prowla

That looks like a nice bass.

[quote name='bumnote' timestamp='1485684738' post='3225721'] Nail varnish will do the job [/quote] I suppose that's handy to know if you're in a glam-rock band...

Threadlock - that's been on my shopping list for years and I never quite seem to get around to picking some up!

The "About" page says they're made in UK or Korea; I'm not sure what the hardware & electronics are. So the question is whether these are cheap imports with a markup; one of the tell-tale signs is the over-glossy finish on the body. That said, I have a (very) cheap Chinese bass and it is really quite good (after a bit of setting up and judicious use of a hacksaw!). And it is good to see a bass which isn't just a partsblaster P- or J-.

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1485529720' post='3224691'] I sold the fake one from my Hondo on ebay, fully explained as being a fake. It went for 75 quid somehow. I highly recommend it. [/quote] Mine is clear plastic with a laser printed paper stuck on the back; I think I'm going to try and soak it off and print another for it. Incidentally, I've just had an idea: I wonder if it's possible to get holographic logos made; the ones which have one image if you look from one angle and a different one from another.

I'm in need of a bridge baseplate, if anybody spots one (I am chatting with someone on the FB page).

This is why I kindof respect Rickenbacker for protecting their brand (or at least trying to). I think that people bodge their Fender copies and stick fake logos on them for their own vanity, but then they sell them on and before long there's someone who thinks it's the real thing.

[quote name='BassManGraham' timestamp='1485618128' post='3225357'] I have a MIM 70s Classic. As I am a sucker for block inlay fret boards and love the 70's P/U position, I. As it comes it is a very decent bass indeed and stands up well in head to head with my USA jazzes. If you can get a clean one for under £500 I would definitely go for it. Personally I find the C neck profile chunkier for my stubby fingers than my USA Standard and Deluxe Jazzes. I have made a few upgrades to it and now it blows away all Standard & Deluxe non modified USA models. Mods include an East J Retro Active Circuit, Badass II Bridge, Tortoise Shell Pickguard, Hipshot Drop D Xtender tuner. It sounds and looks great. However for the cost of the preowned bass and upgrades I could have probably ordered an Elwood! I think an Elwood or Headless Frog is next on my G.A.S list Good hunting [/quote] (I refer you to my "wandered into a shop" thread... :-) )

Rickenbackers have a .0047 cap in series with the treble pickup; later models have a Vintage-Modern switch on a push-pull pot (Vintage = cap in series, Modern = bypassed). It's just an SPDT switch.

People who put Fender logos on non-Fenders like this are being dishonest.

[quote name='Dan_Q' timestamp='1485525731' post='3224639'] Thanks man, i'll take a look on the facebook group Prowla- that's awesome. very well done [/quote]Thanks!

Well, it's great that it isn't just a samey-samey P or J ass, but, to paraphrase Arnie, it sure is an ugly mofo!

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1485510166' post='3224416'] Have you looked at the Vintage Basses. Some guitarists i know have bought their guitars and swear they are better than any Gibson Les Paul they've had for playability and weight. I do remember their basses getting some pretty good reviews and think they do a Jazz type bass. Maybe worth a look. Thomann circa £260 Dave [/quote] That's a good point - some of the Vintage stuff seems quite good; I may pick one up at some point.

[quote name='SH73' timestamp='1485508344' post='3224403'] Hi, Out if interest, where did you get the parts as I am after a p bass body and p bass neck with tuners for a project. [/quote] ebay, and a couple of bits from random shops. I also got someone to make me a headstock logo, which I've not yet put on (it says "Prowla", not "Fender" - don't agree with counterfeits!). I've also built a Strat with a whammy bar from bits; it came in at around the £100-150 mark, with an Iron Gear pickup and decent machines being the most expensive parts. I bought an unfinished body and stained it a lovely dark oak colour, and then a couple of coats of spray lacquer. I'm not sure it's quite fit to gig, but it was fun making it. I got a Squier neck from a shop for a tenner (turns out it's quite a nice neck). The thing about the Fenders and Fender-based guitars is that they are made to be able to swap things and there are plenty of choices.

It's worth checking whether the string sits in the bridge saddle correctly and also whether the bridge is correctly attached to the guitar body. I had both of those problems with a Badass (in the case of its fit, it was just sitting on top of the grounding wire and so not perfectly flush with the body). Switching from strings which have a narrower/tapered core over the bridge to uniform width ones like Rotosounds could cause the bridge saddle issue.

So, I have a working bass! At the moment it's got some of the good bits on it, to get it up and running, including Schaller machines, a genuine Ricky treble pickup & surround and a Hipshot bridge; they're really destined for my next project (and are worth more than the instrument!), so I've got to get my copy treble pickup re-wired and find a straight bridge (as the original that came with it looks like a ski-slope!). I got the mono/stereo jack socket conversion done. I also plan to have a play with the electrics; I've got a couple of 330k (vol) pots & 500k (tone), a new Switchcraft switch to make them up. I also plan to put in a vintage/modern push/pull treble tone control (hence the 500k tone pots, as 330k onbes are silly money). I posted some more pics on the FB page. (I'm not happy with the "R" word on the TRC, cos it isn't one!, so I'll be changing that!)

If you're patient you could build... I'm working on a Precision and so far it's cost me:[list] [*]£52 for the Squier body, neck and a load of parts. [*]An old Badass bridge I had, but there are decent quality ones on ebay for cheap (even Fender Badass copies for under £50). [*]£35 for some Shadow pickups (the Squier ones were weak and a shop had this as old stock). [*]£20 for CTS pots, a Sprague cap and a Switchcraft socket. [*]£30 for a scratchplate (in a job-lot). [*]£50 for a Mighty Mite fretless neck, including machines. [*]£20 for a set of strings. [*]£10 for a pair of Straplock buttons. [*]£10 for a 4-hole neckplate with an "F" on it. [*]£55 for a Hipshot D-tuner (guessing you wouldn't need one of these). [/list] It is a very nice bass! I'll probably replace the body at some point - had been thinking about a Warmoth (as you know from my J-bass thread), the scratchplate isn't the best fit and I might go for better pickups if the mood takes me. The point is, though, that I've made up a good bass for well under your budget, so there's no reason you couldn't too!

[sub]I used to play in a band and we used thunderflashes.[/sub] [sub]Maybe an exploding guitar would add more to the music too![/sub]

[quote name='markstuk' timestamp='1485451763' post='3224076'] Then you probably won't be buying one... [/quote] You might be right, unless I see one at the price; the bridge & head are £23.64 (free delivery) on ebay, so £36.36 might just about cover the rest.

[quote name='markstuk' timestamp='1485435161' post='3223936'] Sure.. Although it's not second hand and is a Steinberger clone to boot... :-) [/quote] I reckon it's worth £60 though...

Very understated...

That's quite a nice bass now - battered, abused, resurrected and lived to tell the tale!

It's a lot of money for a copy...

I think it's Wesley who do some; they have a small-bodied one, which could be less of a burden, so to speak. I've no idea what they play like (they are definitely at the budget end of the scale).