bigjohn

Those '52 look a like Telecasters are made in Korea. The lite ash series. All go for decent money (80-90% of RRP) used on ebay so that's a good sign...

looks like a highway one.

[quote name='Geek99' post='307172' date='Oct 15 2008, 03:51 PM']What capacitor would I change it for ? I presume I can buy them from Maplins - they're not special in some way? Tone control doesnt seem to do very much anyway.[/quote] There are loads of capacitors out there. Swapping out stock caps for higher quality ones certainly has improved the tone and range of tones I can get out of the two basses I've done it to.

[quote name='Thunderhead' post='307124' date='Oct 15 2008, 02:42 PM']Personally I've never thought the pickups and wiring were the strong point of the Fender Japan instruments, on any model - the woodwork is excellent, the hardware is good, but the electronics are average at best. I would replace the whole lot with proper US-quality parts - Duncan or Fender US Reissue pickups, CTS pots and a Switchcraft jack (yes, everything). The pots and jack are available as Fender spares if you can't find them anywhere else, although they're expensive that way. That will give you a much better tone as well as probably curing the noise problem.[/quote] I've never owned a japanese fender but I can vouch for changing electrics. I've changed my mexican P (which had US electrics in it) for a 62 reissue pickup and new pots and jack. I also put in a cornell-dubilier oil and paper capacitor. It's made a massive difference to the tone(s) it produces. It sounds miles better than any stock P I've played. US's included.

[quote name='Geek99' post='307066' date='Oct 15 2008, 01:36 PM']I have a japan 62 RI jazz that as far as I know is stock. its really noisy, I know single coils are a bit prone but surely not this much. The two pickup volume pots seem to affect each other. With the neck on full, its noisy then adding the bridge removes that to an extent until that gets to full volume then its gets noisy again. The earth wire to the bridge is in place - I know it isnt the amp or cable as my ray copy isnt noisy using the same setup. I know I could get some shielding paint from Maplins - apart from that, any suggestions? Using my Zoom b2.1 NR function at setting 9 kills the noise. My ray only needs 3 to make it silent.[/quote] I'd expect the two volume pots to effect the noise seeing as they're single coils. It's a bit suspect that it's noisy with them both full up though. I'd shield it anyway. And whilst you're in there check out the wiring and soldering. If it still hums I'd change the capacitors. Also - I know this sounds silly but do you have a specific spot where you practice - I moved where I played in the house after getting a lot of hum through a bridge j bass pickup on my p/j - must have been wires in the wall...

I had a weird amp when I first started out. It was a some kind of solid state thing made in someone's garage in Southport called a "Sperrin" (Jim Sperrin was the fella's name). I got it with a huge 20" bass bin as a speaker and it sounded brilliant. Only problem with it was it hardly ever worked if you moved it - which was sh*t for gigs

[quote name='skelf' post='294778' date='Sep 29 2008, 06:19 PM']If you are use a pre-cat lacquer you must wear a suitable mask one suit to organic vapours. It has numerous carcinogenic compounds in it while spraying and drying.[/quote] will do! [quote name='Muppet' post='294807' date='Sep 29 2008, 07:06 PM']I've done this a few times. MM P bass necks are already sealed and briefly lacquered although they don't look like it. I mask off the entire fretboard and concentrate on the back of the neck and the headstock, unless you are going for a different tint of lacquer. Always wear a mask. The headstock finish is ok to apply a decal straight on to. When you do this, allow the decal to dry OVERNIGHT and VERY LIGHTLY dust the headstock with lacquer the next day. Then wait a few hours and dust again. Too much lacquer at this stage will pickle the decal and you'll have to start again. Then you can apply light coats to both the neck and the headstock. I usually suspend the neck by a wire coathanger from the ceiling of my garage. Wait plenty of time between coats - hours or even a full day if you can. I apply at least six coats if not more. If you ever apply a coat and it looks wet, then you've applied to much and it might run. If it runs, your only course of action is to wait until it dries and sand it out. Once you have applied your final coat, wait. A week. Two if you can. This is because although lacquer appears dry, it is still soft under the outer coat and needs time to cure. When it's cured, time to get out the wire wool and very fine wet and dry paper and sand down the neck LIGHTLY till it is smooth but be careful on the headstock that you don't rub all the way down to the new decal. This will produce a matt finish, which is OK. If you want it shiny then some car polish or t cut carefully applied will bring it up a treat. I actually use Autosol, though quite sparingly. Remember that the layer under the one you are smoothing out will be softer, so go carefully.[/quote] I'm after a satin finish - and I'm not sure how much of the lacquer I've removed whilst sadning out dings and dirt - it was 2nd hand. Great advice about the coathanger though... My garage will be good for it I reckon - it's got a door at either end so I should get some good ventillation. [quote name='Mikey R' post='294767' date='Sep 29 2008, 06:09 PM']Youre in trouble - it says on the website "Pre-Cat Lacquer Satin - 369g" - you wont be able to use it on the mog Just out of interest, did you consider a water based brush on laquer, like [url="http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Chestnut-Acrylic-Lacquer-19769.htm"]http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Chestnu...cquer-19769.htm[/url] Ive also been eyeing up this [url="http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Polyvine-Wax-Finish-Varnish-715653.htm"]http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Polyvin...nish-715653.htm[/url] - will have to give it a try on some scrap[/quote] Should work well on sabre-tooth tigers then? Not really considered a brush on - thought I'd get a finish with an aerosol...

I wanted to be in a band. I could "sort of" play drums and "sort of" guitar but knew people that were better then me at both. I bought a bass and we formed a band. That was 17 ago. Wasn't in another band until 2-3 years ago. I moved to Nottingham and thought it would be a good way to meet good people... How wrong I was

[quote name='mike257' post='302667' date='Oct 9 2008, 12:19 AM']I can't vouch for it first hand, but a frined of mine just picked up a MIM Classic 70's Jazz and loves it. His live tone with it was pretty good too, really clear top end.[/quote] I played one in a shop in Paris. It really was a lovely, lovely bass. The neck felt fantastic and I usually much prefer precision necks to jazz ones. I'd buy one over an american standard jazz everyday of the week.

Aye, that stingray looks a right bargain.

I've got a old Marshall JCM800 running into 2 Acme Low b2s - (Cheers Alex!) As long as I don't max out the marshall - which results in some WOW overdrive I can get a lovely creamy 70s sound out of it. Very Young / Dylan / Band. Esp with my precision which has a 62 pickup / electronics in it and thomastik flatwounds. Newer cabs can be a bit hifi - but to be honest that's what I like about my rig - I get the sound I create with the bass and the amp being faithfully reproduced by the cabs.

[quote name='BOD2' post='301439' date='Oct 7 2008, 03:30 PM']It could be that the resistance track on the pot isn't quite perfect (although probably within manufacturing tolerances). The only way to check this would be to put an ohm meter across the pot contacts and check the resistance at various points. With the meter across the two outer contacts you should get a reading of the full resistance of the pot of around 250k. With one meter probe on the centre contact and the other on one of the outer contacts you should see the resitance change as you sweep the control. The fact that the volume tails off early doesn't mean that the pot range has "shifted" at all - it's might just mean the the pot resistance reaches near maximum a little earlier than it should. With the volume control on "full" the pot is actually "bypassed" and it's resistance is not relevant. As you turn the volume down you introduce the resistance into the circuit.[/quote] Ah nice one. So long as I'm not doing myself out of output I can live with the volume being zero a little early. Thanks for the test though. I might have a play with it next time I've got it open. Cheers John

GOOD I like to play bass I like to drink BAD (esp for my neighbours) I like to drink & play bass

[quote name='neepheid' post='301351' date='Oct 7 2008, 02:10 PM']Did you use a linear or a log (audio) taper pot? A linear pot will not seem like a uniform adjustment in volume whereas a log pot will.[/quote] Both vol and tone are CTS 250k vintage back split shaft audio pots. I got them from Allparts and they only do audio pots with vintage backs. Weirdly enough, they also only do split shaft vintage backed pots too when I would have thought a solid shaft would be more "vintage" ( I know CTS make em as these were the ones I replaced). I was going to use a linear pot for the tone but they don't do em with a vintage back anyway... Anyway I digress... It's not like it's all or nothing with the volume, it's just that it hits "zero" before you stop turning the knob off, there's about another 10-15% of turn where the pot has no effect.

Hi, I've just replaced the electronics in a p bass for the first time. Well - actually for the second, but the first didn't count It sounds great. My one complaint is that the volume pot still has a bit of turn left after the volume is completely down. I actually don't mind this really - but... Does this mean that I'm missing some of the turn of the pot and cutting out some of the output when the pot is turned full up? Is the solder in the right place? Cheers for any advice. John

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='294690' date='Sep 29 2008, 05:16 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280272150053"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=280272150053[/url] I consider myself a person who puts ridiculous lowball bids on instruments "just in case I get a bargain some day", but bidder 1 here bid £1.50 for a six string bass. I wonder what they were thinking. Bidder 2 not much better at £13.[/quote] £13.50 and not a penny more...

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='290026' date='Sep 23 2008, 02:57 PM']I am definitely up for this! More than happy to leave my bits uncovered when leaving the shower also. Where do I sign?[/quote] Do you have a smooth pussy?

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='289956' date='Sep 23 2008, 01:44 PM']Lacquer the cat first, this will not only prevent shedding, but also give you a challenging practice run. Leave it in a cool place to harden, as the cat will be attracted to a warm place.[/quote] Genius. Beats finding a taxidermist.

it's one piece maple. Aye, my house has a cat in. A long haired cat too. I'll probably do it out in the carport / garage bit to be honest and lock the critter in.

Hiya, I might have a go at getting my project back on this weekend. The first thing I'm doing is fitting (filling holes and drilling new ones for) new tuning heads. After which I shall be applying a new headstock decal, and then lacquering a mighty mite maple p bass neck. I'm thinking about using some [url="http://www.behlen.co.uk/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=B103-021&Category_Code=AEROS"]behlen[/url] aerosol lacquer. Anyone got any tips to get an even application with no cat hairs etc? Should I apply the lacquer and then wire wool it off the frets for instance? John

We did a gig on Sunday with no drummer. I found practising the songs on my own with no backing track at all was good. At rehearsal I found there were bits in songs that I was relying on drums, either as cues or parts where I was playing around the drums, obviously those are the bits that needed a bit of rework. It also helped listening to demos with no drums on. But then, these are newish original songs which I don't know quite as well as should! On the plus side I really enjoyed it and will definitely do it again. Much less hassle doing a gig without a drummer

I've got a JCM800 bass series head. It's quite hard to get a clean sound out of it. But then, I don't really go looking for it. I sometimes use an overdrive pedal to overdrive the overdrive