Ander87

I’ll keep you posted! I love a charcoal frost but I feel I need to indulge a Sherwood green I’ve never had… add a tort pickguard and it’s just lush class! so, the body arrived and it’s a whole slab! Not contouring which in all honesty it’s okay as I’ve never had a slab body and many times I almost pulled the trigger. For review on guitarbuild, happy with delivery times and weight as stated on the nose, 1.8kg. I do have a strong feeling the body has been gap filled already as I can feel it smoother than on the wood sample, but will still apply a thin layer of Rustin’s gap filler for certain. Will have to align pickup screws and I do hope the cavity is deep enough for standard EMG P pickups, same as pickguard holes of course. Nothing my little hand drill won’t do. now that I feel parts arriving and the ‘you can rough it up anytime, but can’t add the mint finish back on’, and with 70+ gigs next year, I feel I may just gloss (nitro) finish it and keep it stock, or New Old Stock with lacquer cracking and no relic’ing, as all those gigs will sure do its part. I can always rough it up sand down areas and add chips etc at the end of next year if I like…!

So. 75% of my basses gravitate around Precision basses or Stingrays, 90% FSO's. I'm in a new band and I enquired about some builds with folk we all know and respect. A fair £1300 quote came back, that even if fair, is much more than I want to spend these days. So... I budgeted about half of that to build my own - I've seen past guitarist spray nitros and do a decent job out of it, but I want to open this thread to triple check as I'll have questions (plenty, mostly surrounding paint). First, the inspo: An update on a Precision bass, mid relic in Sherwood Green. DISCLAIMER: this is NOT an accurate period correct project. Ingredients: * Roasted maple jazz neck with rosewood board. From eBay China, I had my reservations but 4.9/5 stars and a description that the maker provides for 'other factories' kinda won me over. For the money, I'm willing to take the risk - thinking the worst thing with it may be a fret edges sanding? Not too pricey if all else is in place. * guitarbuild.co.uk 3 piece body, in swamp ash, classic P shape, 1.8kg. A bit steep, but again happy to 'indulge' on this, especially for the weight. Research tells me most alder is around 2/2.2kg, and other swamp ash bodies I've seen were a heavier 2.5kg. * Thomann order: Gotoh res-o-lite tuners, EMG Geezer Butler P, knobs, neck plate, Gotoh 201B bass bridge. Now paint/finish, and here comes my first questions - after looking on northwest guitars info: * Rustins Grain filler, natural - recommended since swamp ash has lots of grain uniformity * Rustins Sanding Sealer vs Clear nitrocellulose sanding sealer - are both of these the same? do I need one and not the other? * Nitro gray primer, instead of white, hoping that helps the sherwood green darken? I want that 'almost' racing green look like the picture. * Nitro sherwood green - I went for the V1 here, as opposed to the V2 which looks a bit more turquoise. * Nitro clear gloss, for the body, as I want that glossy sheen rather than matt (again, picture for reference). Some simple questions: * How to apply grain filler? Planning to rub it in with a cloth * Do I need both sanding sealers? Rustins and/or aerosol one... * At which stages do I sand the body? Thinking Once I receive the body, as it comes After applying the grain filler After applying first primer (how many coats?) I understand no need with the sherwood green nor clear coats (how many of each?) High grit ala 2000 after all is finished for the glossy effect? I will then proceed to age the hardware and sand down areas rubbed, scratches, dings and dents etc but won't consider that until that is finished. Same for the neck, I don't think I'll rough it up much but good to take that in carefully. Some pictures of what I've got on the way.

“Soon as I thought I was in, they pulled me back out…” 😂 first foray into all of this really, teenage dreams! Making me feel like I can play, if only they knew…

that's so odd! they replied to me in 2hrs, and then within 20 mins after I replied! I was pleasantly surprised

Totally my approach - I guess my initial reaction was 'I don't want to lose my luscious Darkglass ADAM tones, or spend too much dough on amps (since I don't have any right now, ramping up from bedroom player phase)'. Luckily, there's solutions for both - either 'just' get the powered 250ACT speaker to use with the Darkglass, or get a full whack amp (500w combo, or Unity Elite 700 + 2x10 cab). And yeah, I do not think I'd need the 2nd cab now, so purely for visuals and that reassurance that I can cover anything, but once I cool down, admittedly zero need for the extension cab yet. I'm looking forward to Monday, meeting Blackstar HQ! They replied super quick and offered to show me around and let me try some stuff; I've also learnt from one of their videos that they actually based the distortion channel on the Darkglass B7K, which sounded very familiar! We shall see... Ander.

Oh thanks for this! I actually read up your thread/review when you got it when I first started learning the band's songs 😝 Interestingly, I popped an email to Blackstar (we're same postcode, NN3 represent!) and they said they'd love to show me around and let me play some stuff. I am always biased by stage presence and with that chunky 40%, the U500 combo and 1x15 cab would be £600 tops ish, over my initial budget but so tempting. I do think in hindsight my ambitions for a powered speaker are out of budget it seems! I kinda want to take advantage of the endorsement and will study the 250ACT with my darkglass stuff or effects loop on the combo. Both with/without extension cabinet considered 😀 I'll report back sometime next week on this, but literally the below seems such a solid summary...

Oh this is interesting! I don't know how I missed that but that could well work - I've never tried 15" so I hope it's clear enough? Maybe that's another topic. The modularity of it also helps, and can get one, see how it goes, add another one if need be. Also makes it very easy for sharing backline if I have to with other bands (this band often headlines). On a side note how are you finding the U500? I just don't think it can replace the ADAM although I may stand corrected in which case I'd only need the U500 combo...! Ah, noted with thanks! I hear that sentiment across however I think it may be unrealistic of me to want a top end powered speaker for under £400... However will keep eyes open! Ander.

Hey gang, This has been asked before but I'd say inconclusive just yet. I am joining a new band sponsored by Blackstar - I don't feel too precious about them nor against, but worth pointing out I can get 40% discount on them - I was thinking on a Unity 500 combo. At the same time, I get all my tones and stuff with the Darkglass ADAM (and awfully proud of the presets I've worked on for the band's set) and want to keep using those without extra colouring. Hence, I was thinking of getting one of these Headrush MK2 12" or a similar budget (£350) powered speaker that will do bass justice... I've heard mixed reviews about the Headrush too in terms of stage dispersion and punch (ie. those 2500w are not same as 250w from an actual bass amp). Aaaalso at the same time, buying a traditional amp makes a redundancy on preamp/distortion/compressor/other bits that I do not need as I have them on the ADAM already... For that budget of £350 and considering that's about what the Unity 2x10 500w combo would cost me, is there any other powered speaker option I should consider? Thanks!

Argh! Sorry @feech thats annoying! I am disappointed with a brand as big as Anderson’s really, these could’ve been checked. im very happy with mine but seems theyre worth a close inspection… and good thing is sire will probs sort next run too either way as it often happens…

Oh I thought this was interesting. Exactly same issue as my first unit (corroded rusty battery compartment). I wonder (speculation but how many basses out of a stock of 9 have this issue?) if this was the same unit. If 2/9, awful Sire quality. Not my experience with Sire basses… I’m inclined to think it’s the same unit from this poor fella that was sent over to me. anyway, it’s NBD day with a V5 and I’m proper happy with this hanger update for the autumn season 😂 Ander.

Awfully accurate perception from mine

Thank you! I think I’ll wait for now as the singles are out of stock too - and the chrome ones I got on the way (by sure) should do for now.

Haha jealous! I was thinking maybe I get them black but of course out of stock too 🤓

yeah, I agree - the only thing I’d change in mine tbh. And I’ve got Sire replacements from a P7 on the way… hopefully those work! I wanted John East but out of stock for now…

Haha cheers! Fingers crossed for your bass too🤞 jesus I can't believe DHL sometimes! Also, NBD tomoz from Thomann on the V5 champagne... My Z7 needed a flatwound passive partner no?... no? 😁 Ander.

Haha! I showed interest last out of 10 but seems I’m taking the role home 🤓🤓 I’m studying the set for a rehearsal in a couple weeks to assess if I’m good for the 6 November dates. They do have a temporary cover but it’d be nice to do those before end of the year and their 2025 plans with new album etc! thanks for asking buddy 😊

I hope you like it and that they send you a solid unit mate! Very nice bass indeed. I’ll keep it on rounds, will use flats on the V5 champagne gold I’ve got coming 🤓 I do like the tuners a lot, super smooth for that budget - also the preamp is very responsive and the jazz pickup adds a very nice depth to it, so far I’ve kept the blend in the middle, or 60/40 neck/bridge and loving it with a bit of treble/low-mids/bass boost Ander.

Oh I missed this! yep, 2x 9v batteries for the basses.

Okay, now YES. The bass should have been exchanged on Friday but of course it didn't happen - delay on DPD or Andertons, I don't know anymore. Either way, I've just taken delivery of the new unit and swap. HAPPY. This bass is what it's meant to be, and coming in at 4.15kg. Well adjusted right out of the box and loving it. Will still swap the knobs mind you (that shaft cover in plastic where the aluminium knob seats is a kinda whacky design I feel). Interestingly, this box did come with a stamp and a card for the checks done - kinda generic but all works: I'm removing the cling film protectors, I'm keeping this! Ander.