hooky_lowdown

Pimped a Squier Bronco I got recently. Changed the tuners (elephant ears), bridge and added a hotrails, cream pickguard and pickup cover - to be extra pimpy!!! Super fun to play, the neck is very comfortable and fast. Gets big and thumpy. Depending on the amp can get a nice 60s p tone thump, but it can also dig in and growl when I want it to. Think my full scales may be taking a back seat for a while.

Its all personal taste, but I just don't like glossy finishes as I lean more towards vintage aesthetics. I'm looking to lessen the shinny finish of a black glossy p body - not make it satin or fully matte. I don't want to go the 0000 steel wool or 2000 grit sanding route as both will leave fine marks and I'd like a perfect even finish. So I'm thinking of using some matte clear spray paint, and spray directly on top of the glossy finish, doing a few thin layers to get a consistent finish. Has anyone done this, and moreover, would this work - matte paint adhering to gloss?

Are there any brands of flatwounds available in UK which don’t have silk at both ends? It’s a personal taste thing.

Unfortunately I don’t have the tools to drill out the nails, and I have fairly basic diy skills. The metal strips join on the bottom of the amp, so I could carefully lever the nails fixing the metal strip along the bottom upwards, allowing me to lift the metal strip up, which should allow me enough space to slide the mdf panel with tolex out. But because of the age of the metal it may simply snap or break if I try bending it etc. So I’ve decided to cut out the current tolex covering the speaker, and use extra strong double sided tape to attach some new material on top of the mdf panel. Not an ideal solution, but one which should work!

Thanks Norris - you are right, took the black plastic strip off and metal is indeed nailed down with lots of headless nails. Impossible to get off without causing lots of damage.

Picked up a naff little 70s or 80s bass combo. I want to replace the tolex, but found when I removed the screws on the front, that the tolex is stuck to a thick piece of mdf, and that the silver metal strips down both sides prevents me from lifting the mdf panel straight out. The back of the combo is totally enclosed (no screws), and there are no screws fixing the metal strips to the amp. The sides of the amp are solid and I can't see a way of removing one side to get the mdf panel with the tolex out. Any idea's how I can remove one side or get the tolex/mdf panel out?

Found this which lists nearly all brand names... https://drowninginguitars.com/2012/02/12/1960s-japanese-guitar-brand-name-game/amp/

I’ve got gas for a cheap 60s mij full scale bass. I’ve been unable to replicate that 60s sound with my gear, so looking for a NBD. I know about brands like Teisco and Guyatone, but what other brand names are there? I’ve seen lots of short scale basses - but I’m looking for a full scale.

Burns Bison with the famous Tri-Sonic pups. Great bass, with the 3 pups I could get rick, p, jazz, musicman and upright sounds, all of which sounded great. Just didn’t like the weight.

My biggest regret was parting with my CIJ 62 reissue P, red with cream pickguard - played and sounded amazing.

+1 about premium strings. I put a used set of D’Addario Chromes on my pb50 and it sounds really great. Lots of vintage, fat sounding goodness.

I’ve noticed bass prices across the board have increased substantially. I see used basses selling on eBay for more than what they cost to buy new. Crazy! Seems people think everything on sites like eBay etc are cheaper than buying new.

Also had a third party neck (Fender spec) and fitted perfectly in HB neck pocket.

I’ve had two different HB p basses and both had standard Fender / Squier neck size pockets. So guess any Fender spec neck will fit HB basses.

So I put a jazz neck on my p bass - totally works. Tone seems little affected, still deep and fat. Happy days.

La Bellas or Thomastik will give the fat Motown sound. If you want a little more of a Rock tone then D’Addario Chromes would be the way to go.

I’ve been thinking of putting a jazz neck on my HB PB50, because the single coil pup has a fast attack I thought having a thin jazz neck would be super fun to play. I know the tone will change slightly, but has anyone done this?

HB stopped using the Wilkinson pups because manufacturing switched to China and quality control became hit and miss, hence use of Roswell pups. The Roswell pup used in the pb50 retail at £40!

+1 for flats. Rounds if you want a modern sound. Flats if you want vintage. Although I’ve read old rounds can sound like flats and won’t need replacing - like flats.

What are the pros of the Henning over the Roswell?