neepheid

Use of the word "may" noted and approved. But we're getting ahead of ourselves here.

It's all cobblers that "this bass is only for that music" nonsense. Get the one which felt the best/most comfortable to you.

Some of you might recall that I recently bought a DeArmond Jet Star bass for the simple and highly frivolous reason that it made me laugh. Those who are familiar with the single pickup, long scale variant will also be aware of the decidedly bridgeward location of the pickup, leaving vast tracts of empty space on the body between the pickup and the neck. I think you know where this is heading. Well, a very nice chap in the States who makes YouTube videos (and occasionally posts on here - @Rib13Bass - shout out to you, bass brother) sent me a gift which arrived today... As Ozzy used to sing - what is this that stands before me? You gathered bass cognoscenti don't need me to tell you this is a pickup from a Peavey T-40/T-45. What is a person supposed to do with such a behemoth of a pickup? Oh, maybe something like this: So, the plan is to move the jack socket (currently front mounted) to the side to create a hole for the pickup selector switch. Will have to make a wee hole for a coil selector switch for the T-40 pickup. Oh and a big eff off hole for the T-40 pickup. T-40 pickup goes through the coil select switch, then onto the pickup selector switch, original pickup goes to the pickup selector switch, then the output of the pickup selector switch will be wired up to the existing harness at the volume pot. Easy as that! Now, where's my router...

The WS-70 only has one button, so even an idiot like me can operate it. It's pretty much bassplayerproof!

Joke killer

Paging @rwillett...

Plus it'll take me about an hour to set up my plethora/smorgasbord/I can stop anytime I want.

No complaints here with the Lekato WS-70, but maybe I'm a cloth-eared idiot.

Big knob? No idea what you're talking about...

Small update, the neck pocket has been cleaned out. Unfortunately, that means it's a tad too deep and a tad too wide. So will be building it back up with wood veneer, which should hopefully be arriving today. Also suspect that the screw holes were drilled out by hand and are at rather jaunty angles, so I'm going to check that and if it's too far out of wack, gonna fill those for subsequent redrilling.

Ooh, that's a shout. More Reverend variety, I'm all for it.

Reverend FTW. Was about to say "saves me taking a bass" but then I remembered that my Triad 4 has a 10 way switch, so I guess you (and others) might be interested in that so I had better bring it.

Just a little update to say that the bass performed very well at its first live outing. Also, it's a wonderfully comfortable bass to play. Maybe it's just me but there's a bevel cut into the top edge of the body which my wrist just sits on like it was designed for it. Someone stop me from taking a saw and chisel to all my basses

Last night, I played for the first time in about a month because of band members' holidays etc. with Nine Lives at The Butchers Arms in Inverurie. Great to get back in the saddle, I've missed it! Anyhoo, it was a really good night, quite busy, lots of folk up dancing, a couple of young bass nerds took a photo of my pedalboard and were chatting to me at half time - about my basses, how long I've been playing etc. Fridays can be so hit and miss so very happy to find the place being reasonably busy. In honour of the Prince of Darkness, we did a little three song Ozzy bit in the second set, Crazy Train, Bark at the Moon then Paranoid. That went down well. Anyway, I played pretty well, I only forgot how one song went in one bit (but we're ditching it soon anyway so maybe I was already subconsciously deleting it from my memory). I think some video was taken so if anything appears I'll be sure and share it. Gear was the Greco triple pickup LP then the DeArmond Jet Star (Wonky Boi) into the yellow and black cubes of doom.

Seems like a lot of effort to go to when you could just say "I'm buying/I've bought a bass".

If you haven't already done so, you should look into how to do setups on the bass - it's free, lots of videos show you what to do, but you'd be amazed how a tweak of the truss rod or an adjustment of the action can transform how a bass plays. And as long as you have the simple tools (allen keys 4/5mm generally for truss rod, 1.5mm frequently for bridge saddles, phillips screwdriver) to hand, it's free apart from your time.

Thanks for the followup - every day's a school day. I guess my perception is that I've only seen wenge widely used in expensive instruments where it is used as a marketing tool/flex.

Are you sure? My sources say otherwise: https://www.wood-database.com/wenge/ - "Pricing/Availability: Available in wide boards and veneer sheets. Prices are high, and are likely to remain so as supplies dwindle." https://www.timbersource.co.uk/hardwood/other-hardwood-range/west-african-wenge-timber - "High price point: It is generally more expensive than many other hardwoods due to its unique properties and limited availability." https://www.branchingoutwood.com/blog/whats-the-most-expensive-wood - hint, wenge is in the "expensive" section - OK, this article is 5 years old and maybe there has been a major wenge reforestation project in that time...

Aw man, I just cleaned out my slush on my car's MOT and the bridge. Rotten timing!

Currently debating which tuning machines to use. I do not like or rate press fit bushings, I think they're stupid and I will not fit them to a bass where I have a choice. But it's 17mm holes, and I know the majority of tuners with screw in bushings are mini sized, like 14-15mm tuner holes. Don't want to fill and redrill the holes, so what's out there for 16-17mm headstock holes? Hipshot (Licenced) Ultralite 1/2" Schaller BM Light Grover Titan Schaller M4S Gotoh GB528 All of these are rather expensive (currently leaning towards the Schaller BM Light) - do none of the "good, but cheaper" type suppliers (Wilkinson and the likes) do a full size tuner with screw fit bushings?

Big boost (and hope I don't jinx it by announcing it) but I managed to score a Hipshot A Style bridge in the States on ebag for a very agreeable price. Fingers crossed it is as described (as in the correct string spacing). Fingers crossed it gets here. Still gonna leave my wanted thread open for now... Still got a neck pocket to clean up then probably build up, so plenty to do before then...

It looks like it, but I struggle to believe that it was deliberately infilled with wenge on a neck this cheap. I'm going to assume it's a happy accident - someone picked up the wrong bit of wood...

You do know that they label the controls the other way these days, yes?

No-one was complaining because it was a six string - merely commenting on how said six string was used.

I scored a neck on Amazon and got some discount for... reasons, meaning it was less than £40 posted. It arrived yesterday and it's... surprisingly good. No ratty fret ends, truss rod works, it's a bass neck. LOL, what's going on with that stripey skunk stripe? I like it! Also over the weekend, I made a new cavity cover (or at least a template for one) Made by hand only with hand saw, surform and sandpaper. Took a while, but it fits pretty well - better than some factory made basses I've seen in my time.