rockmanrock

[quote name='captainfele' timestamp='1497710852' post='3320199'] hey man, thanks so much for your reply, is the E83 a bit smaller than a regular precision? I have spent years playing a short scale bass, and want something with the P Bass sound but with maybe 32 inch scale. [/quote] It's a full size 34" scale P-bass. Harley Benton do a 30" short scale that people seem to like. [url]https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hbp90bk_shortscale_ebass.htm?ref=search_rslt_short+scale+bass_172084_14[/url]

I've got a red Encore too, one of the Indian ones. Model E83, they topped the Making Music sales charts back in the 1990s. They're pretty much the same bass that was sold as a Squier II in America and a Sunn Mustang. I've got a Classic Vibe (Tonerider) pickup in it but the original white one was quite good too. The body is some heavy hardwood (ash?) and the headstock is the proper Fender shape. Decent bridge and tuners. I really like it. I've just read another thread on here about bad E-strings, I had that with some Legacy (Rotosound?) ones when I first got this bass. Swapped them for some cheap JHS Encores and it sounds marvellous. I had a Harley Benton ash Jazz and they're good but the body was heavy AND thin so it dug into my thigh! I'm not sure if Rollin Thunder's one is an Indian one - the scratchplate screws look different in number and position? 9 screws in mine.

I got a Squier bridge from Custom World Guitar Parts. They're in Holland, so no chance of getting clobbered for VAT and import fees. Might be worth asking them. [url]http://www.customworldguitarparts.com/default/[/url]

Looks great, very good job there. I bought a Lidl router to make a scratchplate for a guitar but I've not tried it yet. I was going to get one of those smaller 'trimmer' routers but then I watched this (not for the squeamish!) : [url="https://youtu.be/xseF_8mUIJg?t=262"]https://youtu.be/xseF_8mUIJg?t=262[/url]

[quote name='mark76' timestamp='1452372110' post='2949412'] Talking of which... Does anyone make a P bass with a maple fretboard south of £200? [/quote] As kodiakblair mentioned, the Harley Benton 50s style P-Bass has got a maple board: [url]http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_pb_50_sb_vintage_series.htm[/url]

I think the Jim Deacon (now just Deacon?) are the same manufacturer as the SX ones. I don't know if SX have been linked to J&D/Yeou Chern, they've got a company called Team International behind them who maybe contract out to a company like YC. I agree about the headstocks, that big hook on them isn't very appealing.

Ah thanks. I'm getting tempted to try a J&D now. Thomann/HB get all the attention, probably due to the Dekos.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1452342880' post='2949038'] The Jazz J&D is definitely round and 'Fender-compatible'... but yeah, it could easily be an overhang on the squareish ones. And the others do look similar. [/quote] Oh yes, the J&D 1975 Jazz looks very similar to the HB JB75 one. The cheaper J&D Jazz has got the square overhang 21 fret neck though, but the cheap HB JB20 Jazz has a rounded 20 fret one. So I would guess the HB JB75 Jazz, J&D 1975 and standard Jazz, J&D P-basses are all made by J&D / Yeou Chern. The bog-standard HB P-Basses and Jazzes look to be from another manufacturer. The J&D 1975 Jazzes come in some nice colours, and they're Alder rather than Ash. The HB JB75 ones do weigh a lot.

I think they're an overhang. The J&D ones look the same to me, quite squarish? [url="https://images.musicstore.de/images/1600/jack-und-danny-pb-bk-black_4_BAS0000912-001.jpg"]https://images.music...0000912-001.jpg[/url] Spot the difference: [url="http://www.guitarfetish.com/DLX-Bass-Active-Preamp-Carved-Body-Gloss-Black-24-Fret_p_4314.html"]http://www.guitarfet...ret_p_4314.html[/url] [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_b_450_black_progressive_series.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...sive_series.htm[/url]

Maybe Thomann requested no serials on theirs, but the early samples that got used for photos had them. On Mark's J&D: WSM1505A05.0016 On the HB JB75-NA: WSM1404A03.0534 So that's 2015 and 2014 by the look of it. WSM must be Yeou Chern / J & D ? A few years back, the word was that Saein/Shine were making all the HB's but it seems not. I read on a German site that up to 10 suppliers are used for the guitars/basses. The HBs and J&Ds aren't the same though, the J&D's usually have an extra fret and the bridge is further up from the base of the body. Xaviere basses from GFS in the USA seem to be J&D's too: [url]http://www.guitarfetish.com/Xaviere-Bass-Guitars_c_362.html[/url]. Right, that's enough trainspotting for tonight.

Anyone else noticed the J&D and Harley Bentons Jazzes have a similar serial number format and decal? [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hbb1975_na.htm"]http://www.thomann.d..._hbb1975_na.htm[/url]:

On the subject of playing sitting down, I'd say weight is still a consideration. I've got a Harley Benton 70s Jazz, and it's a heavy lump of ash. I've got an old Encore P-bass that weighs about the same (10.5 lbs or so), but the HB isn't as thick in the body, so it can really dig into my leg after a bit and put it to sleep!

He's also selling this beauty: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Unique-Road-Worn-Jazz-Bass-Guitar-Right-Handed-/262075394066?hash=item3d04e92812:g:b5EAAOSw0HVWDnMF"]http://www.ebay.co.u...5EAAOSw0HVWDnMF[/url] Interesting intonation set up at the bridge. He had another HB 50's P on there recently for about 150 quid which was sprayed in yellow paint, "sunburst" stylee. I think Mr Phillips has some competition! Edit: found it, somebody bought it! [url]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Unique-50s-Style-Precision-Bass-Right-Handed-/262036149196?nma=true&si=2mx0ZOQc9TN1iPgUm8VCgSbYCIc%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557[/url]

I've had my JB75 for a couple of weeks now. I've not played it that much, and I picked it up a few days ago and noticed that the binding that was loose at the neck pocket end had tightened up! I could swear that the fret ends aren't as sharp either, and the action is now higher. Funny stuff, wood.

[quote name='tom1946' timestamp='1442906572' post='2870311'] haha you're right there, this is actually a Vintage Modified P bass lumped in with the Affinities so I'm happy. [/quote] Yes, I think it's the same with the Teles in the packs, you get an Indonesian one (with full thickness body, string-through body and an extra fret) rather than the usual Chinese Affinity product. I think Fender are just cranking out products from whichever subcontrator has the capacity and best deal for them. Thomann have got Chinese and Indonesian Squier Bullet strats all jumbled together in their range too.

[quote name='tom1946' timestamp='1442851849' post='2870000'] Just bought one of these again although they only do it as a kit [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_squier_affinity_p_bass_set_bb.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...bass_set_bb.htm[/url] beautifully made with a big thump. [/quote] They could have picked a better one to take a photo of!

I ordered a Classic Vibe P-Bass pickup from one of the American sellers on Ebay, thinking I'd be getting it for cheaper than a Tonerider. It was just under 18 pounds plus 5 or 6 quid delivery. Unfortunately I didn't realise the customs limit had dropped to 15 pounds so I had to pay 11 or 12 quid (VAT and handling fee) to get it off the Royal Mail. I then had to buy another set of pickup covers for almost 4 quid as it came with the small Fender ears rather than the wide ones that my Indian Encore used. About 40 quid all in! I'm quite pleased with the sound of it though. I had swapped the pots to 250k ones and the tone cap to 0.1uF and this pickup completed the job. The alnico does seem to sweeten the sound, it's less harsh than the (fairly reasonable) ceramic that was in there. I have to say though, I think changing strings makes a more obvious difference.

I got one of these recently too. I agree they are little bit heavy but not too excessive. Mine is about 10.5 pounds. The only faults I can find are the binding on the end in the neck pocket is a bit loose, and a few frets are high. It was buzz free until I wound the saddles down one allen key turn. The frets are a tiny bit sharp on the bottom edge. Pretty happy overall. Just got to resist filling the house with more Bentons!