Dood

It's this one. Version II has already been planned, just waiting to have my body parts valued so I can get on with a build diary! 

Love that P bass @Nobody, I'd actually love to have one the same with a maple fingerboard, with a plain headstock. 

On 15/01/2022 at 06:12, skej21 said:

 

I must admit, I still can’t work out why the ‘flat response’ setting requires the EQ knobs to be maxed out to get the correct frequency curves (I certainly wouldn’t have known it just by messing around), but all in all, it’s an absolute winner!

 

It's a funny one and as I understand it, it's to make the 12 0'clock setting on the knobs sound nicer - especially in the case of older amplifiers where speaker cabinets were way less capable than the type of high spec PA drivers we have today. All knobs facing upward would give you a nice bit of bass and treble boost and a mid cut. Classic "smiley face" EQ on three knobs! The actually circuit itself is what's known as a passive tone stack and requires few components. There are different types but most are like or based on the Fender tone stack circuit. Alembic, Trace Eliot and many other brands have utilised this layout too. 

Interestingly this is one of the reasons that I think some folk find D Class amplifiers "bland" and "sterile". Obviously the whole signal path of a D Class amplifier is cleaner anyway, but all controls at 12 O'Clock is pretty much a flat response from start to finish. All controls at 12 O'Clock on other amplifiers like valve types have a response with colourful EQ bumps and troughs making the sound more exciting. More "heft-y". Oh gosh, I used that word.

On 04/05/2022 at 11:10, Baloney Balderdash said:

Tech 21 Steve Harris SH-1.

 

Not at all just for sounding like Steve Harris, in fact really versatile, and with a switchable cab sim included to.

It distorts really nicely too! Some great distortion sounds on the SH-1! 

3 hours ago, Ash121987 said:

Just bought a Cort A6 from Dan. Extremely well packed and perfectly set up when it arrived. Thanks Dan.

Thank you! 

SOLD

Sale Pending

SOLD and on its way to its new home.

Sale pending to a nice chap called Ash!

Being as it's the anniversary today of Garbage's 2.0 album, (which is excellent), I've just grabbed Envy Of None's album - which sounds like it's going to be right up my street. 

13 hours ago, GBH said:

Hi Dood, interested in any trades?

To be honest I could really use the cash, but I will have a think. 

Yes, brilliant amps, I love mine too, which incidentally I bought from a shop after I did that very review linked above, I was so impressed!

2 hours ago, Frusty said:

 

Brilliant - thanks for all the details.

 

I keep it cause basically it's better than money in the bank at the moment but it's a bit wasted on me - at least it's looked after!

 

I've had one pro and one semi-pro directly tell me it was the best p bass they've ever used, and I heard from the semi pro that a couple of the bands he used it with when I lent him it were absolutely blown away by it.

I pride myself on a good set up  It's fair to say that they are cracking basses stock and this one is particularly good. I wouldn't be upset about welcoming it back in to the fold. 

I often teach this bass line:

I can cover quite a lot of theory and lessons about songwriting with just.one.note.

The coolest bass line doesn't have to have a million notes. I'd even argue that the bass is doing exactly what it should be doing in When Doves Cry by Prince.

That said, I love my prog and just one song of many comes to mind that just grabs my ears in the most delicious way, Thoughts Pt II by Spock's Beard. The bass sound and solo is GNARLY! 

35 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

 

P bass. Burst with tort pick guard and flats

That’s a very, very good answer! You’ve definitely been paying attention!  ❤️🥰 However, my go to choice is:

Chameleon Flip Paint, the rich colour changing paint that alters as light hits it. Just some of my basses.

I’ll let everyone else answer what my favourite finish colour is. If you don’t know, you’ve not been here long enough yet

2 hours ago, Frusty said:

She's still with me and she's still being taken good care of!

 

By the way, should I ever sell it, do you remember more about the specs of the one I have? It was some special Japanese precision that you had to import wasn't it?

Yes, I do recall and if you do choose to sell, please be in touch with me first.

It’s a PB70-US non-export CIJ bass.( I.e. they weren’t supposed to be sold outside Japan as they easily rivalled the specifications of the US Fenders). However, it was a special order as they had stopped making the BLK version before I got in touch. This model had a mirrored scratch plate that mine actually came with, that I replaced with an era correct black plate as well as the other Deacon mods and the set up I did on the bass.

The non-export PB70-US is an Alder body and has the gotoh OEM tuning keys and US “spec” pickups. The export versions were usually basswood bodies I believe and often had the smaller tuning key plates and generic P pickups. I have the CIJ catalogue somewhere specifying these details. 40mm nut.
Finally, I sourced this model from Japan and the outlet put in a special order with Fender Japan to make it for me. That level of service just blew me away. 

5 hours ago, toneknob said:

excellent! which one is yours?

The Last Note. 

7 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

And very good it is too, I eagerly anticipate where the first “shut your pie-hole” will raise its head.

Gonna need that on a T-Shirt before too long ha ha!

Compared to what I used to pay for magazines, I'd say it's very reasonable - oh and you get to read my column every month too!

Yes, yes, yes, it's that time again!

This time, and, my next John Deacon build is firmly seated at the more budget end of the scale whilst still keeping to a reasonable likeness of John Deacon's late 60's sunburst precision bass. His main instrument that had its finish taken back to natural for a long period of time before getting a complete refinish around 1985 in gloss black with gold Schaller hardware. 

My last Magic Era precision, on reflection I should have probably kept hold of, but I am pleased to say that it is owned by fine bass chatter @Frusty. It's in safe hands! 

This time I have neither have a fabulous Fender bass to use or the like-for-like hardware, so instead sourced a very cheap original Tokai Hard Puncher from Japan and a bag full of gold hardware from some nice chap on Facebook that I bought before covid was a thing! Yes, the bass needs some TLC before I go at it with the new toys, but out of the box (after a 3 month trip on the boat) the HP bass plays incredibly well for a 42 year old all original bass.

Of interested is the really resonant Sen body (Japanese Ash) which is of an acceptable weight and the insanely thin finish, which could even be nitro, by the way it seems to be crazing. Probably not though, I just like that it's real thin. Oh and the "law suit era" copy headstock to finish the Fender look. (Yes I know there wasn't actually a Fender law suit).

I've also a superb EMG GZR Geezer Butler signature split P bass pickup for the install, though I have to say the original pickup is very good!

This project is just a little bit of fun, but given how close these Tokai HP's are to "the real thing" it might just end up being a keeper, who knows!

I've got a Modern 4 here now that I am editing a review video for as we speak. Super nice! I've asked for the five string to be sent through as soon as it's ready too.

I've recently started recording all my own review videos for Bass Gear Magazine based in Ohio. Yes, I still write for Bass Player Magazine as I have been every month for the last (nearly) two and a half years, but I would love for you to follow this magazine and YouTube channel too!

https://www.bassgearmag.com

https://www.youtube.com/c/BassGearMagazine/videos

It does mean that I've not been posting to my own channel, but would really appreciate a follow there too, please!!

https://www.youtube.com/c/DanVeallBassist

I want to produce the best videos I can, so I'll be keeping an eye on threads like these to improve my content!

Doooooooood!

57 minutes ago, itu said:

...mini, and the four knob Hyper Gravity...

Ahh yes, thank you! I forgot all about the four knob version! I'm actually even tempted to trade my Spectracomp and HG Mini in for the full size four knob HG! 

*I just went to TC's website for a gander... OMG! Who did the website refresh? It's Ghastly!

I'd love to own the roadworn version of the Fender Mike Dirnt bass, in the same colour scheme as your example above. I've played the rosewood fretboard version and really rated it. The maple board would be my choice though. I love the combination! Of course, Billy Sheehan's own "The Wife" bass is a 70's precision with a '68 "telebass" neck on it. 

Hmm, maybe my next, next DIY build should be a P with a tele neck! - But I've another bass to put together first when I have the spare pennies. 

1 minute ago, Lozz196 said:

I think it’s safe to say that Cici quite likes that bass!

 

Great review and nice to see such an enthusiastic viewpoint of an instrument.

Absolutely agree! Enthusiasm for all things bass rocks my world!