MichaelDean

Yeah, but are you going to hear that over the sound of 2x810 cabs? That thing isn't meant for anything but the biggest stages!

How many innertubes did you need to glue the fretboard on? I'm short on clamps, but do have an innertube or two I could cannibalise...

No, they didn't say, but did confirm that something had gone wrong internally. I'm sure they wouldn't charge much to get it good again if GG don't get it sorted.

I had a similar issue with a very new ABM 600. The valve drive just had loads of extra noise and swapping the valve did nothing. I sent it off to Ashdown and it came back all happy again and has been fine since. I did a video too: https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/448210-abm-600-valve-noise/?do=findComment&comment=4427667

The back is a bit thinner than before. I don't have a proper plane, so I was using a belt sander (I know, I know...). I was just about to change the belt when the handle to release it snapped. Bums! So, there isn't a lot of material off the back so far. I spent the rest of the time I had today taking the nose off the top horn, shaping that a bit and thinking about the rear scoop. I think I need a gouge chisel to do it how I want it to look, but my trusty Shinto and half round rasps have done some of the work for me. Still a long way to go sanding and shaping though! I'm down 420g since starting, so I'll be in the ballpark I was aiming for. The body doesn't feel nearly as massive as it did either, so I'm really pleased with the direction it's going in. The new fretboard is meant to arrive next Monday (21st), so I'll try and steam the fretboard off this week. Also, I had some proper fret nippers arrive yesterday. SO much better to be using the right tool. They cut through the old stainless steel frets like nobody's business. I'm tempted to try for stainless steel frets again if I can find anywhere that has vintage size pre-radiused SS fretwire in stock. Are there any good places to look that Google might not find?

@neepheid I'd be very keen to try your Les Paul bass!

Ok, we can start with The Light by The Album Leaf. Then, let's get them bawling with some Sigur Rós. Hoppípolla ought to do it. And then they can leave to Do You Realize? by The Flaming Lips to end.

I'm here to recommend Steve at Hawker Repairs Guitar Workshop in Bristol. https://www.facebook.com/hawkerrepairs I used the original strap button screws when I put strap locks on my Combustion. 4 years later, the screw failed (due to it being a countersunk screw, not a flat top) leaving me with a lot of screw embedded in the top horn. He got it out, dowelled it and refinished the area with a perfect transparent blue colour match. He also did a stainless steel refret on my Mustang during lockdown. I'm really pleased with that too.

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs at SWX on Friday 29th of September, then This Will Destroy Us at The Fleece on Monday 2nd of October. Both Bristol.

It does mirror it a bit. But I think it'll look odd if the top horn doesn't do the same, and then I'm not sure I want it on the top horn.

Well, I made a start on my lunch break and it is no longer a single cut. Loads of frets just fell out while I was doing bits 😅 The top horn needs to be rounded off and I'll think about making that flow more. I think the lower horn could do with being rounded off to match the redeisgn as well. I forgot just how hard walnut is to work with though! It's so tough! Smells lovely though. It's currently down from 3.7kg with no hardware to 3.49kg. Heading in the right direction.

Got it out of the loft this morning so I can de-solder everything later. It doesn't have a bridge, tuners, strap buttons or strings on at the moment and came in at 4.32kg/9.5lb, I've got a Babicz bridge to go on that is about 140g, plus 325g for the tuners, lets say 40g for the rear cavity plate, 120g for strings and 30g for strap buttons puts it in at around 4.95kg/10.9lb. A weighty beast. If I can get it down to around 4.5kg/10lb total, I'd be very happy. So! What can I take off the back? The holes for the pickup wires come very close to the edge of the body, so I'll need to cover that up with the rear cavity cover. Plus, the height of the preamp means I'll probably only be able to take the back of it down by about 7mm. Pickup chambers are 17mm deep, so no problem with those, but I may want some slightly shorter pickup screws. Might try and get some bolts and threaded inserts. There is a bit more material I could take off around the heel joint though, plus the belly carve will need re-doing once the material has been taken off the back. Those areas won't take off much extra weight, but every little bit will little help. Another option! I make it a double cut... I've tried it and single cut isn't great for access and it would also take a chunk of wood off. It might make it more useable for me and will make clamping the new fretboard a lot easier as I'll be able to get into the bass side.

I've just ordered a slotted and radiused zebrano fretboard from here: https://guitarsandwoods.com/slotted-fretboards-bass-multiple-choice-1215254309.html It being pre-radiused will take some of the work out of it. Yes, I'll have to pay import tax, but it should work out to a similar price to a nice ebony board from DD.

It's unhelpfully all in it's own Stock Basses section at the bottom.

I was hoping you'd chime in Andy. You always have very practical responses. I keep changing my mind, but I think I'm also coming to the conclusion that removing the fretboard is probably the best bet. I might try and find a zebrano board to make it a bit more invisible. The wenge looked better in combination with other woods in my head than it does in person. Stainless steel frets were also a poor choice for the first time. I found them difficult to work with without the correct tools. I'd wager nickel would be easier. The body is roughly 45mm thick (I was googling and this seemed common for a Fender style bass, so went with that), so should be able to take it down 10mm without too much bother (measuremets allowing). And if I plug and re-drill the holes for the strap buttons, they'll likely be invisible when re-drilling. It would also allow me the opportunity to redo the awful job I did routing the recess for the battery box and cavity cover. I was also considering doing a "handle" style hole through the top section, but with the neck access scoop at the back, it might not make much weight difference anyway. The only advantage of a thru neck on a workmate is that you can clamp the fretboard edges in the gap!

@baszslap I just found this picture on TalkBass, it looks like you need to drill new holes in order to bring it forward and cover the ground wire hole.

No idea, but I'd be interested to find out. Might be worth an email to Payson? It does seem quite expensive for what appears to be the hipshot saddles in a custom plate...

That's not a terrible idea. Seems a bit easier than trying to steam it off and if I went with a different wood for the fretboard again, I could have a nice accent layer!

But the point of a bass amp is to amplify and shape your tone. As we all know, anything you add to your signal chain changes your tone. If your bass/amp/cab can't get the tone you want, isn't it the natural conclusion to change or add something until you get it? Not everyone only requires a "standard" bass tone to fit sonically with the band. Music would be very boring if everyone sounded the same all of the time. Plus playing with effects can be really fun. Making a huge wall of noise with overdrive, fuzz, delay and reverb and then at the end of the song letting it ring out into a squealing, snarling mess is about the best fun I've had with my clothes on! I honestly suggest you try it! 😁

The 300 and 600 weigh the same as well. I would like to change my previous answer!

With some big cabs, I think you're right. At practice, I'm putting my ABM-600 into an 8x10. I can't really turn the volume up much at all else other people start complaining! If you are intending on buying new, you can always return it in the 14 day window if the 300 isn't loud enough.

I'm pretty sure they'll give you a crisp tone!

Thanks for the encouragement all. I'm limited on what I have to hand tool wise though. When I started on it, I was using a friends workshop. I now only have a workmate in the garden! Plus I have an almost 18 month old toddler, so it's difficult finding the time. Maybe I try and remove a fret or two and see how it goes. I've got a feeling the zebrano will chip out a lot though. It can be quite brittle.

A Commando 12 was my second amp about 23 years ago! I had to replace my first amp as soon as possible as it was terrible. I think I bought it from Coda Music from their ad in the back of Guitarist. Loved the sound out of the Commando 12, but it didn't have a balanced DI out, the line out wasn't great (I seem to remember) and it couldn't keep up with the guitarists valve combo, so I had to move it along to get something louder.

I'll do a quick headless conversion first 👍