Anyone got any history on Encores?

[allighatt0r]

What you've got there is wood, that's for sure.

[dlloyd]

[quote name='Immo' timestamp='1386022645' post='2294841']
Here's the wood grain in neck cavity of my Encore P-Bass, not sure what is it:

[/quote]

It could indeed be black limba, which bizarrely is quite a sought after wood... Might look awesome stripped, but then it might look horrible...

Alternatively the notion that they used black limba/korina may just be a rumour started when someone popped the neck off and tried to identify the wood. Korina may just have been the closest visual match, and Encore/Sunn just used a local cheap Indian wood that doesn't appear on charts of tonewoods.

Looking at Kadoogan's bass, they obviously used some sort of ash/alder for some of their basses.

Edited December 3, 2013 by dlloyd

[Immo]

G string tuner has a loose "butterfly" part - it rattles when the bass is played. The bridge is misaligned with the neck (almost 1cm to the right, if placed upright), so G string tends to "escape" from the fretboard - thus, I'm not playing the bass as for now. But when I played it with a shirt tied around the headstock (to prevent the rattle), it sounded nice, like a pedigree P-Bass. I'll try to remove some lacquer from the PU cavity to check the state of wood underneath. If it'll look as cool as the neck cavity, I'll consider stripping down the boring lacquer and putting on some nice, transparent colour. Right now I'm thinking Transparent Orange.

[Bloodaxe]

**Might** be Nato (or Nyatoh). My Aria TSB-400 is, according to the catalogue, made out of it & where it's been exposed by buckle rash looks similar to yours.

More info & this pic here: [url="http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/nyatoh/"]http://www.wood-data...rdwoods/nyatoh/[/url]



Mine's more of a sandy brown though, kind of like Iroko, which can also have a quite coarse and open interlocked grain & long pores. As the name seems to be local vernacular for a multitude of different species & sub-species, I'd expect a lot of variations in colour & grain. I've also heard it called 'Indonesian Mahogany'.

Weighs a ton, handy if you have any old ocean liners that might blow away in a light hurricane.

P.

[Immo]

As I promised, here's my new build diary for the Encore project:
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/223971-immo-custom-shopencore-twinsplit-p-bass/"]LINK[/url]

[Greggo]

I wonder if these Indian Encores are better than the newer blaster series with the Wilkinson pickups?

Pre Wilkinson encores may be more sought after following this thread!

[Immo]

Mine's gonna be [s]fixed[/s] modified soon, so I'll leave you guys with "sought after" Encores with my "Custom Shop" one.

[Greggo]

I'm having serious GAS for an Encore p-bass! Saw one in a random bric - a brac shop near where I work today , in sunburst and I had a play. This was a fine example of an Encore bass if ever there was one - mint condition, unsure of the era or year, but was pre-Wilkinson I think. Although the headstock looks similar to the latest shape.

The neck believe it or not was just lovely. Very smooth and the grain on maple was very nice,and the bridge looked really substantial, and not a typical cheap bridge. Definitely needs a tweak of the rod to correct relief but seriously considering making an offer. Price is a bit high for an Encore, (although arguably the way it plays probably worth it) but may see if he'll swap it for a an acoustic.

Plugged in it it does exactly what it says on the tin (albeit through the small practice amp the guy had in!).

[Greggo]

Does anyone know what era each headstock represents? Eg the latest shape when did they start using that? I think when I had mine it looked more like a Fender style one.

[Immo]

[quote name='Greggo' timestamp='1386441825' post='2300240']
Does anyone know what era each headstock represents? Eg the latest shape when did they start using that? I think when I had mine it looked more like a Fender style one.
[/quote]
Fender style ones were the earliest, made in India. They had another typical feature - square, boxy string trees instead of the disc shaped ones.
I don't care too much about later generations, but I believe those made by Vintage have similar headstock shape that Vintages have.

[Greggo]

[quote name='Immo' timestamp='1386495381' post='2300579']

Fender style ones were the earliest, made in India. They had another typical feature - square, boxy string trees instead of the disc shaped ones.
I don't care too much about later generations, but I believe those made by Vintage have similar headstock shape that Vintages have.
[/quote]

Cool, the one in this shop must have been a pre Wilkinson put post Indian era. Still it was lovely though, everything tightly screwed in and nice finish on neck

[Immo]

On Polish bass forum some commented my effords about my bass. One particular guy said his buddy had an early Encore and he equipped it with a bridge humbucker (MM style). He said that was a killer bass. So let's summarize early Encores - nearly every one agrees, that they:
- are heavy
- have a good sound which sits tight in the mix
- have quite comfy necks
- have a decent quality for the price

I love when cheapo instruments turn out to be a really good players.

[Greggo]

I agree with all that definitely. I remember when I got my replacement to my Encore, (a 1988 5 string Yamaha RBX series) thinking that even though it was technically a better bass it didn't seem to sound as good recorded and it took me a long time to get a workable recording tone from it.

True, this bass went on to become my workhorse bass for the next 12 years but listening back to the early recordings using the Encore, this is a clear winner.

I think I'm going to try source the same era encore if I can (for nostalgic purposes!) I'm sure plenty of charity shops around the country should have one kicking about!

[Grreth]

I've recently bought a Sunn Mustang and it's almost identical to Immo's Encore. Same colour, headstock, pick-up, inaccessible truss rod, string-tree. The only difference is the name on the head stock, SUNN Mustang and a little 'Made in Ind a' (missing the second 'i' for for some reason). I have also tarted it up a bit and discovered that same wood type in the neck pocket. Must be the same factory! I'm searching for a SUNN Mustang FMIC now as I've become totally obsessed by this stuff. I've paid thousands for basses over the years and am so, so excited about my £40 Sunn, it's ridiculous! I always viewed Encore as a piece of rubbish but my head has now been turned!

Edited December 30, 2013 by Grreth

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='Immo' timestamp='1386508708' post='2300808']
- are heavy
- have a good sound which sits tight in the mix
- have quite comfy necks
- have a decent quality for the price
[/quote]
All the above apart from the neck. Mine had the thickest neck i've ever seen on a bass. It was not only chunky in width but also in depth. A strange beast indeed.

[Immo]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1388441442' post='2322129']
All the above apart from the neck. Mine had the thickest neck i've ever seen on a bass. It was not only chunky in width but also in depth. A strange beast indeed.
[/quote]
Neck's a matter of preference. Most Jazz vs. P-Bass arguments I witnessed were about the neck comfort. I like P, dislike J

[BetaFunk]

[size=3][b]
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?app=forums&module=forums&section=findpost&pid=2322129"][/url]BetaFunk, on 30 December 2013 - 10:10 PM, said:[/b][/size][size=3]

All the above apart from the neck. Mine had the thickest neck i've ever seen on a bass. It was not only chunky in width but also in depth. A strange beast indeed.[/size]

[quote name='Immo' timestamp='1388665644' post='2324474']
Neck's a matter of preference. Most Jazz vs. P-Bass arguments I witnessed were about the neck comfort. I like P, dislike J
[/quote]
Of course it's a matter of preference but i think that you've missed my point. The neck on my 1990s Encore was much thicker and like no P Bass i've ever seen or played.

[Immo]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1388667629' post='2324509']

[size=3][b][url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?app=forums&module=forums&section=findpost&pid=2322129"][/url]BetaFunk, on 30 December 2013 - 10:10 PM, said:[/b][/size]

[size=3]All the above apart from the neck. Mine had the thickest neck i've ever seen on a bass. It was not only chunky in width but also in depth. A strange beast indeed.[/size]


Of course it's a matter of preference but i think that you've missed my point. The neck on my 1990s Encore was much thicker and like no P Bass i've ever seen or played.
[/quote]
OK, right. But that's weird, mine is just fine, 8/10 in terms of comfort, while regular Mex P-Bass I'd consider to be 7/10. I'm mainly a fan of Japanese Fender P-Bass necks (I have a 90's '57 RI and Sting Bass necks and both are the most comfy necks ever - 10/10). So, considering that the same model bass should have similar (if not identical) parameters, that's why I said it's probably based on preference

[Sibob]

Yeah my first ever bass was the pearl white 90's Encore Precision, with the old Fender-esque headstock, rosewood fingerboard, white scratch-plate, creme pickup covers. Actually a great bass, I had it routed to take a J pickup a few years back and the Luthier confirmed it was Basswood. Did it up and sold it on here, so might still be kicking about . Here's how it ended up, just the body, scratchplate, knobs and bridge remained original:


'Mods' are Dimazrio pickups, Gotoh tuners, Allparts Jazz neck with late 70's Fender Decal

Si

[Immo]

Sorry for resurecting an 4 years old dead thread, but I just found an ad with an Made in India Encore (early '90s) that was strippe d and  finished in natural, so I was immediately reminded of this thread here:

Definitely resembles korina.

[dlloyd]

Well. I'd paint that.

[Immo]

7 minutes ago, dlloyd said:

Well. I'd paint that.

Rear is a bit ugly, yet quite, uh, "rural" in appearance. The front is pretty and unusual, I like it.

[Planemo]

Gotta love the Encores! I got a 'kit' for an Xmas pressie, must have been 15 to 20 years ago. I think it was about £120 for the lot inc a little practice amp, all of which I still have to this day. Amazing value. Action was really high when supplied but a little diy work on the nut, a neck shim and general setup now has it at stock Fender specs of 2.4mm on the E at the 17th. The neck and frets in general are actually very good. Plays really nice and honestly I cant fault it. It's perfectly capable of punching out some decent tone even on the supplied (10w?) amp and the only gripe I could mention is that it neck dives a bit which is why I prefer playing my headless. No markings that I can see, only the text 'A John Hornsby Skewes Product' under the Encore logo. Overall though, its the best money I could think of spending on a bass. I think the kits are now around £200 but have no idea if the quality is the same, worse or possibly even better.

For not a lot of money and just for appearance, I swopped out all the chrome hardware for black, and vinyl wrapped the pickguard in 3M carbon. The headstock now sticks out a bit much for my liking so I think I will wrap the face in 3M as well. I am also thinking of putting flats on it out of curiosity.

[Deedee]

I played a black/rosewood Encore P throughout the nineties, mainly through a Peavey TNT and it was great. Played great and sounded great. If I was to go back now I may have a different view given 20 odd years experience of playing other basses but at the time they did the job perfectly well (and that’s before I knew how easy it was to purchase a solderless loom and change a pickup) 😁

EDIT - Sorry just realised this input adds absolutely nothing to the OP’s question 😞

Edited December 20, 2018 by Deedee
I am shamed 😞

[Marvin]

I'm not being silly or anything, but the Encore P basses I've played have all been dire. They might well be much newer ones as I note most have said their good experiences were with heavy Encores, the ones I've played were all very very light.

They sounded ok, but apart from that everything was awful.