If someone told me that this bass cost triple the price, I would still think it was cheap. The construction of this bass is fantastic, and the pickups are very good, not the best but still sounding more like a thousand dollar instrument. The neck is heavy, because 5 strings... but with a rounded scale reminiscent of a two grand Fender Jazzmaster, without a single sharp fret. Buy one of these, put in whatever pickup you want, and you'll have an instrument like the American Professional line for less than half the price.