BassApprentice

So first off was sorting out the superglue filled neck. The answer: Acetone. I used acetone to soften the glue then gently scraped it off the fretboard and profusely oiled the board to stop the acetone drying out the 'board. End of product below

Hello all, A while ago (April) I picked this up from a FB group for a bargain price. It's progressed a fair bit since I have got it but I thought I would start a build diary to show you all the process Safe to say the previous owner hadn't done a great job refinishing. With the addition of using superglue to fill the frets to make it 'fretless' I had a bit of work to do. My plan is to strip it down and swirl paint it black and gold....This could go one of two ways....

[quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1471199430' post='3111216'] Retrovibe do a T-Rod if you're after a split P type. [url="http://www.retrovibe.co.uk/t-rod/butterscotch-bass.html#"]http://www.retrovibe...otch-bass.html#[/url] Think there are a few basschatters with them? [/quote] I've contacted David at Retrovibe a few times and I know he is very active on a Rickenfakers FB group and is always willing to help and customise options on basses so maybe he can sort you out with your 51 P bass itch

Hi all, My Phil Jones Suitcase is not sounding quite right, as if one of the drivers is clipping or working too hard. I have been in touch with Synergy Distribution in Birmingham who do repairs but it would have to be couriered there and back from Scotland and the Suitcase isn't exactly light. Does anyone know of a Phil Jones repair centre closer to Scotland? Cheers!

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1463762257' post='3053942'] This is (roughly...) where the bridge should measure 43.2, hence the 'front' of the bridge at 41... Hope this helps; subject to completion, correction and/or contradiction from others. [/quote] Sorry I haven't been on in a while. This photo is great! Thanks very much. The consensus seems to be to move the bridge forward so I'll give that a go. Thanks all and I may be back with more questions!

Firstly, thanks for all your advice. I like to think I can set up an instrument but this is my first time putting one together and setting it up which is proving more challenging that I (naively) thought. I have another question. When measuring from the nut to the 12th fret, where do you measure to? The beginning or middle of the fret? If it is the middle do I need to move my bridge saddles to 42cm? Thanks again for your help

Hi All, So I am very close to finishing a P bass project and have some questions regarding scale length. I picked up an old P bass from a charity shop to use the body for this project and have replaced the bridge but I used the existing holes from the previous bridge, I then measured the scale length and it came in at 34.5". My question is: Does this really matter? Would the collective advise me to drill holes for the bridge half an inch up in order to have a 34" scale? I understand that a longer scale will increase the string tension and will change the "voice" of the instrument. Just looking for some advice, Cheers!

I've sent Wicked Coatings a message asking about guitar bodies and if they can do solid colours rather than the patterned "films" so we'll see what they say

How weird, I just started a topic on dipping a bass this afternoon too. Where did you get the stuff to hydro dip your bass from?

Haha you're probably right, it may not be as easy as it seems. Yeah it does seem a bit lucky dip *excuse the pun* Well it could be the finish you put on after but Humbrol do both gloss and matt finish enamel paints (which are recommended for doing this) but since it is going onto water I don't know if that affects the finish of the paint? I'm starting to think this might be a hit and hope scenario. Once I get the bits together I'll give it a go. Cheers all!

Hi all, I have a beat up old P Bass body lying around and want to bring it back in to use. I've seen people dipping guitars into swirl paint jobs and getting some pretty impressive results. It doesn't look too difficult to do and I would just want to do it with one colour, can you do that? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmSV2l6JFt0 Also I've noticed that all these guitars have a gloss finish, could you use a matt enamel paint and get the same result? Cheers guys!

Was playing a gig at a University union when I was about 16, and I had a shiny new wireless kit allowing me to roam around the stage. I got a bit over confident and decided to jump off the stage to join the crowd. At this point the receiver fell out of my bass, hit the floor sending the battery flying and cutting my bass out mid song....

And what do you know, should have checked the forum before typing that last post. One for sale for £95....*Runs and checks bank balance*

Cheers for the all the input guys! Fretmeister alerted me to someone selling a Billy Sheehan pedal for £90 but I was too slow so I think I'll wait and hope another passes by at that price. Don't think the Ashdown do quite what I want them to do but if one comes up cheap enough might just take a punt at it

Hi all I only recently found out about this pedal and I think it might be what I've been looking for for a while now. I really like the Drive/Clean blends and the separate loops for each channel. The only problem is the price, £165 is quite a lot for one pedal so I'm just seeing if there are any cheaper alternatives in the sea of effects pedals out there?? Or is it a case of saving my pennies to get the real deal? Cheers guys!

Thanks for all the advice folks, think I might try and source a cool rail and see how that goes! [quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1398536148' post='2435077'] I have a Bronco and the original strat pick up is a bit thin sounding, especially on the E string. I play reggae, so I need a really deep tone - can anyone recommend the best replacement? I am considering either the Brandoni Cool rail strat humbucker that Jean-Luc recommends, or this one on ebay - [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=161193407153"]http://cgi.ebay.co.u...em=161193407153[/url] PS Sorry for the slight topic hijack [/quote] That's quite alright Redstriper, best of luck finding a pickup!

Hi all After a recent flurry of gear selling my only back up bass is a Squier Musicmaster. I'm at university so I don't really want to have my G&L (my main bass, and pride and joy) sitting around my flat with the potential of something terrible happening to it so the Squier will be the bass I have to noodle around on. I've never really been happy with the tone I've got from the Vista tone pickup and I've heard good things about putting Dimarzio pickups in their place, specifically the Fast Track 2 [url="http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/strat/hum-canceling-strat/fast-track-2"]http://www.dimarzio....at/fast-track-2[/url] but they seem a bit harder to come by. I was also looking at the BC-2 [url="http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/strat/hum-canceling-strat/dimarzio-bc-2"]http://www.dimarzio....t/dimarzio-bc-2[/url] which has very similar output and Bass, Mid and Treble stats as the Fast Track 2. Would this work the same since it has similar balances? Or does anyone have any other recommendations for other replacements? Or would it be recommended to get the stock pickup to get rewound? Cheers!

[quote name='Emanew' timestamp='1386628145' post='2302504'] Did you check the WD music UK' site or the US site ? [/quote] Nailed it . For some reason I seemed to miss it on the UK site. Thanks!

Only place I've seen black anodized pickguards is on WD music and the shipping is the same as the pickguard itself! Any know where to get one in UK? Or anyone that could make one for me? Cheers guys!

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1386599436' post='2301964'] I did the same thing to a Tokai "Hard Puncher" P bass back in 1991 and it worked a treat. The bass is long gone however I currently own a BB714S and it is a top notch alternative to the Attitude (I had one of those too a few years ago).. [/quote] Ah cool! Did you have a jazz pickup too? Or just the woofer and P pickup in stereo?

Hello everyone So I have plan that may or may not work. I've always been a fan of Billy Sheehan's tone and while the most obvious way to get this tone is to go out and buy a Yamaha Attitude I played one a few years ago and it wasn't for me. I picked up a Squier P Bass body from eBay for £20 delivered so the plan is: Dimarzio Will Power or Model One in the neck position Dimarzio Will Power in the middle Then maybe a Jazz Pickup at the bridge (might not be feasible though) Not sure how the pickup selection process would go with 3 pickups without wiring it stereo.... I know this would require a lot of routing and I probably wouldn't do that myself but we'll see how it goes Any advice will be welcome along the way as this is my first full project! Cheers guys