Marleaux Consat SE 5 Special Edition (pre-owned)

Marleaux Consat SE 5 — Trans Black

The Marleaux Consat SE 5 Special Edition

This is the Consat SE 5 Special Edition from Marleaux, out of Germany. It weighs 3.93 kilos, so that’s pretty comfortable for a five-string, right?

Above all, every Marleaux is handmade by Gerald Marleaux himself in his workshop in Clausthal-Zellerfeld, in the Harz mountains. Moreover, this one is in Trans Black with a maple fingerboard and black hardware.

In fact, the SE is a special series Marleaux built for Doctor Bass in Spain. Basically, they asked Gerald for a more affordable Marleaux without cutting the things that matter.

Therefore, the woods, the Delano pickups, the electronics and the ergonomics are the same as on the Consat Custom. Instead, the fancy top and matching headstock are left out.

Body, Neck & Woods

Dibetou body in Trans Black

The first thing I notice is the shape. The Consat body is carved deep and sits really close to you, so it’s comfortable both sitting and standing. Specifically, the body is dibetou, sometimes called African walnut. In addition, the satin Trans Black finish lets you see the open grain, which gives it a nice, woody look.

In general, dibetou is a medium-weight wood with a warm, round character. As a result, it gives the bass a full low end with a solid midrange. In short, that’s a good starting point for the Delano pickups.

Maple neck and maple fingerboard

Equally important, the neck is 3-piece hard rock maple, bolted on with six bolts. Furthermore, the maple fingerboard has a bit of flame in it, and the clean look without inlays suits the black body really well. Similarly, maple on maple means a quick attack and a clear, defined top end.

In addition, you get 24 frets plus a zero fret. The zero fret means open strings sound just like fretted notes. Likewise, the action down at the first fret is set by the fret, not by a nut slot, so it can go really low.

34 inch scale and a 45 mm nut

The scale is a normal 34″, so you don’t have to stretch your hand. However, the low B is still surprisingly tight and loud.

On top of that, the nut is 45 mm and the string spacing at the bridge is 18 mm. Consequently, it feels compact for a five-string, which is great if you come from a four.

Condition

Really nice condition

This Marleaux Consat SE 5 is in really nice shape. In fact, there are only very few small dings in the finish. Furthermore, the frets are super fine, so there’s plenty of life left in them.

In addition, it comes with a gigbag. However, there is no certificate or tool kit with this one. Of course, we’re happy to send close-up photos or answer questions before you buy.

Electronics, Sound & Feel

Two Delano quad coil humbuckers

First of all, the pickups are two Delano quad coil humbuckers, made in Germany. Besides, they are hum-cancelling, and they have a lot of information in the tone. In other words, every note comes through clear and even across all five strings.

Marleaux 3-band active/passive

Secondly, the electronics are Marleaux’s own 3-band. You get volume, balance, bass, mid and treble, plus a mini toggle for active or passive. Moreover, in passive mode the treble knob works as a normal tone control. As a result, the bass still plays fine if the battery dies on a gig.

Our take on the Marleaux Consat SE 5

All in all, we really dig this Consat. Above all, it’s responsive and dynamic, and it sounds full and clear whether you play fingerstyle, slap or with a pick.

Therefore, if you want a handmade German five-string at a fair price, take a look. You can also see all our other basses here. So, what’s not to like?