Sardonicus

I've been using the StudioMini app on my iPhone 8 for recording demos with great results, running my bass and guitar through a Blackstar Bass Fly and Blackstar Guitar Fly 3 respectively gives a great sound but I was wondering what mic anyone could recommend to use with it for vocals. I used an iRig Vocal mic but was less than impressed with it as I got a better sound from the iPhone 8's internal mic. I don't want to spend the earth on something and it's got to be compatible with an iPhone, any suggestions?

@Rexel Matador I agree, I decided to stick with the existing pickguard as I didn't want to ruin a new one or risk losing a finger 😂

It's this type.

I'm looking to change the bridge on my Stingray to something with a bit more mass, can anybody recommend a suitable replacement? I don't want a like for like as I can't stand the existing bridge.

I love my Spector Performer but I hated the EMG-SSD pickups, on Saturday I waved goodbye to the EMG's and installed a new pair of Music Man style humbuckers from C.H.Guitars. It now has the clearer and louder sound that I wanted and I can't wait to explore the new sounds.

* Update * I put the Music Man style pups in and they sound great, they’re louder and clearer than the EMG-SSD’s that were fitted before. I didn’t enjoy soldering and I’ve clearly made a slight mistake somewhere as the neck pickup volume knob doesn’t shut off fully and the tone knob isn’t operating 100% 🤷🏻‍♂️, at least I gave it a go. Tomorrow I’m off to my local guitar shop to get them to rectify my handiwork 🤦🏻‍♂️

I'm tempted to go down the `hand cutting' route as I'm keen to keep the costs down, once I've done it I'll post something.

Can anybody recommend what tools to use to cut a custom shaped pickguard from a blank sheet of pickguard material? I haven’t got an extensive range of carpentry or woodworking tools available to me so the simpler the better. Thanks.

I'll try it both ways, with the wire disconnected and then connected, I'll let my ears be the judges.

I have already been in touch with @KiOgon and his knowledge and advice has been invaluable. I’m going to do the work myself as it’s something I’ve always fancied doing, thanks for commenting 😁👍🏻

Whoever owned the bass before me had a go at the wiring and it's a shambles so I'm going to rip everything out and fit all new. I've got a pair of passive P28 Music Man style pups 7.14k ohms from C.H.Guitars http://www.chguitars.co.uk/pickups/bass-pickups/p28-music-man-style-bass-pickup-1991.html and they have recommended to fit A500K log pots for the 2 volume, a B500K lin pot for the tone and a 0.022uf cap. Does anyone have experience of changing the pups in a Performer and how does this look to you? Any comments would be greatly received.

I have a Spector Performer 4 and I'm about to change the EMG-SSD pups as to my ear they have no bottom end and they're all pushed mids. Whoever owned the bass before me had a go at the wiring and it's a shambles so I'm going to rip everything out and fit all new. I've got a pair of passive P28 Music Man style pups 7.14k ohms from C.H.Guitars http://www.chguitars.co.uk/pickups/bass-pickups/p28-music-man-style-bass-pickup-1991.html and I have been recommended to fit A500K pots for the 2 volume, a B500K pot for the tone and a 0.022uf cap. Does anyone have experience of changing the pups in a Performer and how does this look to you? Any comments would be greatly received.

I'm installing new pups soon so I'm going from vol+vol+tone+tone to vol+vol+tone. It makes sense to keep a tone knob rather than try to fix what isn't broken.

@KiOgon I have been told by @Teebs that you are the Yoda of bass electronics, with your knowledge grace me you must.

In all my years playing, I don't think I've ever used my tone knobs, I've always had everything full on and adjusted my sound with my right hand, if I want a rounder sound I play nearer the neck and if I want a brighter sound I play nearer the bridge. In light of this, would it make any difference if I disconnected my tone knobs and just had the pickups wired to the volume knobs only? I'd be interested in your comments.

That's exactly what I'm planning to do, draw the old schematic and keep it just in case, thanks for commenting 👍

I'm going to swap the EMG-SSD pickups in my Spector Performer 4 for a pair of Music Man style pickups and the new installation will have the same wiring as a jazz bass, 2 volume and 1 tone, as the current 2nd tone knob (at the bottom of the picture) is now going to be redundant, do I disconnect everything from that knob, the leads and capacitor etc and just leave it on its own? It's my first time swapping pickups so I just wanted to get some advice before I crack on. The photo below is of the current wiring, the knob at the top is the bridge volume, the knob on the right is bridge tone, t he knob at the bottom is neck tone and the knob on the left is the neck volume. The schematic is what I was emailed and the last pic is a screenshot about the new pickup wiring.

I went to the London Bass Guitar Show yesterday and whilst I thought it was going to be bigger than it was, it was still a great day. I played a few basses and the Spector basses were fantastic as ever but I definitely fell in love with a Chowny SWB-1 short scale bass.

I've been playing bass for over 30 years in cover bands, playing anything from Metallica, Iron Maiden, UFO, Kiss, AC/DC, Judas Priest to Jerry Lee Lewis, Creedance Clearwater Revival and The Jam. I live and breath music so my inspiration comes from all areas but I do love Pete Way (UFO), Steve Harris, Geddy Lee, Bobby Vega, Mark King and Stanley Clarke. I play an Epiphone Thunderbird, a Spector Performer 4, a Washburn AB5, a no-name P-Bass and a no-name Stingray copy as backup, I always played with fingers back in the day but now I mostly use a pick. I'm not going to set the world alight but I'll always supply a solid pounding bottom and some top notch harmony backing vocals.. In a world of Billy Sheehans....I'd rather be a Pete Way !!