brensabre79

Just add a switch to wire the two J pickups in series Like the fender s-1 switch (completely reversible mod that will cost a couple of quid for the switch/pot). And play it over the neck pickup (as you would on a precision) Thats about as close as you'll get without routing and putting in a split P pickup. Adding any amount of active electronics will not a Precision make! I've done this to my Jazz and I use this setting for Stranglers/Blondie/Clash etc. covers - sounds pretty convincing to me and I'm a qualified sound engineer!

[quote name='icastle' post='1259585' date='Jun 7 2011, 12:45 PM']It sounds like a defective capacitor. If you've only just bought it then take it back.[/quote] Cheers, I bought it secondhand and the petrol to pick it up cost me nearly the same as the amp, so taking it back might not be the best option. It was a good price even for just the speaker so might just take it to be fixed. Anyone know a good amp tech near Brighton?

I recently bought a Hartke A100 Kickback for practicing. Got it home, practiced for an hour, all fine. Then it started making a squeaking noise - a bit like a signal generator, continuous but falling in pitch very slowly (like a badly tuned radio). When the limiter kicks in the noise stops temporarily but as soon as the light goes off it squeaks again. The first time I turned it off, waited for the thud, and on again all fine. 5 minutes later the squeak is back. Not sure if its temperature related because now i've left it a while the squeak has gone again. Any ideas? Cheers B

I think you'll need to strip it back to the wood with nitromors and layer up with some coats of either nitro or polyurethane. rub down between coats and you should eventually get a smooth finish back. Then you can either paint or leave it natural

What he said Volume Pots are LOG Tone are Linear. I assumed you already had these in the bass to connect up to.

Try DR bootzillas or D'Addario EXP Coated - others are probably available. I used to go through strings really fast like you but the DRs especially last for ages.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1235648' date='May 18 2011, 01:18 PM']I'm not sure you can have "blend" while they are in series.[/quote] It is possible to do, obviously the blend pot does not function when in series. There are a couple of ways to do it, one makes the bass cut out completely when the blend pot is turned all the way to one end. The better way to do it just overrides the blend pot completely but its slightly more complicated. Heres a diagram. For a blend pot just substitute the pickup switch for a pot - same wiring.

I wouldn't get into the habit of tensioning and de-tensioning strings too much. It can interfere with the harmonic properties of the string. Also, you will get flat spots where the frets have been and these will hardly ever line up. Some people take old dull strings off and boil them for a while to make them sound brighter. When I've done this I get almost a chorus effect out of the strings when they are back up to tension, and they don't last that long either. What makes strings go dull is sweat and bits of skin etc getting into the grooves of the string winding. When you take the strings off the dirt in the grooves gets compressed, when you tension again the grooves get slightly larger so the compressed dirt loosens and falls out. Boiling them gives a deeper clean but the changes in temperature also deteriorate the sound properties of the string. You could try cleaning the strings, under tension with isopropyl alchohol (don't use whiskey!). You could also try wiping the strings with a lint free cloth after every time you play the bass to prolong their life. Some people make strings go dull quicker than others, it depends on the acidity of your sweat. When i was touring a set of steel elites would last me two nights before they turned into rubber bands! I use the D'addario EXP coated strings these days, they are not cheap but they last for ages, the only ones I've tried that last longer are the DR Bootzillas but they are super expensive and have quite a harsh sound. B