Partagas Lusitanias BEL MAY 21 (SRW)

[hrs1]

In a former life, I was a bass player.  I picked up this bass ~20 years ago after having my previous Jazz bass bogarted at a dive bar around Ft Lauderdale.   I was (and still am) a huge Jaco Pastorius fan.   Once I removed the frets, I could dial in a Jaco-like tone with this bass and a decent rig as close as I ever could.   Despite picking up a variety of fancier basses over the years, nothing has really spoken to me like this one.

Coincidently, this was around the time I started smoking cigars.   As a kid from the Midwest, South Florida was my real introduction to Latin/Caribbean culture.  Beaches.  Sunshine.  Santeria.  Afro-Cuban music.  Cuban coffee and sandwiches in Little Havana.   Great people with amazing stories of making it to the US.  Some sugar-based moonshine that I never remember drinking but always remember the horror of waking up the next day.  And, of course, cigars.

20 years later, it’s a miracle that this bass is still with me.   It survived countless gigs and afterparties with people in various states of disarray.   The apartment complex I was living in burned down.  I escaped with nothing but the clothes on my back and my cat.   I always kept my music gear in my place so it wouldn’t get stolen.  Through sheer luck, I was too tired to bring in this bass from my car that night after a long recording session.   Many moves, lost acquaintances, a career change, a wife and two kids later, this bass is still kicking.  When my two-year-old gesticulates wildly and demands that “Daddy play bass,” it brings a big smile to my face along with fond memories of totally different times and places.
 

 

With my little man down for his midday nap, I’m feeling nostalgic.  I throw on “Liberty City” from Jaco’s “Word of Mouth” album and decide to usher in a long weekend with a Lusi.  I grab a poor New England substitute for Cuban coffee.   

After a quick punch, the draw is perfect and tastes like earthy bread with hints of sweetness.   Promising.

I walk outside into some lovely 90F/90% humidity weather.   Just like SoFla without the promise of an afternoon storm to bring some sweet relief.

 

 

Despite the conditions, the Lusi lights up and smokes beautifully.  I’m getting cedar, caramel and cream.  It’s medium bodied and medium on flavor.   A bit of saltiness comes in, but it might just be sweat dripping from my face 😅 

Some sweetness takes center stage about halfway into the 1st third.  There’s a nice interplay between the caramel, cedar and cream.   Some bread joins the dance.  The ash drops with the cherry forming a cone.  No touchups needed.   Perfect.
 

 

The body and richness are picking up as it heads into the 2nd third.   I’m getting coffee on what is a very long finish.   The cedar disappears and the sweetness is becoming even more pronounced, especially on the retro.   My wife takes a drag and gets caramel and blueberries.   Sure enough, I start to get a sweet pie out of the bread, caramel and berry-like notes.   

The coffee starts fading along with the pie-like quality.   The cedar and cream return as the main course.   There’s berry and a bit of twang lurking around with hints of caramel around the edges.   

Boom – the bread is back and it’s pie once again!  Coffee and chocolate on the finish.  Noticing the nicotine now.   This is like a very relaxing dessert course.   I’m loving it.

 

 

Into the final third and the sweetness is ramping down.   The berries go first and then the caramel.   The bread starts getting toasty.   Hello Partagas spice!  This is what Partagas DNA is to me – bready with some savory spice.  In a word - nubalicious.

 

 

Almost on cue, the sound of my oldest son waking up jolts me from my 95-point, 2+ hour long cigar-aided nostalgia trip.   Much like my favorite bass, there’s something hard to explain about a Lusi that just dials in a perfect cigar experience as well if not better than any “fancier” cigar.   It’s a well-balanced mix of sweet and savory notes that can take you many places over 2 hours, like a great meal or album.   Whether it’s shared with friends or fond memories and some music, cigars don’t get much better than a Lusi.   It’s one I always come back to.

[JohnS]

Thank you for a thorough and great review.

In regard to your bass, I'm guessing you've got others for particular styles of play but this Fender Jazz Bass is your favourite? If so, I wouldn't be surprised if you've left it unserviced (to maintain the 'feel'), as that is quite common with musicians who play gigs. For example, people get surprised when I tell them that bass strings are left on for many, many years (you can't do this with guitars).

I'm guessing too that the Partagas Lusitanias is one of your favourites. This one sounded like it had it all in terms of flavour!

[hrs1]

17 minutes ago, JohnS said:

In regard to your bass, I'm guessing you've got others for particular styles of play but this Fender Jazz Bass is your favourite? If so, I wouldn't be surprised if you've left it unserviced (to maintain the 'feel'), as that is quite common with musicians who play gigs. For example, people get surprised when I tell them that bass strings are left on for many, many years (you can't do this with guitars).

My favorite genres to play were jazz/fusion/funk, so I was always partial to this bass even if it didn't work well for other types of music.  I could get that Jaco-like tone that I really dug.    After removing the frets, putting some epoxy on the fretboard and getting the tone I wanted, I didn't do anything to it beyond basic maintenance.    Once you've got the 'feel' you like, don't mess with it.  Only change the strings if you absolutely have to  

 

[karp]

Great review!! Thanks for sharing, it’s my favorite cigar

[Monterey]

Cool story, thanks for sharing.  Glad you saved the cat!

[anacostiakat]

Yea.  Good story!  Great cigar.  Was a staple before they became unobtainium!  

[Murphestopheles]

As a fellow bass player I really enjoyed this review. I’ve also got my “workhorse” bass which is an Alembic I picked up at a fire sale price nearly 25 years ago. That thing has been through the ringer and still plays like a dream!

I still have yet to get my hands on a Lusi but I’m sure one of these days I’ll manage to get my hands on one. They sound amazing, especially when reviewed as throughly as this!

[Chucko8]

Nice review and pictures. Thanks