nick

[quote name='Turnaround' timestamp='1429470691' post='2751710'] I've a real soft spot for 80s Tokai guitars and bass's. They're better than a lot of 70s Fenders and close to but ultimately only replicas of the 60s Fenders that inspired them. Excellent instruments though in every way. [/quote] I know they did replicas of 50's & 60's classic Fenders, but the neck on mine is closer to a 70's P-Bass [quote name='Glorianah' timestamp='1429470881' post='2751712'] Wow, such a beautiful bass nick! How do you know/find out which year it is from? I'm guessing mine might be from the 80's aswell.. It's hard to find enough info online i think i've been surfing a bit about it. Just got this guitar from my uncle, he said i could sell it if i wanted to but i thik i will hold on to it for a while ^^ [/quote] Thanks...I worked it out from the serial number & the logo shape. Check out the Tokai registry website, but I'd guess yours is maybe an 83/84 one. I'd keep it, get a decent pickup in it & you've got a killer P-bass there. [quote name='3below' timestamp='1429470957' post='2751714'] Highly rated in the 80s at the time. [/quote] You know, I remember in the 80's a lot of people (wrongly) treated them as second rate to Fender, same as a lot of other Japcrap. TBH, I think Tokais as well as Grecos are now more highly regarded than back then IMHO.

I've got an '84 Hardpuncher. It's one of the best precisions I've ever played. and heard. A lot of basses have come, and gone through the years. This one has stayed... It has a lovely neck, 70's style narrower (B width) than the standard width neck, though not as narrow as a Jazz bass, and a deeper profile though not a bassball bat. The standard pickups are not much cop IME. I've put a vintage Dimarzio in mine, plus CTS pots, PIO tone cap & switchcraft jack. I've slso swapped the original b/w/b pickguard for a nice tort one. Here it is: [url="http://s1087.photobucket.com/user/nickonbass69/media/84Tokai_zps73b20dc5.jpg.html"][/url]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1429132488' post='2748464'] CanI just ask where's the best place to buy decent quality components in small (10 or 20 off) quantities nowadays? I used to order religiously from Doctor Tweek, but his shop's been down for a while and supplies of the usual suspects (10KΩ resistors and 100nf poly box caps) are dwindling... [/quote] I use Tayda for resistors,caps, knobs, enclosures etc...but definitely not jfets!

[quote name='ColinB' timestamp='1429081095' post='2747682'] I like the colour....... but what is it? (not the colour - the pedal ) p.s. What do you spray them with? Plasticote? [/quote] The pedal is a Mutron III clone with mods, on a madbean board. Not sure what the paint is...I bought a box of spray cans back from Ukraine when I was last there. All sorts of garish colours. I think they're acrylic based of some sort.

Mutron III clone with mods, on a madbean board

Here's my current mini board, made from an Ikea 'Gorm' shelf in a camera case I got from a car boot sale All pedals built by my own fair hands, with the exception of the Ditto & Bottomfeeder Optical compressor > Pearl OC-7 Octaver (modded) clone > DAM Ezekiel clone > Boomstick Bottom Feeder filter > Crowther 'Prunes & Custard' clone > Maestro Stage Phaser clone > TC Electronics Ditto looper [url="http://s1087.photobucket.com/user/nickonbass69/media/PEDALBOARD%20003_zpstwdfzesy.jpg.html"][/url]

The late great Alan Spenner.

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1428017933' post='2737237'] I think I know....and based on nick's comments and excellent work, I'll be ordering one very soon ! [/quote] [quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1428017818' post='2737236'] Where are the PCBs and ICs from bud? Looking great!! Si [/quote] Cheers guys. [list] [*]The best deal I could find for the 4562's was from this ebay seller http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-pcs-NJM4562D-High-Audio-Perf-Dual-Low-Noise-Op-Amp-JRC-DIP8-LM4562NA-/251448091055?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3a8b7961af . However, I think other opamps will work i.e. TL072, 4559, 4558 etc... Gonna experiment myself. [*]There is a good vero layout for the Ezekiel on Tagboard, but I happened to find a New Zealand chap selling some PCBs on the Madbean forum. I bought a few, they are very nice boards, as nice as any that I've had made up, well designed & fit easily into a 125B enclosure. His name is Jeremy and his moniker is 'the3secondrule', also makes pedals (Tinnitus). If you send him a message, he may have one or two left. [*]2P4T rotaries from here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/300881322642?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&autorefresh=true Let me know if you need one, I bought 20 off them - so should be able to spare one or two! [/list] Cheers

Just finished a couple of D*A*M* Ezekiel clones. One for myself, and the other for another bass player. Built both stock as per DAM circuit, including the incredibly hard to get JRC4562 chips. However, instead of 1N34A diodes, I went for NOS Soviet D9K (left) and D9E (right) germanium diodes. These sound sweeter to my ears with a nicer break-up. The difference between the two D9* germaniun types is quite subtle, not decided which of the two types I prefer yet - will have to do a proper A-B test through my rig. Both pedals sound wicked though. Controls are level, tone, drive, blend & a 'flavour' selector. Like the original, the selector switches between four clipping modes: germanium, silicon, LED & bypass. After building quite a few different overdrives, this is probably my now favourite . It's really versatile with such a wide range of usable tones - from mild valvey, to fuzzy to all out Rat-like distortion. I can understand why the relatively few who have an original Ezekiel rave about them. Kudos to D*A*M for such a great design! [url="http://s1087.photobucket.com/user/nickonbass69/media/ezekiel%20005_zps8b7yrepe.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://s1087.photobucket.com/user/nickonbass69/media/ezekiel%20015_zpshps5krzr.jpg.html"][/url]

I've got a fiesta red 50's RW precision. TBH, I was never into the relic thing on basses & pretty much looked down on anything by MIM Fender. I picked up my early 2009 RW cheap on ebay, and bought it with a view to selling it on & making a few quid. However after playing it, totally fallen for the bass despite the relicing and the colour (which I'm also not a fan of)...It must be one of the nicest Precisions I've ever played and now has been my main bass for quite a while. Here's mine, strung with Sadowsky flats. The stock bridge cover is nicely tarnished too. A killer bass! [url="http://s1087.photobucket.com/user/nickonbass69/media/Fenderroadworn006a_zps39e648ea.jpg.html"][/url]

If secondhand & less than £200, I'd suggest a Farida (jazz or precision type), one of the older designs not the new ones that have just been introduced. They crop up fairly frequently for less than your limit. I've got a natural ash jazz type - blown away by it!

I picked this 1979 Yamaha BB1000 up yesterday for a good price, and it's in very good condition. Bit of a clean up, few tweaks of the trussrod, fresh set of strings & it plays like a dream. Great tone too, unsurprisingly very precision-like, but plenty of punch & a bit of snarl. Have to profess to not knowing much about Yamaha basses, but it has a good quality feel about it, and despite having two other good P-Basses, I like this that much, I might keep it! [url="http://s1087.photobucket.com/user/nickonbass69/media/BB1000%20007_zpsxbki8pse.jpg.html"][/url]

[quote name='HazBeen' timestamp='1425481140' post='2707768'] Didn't Thomann stock them? I used to have them on my Jazz, very good flatwounds. [/quote] Unfortunately Thomann only stock the roundwound Sadowsky's.

The best phaser I've found for bass other than my Maestro Stage Phaser clone, is the EHX Nano Small Stone. Lovely rich, resonant phasing with no apparent bass loss.

I bought mine from Bass Strings Online too. At the time they were the best price, and not many other places sold them anyway... Still on my bass, nearly four years now. Probably my favourite flats

Brilliant, I really like these.

I get my enclosures from Tayda, sometimes Mouser for painted ones. FYI, you need a Hammond size 1590A box. cheers

Been looking forward to this for a (long) while too... By all accounts it's quite a rollercoaster of a film. Youth also uses a couple of pedals I've built in his live rig

[quote name='ColinB' timestamp='1424253142' post='2694290'] This is the Madbean Afterlife Compressor with the 'Ghost Note' sensitivity change mod which basically adds a threashold control. I've put it in an old enclosure I had lying around - I'll get a new one in my next order. I think it's really good with guitar - I haven't tried it with bass as both my bass amps are u/s at the mo'. I put an ultra-bright blue LED in - that may have been a mistake as I can still 'see' it each time I blink!! [/quote] I've built one of those before, put it in a 1590A enclosure - fantastic little compressor on bass. Try a higher value resistor, say 15k to dim down the brightness of that migraine inducing blue LED. Also, I rub those blue LEDs with a bit of fine sandpaper, to take the sheen off - gives effect of diffused LED. Much kinder on the eyes

[quote name='Pinball' timestamp='1423312454' post='2683366'] £100, not good timing as I'm buying another bass and collect tomorrow It feels very gigable [/quote] I had a Maya precision copy, it was not a bad bass actually. If you decide not to take it, please let me know as I need a beater P-Bass Cheers

I like Sadowsky flats. They're not high tension & not as slack as TIs. Tone wise have quite a bit of mid presence, not unlike Thomastiks. For a more traditional, thumpier tone try Laklands - lovely to play.

If you're OK with relic'ing, I'd say go with a 'Roadworn', if you can find a second-hand one even better. They have similarities with the Classic 50's, but a much nicer neck IMHO. Mine plays like a dream

Nickel rounds, about every six months when I feel the intonation or tension maybe going. Flats, until I break a string or fancy trying something different. About four years now on Sadowsky's, and still sounding good.