PlungerModerno

Very nice...

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1479836910' post='3179695'] Don't use Paypal. My sister in law was scammed by a buyer on eBay a couple of years ago. I won't sell anything expensive unless the buyer collects and pays either by cash or bank transfer. A bank transfer is immediate, so there's nothing stopping someone coming to collect, then paying you when they're happy with whatever you're selling. [/quote] +1 Cash is king. If it's a substantial sum don't expect people to bring it with them - that's where the transfer is more convenient. Of course it goes without saying - if they do bring cash... they check the goods, you check the money. Gotta be a little paranoid when doing business - especially the first time you deal with somebody.

[quote name='keef71' timestamp='1478373358' post='3168745'] Hello all, I have just acquired this bass, Just a quick question re Fender vintage bridge saddles. I am finding the slot type saddle screws on the E and G are sitting high and making a nice job of lacerating my palm/side of hand. Its maybe not quite as bad as that but it is uncomfortable. I feel that shortening the bottom of the screws where they sit on the plate will be the answer. Has anyone had to do this fiddly job with the screws being so small? Alternatively are shorter screws available anywhere? [/quote] Traditional solution is a neck shim - or a thicker neck shim! Much easier than sourcing perfect replacement screws that're shorter - or recessing a bridge.

Wow. I saw the shape, and I felt something. Then I saw the sensible bridge and I want it I want it I want it I want it I want it I want it I want it I want it I want it I want it......

If you have 80 grit - it'll go a LOT faster. Only downside is to get it smooth you need a lot of intermediate grades (80 - 120 - 180 - 240 etc) - or you'll be fighting to get the 80 grit ruts out of the body. Based on the pics I'd say it'll work just fine after some coats of primer & some levelling. For the finished product - the texturing you are planning on the outer coats will hide a lot of sins at this stage .

Comparing basses, even with the same strings, can be tricky if you don't get the setup very [i]very[/i] close. A bass with a little relief and low action will usually play a lot better than a similar, or better feeling bass (to the player in question), with high action and loads of relief. less fighting to get the notes to sound, a lighter left hand etc. If you change scale length - everything changes, even if you change string gauges/tensions to "compensate". The setup will have to be tuned to fit the bass, the player - and crucially the strings. I find some strings work with me - and others just work against me. I've found trying different setups can help a lot for example: lay high tension strings like chromes as low as you can to save your left hand.

Well sandberg and others offer that kind of "MM P" arrangement fairly commonly. Not sure about pickup position & passive sounds . . . It'll have to be a 'Ray like pickup, in a 'Ray position, with either a 'Ray like preamp - or some pretty careful EQing.

[quote name='JJW' timestamp='1477416818' post='3162096'] Hey, so im going to try and make my own pickups for the first time and was wondering if anyone has any tips? Also I was wondering what way the magnets go? Does the pole of the magnet matter which way theyre facing? [/quote] Not before it's magnetised. Most builders use unmagnetised pole pieces - for convenience (imagine separating twelve hundred magnets apart one by one if they were shipped magnetized!). Magnetising them once the bobbin is assembled. This can be done before or after winding. For a ceramic magnet - it's usually added to the bottom of the pickup after the rest is finished. Good luck!

Quite cool. Shame about the paintwork - It'll never be a collectors piece now Which means it can be a players bass! Would need to hear it before shelling out that kinda dosh!

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1476873511' post='3157915'] Im not sure I follow - the scale length of a bass is the nut to the break point on the saddle (compensated by the string width). What you are suggesting doesn't impact scale in any way? [/quote] It might solve the old "Silk on the saddle" issue some old fashioned Gibson style bridges - see pics: [url="http://www.chubbuckguitars.com/blog/2013/04/03/1969-gibson-eb-1-saddle-up-on-silk"]http://www.chubbuckguitars.com/blog/2013/04/03/1969-gibson-eb-1-saddle-up-on-silk[/url] But it can't change the scale length. That can only be changed by moving the frets or fitting a longer neck with appropriately compensated frets (or move the bridge!).

[quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1476609200' post='3155520'] Thanks for that. My understanding is that the screw Dunlop use isn't your run of the mill head, so may not be easy to find a direct alternative. However, it's no big deal really. Cheers Gareth [/quote] Ah - now that's something I hadn't considered! According to the Dunlop site it's a fairly small headed screw (less broad than a similarly sized wood screw): [url="http://www.jimdunlop.com/blog/how-to-install-straploks-a-step-by-step-pictorial/"]http://www.jimdunlop.com/blog/how-to-install-straploks-a-step-by-step-pictorial/[/url] I'd wager a grinder or a lot of elbow grease and a file or sheet of emery paper might do the trick with a standard wood screw. Or find one with a suitably small head & correct thread. The site says a 7/64" drill bit for the screw, or 2.7781mm. Probably a 3mm screw? definately less than 4mm. Would need to get a set of calipers out to be sure!

A bit of a low tech solution - but surely a suitable wood screw "wood" do? When I hear Allen/hex head I always think of machine screws. Maybe somebody put inserts in the one you saw, kinda like the way some people attach necks: [url="http://www.ebay.com/itm/WBS-Guitar-Bass-Neck-Joint-System-Kit-Project-DIY-Thousands-SOLD-/172136180135?hash=item28141da9a7:m:mZxyY68hbIlugR7cfo4_kUg"]http://www.ebay.com/itm/WBS-Guitar-Bass-Neck-Joint-System-Kit-Project-DIY-Thousands-SOLD-/172136180135?hash=item28141da9a7:m:mZxyY68hbIlugR7cfo4_kUg[/url]

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1475162296' post='3143623'] Gawd. Reissue the Victory or GTFO. [/quote] +1 They should embrace their innovative products of yesteryear, and reissue small numbers of faithful recreations, with larger volume cheaper, modern, less accurate versions. E.g. a Gibson Triumph or a Gibson RD Artist with all original style electronics - then a cheaper version with similar asthetic but much more generic electrics.

[quote name='acidbass' timestamp='1476130548' post='3151661'] There's a guy in Ireland - think his name is Tony Thompson? Builds basses. Model names include Quadra (4 string) and Quinta (5 string) [/quote] That was my thought. Here's a Quadra for sale in Wicklow, Ireland: [url="http://www.adverts.ie/electric-basses/thompson-custom-quadra-bass/9020148"]http://www.adverts.ie/electric-basses/thompson-custom-quadra-bass/9020148[/url] Check out the decal on the add. Doesn't look similar. Can't find a website, according to the seller he's no longer building basses.

[quote name='Nathan1709' timestamp='1475153559' post='3143495'] Apologies if this has already been posted. Basically as those of you who read my introduction will know, I'm looking to mod my recently acquired Squier Bronco bass. Got a few ideas of what I want to do with it. Basically in a nutshell I plan to; Dull the awful shiny poly finish with some wet and dry paper to give it a more matte or satin look Replace the stock white Pickguard with a matte black one. Change the pickup for something more beefy (thinking a SD Quarter Pounder or Hot Rails) Change the tuners for something a bit more stable. I'd really appreciate any advice that anyone can give me on dulling the finish of the guitar. I have read loads of articles on this already but you can never have too much information! The pickguard is proving problematic. I cannot find anywhere that sells an aftermarket replacement which fits straight on. I've tried WD and all the usual places. The only joy I have had is with a guy who makes custom guards to order, who can make me a black gloss guard which I can sand down for a matte finish but understandably that's a bit pricey so any advice you guys can give me as to where I can find one would be much appreciated. I've even contemplated (and researched) painting the stock one but that seems to be a non-starter. For a bit of extra context I am very poorly equipped in terms of tools and also practical skills). Thanks in advance. [/quote] If you can't do it yourself - you can either pay somebody to do it (and that's usually not cheap) or learn to do it yourself (that's usually cheaper, but takes a couple of goes to get acceptable results. Also tools can be a massive overhead. Fortunately most tools can be replaced with elbow grease (hand tools instead of power tools etc.). Try it if you're willing to risk the paint job - otherwise try it on something more disposable first. When it comes to the pickguard, most off the shelf parts aren't a good fit for non american made fenders IME - especially older models that varied over the years.

[quote name='converse320' timestamp='1474617098' post='3139199'] Plunger thats very helpful thank you. Two follow up questions. Are there any issues with placing the bridge and neck pickups right next to each other, touching? Or is there a minimum spacing required between the two? I could get very close to the correct positions for both pickups if I used a narrower bridge like a soapbar or dual coil jazz and put them touching, and just routed out completely new cavities for both pickups. I have routers. I can make templates. [/quote] With passive pickups - any metal (ferromagnetic or not) can distort the magnetic field, and thus the pickup's sound - with actives less so. The good news is the metal needs to be very close (usually I only notice it when something touches a pole piece!). When it comes to magnetic fields they have, I think, an inverse square effect (twice as far away gives you roughly one quater of the output). If you put a MM pickup with a very strong magnetic field (e.g. Highly magnetic ceramic or Neodymium) next to a traditionally magnetised P pickup it will probably change the sound of a normal P pickup quite a bit, especially if the D&G half pickup coils are two thicknesses of plastic away from each other (about 3mm total of pickup covers). With similar magnets in the pickups (e.g. alnico V's magnetised to about the same level) - it shouldn't be that big of a deal. Maybe try it on a cheaper bass first? That Fortress is rather nice looking with the wood grain. Would be a shame to mod it and then leave a space.

If you want to get something approaching a 'Ray sound - you'll need a pretty hot pickup (or a low output P pickup), and put it close to the 'Ray location - Farther from the bridge than 60's Jazz bridge pickup location. I've spliced two images (one of Sadowsky Jazzes and one of Lefty Musicmans) to clarify: [attachment=228458:34in_basses_Pickup_Comparison.png]

Cool. Check out the vid in the Ebay listing description. Or here: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMO9uSPJIwg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMO9uSPJIwg[/url]

You could get a MM pickup in the Ray position - but it would require removing or relocating the P pickup. Especially the D&G side. You could just flip it to the front of the E&A pickup half, end up looking like: But with the MM pickup maybe slightly farther from the bridge (different bridge style, you'd have to measure it from the 12th fret).

Niiiiiice I think the Headstock will look great, and will work better with straight string pulls. P.S. Just seen the latest post . . . Hope you have mapped out the clearance between the tuner pegs & those inlays. P.S.P.S. I assume you have!

Couple of suggestions: DiMarzio make a Billy Sheehan 'bucker for the Yamaha Basses he plays: [url="http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/bass/standard-bass/will-power-neck"]http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/bass/standard-bass/will-power-neck[/url] Similar to the Model one they make: [url="http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/bass/standard-bass/model-one"]http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/bass/standard-bass/model-one[/url] EMG, Bartolini and many others make humbuckers of various sizes. . . Depends what you want. I'd also suggest the neck humbucker that Seymour Duncan makes for Ricks: [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/pickup/rickenbacker-humbucker-neck"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/pickup/rickenbacker-humbucker-neck[/url] See it in use here: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj7GOU239nk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj7GOU239nk[/url]

Here's the link to the video of BassJaymi's: [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RERGJWtT5Y[/media] P.S. Count the number of frets on the Blacklund . . . I count 22 - If you put the pickup up against the end of the fingerboard on a regular fender style 20 fret it'll sound different than if its beside the 22nd fret. Also the rounded heel will limit how close the pickup will be on a typical P or J style neck. Check out some more of his vids, as coincidently they provide some useful comparisons (not the same pickup being moved but worth a gander!). here's some with neck pickup clips: [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4ojKyMjXuA"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4ojKyMjXuA[/url] [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE93_FCyvJA"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE93_FCyvJA[/url] [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pRXbUWeL74"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pRXbUWeL74[/url] [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qszmESwYTc"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qszmESwYTc[/url] [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGT_5JNUEtw"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGT_5JNUEtw[/url]

See here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/289782-erm/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/289782-erm/[/url]

Have a listen to this chap playing this bass: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RERGJWtT5Y"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RERGJWtT5Y[/url]

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1472731757' post='3123728'] Great stuff - the more builds the better Love to see any progress [/quote] Indeed . . . and I'm working on it. This building stuff requires a fair bit of prep!