Lucien

I'll take a picture with the beast on a scale! When I was checking the order I had in wich it came in the DHL site, there was a package weighing 15kg I thought was the bass + case, but there was also another package weighing around 9kg wich made no sense as the only things left were a bunch of string sets, a Focuarite usb interface and a couple of patch cables. I also remember that when I was unboxing it I nearly twisted my hand. It's unbelievably heavy, but surprisingly well balanced on a strap, I just try not to spend a lot of time playing it sitting, the thing will bruise your leg!

[quote name='biro' timestamp='1410868653' post='2554023'] Did you get the uraniumburst version? [/quote] It is heavy! Now I can play it smoothly , but when I first got it I couldn't get used to the thickness of the sound, it's so embodied due to the high mass of the body itself, but I also replaced the Wilks with a set of Fender ones that came out of a Jazz Bass Walnut, as it was a direct trade I didn't even think, but now I kind of regret it, the Wilks were much more expressive.

Be my guest!

I just love to stop near the woods, set my little rig and get a completely lost in it. Most of my good ideas come to me this way. As far as wearing new acquisitions, I call it licking the cub, when they arrive I must have them always on direct point of view, so I think bass minds think alike.

I'm guessing both.

So, I will be getting my first short scale soon, something that I have wanted for a while because I can really put it to good use. Most sundays I go for a walk on my own, just to strech my legs a bit, and some time back, I started bringing a bass along, then I got myself a Fender Mini Tonemaster wich sounds killer on bass if you use a nice set of headphones. But it gets harder to carry a full sized bass around for a walk, even on a pretty comfortable bag, the solution I think will comes in the form of a massively inexpensive Harley Benton P-Bass shorty I managed to scoop as a decoration item for 28€. Most shorties I looked at where too expensive for what they actually were, and I never fancied traveler instruments wich also have higher price tags than what I think they should! The plan for this "throw-in-the-back" bass is to refinish it in vintage white, get some cream closed PU covers (because I often stroll to the beach and sit for a while playing) and I was thinking about nylon tapewound flats, but I wanted white ones and can't find them anywhere! What do you recon of the idea?

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1413450532' post='2578289'] Did you do the refin yourself? Otherwise for the cost of a HB + refin you could've got a Squier Classic Vibe that already comes in the same colour! [/quote] I did, plus all the mods too, I try to do everything myself. I've tried different squier 51s and none quite fell into my taste, both soundwise and also in terms of ballance, they were all a bit neck heavy, while the body was too light. Also, this bass came with a quarter sawn neck, I had it checked by a luthier friend of mine who was very surprised by this fact. I'm nearly finished with the relic job too, so I will be posting some pics of that later on.

My, oh my! Keep them coming brothers!

basshead56, very nice crop pf basses, and that blue P is a beauty!

Sorry buddy, forgot to add one, it should be fixed now!

Here is my Harley Benton PB-50, just refinished in blue (a kind of lake placid blue). [url=http://postimg.org/image/guw1nirtz/full/][/url] [url=http://postimage.org/]free upload image[/url] Next up I'll relic it, just some light relic but with (I hope) a proper finish aging and hardware wear. I am going for that Fender CS 55' relic look. Also, the bass has been heavilly modded with all new electronic and wiring, the only thing stock is the wilkinson pickup, but I'm planning on swapping it for a Duncan Antiquity. This is my main bass (dispite the price) and I love it! So, what are your thoughts?

Hey mate, I have one of those too, but I notice a few differences about the woods, in mine, the body is of a lighter shade, and the wood veins are much more dense, it's also very heavy (14Kg), the maple neck is a bit weird as the wood kind of looks like a burl, and the fretboard is flamed. I absolutely love it, it isn't my main bass, that one is another Harley Benton, the PB-50, but the JB-75 nat is a peach! I got it as a "deko" item, payed 45€ at the time, I think, and it has no faults except a scratch in the G string tuning key. I just have one advice, you should redo the ground and shielding, I also changed the pots and jack in mine, but the overall difference wasn't that notorius. Oh and the pickups, last month I swaped them in a trade for a pair of J's that came in an American Standard Fender Jazz, a deal which I regret as I think the Wilks sounded better, at least they were more balanced, this set has a very poor mid and high ranges, I'll swap them for a set of Malagoli Custom 60 when I can. Great buy, congratulations!

Congratulations, this is impressive!

If it's Ebonol I think you're fine, the stuff will be around and mostly intact when you and I are pushing daisies for a long time... heck it might even be around after the whole bass has rotten and rusted to nothing... Archaeologists of the future will be pulling hairs to figure out why the hell are all these black slotted slabs... hmmm... And Ebonol can be polished up, when I bought my five string, the Squier Jazz Deluxe, some of the frets were kind of damp looking, so I used just a bit of polishing paste, and was ready to go.

Bradwell, that's actually a very good idea regarding the carbon battens, I have the same problem on one of my favourite precision basses, just can't get the action low enough, and I'm not the kind of guy who uses super low action, but the strings are just too bowed in the middle.

Thanks for pointing out those questions HowieBass! 1- I had pre cut purple-heart fillers, but after talking with the boat builder, he told me that sometimes they made small indentations/slots on the wood so the coating could "grab" onto it and become more stable than just the regular bonding to a plain plank, so, in this case the epoxy filled them, but you could do it either way. Also, I wanted to keep those fillers for my next fretless P that will have a maple neck. 2- With the epoxy I chose the bending of the neck either during the applying process or afterwards becomes irrelevant, as the end result will be a very hard but very flexible and temperature change resistant. But yes, I loosened the truss rod and the neck got almost completely straight, even though I made this so it wouldn't become twisted for not having the correct string tension. 3- For now the neck has been flat on my working table without any clamps, as these first two layers don't need to be ruler correct, on the third layer, however, it will be clamped down and as horizontal as possible, for it will make the radius shaping process much easier and less prone to imperfections on the final buffing. 4- Right now I am applying the epoxy using a very fine wide brush, but on the third layer I will be enclosing the fretboard with cardboard then pour in the epoxy and remove the excess with a wide spatula. After that will come the final radius sanding and shine buffing. I can't wait to see the end result, but it's a process that requires patience to get to perfection.

So, this morning i've done a little bit more, the thin underlayer solidified overnight for 17 hours, and I just applied the second coat which is more than twice as thick as the first. I should point out that I am doing this in the same fashion as boat builders do, as I took advice from one before trying to apply the epoxy, and what they do is to always use a thin undercoat as some sort of a primer, then applying what they call the "brute/rough" coat, the one I just did, that will serve as the bulk of the coating as it will need some repairing over the years due to wear, and the final coating will be something in between the thickness of the first two, this last one will be shaped into the right radius and then buffed to a shine. Another thing I should point out to everyone attempting this process is that bubbles will eventually pop out, so, first you should search for a top quality epoxy, as its better to spend a couple more quids than to having to strip this thing of your basses' neck, with a quality epoxy and an even layering you should get fewer bubbles than otherwise. The main thing really, is to focus on not getting solid bubbles in between the layers, as it will undermine the integrity of the whole coating, and also look horrible in the end result, but you shouldn't worry as normally, bubbles appear due to two key factors, the first being the wood releasing some oxygen and other gases and also the chemical reactions that occur during the process of applying and then drying the first layer, but those usually disappear mostly on their own, it's when applying the second layer that you must take an extra care, as it's a thicker layer, bubbles could be trapped between the top and the bottom of the coat if it is drying too fast, so if you let it dry naturally, you should be able to avoid this, and, even after drying if you have some issues with more prominent bubbles on the top, it can be easily corrected by polishing up a bit and then the void can be filled when applying the third coat. This explanation is a bit messy, I'm sorry, but when I'm done and have a little more time, I'll be doing a topic list of things to follow. New pictures will be uploaded some time this afternoon!

Thank you all for the replies! I'm already enjoying quite a bit being in BC. BassTractor, the bottle opener had the same screw spacing as the stock thumb rest, and the thumb rest wasn't doing me any good, so it serves as a bottle opener and neck bender. Plus, it's a vintage Coca Cola capper that was stuck to a wall in my old house when I moved in, I always thought on taking it with me if I moved away, which I did, and I put it to use in the best way I could, it just look too cool in a 51 Precision (even though it's a harley benton PB-50).

Post some pictures if you can mate, I would love to see the progress on that P.

Great result! I bet it sounds killer!

So a few months back I decided I'd start my own DIY Fretless Project. At first I wanted to do it on a Jazz, but I've always been more inclined toward Precision basses, so I got myself a kit and defretted it. Now that I have a bit more time to work on it I plan on finishing it this month, I'm aiming for it to look very similar to this: [url="http://postimage.org/"][/url] [url="http://postimage.org/"]Very simple natural unfinished body, mint pickguard and sometime in the near future the pickups are going to be Passive Bartolini Ps. So this is what I've done to the neck so far after defretting:[/url] [url="http://postimg.org/image/mfad9dlif/full/"][/url] [url="http://postimage.org/"]free picture hosting[/url] [url="http://postimg.org/image/lea4k94iv/full/"][/url] I'll be updating the post as I progress. Feel free to ask anything, as I am also doing this with the intent of it being a tutorial. In the same way, if you have hints please give them!

Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

Hello everyone, my name is Lucien, I've been a bassist for five years now, with no particular style. I hope I'm doing this right by posting here, but the purpose I am doing this is so you know I'm here to trade ideas, to learn, and to help others in any way I can. Regarding the bass, my interests range from different playing styles and techniques, to construction and general gear modding. I like to think of myself as a tone-hunter, so I like to explore the multiple choices available when it comes to making my sound reach that idea in my head. As for the basses that I have here goes a list: - Washburn XB-920 Grover Jackson Custom Shop - DIY Fretless Precision - Harley Benton PB-20 (Malagoli pickup/electronic mod, Tortoise Pickguard and upper Thumbrest) - Harley Benton PB-50 (Several different mods) - Legend Precision Bass (Stock, 1997 Sunburst) - Squier Jazz Bass Deluxe V (Stock, Sunburst) - Harley Benton JB-75 Natural (Fender American Standard Pickup mod) - Harley Benton Fretless Acoustic 5 String (Gold varnish top and complete electronic mod) And on it's way it a Japanese Short Scale Precision (unknown year) I would love to hear from you guys!