Ou7shined Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 I'm building this fretless P bass with a bit of a dark theme to it. In my limited experience with fretless' it seems to me that it is more about the mids than lows. Contrary to this observation, I was just wondering if this dark project of mine might benefit in any way from a neck-bucker or would it be a pointless inclusion? Whaddya think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 (edited) 3 words: don't do it I had a mock gibson les paul bass which I defretted and the neck pickup sounded like sh|te, name me one decent f/less bass with a neck bucker. Edited April 15, 2011 by Grand Wazoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Hmm... I'm not a fan of neck-buckers. They're not really 'middy' things to my ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbilly deluxe Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 I put an Epi mudbucker in the P position on my Italia,very middy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted April 16, 2011 Author Share Posted April 16, 2011 [quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='1201290' date='Apr 15 2011, 10:46 PM']3 words: don't do it I had a mock gibson les paul bass which I defretted and the neck pickup sounded like sh|te, [b]name me one decent f/less bass with a neck bucker[/b].[/quote] That's the thing. The majority of fretless' are based on standard production bases, most of which don't have neck buckers and the only examples of fretless' with neck buckers I can find (apart from defrets to EB0s, Kramers etc.) are custom made basses and they are few and far between.... which statistically is to be expected. Did your LP have an actual neck bucker or a HB in the standard position? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted April 16, 2011 Author Share Posted April 16, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='1201297' date='Apr 15 2011, 10:52 PM']Hmm... I'm not a fan of neck-buckers. They're not really 'middy' things to my ears.[/quote] The pup I'm considering for the job is a Schaller bassbucker (DiMarzio clone) which I have read is fairly middy rather than muddy so I might be ok after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted April 16, 2011 Author Share Posted April 16, 2011 [quote name='hillbilly deluxe' post='1201498' date='Apr 16 2011, 08:18 AM']I put an Epi mudbucker in the P position on my Italia,very middy.[/quote] Interesting. Was it far off the original Ps response in that position? What I'm dithering about is whether a fretless would benefit from a neck bucker, which as we know produces a more hollow sound. Who knows it might even start sounding like an upright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1201570' date='Apr 16 2011, 09:41 AM']That's the thing. The majority of fretless' are based on standard production bases, most of which don't have neck buckers and the only examples of fretless' with neck buckers I can find (apart from defrets to EB0s, Kramers etc.) are custom made basses and they are few and far between.... which statistically is to be expected. Did your LP have an actual neck bucker or a HB in the standard position?[/quote] Neck bucker and as if you are wondering it didn't sound anywhere near an upright, it was just gnaw gnaw with no note definition, it was so bad that you could fret an F on the E string on the first fret or a C on the A string and you couldn't tell the difference, take that to a band rehearsal and no one had a clue what was being played. I got so mad with it, I threw it in the log fire, that is a true story, it kept the house nice and warm for a whole evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mart Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 (edited) The darkest bass I have is the fretless version of this: [url="http://www.warwick.de/modules/produkte/produkt.php?submenuID=14667&katID=00000023933&cl=EN"]http://www.warwick.de/modules/produkte/pro...23933&cl=EN[/url] and the darkest setting is the neck-bucker solo'd. It's actually too dark for my tastes, so I usually leaven it with a bit of bridge single coil. Of course, the mahogany may also have something to do with this. But based on this, I'd say go for it. If you can get a splittable bucker, then what's to lose? Edit: having just re-read GW's post, I'd agree that it doesn't sound much like an upright. But I wouldn't say the sound was unusable. It's horse for courses, tho, innit! Edited April 16, 2011 by mart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbilly deluxe Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1201584' date='Apr 16 2011, 09:54 AM']Interesting. Was it far off the original Ps response in that position? What I'm dithering about is whether a fretless would benefit from a neck bucker, which as we know produces a more hollow sound. Who knows it might even start sounding like an upright.[/quote] The mudbucker in the P position is like a P pickup on steroids,coke and viagra.............before i fitted it in the P position,i tried it in the bridge position and the sound was still huge but brighter,it only went in the P position because i already had a rout for the soapbar pickup that is in there now. I have had basses with mudbuckers in the neck position,not fretless though,and can imagine that it would sound upright'ish. I must add that the Italia is a very bright sounding bass played acoustically. Edited April 16, 2011 by hillbilly deluxe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 (edited) It's worth mentioning that the most uprightish tone I've ever heard was a flat-strung J [i]with bridge pup solo'd[/i] and tone rolled back, plucked over the neck*. Go on.. try it... *© The Bass Doc Edited April 16, 2011 by wateroftyne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 If you use a roasted maple neck it'll be fine. Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted April 16, 2011 Author Share Posted April 16, 2011 [quote name='Truckstop' post='1201632' date='Apr 16 2011, 10:38 AM']If you use a roasted maple neck it'll be fine. Truckstop[/quote] It's not too late in the build to have a barbie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 In all seriousness though, I think you should go for it. I reckon a fretless P with [b]only[/b] a neck-bucker would look the wick! Who cares what it sound like! You'd have to make your own pickguard obviously, but you wouldnt have to worry about filling in the original pickup cavities so if it all goes wrong and it truly sounds awful, you can reverse everything innit. Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted April 16, 2011 Author Share Posted April 16, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='1201630' date='Apr 16 2011, 10:37 AM']It's worth mentioning that the most uprightish tone I've ever heard was a flat-strung J [i]with bridge pup solo'd[/i] and tone rolled back, plucked over the neck*. Go on.. try it... *© The Bass Doc[/quote] Yep I know where you're coming from. It's not part of the remit for this build to sound uprighty, I was just saying it might turn out that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbilly deluxe Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 You're only up the road pop down for a cuppa and try the Italia if you like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted April 16, 2011 Author Share Posted April 16, 2011 [quote name='hillbilly deluxe' post='1201682' date='Apr 16 2011, 11:19 AM']You're only up the road pop down for a cuppa and try the Italia if you like.[/quote] I'll give you a buzz the next time I'm passing through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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