Boodang

Spotify and the like is great for discovering new stuff and play lists, but nothing quite like vinyl to make you listen to an album the way the artist wanted you to hear it, in order with an A & B side.

As I said, I agree with you about the alder wood and I think this body is going to be project B. But out of interest, I can understand this particular body not being someone's cup of tea but nice woods, ergonic shape.... horrible?!

Yep, the epoxy is important and the neck is being made with that in mind. As for playing like Jaco... well that's never going to happen for me. If the resulting bass every produces that Jaco sound it'll be because someone else is playing it! And for those wondering why the hell I want a Jaco style bass when I don't want to/can't play like Jaco, it's purely because I like jazz basses and inspired by the philosophy/marketing b*llocks of SD I feel like putting together a bass to match the pickups. What's more interesting is why I feel 'connected', if that's the right word to these pickups given that Jaco is not a great influence on my playing. But there's something about Jacos life and approach to music that resonates and despite anything else has always drawn me to him. Not sure what it is, maybe it's just the immense talent and uniqueness coupled with his tragic story. And watching the 'lost tapes' documentary recently is responsible for me getting these pickups and kicking off the project.

I'm sure there's a fair amount of cynical marketing tactics by SD with these pickups but on this occasion they've reeled me in hook line and sinker and I'm prepared to suspend my cynicism and be in complete fantasy land.... I will believe in the power of Jaco pickups!

I totally agree! To a certain extent the project is going a bit off piste with this body but I like it so much I have to have it. Having said that talking over neck options for this body and i can see it going in a different direction, so I think there might be two basses coming out of all this!

The DiMarzio J's are good but I like single coils. And with the use of a serial/parallel switch on a jazz I can go from single coil to humbucker, so to a certain degree, best of both worlds.

So, getting ahead of myself here but asked my local luthier about making a '61 spec neck and here's a body he can attach it to. So, '61 neck, Walnut/mahogany body, Weather Report pickups.

I grew up with vinyl so for me it's a nostalgic thing, so I'm a bit biased. To be honest I don't care which medium (cd, tape, vinyl! Blah blah) is the ultimate, so long as it's good enough. Hell, mostly I play spotify download through a getto blaster with no stereo separation, so that's my benchmark. But I like the physicality of vinyl, the fact that I'm not going to randomly skip tracks and listen to at least half an album before switching off. It's literally a more physical medium. And there's more room on an album cover art!

Brazilian rosewood might be a bit difficult to obtain these days, but it will be rosewood of some kind. And I hope, being as this whole project got started around the Weather Report pickups, that they'll be very good.

Glad it's inspired some GAS!! If you like envelope filters you'll like these. I was trying out envelope pedals to see which I liked best but each one did something different so now I have these two and the Fwonkbeta on my board!

Once the pups catch up with me and my heavy baggage in my new location I'll install them in my Squier jazz fretless with the resin fingerboard and post some clips. In the mean time I'm commissioning a jazz from my local luthier specially for the pickups. Not quite period correct for the Jaco thing but I quite fancy a '61 spec neck with a slab board and 1 7/16" nut.... and of course an epoxy finish on the board.

As it's a 'rather tasty looking Overwater' how about a pic!

Just looked up the Atomic Bass Box.... what the hell is a 'digital vacuum tube'?! Is that an iTube?!!

A TC Electronic Spectracomp is great if you're undecided as it's a cheap but powerful 3 band unit with loads of toneprints and you can use the tone editor if you want to go deeper. That way you can experiment with all types of settings to see if any compression types float your boat. Between the toneprints and the tone editor, if you can't find a setting you like then comp is not for you, but I'll bet you'll find something in there you'll want to keep even if it's to use as an effect rather than always on. I'm currently running two, one set up for bass guitar and another for EUB.

Sansamp VT di if you want straight SVT tones. TC Electronic Spectradrive if you want a pre with 4 band eq and toneprint compressor and drive circuits. Plus the latter makes a nice practice preamp as it has a headphone out and mini jack in.

I always thought the fretted Westone's were decent but the fretless versions were exceptional.

Well, I've bought the ones on reverb! Thanks for the tip.

Yep, I reckon that's a good enough reason to get them! Interestingly I emailed SD and they said the WR pups can be potted if I want but that it would reduce the upper harmonic response (not sure about the physics of how that works but I'll take their word for it). But yeah, I reckon these will be a good place to start for my Jaco bass.

I love the way the bass and guitar players stay well clear then just begin to pack up their gear. And luckily the drink on the bass combo didn't get knocked over.

Interesting... I shall do more research. I'll still get the WRs, even if I get something else as well, as I just like the idea behind them.

Well, I'm going to take the plunge on the pickups. Unfortunately Seymour Duncan state on their site that they do not ship to the EU due to WEEE regulations. Not sure if that applies to the UK now but I'll ask them. As the WR pickups are custom made to order, that makes it a bit more difficult if they don't ship but I'll persevere. The epoxy fingerboard will have to wait for a bit as I'm moving, to a different country, but once I'm settled in I'll get started on it. The move might help with getting the pickups delivered but I'm not sure SD ship to the country I'm going to either!

So, no experience of the Weather Report pickups then?!

A few years ago this was me, however something happened and the pedal thing snow balled. Now I try to limit myself to no more than 12 pedals for live playing.

Actually sold a Westone Thunder 1a here on BC the other week. Took about 4 months to get any interest and in the end it went for £200. Obviously buyers on FB have more taste than those on BC!

My first bass. Nearly 40 years old and still plays great, an awesome fretless which I'll never sell.