Beer of the Bass

[quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1479679540' post='3178454'] I think CrackerJackLee is really Carol Kaye. [/quote] Looking at the quotes posted from Kaye's facebook page, they use quite different styles of syntax and punctuation, so I'd guess not.

[quote name='howdenspur' timestamp='1479665987' post='3178285'] Quoted from Carole's timeline: "[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] And Bill Cosby would join in on tambourine for his TV show music."[/font][/color] [/quote] But Slutsky doesn't seem to quote Bill, as was implied.

[quote name='howdenspur' timestamp='1479663933' post='3178262'] Perhaps a confusion of Cosbys going on here too [/quote] Yes, I was wondering about that. I can see that Henry "Hank" Cosby is quoted, but I'm not sure where Bill Cosby comes into it. Are they related?

The history of popular music is full of figures about whom I find myself thinking "Fantastic musician, I wish they didn't do [i]that [/i]though". On the scale of things [i]that [/i]could be, making potentially exaggerated claims about your discography is pretty innocuous really. So like some other posters, I'd rather listen to and read about her playing than go over and over those claims.

Looking at some pictures, the bridge matches that model Baldwin bass too, albeit with the thumbwheels mounted in the wrong place. I think you might have successfully identified the parts donor.

It's curious that Gibson chose to revive the Epiphone name for their budget line, when they'd already had a line of budget instruments under the Kalamazoo brand from the 30s through to the 70s. Although those might be slightly different in that they were made in the main Gibson factory rather than outsourced. If I ever sell my '36 Kalamazoo archtop (which I won't, 'cos it's lovely), I would absolutely mention Gibson in the advert title.

I'd be tempted to leave the headstock as it is, because "Thunder Supreme Voyager" is such a gloriously tacky name! Regarding pickups, I've just put a pair of Vanson '57 humbuckers from eBay into my Aria PE Studio which were less than £30. They're surprisingly nice sounding pickups, and I notice that they also do a humbucker sized alnico P90 that might be worth a try.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1479199835' post='3174619'] exactly. some people get too precious about "their tone" or feel too insecure about receiving suggestions. I've seen that with guitarists quite a few times, where either a humbucker or a single coil based guitar was preferred by the band. In fact the guitarist would often bring the matter up for discussion. While I have my own personal preferences based on sound and feel, ultimately it's about what sounds best in the band. I won't be 'dictated' what to use, but we should listen to the opinion of the rest of the band too and not be so precious. We're not even talking about being suggested to buy a new instrument, but about choosing an instrument from the ones we use already. [/quote] I reckon I've had more comments from bandmates on gear choices when playing guitar than when playing bass. It tends to be more over effects than instruments, like the fuzz that no-one liked, or the flaky old tape echo that a couple of bandmates seem to be disappointed if I don't bring. On bass, I've had far less feedback from bandmates. Although come to think of it, I did pick up an Ashbory bass a few years ago, and both of the bands I was in at the time hated it! That didn't stay around for long...

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1479383679' post='3176078'] I like all my basses to be constructed in California, keeps it simple. [/quote] Might be tricky with the double bass! Though for EUB, Azola would work.

I wouldn't put a wooden front like that on a corner-ported cab. You would need to keep those open for the cab to perform as designed.

I've had Sadowsky Black Label flatwounds on my 5-string for about 2 1/2 years, and have just recently decided that they were getting a little too dead for me. Out of curiosity I stuck on a set of stainless steel rounds I had lying around (they're Warwick Red Label 0.045-0.130"). I don't think SS rounds are for me overall, as they're so clanky and I just can't get the same character out of the upper strings in particular, but there are some qualities I like about them; the slightly more flexible feel makes them feel easier and a little "faster" to play, and the B string is suddenly usable all over the neck. I've yet to find a flatwound B that speaks clearly above about the 5th or 6th fret. So far I've had the Sadowsky, a D'Addario Chrome, D'Addario tapewounds and a brief dabble with Status Half Rounds. All of those gave me more or less of a muddy, inharmonic thud higher up the neck, while almost any roundwound sounds good on the same notes. I feel like this may be related to the stiffness of a flatwound B, and I wouldn't mind a slightly more flexible feel across the board. So, do I seek out some lighter gauge more flexible flats, perhaps the 0.040-0.125" Fender set, Thomastiks or anything else I'm not aware of, or do I just mix and match and keep a roundwound B with a set of four-string flats?

I have to ask, did BFC stand for "Big F****ng Cab"?

[quote name='The Jaywalker' timestamp='1479088269' post='3173870'] I'm in agreement here. Whilst I don't agree at all that TB folks are "ahead of the curve" they do tend towards using decent equipment and don't appear to regularly sing the praises of £30 piezos... (unless that's what ambient was hinting at in a gentle way :-) ) I'm sure it's a very good system - probably a bit over priced; but good gear often is, sadly. There are exceptions, but like as not we get what we pay for. [/quote] I think the J-Tone comment was supposed to be a bit flippant there. The £30 piezo in question is fine for what it is, but I'd put it up against other simple piezos like the Bass Max, Shadow or Rev Solo II, rather than as an alternative to a high-end microphone, and the gigs you'd take them out on are not the same. The guys on talkbass do occasionally get enthused over less expensive gear, like the MSP contact pickup from Japan.

I find it often helps to scuff up a small area on the back of the pot with fine sandpaper immediately before soldering, then it will take the solder much more easily. IMO the old style tin/lead solder is much friendlier too.

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1478958726' post='3172970'] I think I've seen cream concentric ones on some Danelectro basses. It might have been a dream though! [/quote] I think they've got one black and one cream layer and they're pretty big too, which might look strange on a P bass.

As a high voltage preamp, it may well retain some charge on the filter capacitors (and other connected parts of the circuit) which could certainly give you a nasty jolt. Some modern gear uses bleeder resistors which discharge the caps when turned off, but even if it has one you'd still want to check it each time you work on it. I'd recommend reading up on how to drain them and check that they're drained.

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' timestamp='1478891536' post='3172573'] I doubt there is a 'suitable replacement'. The cab size was probably dictated by the marketing department, based on customer wishes for the cab to be as small as possible for portability, yet loaded with a fifteen, under the mistaken assumption that bigger is always better. The dichotomy is that where low frequency output is concerned bigger is usually better, but that applies to the cab size as well as the driver size. I agree that it's too small for a fifteen, and for best results should be re-configured to house a twelve. [/quote] By "suitable" I meant "as good as it ever was". Twincam said that he was not equipped for woodworking, so my suggestion was made with that in mind.

Would it be worth calling Ashdown, given that it's for an Ashdown combo? I get the impression that they're quite helpful regarding spares, so perhaps they'd sell you a suitable replacement.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1478686064' post='3170863'] IIRC from the interview in International Musician, Mr Birch had some very strong views on bolt-on necks and none of them were favourable. [/quote] I suppose it's just about possible that he might have arrived at those views by building a few in his early days, though I have no idea if the bass linked could be one of his.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1478639717' post='3170594'] I've gone the other way and carried the hand shape using three fingers (with the 3rd behind the pinkie to help) onto electric bass [/quote] Yes, I do the same with the 1-2-4 fingering on electric bass. I think it may be because I spent several years in my teens with only a fretless bass, and the fingers fall on the note positions more naturally that way.

FWIW I would say that the quality of your pots and switch and the type of capacitor used don't make a significant difference to your sound. High quality pots do feel nicer, last longer and the taper can be better, but that's all about ease of use rather than sound. I've yet to see anyone demonstrate with measurements which electrical characteristic of cheaper pots makes them sound inferior. The value of the pots and tone capacitors and the way they are wired can make a difference, and can be worth experimenting with. For example, some people like a smaller tone capacitor than comes as stock and changing to "50s style" wiring where the tone pot is wired to the volume control differently can keep things a bit clearer sounding as the volume control is turned down.

The prices are at a level where you could easily spend the same just on body, neck and fingerboard woods for a scratch build. This does make me wonder how good they could be.

I can think of one guy locally who buys and sells a lot of gear, is known to be trustworthy and has always been very helpful when I've dealt with him, but he only uses forums for the marketplace. A post count rule would exclude guys like him and that would be a shame.

Well, that's my mother-in-law's Christmas present sorted. She apparently ran some sort of Cliff fanzine in her college days and still has a bit of a soft spot for him.

What did the packaging on the old set look like? Fender flats did change, but it was several years ago. Could the old set have been old stock?