both basses are quite light and felt comfortable on a strap. Both instruments had nice, wide string spacing for digging in, and the fingerboards’ protrusion from the top at the neck joint made for excellent thumb anchorage. The Elricks’ neck profile, especially the 5’er, was chunkier than I expected, given their heritage.
ABROAD TONE
Despite the different fingerboard composition between our 4- and 5-string testers, they sounded virtually identical. Both Expats were poised, balanced, and precise. They don’t sound at all like vintage J-Basses, but they do offer hi-fi versions of many classic J-style tones, including a woody neck-pickup bark, fullbodied blended-pickup thumb, and nasal bridgepickup burp. Their top-to-bottom evenness was exceptional, including below the lowest notes of the 5-string’s B string. There’s a reason Bartolini has been around so long; its preamp works smoothly and musically, and the added control over midrange frequency offers a welcome additional layer of versatility. Both basses really shimmered when slapped—pops were especially brilliant and laced with tickly treble. Played pickstyle in a rock setting, they’re a little too polite to be gut-busting and aggressive, though.
The Elrick Expats lose nothing in their overseas origination, and are virtually without flaw. I’d recommend them for those who need a modern, active-style J-Bass palette, but still want something slightly left-of-center. They’re well built and broadly capable, and would be an excellent go-to allarounder, especially if you favor detailed and welltextured tone.
ELRICK EXPAT NJS
List 5-string, $2,500; 4-string, $2,750
Street 5-string, $2,000; 4-string, $2,200
Pros Smooth and balanced tone with good versatility and killing slap capability
Cons Ditch the cheap-o knobs
Bottom line The Expats deliver high-end construction and precise, modern tone at a nice price.
Scale length 34"
Body Swamp ash
Neck Three-piece quartersawn maple with Indian rosewood or quartersawn maple fingerboard
Hardware Hipshot tuners and bridge; Dunlop strap-lock-compatible strap buttons
Pickups Bartolini hum-cancelling J-Bass
Electronics Bartolini HR-5.2 preamp with mid-frequency selection (250Hz–800Hz)
Nut Corian
Finish Lacquer
Case Elrick Zero Gravity ultralight case included
Weight 5-string, 8.2 lbs; 4-string, 7.3 lbs
Made in Czech Republic
Warranty Lifetime limited to original owner
Contact www.elrick.com (386) 517-6823