Matt Golgotha

[quote name='EdwardHimself' post='585425' date='Aug 30 2009, 09:57 PM']hang on- how does the midi work if it's fretless? Or am i just missing something.[/quote] The 13-pin hexaphonic transducer systems (Axon/Yamaha/Roland/Graphtech) convert the bass guitars pitch into midi, via whichever guitar synth module you use, so the electrics will work (as badly) on a fretless as it does on a fretted instrument. That said, the Roland midi conversion relies on a pitch being sent to it, which it then approximates to the nearest note, but this effectively is limited to notes (intervals) within the 12 tone Equal Temperament/12tet fretted range, which are ratios of 440Hz, not specific notes within the octave, whereas, with a fretless, you have the potential to trigger a note that is closer to the actual true note that the system requires , but this is dependent on your own intonation - an inaccurate player may well trigger a microtone (rather than the desired tone) which may confuse the Roland's tracking system, and cause "ghost notes" or false triggers.

Couple of extra pics - I've had the rear routing done, and both the 50's precision jack & the Gus 12-pin midi socket installed. Looking at completion hopefully Saturday.

If memory serves, Moreschi were an Italian accordion company

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='306721' date='Oct 14 2008, 10:17 PM']only a gap of about 2 1/2 months Right, here's the body front and back. As you know from my spec I want as purple as possible without actually being black, and Jon assures me that is the case in normal light. the only other thing is that there will be 6 bolts in the neck joint.[/quote] The carve on back looks awesome. This isn't helping me hold back on commissioning a Shuker

[quote name='Machines' post='526503' date='Jun 28 2009, 08:27 AM']You walk into a music shop and pretty much straight back out again because they only had 1 bass, and you were still lucky to see that.[/quote] I feel your pain :-D Brum has got pants for basses

they trade on ebay under guitarfetish_parts. I've been think about getting one of their delays for a while. The shipping was about $12 to the UK.

There's a nice pic of a Ramp on a Fodera with Jazz pickups at the thread below: [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=222996"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=222996[/url]

[quote name='DanOwens' post='501315' date='May 29 2009, 11:31 PM']Wow man! Fretless & Midi! I likey. Where did you get the ghost? Dan[/quote] I picked up both the bridge and the electrics from Ray's custom shop in New Jersey - he trades under the name rodrira on ebay. The shipping wasn't bad to the UK, plus he ordered much of the stuff direct from Graphtech for me.

[quote name='Machines' post='498284' date='May 26 2009, 08:42 PM']Hey Matt, look forward to seeing it complete .[/quote] Me too. I'll let you give it a go when it's done :-D

The bass is currently with my luthier guy, and he is fitting the electrics, routing for the controls, string ferrules & battery box, putting a finish on the peg head veneer (but leaving the wenge unfinished) and installing the bridge. I still haven't decided at this point what decal to put on (if any) and also whether to get the bass relic'd.

Following this I selected the John East J-retro (thanks to John for answering all my questions and a great product), which I mated with a pair of black Q-tuner BS Jazz pickups (thanks Erno) which combined are incredible, very open and versatile). To complete the first (standard) build i bought a genuine fender 1966 f-neck plate (and screws), some hipshot oval reissue tuners, a graphtech nut, a hipshot string retainer and a nice set of thomastic flats. I managed to build the bass this far and it got me though the 6 months of saving for the additional parts (with a cheap 1980's Jap fender bridge). During this time I had already picked the Graphtech Ghost Hexpander/acousti-phonic electrics and had picked up a Graph Tech/Hipshot GHOST Bass Bridge as I liked the look and also the extra mass of it, also it had the option of body thru stringing). I then got Simon Farmer at Gus Guitars to put together a 12-pin midi socket that would hook up internally to the Graphtech electrics (he also modified a planet waves 13-pin cable for me too with a connector that screws in to the socket on the bass end). Cosmetically there were some changes I wanted to make. Firstly I added a Fender Roadworn tortoise shell pickguard (again from stratosphere) and then I decided that the J-retro plate was a bit to thick and shiny so I picked up an original 1963 Jazz control plate (it had already had additional holes cut into it by a previous owner so I didn't feel too bad about modifying it further), and the knobs on the J-retro looked a bit to tall and too modern so I purchased some Allparts concentric knobs (these are to be modded by my Luthier to enlarge as the J-retro knobs are not a standard fit.

I then commissioned a neck from Warmoth (wenge Jazz neck, with zircote finger board, maple fret markers and a flamed walnut headstock veneer) which turned out better than I could have imagined.

I have taken the best part of 2 years to get the parts I need to put this project together and thought I'd document it (was initially going to be a Warwick thumb with midi). The idea for the project was for the bass to be a mix of very modern electrics and very classic looks, but most important for it to be a straight out work horse that I wouldn't mind taking to any gig and it getting a few knocks and bumps. I started with a brand new Fender CIJ 2008 62RI sourced from Stratosphere (ebay)

No probs fella - those black ones look good - i might pick up a set for my next project

alternatively i've been watching this set on ebay for a while - £336 Buy It Now. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=250301657487"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=250301657487[/url]

I got mine from Wymore's (Hipshot HB2s) [url="http://www.shop.wymoreguitars.com/category.sc?categoryId=5"]http://www.shop.wymoreguitars.com/category.sc?categoryId=5[/url]