GeeCee

15 hours ago, shufu said:

Here are a few scanned pictures from this period ...

Some Chieftains being assembled ...

 

 

 

Do you remember who did the woodwork on the Chieftains?  Was it Shergold Woodcrafts by any chance?  

14 hours ago, shufu said:

A least three of those picture have been online before (@ 2001 or 2002), when I shared with someone who was interested in Pangborn basses. He was maintaining a site called bonniebasses or something like that but that site does not seem to exist anymore except in archive perhaps. Soon after that Ashley called me and we had a catch up on the phone but I haven't spoken to him since then.

That was Scojack's website.

15 hours ago, shufu said:

Here are a few scanned pictures from this period ...

 

A trade show @ 1983 / 84 

 

 

 

If I remember correctly, that's the first Warlord bass on the right.

Welcome and very nice bass.  Why the two jack inputs?

1 hour ago, W1_Pro said:

I'm intrigued when you say that the previous owner had problems with the strings slipping. Where did they slip too? I'm not trying to be snippy, thats a serious question. I've had my Pangborn for a good few years and I don't play it much, although every time I pick it up I wonder why because it is a truly amazing machine. Mine also has the pointy headstock, which makes it a fine looking thing.  I read somewhere that a group  of the UK builders (Jaydee, Pangborn, Goodfellow etc) in the 70's and 80's  were chasing Alembic with  multi laminated  necks, complex electronics and the shape of the bodies. I've always thought that was quite a good description of what was occuring.

Slipping out of the groove in the roller saddle on the Schaller bridge when slapping due to the low break angle, I believe.  Mark King said something similar and that is part of the reason why he ditched his pair.  The owner was and may still be a member.  I don't recall his username, but if you do a search for Pangborn, you can read it in his own words.  You will have to go back a ways but there is not that much Pangborn content.  What you say is true, though the late John Diggins always maintained that the initial similarity was more of a happy accident and based in large part on a customer's design specifications, which was an attempt to copy an Alembic.  He would also say that Ashley Pangborn spent a fair bit of time studying his instruments at trade shows over the years and you can see them evolve closer to a JD, for example, in terms of the control layout.  That said, Pangborn's instruments were (mostly) neck throughs, while JD stuck with the set neck design.

On 01/12/2025 at 07:50, Grahambythesea said:

Why do I just think JD? That has the weirdest nut I’ve ever seen.

Because that is a JD roller nut by the looks of it (helps with string bending).  The bridge and tailpieces are also JD pieces, as is the brass PU selector surround.  I think this bass had a Schaller 3D bridge originally and the owner had problems with the strings slipping due to the shallow break angle and took it to Jaydee to be "fixed".  And, let's face it, Pangborn was always heavily influenced by JD (funk groove was another JD signature, not Pangborn).

Here is a fancy series IV Jaydee:

On 02/12/2025 at 15:31, scrumpymike said:

Thanks for the good thought but I'm definitely going to pass on this one.

It's genuine, I know the guy who had it made (for his daughter, I believe).  There are half-a dozen short scale JDs out there.  This is one of the more plain ones.  It's a Roadie II, passive and was originally cherry red.  The short scale design is referred to as a series IV.

PS. Roadies are part of the Supernatural range of basses too.

3 hours ago, joe_geezer said:

 

Great condition OR it's been sent back to Jaydee for some TLC

The latter I believe.  I vaguely recall that is a MK model under the paint, which, if true, would be an odd choice really, better to have started with a Roadie.

12 hours ago, Rich said:

This is aforementioned Jaydee neck of my current fretless, bought from @greenoliveof this very parish  this was a WIP photo from when I was putting it together, you'll be glad to know that that gap twixt neck and scratchplate has been closed  as described in the post above, the fingerboard is the 2nd hardest piece of ebony I have ever seen in my life, and whilst it is unlined (the look I prefer) it does have little cheat-lines on the edge of the neck -- you can just make them out in the pic. This combination means that for me, this is the perfect fretless neck. All I need now is a gig where I can actually use it.  

 

 

Seconded, JD does use some nice hard-wearing ebony for their fingerboards; just curious do you know what body the neck was originally attached to?

17 hours ago, Kiwi said:

It's known but i cant recall clearly right now. I think the blue one went to charity. The pink one might have been given to a roadie.

Sounds right

On 21/03/2023 at 16:17, joe_geezer said:

What are the chances John would make me a recreation one of the Jazz basses that were being shipped out to Jaco? I wonder if it would be too far away from their current line up for it to be even possible?

You can but ask, though John is essentially retired, so it would be up to Mike and Andy as they would likely be the ones that would have to make it.  Hard to say, they don't do as much non-Jaydee work now and the model choices have narrowed somewhat.  Pretty easy to replicate though, 62 jazz copy, no scratch plate, plain ebony fingerboard, active EMG pick-ups (battery on back), and black hardware throughout (machine heads, control plate, bridge, etc.)  Would look like this:

12 hours ago, joe_geezer said:

So the centre stripes on Roadies are just painted on? Well, i'll be damned, looks so authentic!

Not normally, no, Roadies do have a central strip of maple.  In this case, the maple strip is painted over to look like ebony.  Anorak fact, the first couple of Roadies made actually do have a central strip of ebony instead of maple.

1 minute ago, Sparky Mark said:

This was it, started as fretted.

Different basses I think, look at the figuring on the upper bout in the above to the fretless.  There have been a number of Roadies redone in recent years.

1 hour ago, joe_geezer said:

This is amazing information for Jaydee nerds... thank you!

 

Now i want a Series 4 short scale for a tenor bass!

Here is a pic of S4 Roadie next to a S1 MK.  Look at the tail to see how much shorter it is.

48 minutes ago, Sparky Mark said:

No, mine is a new build.

Oh, here it is, I think.  So I was close, it was originally sunburst. 

31 minutes ago, Sparky Mark said:

You could well be right. The one at Bass Bros is also a refurb with faux laminate finish. 

It is a refurb.  I thought there was some pictures on the FB page of the other bass during the refurb, but I can't find them.

Just now, Sparky Mark said:

No, this is a new build.

Oh, maybe I misunderstood, but I was referring to the one you used as an example, not the one you're having built.

47 minutes ago, Sparky Mark said:

When I spoke to Andrew initially I asked what would potentially be the lightest weight twin pickup active version. He recommended a Series 3 Roadie Active as has been mentioned earlier, the exotic woods can add weight. I've gone for a faux laminate finish similar to below, so it's all mahogany with gold hardware which I think will look beautiful with the cherry. 

So, if I remember correctly, this particular bass started life as a Roadie IIA fretless in cherry-red.  The faux stripes look has become quite popular recently, cheaper to refinish a worn Roadie IIA than order a new MK; reckon original style Roadies may become an endangered species soon.  Bit like pearl-pink MKs, there was a time when these were being refinished because pink was seen as a bit naff or less manly.

1 hour ago, joe_geezer said:

wow , looking great! Is that  a Series 3 as it has the thru body wood stringers?

The series designation refers to the body size, it has nothing to do with the body laminates.  The largest size body is the S1.  The S2 has the same body length (along neck axis) as the S1 but is narrower across the body.  The S3 is a proportionally scaled down version of the S1 (both length and width).  There is also a rarely seen S4 which is smaller still (and usually short or medium scale).  The number of laminates is immaterial, but both MK and GA24 models have a laminated body.  Generally speaking, older models have neck and body laminates made of mahogany, walnut and maple.  Newer instruments have walnut and maple.  I am not talking about body wings or exotic wood facings, just the laminates that give the illusion of a neck through bass (they're all set neck).  There can be 3, 5, 7, 9+ laminates.  If you see a funk groove, it's almost certainly a S2, but owners have requested funk grooves on S3 and GA24 models, and some have requested no funk groove.  The imaginary line that the controls take (marked from PU selector thru EQ controls) is more or less parallel to the neck in S3 instruments and angled more towards the XLR in S1 and S2 (really need pictures but I am too lazy to pull some up).  There is also more wood after the string anchors in a S1 and S2 vs. a S3 because of the longer body.  So, a Roadie can be S1, S2, S3, or S4.  What is different is that the body is essentially all mahogany, with no laminates (actually a central maple stripe) and less thrills generally (no head and neck binding, painted headstock, no XLR, usually no laminated PU covers, etc.) but JD is a custom shop so there are always exceptions.  I have a GA24 shaped Roadie 2A with a bound neck and laminated PU covers.  The Roadie shown above has the illusion of laminates created by painting or staining the wood.

19 hours ago, joe_geezer said:

Stunning bass, love the wood, is that Cocobolo? How is the 23/24 fret access?

So, almost certainly cocobolo, but I did not buy it new, so not 100% sure.  It will be that or some other rosewood relative like Kingwood.  It was originally sold as a GA24 Video model as it has fairy lights (actually those are fiber optic markers, not LEDs like you get now).  It's more than 30 years old.

Access is very good, but you are speaking to someone who only plays sitting down these days (don't gig any more) and doesn't venture up the dusty end very often (no Jaco for me).  Also, Jaydees hang differently from your average Precision type instrument (2 fret shift where your hand falls, IMO). 

I always preferred the GA shape over the MK, but eventually settled on the Calibas shape as my favorite.  GA balances well in my opinion, but I think a lot depends on the type of strap you use and how high you want to wear it.  I am not a slapper so I don't wear it stapled to my shirt collar when standing.  I have seen some users add a second strap button on the lower bout for (presumably) better balance, so if you have ordered one you may want to try one to see what works best for you.  Also, think long and hard about the weight.  Exotic woods (usually) = more weight on what is not a light instrument to start with.

1 hour ago, joe_geezer said:

A quick question for anyone that has owned a Jaydee GA24 - Can you stand the bass up safely against a wall as the bottom of the  body wood is pointed? Is there a strap lock or something to install so as not to rest the bass body wood directly on the floor?

No, well, yes you can, but not stably unless you put in a corner.  Same problem with the Alembic series bodies.  There is a screw in the tail of the Jaydee which goes in the hole that is used to hang the bass when spraying, but depending on angle of lean, it could be wood on wood.  Honestly, just buy a stand.  It will fit in some stands that support the bottom of the bass, see picture.   

3 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

I though £300 and a bit of hard work…

 

yeah. 
 

£750 and a headache looks most likely 

Yeah,

Buy new JD pick-up

Remove EMG PU and block extra rout

Fill holes for added controls

Refinish body - got to be a solid color due to above

What's going on with fretboard - looks like it has been painted, can't see position markers

Fit new nut

Refit machineheads (unless you like the Warwick look)

Need new JD decals front and back

3 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

This is raking in the bids - about £500

at last check.

Yeah, this one is a bit nuts.

Just now, GeeCee said:

Here it is:

 

jaydee Supernatural Roadie Bass Guitar | eBay

Hmmm, can't seem to get the link to paste.

Here is a picture.