JPJ

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='545436' date='Jul 20 2009, 04:23 PM']I think you were a bit too slow off the mark as this is heading back to me again! [/quote]

Captain Indecisive strikes again!

Here's my Overwater beauty.

She's become my main gigging bass and I think this is everything I've ever wanted in a J bass format.

Anybody know where I can get a cover plate for a 5 way Fender style lever switch. I'm sure I've seen these before but cant seem to locate one online?

[quote name='Bernmeister' post='511626' date='Jun 11 2009, 09:21 PM']I've been keeping my eye on this thread, its very interesting & informative.

Err no updates [/quote]


Oh ok then.........

Well after much much much sanding, filling, sanding, staining etc. I've reached this stage.







The back and edges have been coated with ebonising lacquer (4 coats) and cut back to 1500 grit. The edges need another 4 coats minimum to completely block the porous grain of the swamp ash but still leave the grain pattern if that makes any sense. The top will have the edges air brushed with the same ebonising lacquer to soften the hard line between the black stain and the lacquer in a 'burst type effect.

The whole body will then get four coats of sanding sealer, which will be sanded out to 2000 grit before eight coats of high gloss lacquer and another sanding to 2000 grit ready for final polishing.

The reason its taken so long to reach this stage is that the top proved to be a rather crappier bit of quilt maple than I first realised and the first two stainings just looked like black rot . Both times I had to sand the body back to natural and start again. Hopefully though, you'll agree it was worth all the extra work in the long run?

Looks like we are having a quiet weekend on the home front so I should get to the sanding sealer sanded out stage this weekend and shoot the lacquer next week so that it can have time fully cure while i'm away on my holidays.

Most probably a locating pin hole for the routing machine which shaped the body.


[quote name='Stu-khag' post='537297' date='Jul 10 2009, 04:12 PM']sorry if this has been asked before but whats the deal with the little routed round hole on my Fender Jazz under the pick guard?
its about the size of a 10p and about a centimetre deep
I bought it in 2000.
Is it something to do with an active version of the bass? (mine is just a standard passive red wine Jazz)
I'll take a photo of it if its an anomaly but methinks its probably quite common on this model?

thanks

Stu[/quote]

So that explains why our lights keep dimming at home. He's firing this monster up and its pulling down the national grid

[quote name='SisterAbdullahX' post='534278' date='Jul 6 2009, 11:13 PM']Anyone got a J-Retro or a Sadowsky with VTC fitted to their Jazz, that I could try out? I'm in South Yorkshire, but will travel. I'm usually gigging in or around Newcastle on weekends. Would bring my Warmoth with ACG (as pictured in the Gear Porn section), so you could give that a try to see how you get on with a filter pre.[/quote]

I'm near Newcastle and have two J-Retro equipped basses (Fender DLX V and Overwater) and a home built P 5 string with Johns BTB and Mid-Stack (ie the tone engine from the J-Retro without the passive/active and the blend / pup switch). If you want to call in and try mine, your welcome!

I used to have a Black Beauty and agree that they are a cracking combo. Add a 2x10 and you'll be in rock heaven. By the way, don't listen to allighatt0r, the aural enhancer is best at about half past ten


[quote name='allighatt0r' post='531841' date='Jul 3 2009, 05:04 PM']DAMN! You beat my deal! Did you get a chrome grilled one or a black grill?

I grabbed one of these from a local PMT for £500, when they had £700 on the price tag (if you don't ask, you don't get!). They are excellent amps, mine recently died mid-gig, but i think this is due to spending all it's time in a slightly damp van. It's currently at an amp repair guy, paid for by PMT! Your very cheap price is more than likely due to SWR discontinuing them recently. There's an owners manual [url="http://www.swrsound.com/support/manuals/pdfs/blackbeauty_om.PDF"]here[/url] if you want to see what you've got yourself in for.

It's very clear and powerful for a 15 incher, but sounds even better with a 2x10 on top (preferably 4 ohm, which boosts the amps power from 300 to 350 watts. A 2 ohm cab would boost it to 400.) I like it with the tweeter set to -6db.






By the way.... The Aural Enhancer is best set at 2 o'clock. [/quote]

I use a bass buddy for home practice, recording etc and its probably the best pound for pound preamp I've used with the most musical single knob compressor for bass ever (imho).

Its so good, I have one eye permanently open in case one of his 19" rack pre's comes up for sale on eBay or here.

I havent tried any of the other kit, but have four eight inch speakers which may find their way into a purpose built BK powered cab to be mated to the bass buddy for those intimate acoustic fretlessy type gigs which I have always imagined playing but never quite got around to.

[quote name='Machines' post='522781' date='Jun 24 2009, 05:58 PM']Nice - a tough call between that and this one: [url="http://www.fender.com/products//search.php?partno=0132000300"]http://www.fender.com/products//search.php?partno=0132000300[/url][/quote]

That's the one for me. Black blocks on maple dont look right to me, MOP on rosewood just look sooooooooooo right

As well as being a top bassist, Marcus is indeed a top fella to do business with. Highly recommended to anyone.

[quote name='mistahbenn' post='507071' date='Jun 6 2009, 04:40 PM']Sheesh, if I didnt already have my goliath this would have been mine! Bargain![/quote]

I used to think that until I bought my second one!

One goliath is very nice, two together is just simply awesome

go on, you know it makes sense.........

[quote name='Marcus' post='503679' date='Jun 2 2009, 12:19 PM']May take PX on small practice combo[/quote]


"Taking a break from bass" = May take PX on small practice combo






We knew you'd crack.........

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='502112' date='May 31 2009, 09:42 AM']Another potential gig for you Kev! [/quote]

Your having a laugh aint you! You ever seen me slap?

Stu,

I'm sitting typing this with my Overwater J sitting on my lap and believe me, I'd be feeling exactly the same way if I was in your position.

PM me a price for the fretless mate, I might be able to muster the cash if the price is right.

Oops I've read down a bit further now, and yes, I cant afford it.

I hope your back soon mate, after all, Mr Bucket will be off snowboarding again before you know it and the peppers will need you!

WTF

You go through gear faster than I go through a pack of biscuits

Thought you were going down the custom route as well, I know I wont be able to afford it, but how much for the Aggie?

I suffer from mild eczema and get it on my fingers especially in winter time. I use Germolene New Skin quite a bit to seal the keens and to get me through gigs. Works really well for me and has a mild anethstetic effect as well (after the stinging and swearing mentioned above). I tend to build up two or three coats before the first set and add another two layers at half time. Keep a towel handy and dry your hands between songs and it'll last a set easily.

Steve,

All the very best with the move. Good luck for the future in NZ and keep us all posted on progress on the otherside of the world. Sorry we never got a chance to meet up.

All the best,

Kev (aka JPJ)

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='490713' date='May 17 2009, 05:52 PM']More importantly... how does it feel? Good action? Are those the optima gold strings?

EDIT- doh! Just saw string packets![/quote]

Yep Optima Golds'. The previous owner of the donor bass left a brand new set in the pocket of the gig bag and it would be just rude not to use them

As to feel, well I was really really surprised. I whacked the strings on, tuned her to concert pitch and had a little play and the action was incredibly low but rattle free, the bass sat nice on my leg with very little neck dive and she sounded nice a bright acoustically which bodes well for the amplified tone. All in all, I dont think she'll need much fettling to get her exactly how I like it.

[b]Episdode VI - Attack of the clowns[/b]

Well, it doesnt look like much progress but basically, I've made a wooden control cavity cover like this:



Fitted the neck and bridge and strung her up to check clearances and alignments like this:





And drilled and machined for the controls themselves like this:



Then I've carried on with the sanding, getting down as far as 400 grit (only 800, 1000, 1500 and 2000 to go before I can apply the stain).

Next week will be sanding, sanding, sanding and more sanding so there wont be anymore photo updates until the stain is on.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='488900' date='May 15 2009, 02:07 PM']A finish tease? Ha ha... Maybe! My next bass is going to be quite different... for that reason. I want a different finish to the norm!

Or maybe... something like the attached?

Foam brushes? What's wrong with a sponge?!

What are you doing your final polish with? By hand or have you got a polishing wheel?[/quote]

Foam brushes work really well with water based lacquers and really help easy the final sanding stage. Polishing will be with a handheld electric mop polisher. I've quite a bit experience with one of these from polishing boats so I am happy to use one on the bass, but only after the lacquer has had a good month to fully cure out.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='488762' date='May 15 2009, 12:19 PM']Then again, if you are feeling REALLY brave, you could lightly burst the edges...[/quote]

You sir, are a finish tease of the highest order!

I have been conducting a few tests this week on some offcuts and have found that by hitting the maple with a coat of the black, and then sanding back and hitting it again, you get a similar effect to the one in your photo and it stops the black looking purple. The whole bass will be black, and the swamp ash hit with two coats of dye looks stunning when wetted. I have abandoned the faux binding and radiused the edge of the body as the sharper edge allowing for the binding just didnt feel comfortable to me.

My supply of fine grade wet'n'dry arrived today along with a new varnish brush and some foam brushes, so I hope to have at least one colour coat on the body by the end of the weekend.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='488787' date='May 15 2009, 12:39 PM']Yes, but what I'm wondering is what [i]significant[/i] difference the thin cap of wood that the frets are seated into make to the overall sound of the bass.[/quote]

Same can be said of maple caps on bodies, but the truth is it has an affect. From my various attempts at the dark art of luthiery, I can confirm that a musical instrument is the sum of its parts and that each one of those parts affects the tone of the instrument, albeit not in equal proportion. This is why I'm baffled why people add layers to the make up of a body just for aesthetic purposes such as a dark veneer between the top and the body wood. It's hard enough trying to predict what it will sound like using two woods let alone three or more.

And also keep a look out for a Phil Jones Bass Bass Buddy preamp. Slightly larger than a pedal such as the sansamp/MXR options but smaller than a 19" rack mount. Nice warm clean sound with the best 'one knob' compressor imho. Occassionally available for not very much money at all considering the quality. No valve but a nice warm clean sound (I'll stop now as I'm repeating myself!)