kodiakblair

Had the elephant ear as well. Jammed a bit cardboard in the join, job done

Thanks. I really appreciate your reply. It took me longer to write the post than do the work No joke and that's including the cleaning up time

It's 4 years since I bought my first PB-50. I'd just signed up on BC and had no idea who Thomann were, that soon changed First time I viewed their site the PB-50 caught my eye but it was £76 and £76 buys you nothing remotely playable. Bought one anyway just out of interest. 2 1/2days later a big box of goodness arrived. Now I don't have a list of conditions when it comes to basses, I like a decent neck, a bridge that holds strings,tuners that hold a string in tune and a pickup to convey bassy sounds. PB-50 delivered that Interest in these spike everytime @discreet posts one of his mods and I will post headstock templates out to any BC'er who fancies having a go themselves. The templates started off for use with a router and guided cutter but as yet no-one seems to have used one. @MrTea suggested I do a post on shaping the headstock so here goes First thing I forgot was to take a before photo so here's the Thomann link. https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_pb_50_sb_vintage_series.htm I use the Mike Dirnt headstock shape and print on 200gsm card The set up on the newly delivered PB was great so the neck was left attached. Removing the tuners was first job. I'm working from the back so left the bushings in place. The screws can sometimes be awkward so if you've an old PH1 screwdriver,file the tip down and it'll seat itself into the screwhead better. The printed template has the tuners marked so align them with the holes and draw round the template. Remove the large areas with a copingsaw or in my case a pullsaw. ( in the photo is a router template made from doubled up floor tile) This is the rough cut, then I used a rasp to clean and round the shape. Sorry I forgot to take a photo after the rasp stage. After getting close to the pencil lines it's sanding next. Make sure you check the front face when sanding as you may not be sanding vertical. If you veered away from the lines you can hide it by sweetening the edges of the headstock. At the tip there it looks irregular. I managed to chip a bit of the front face so it's actually tape holding the glued in chip you're seeing The boss reckons I should tackle the 2 saddle bridge next. I masked off the edges so I had witness points then removed the bridge. Lady Luck came calling and the centre screw on the 2 saddle bridge matched the centre screw on the PB's bridge but I glued and plugged the other 4 holes.After fitting the bridge using only the centre screw I added the new Herrick pickup,this way I could run a string from saddle to nut and see they went over the pole pieces. Another thing was the bridge base was smaller then the PB one so the machine screw on D&G got swapped for a longer one (just robbed it from the PB's bridge) All lining up the back got masking tape before I drilled for the through body holes. Thought I'd a picture of the 4mm pilot holes but guess not The string ferrules had a 9.5mmm body but the rims were 12mm. Marked the depth on a 12mm flat bit and drilled for the rims,then swapped to a 9.5mm countersink. Tapped the ferrules in with a mallet and it was ready for strings and set up. I really shouldn't have bothered with the 2 saddle bridge, intonation is a hassle and I've decided to fit an ashtray There's also a bit too much shiny wood showing so I'm thinking about a scratchplate. Still undecided about the logo, I wished the HB logo had been in a different area so I didn't cut into it Looking at it now I'll get a Benton logo printed up and fit that. No shame in playing the HB

Links for the software are here. Audacity is one of the included programs. http://www.musictri.be/Categories/Behringer/Computer-Audio/Interfaces/UCA202/p/P0484/downloads You don't need to go through the V-amp or any other pedal. The ASIO4ALL driver will work for things like Guitar Rig or Amplitube but that wee thing will work on your PC without either. You do want a jack to RCA so visit Maplin https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-twin-phono-rca-to-stereo-14-jack-cable-15m-a04xf

I'm not sure how a receipt would cover you on a cash sale if the goods turned out to be stolen. Anybody can pick a book up at Ryman's or Staples and since most for sale ad pages advise meeting buyers in a public place any address can be given. Inviting strangers to your home when selling expensive items isn't the brightest idea when you think about it. If you're going down the receipt book road,grab one of those pens for checking bank notes. Only a couple of £ in Staples. I got one to put a seller at ease but he reckoned since I'd drove 200 mile to meet him and made sure I'd all English notes I was legit

I'm mainly going for a clean sound from a SC P-bass with flats. For easy sakes I use the Fishman Platinum pro. I think the Hartke is a good preamp and again follow @Bigwan in liking the Behringer. Others I've used are the Harley Benton Bass Expander (great for a headphone practice amp), Moen Buffalo and Dr J Sparrow. Plenty drive with the Moen but it's only had home use, intermittent fault ruled the Sparrow out. Eden WTDI is a nice compact preamp to consider.

Must be a close to a deposit on a house but a drop in the ocean compared to what I blew before getting sober.

@bebabass None of my Cirrus are 5 strings,my experience is limited to 4 strings. Your BXP could be closer to the USA than you think.l. Some of the early BXPs hit the mark straight off (later 4 strings switched from 35" to 34") and truth be told there's very little USA about the USA Cirrus Tuners were Japanese, nut from Canada,ABM bridge from Germany, VFL pickups were made in Korea. The PCB for the preamp was also made in Korea and I have my doubts the labour intensive work of soldering components was done in the USA.The BXP used Korean and Chinese parts. Main difference between USA and BXP is the hardware and a swap to a preamp module from the pcb. You can buy an ABM bridge direct for £80,don't bother with the tuners unless they're faulty. Most BXPs however also had gloss finish to both neck and body, green scotch pad to the neck will sort that. The Millennium preamp has sweepable mids and started appearing on Cirrus customs and USA bolt-on neck models. Something like 2006 sticks in my mind,by then the "New Millennium" celebrations were long gone,sales were dropping and Peavey discovered they had 1000's of these preamps left I'll confess to never paying much attention to the Millennium preamp, both my custom and bolt on have them but something like a £30 grapic EQ pedal will give you more options. Except for the glossy finish and 34" scale my BXP and 3 USA models all sound very alike.

I have a hankering for the Gold tapes too Think I better try the La Bella white and cooper tapes I've had hiding in the cupboard for a few years first.

For a brief period in my teens I thought technical skills the more important. Guitar shredder overload in the late 80's put paid to that. I'll take OK skills but a great show over the whiz kids every time.

Mark's recent PB-50 Mod V.3 caught my interest. His Herrick pickup arrived during the week,same day the 2 saddle bridge arrived from America Always a pleasure dealing with Mark. Look forward to the next time. Cheers Davie

I'd never heard of Transferwise until a couple of weeks back. Fella in Norway suggested it, Paypal fees and lousy exchange rate were killing him. After I signed up the money was in my bank couple of hours later,he saved £70.

Brendon bought a pointy head crackle finish Washburn from me. Very laid back fella and was a pleasure to deal with . Another fella who's a credit to BC.

What's up with the headstock ?

@yorks5stringer Not an option then. I've had no dealings with Bach myself just knew they sold a SC P-bass. TBH after owning 3 Harley Benton PB-50's there's not much chance me looking at other makes,though I'd like to try the pine body Squier After near 4 year I've yet to do any work to the PB, tuners/bridge are tip top,no crackly pots or jack socket. Basswood body is in better condition than any of my alder,ash,poplar or mahogany basses. Never adjusted TR. For a bass which cost £82 delivered and after countless hours play the PB-50 has more than proved itself.

Bach over in the Czech Republic do one. Called the Perfect Bass 60. http://www.bachmusik.com/en/bpb-60-sb-relic_p2003 £260 inc delivery

@Oldboy Wait until the end of the month. Thomann finally listened to reason and will release their PB-50 for left handed folk Do a search on here for the Harley Benton PB-50 and you'll see despite just £100 there's lots of satisfied owners. https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_pb_50_lh_sb_vintage_series.htm

Just rushing off to work so I'll MSG you later.

I totally agree @Bassassin,would have thought he'd have tried Gruhn's in Nashville. Must really need cash in a hurry, he joined the US site on Friday to give the heads up then posted the link next day. All seems rather rushed.

I've only been aware of it a few years myself Mick. Given America's love of creation myths I'm not surprised

This piece by Paul Jr is a better piece on the Tutmarc bass and even includes the early adverts. http://tutmarc.tripod.com/paultutmarc.html Couple of TB links (beware contains Fender fanboi butthurt comments) https://www.talkbass.com/threads/tutmarc-audiovox-model-736-where-are-they.857878/ https://www.talkbass.com/threads/why-is-leo-fender-and-not-paul-tutmarc-considered-the-father-of-the-bass-guitar.1231497/

Can't believe one of these is on eBay. Paul's Grandson must be stony broke If you don't know the Tutmarc Bass Fiddle story here's a link but bottom line is Paul Tutmarc invented the electric bass decades before St Leo http://www.vintageguitar.com/1782/audiovox-736/ eBay link https://www.ebay.com/itm/232677254563?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649