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RetroVIBE basses - I don't need one but...


mcnach
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[quote name='apa' timestamp='1348062933' post='1808710']
visa vie the pickups: Is it in effect a Jazz + MM set up? Im interested on the mix of those if it is :D

A
[/quote]


Not really, The J type is a lot closer to the neck than it would be in a Jazz or usual MM/J types. I've always found them a bit difficult to balance as the MM tends to overpower the J, but it's a good sound. A bit like the MM with a bit of midscoop and the extra overtones from the neck pickup at that position.

The Cort GB74 is more of a Jazz+MM, although in that case the MM is a lot closer to the bridge than on a Stingray, making it essentially a "fat Jazz".

But if you're making your own bass, you can make it anything you like! ;-)

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[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1348064029' post='1808737']
Not really, The J type is a lot closer to the neck than it would be in a Jazz or usual MM/J types. I've always found them a bit difficult to balance as the MM tends to overpower the J, but it's a good sound. A bit like the MM with a bit of midscoop and the extra overtones from the neck pickup at that position.

The Cort GB74 is more of a Jazz+MM, although in that case the MM is a lot closer to the bridge than on a Stingray, making it essentially a "fat Jazz".

But if you're making your own bass, you can make it anything you like! ;-)
[/quote]

But they are in effect a single coil at the neck and a humbucker at the bridge?

A

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I like your pickguard more than the stock one. I'm skeptical about neck pickups on basses, if I was making a new pickguard for this bass I would rout both body & pickguard for the Jazz pickup to the edge of the guard so it will be closer to the MM pickup. I'm guessing it would be more useful and closer to a stock Jazz.

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[quote name='apa' timestamp='1348067412' post='1808814']
But they are in effect a single coil at the neck and a humbucker at the bridge?

A
[/quote]


Yes.
But... location location location. Move a MM pickup closer to the bridge and you lose any resemblance you may have had before to a Stingray and it becomes more "fat Jazz". MOve the J pickup closer to the neck and... it sounds like a J closer to the neck, not like a Jazz neck pickup, if you see what I mean.

But they can be blended in together, yes, if that's what you were concerned about.

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[quote name='Kostas' timestamp='1348077315' post='1809004']
I like your pickguard more than the stock one. I'm skeptical about neck pickups on basses, if I was making a new pickguard for this bass I would rout both body & pickguard for the Jazz pickup to the edge of the guard so it will be closer to the MM pickup. I'm guessing it would be more useful and closer to a stock Jazz.
[/quote]

and that was indeed something I thought of... afterwards :)
It would also move the neck pickup out of the way when I slap.

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[quote name='tommorichards' timestamp='1348084093' post='1809145']
what about coil splitting the MM pickup? or is that already on the cards.....
[/quote]

I have that on my Cort GB74... and to be honest I don't care for it. If I have a switch, I will play with it, and ultimately distract me :lol:.
I prefer to make a decision: series or parallel, and stick with it.

Edited by mcnach
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  • 3 weeks later...

Finally I had time to try the bass at rehearsal.

I have not changed the electronics yet [1], so it's all stock. Overall: really good, actually. I'm liking that bridge MM humbucker a lot. It's very powerful, fat, meaty, with good definition.
However, I really do not like the neck pickup. Not sure whether it's due to the pickup itself or its position, or both! But I don't care for it. I ended up screwing it down into the body until it's nearly flush with the pickguard. That way it does not get in the way, and it's better to slap (for me).

It does not sound too Stingrayish, not even like the SUB I have, with the pickup wired in series. It has its own sound, which is nice, as I don't necesarily want two basses that sound the same.

Definitely a one-pickup bass for me. I was thinking of having a red pickguard made, now that I have a good template... I may just do it without a neck pickup entirely, or perhaps move it closer to the bridge. Regardless, I like this bass a lot. Glad I bought it. One of these days I'll rub some very very very fine steel wool on the neck and put some Tru-oil, so that it loses that "raw" quality it has.

[1] electronics... well, passive sounds quite good. Tone open, it sounds bright, crispy yet deep. Tone closed, nice fat reggae tones.
I thought of putting a preamp in here. I bought a John East MMSR (Stingray) preamp off another BC member, but it arrived damaged :( So I'm waiting to sort this out. I have a 3-band Seymour Duncan preamp, but I really like the MMSR, with the midsweep...
Yes, it's a cheap(ish) kind of bass. But it deserves it. :)

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[quote name='S9_S12_Bass' timestamp='1349976173' post='1833045']
Glad to see its going well, I've never been a fan of neck pups always sound too thin to me

Would be interesting to hear this. Have you got any recordings with it at all?
[/quote]


No, no recordings. I'll probably record some rehearsals soon, but it would be a Zoom H2 picking up the ambient sound... so not exactly ideal to judge how a bass sounds.

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I got the steel wool and the TruOil out today.

I only spent a few minutes with it... and I'm very pleasantly surprised at what a little oil does for looks!
I only used the very fine steel wool on the back of the neck to smoothen it a little and remove the slightly coarse feeling it had, that "raw" feeling. Seriously, about 5min it's all it took. Wiped it all off, and it felt noticeable better. Then the oil. It looks nice, darkening the wood a tiny bit. I'll apply a couple more coats tomorrow and let it dry properly, then buff it. I need to apply some to the fretboard too, but that will have to wait until I change the strings.

I have no neck pickup anymore. I have plans for a drastic look change, and I'm going to go with a single humbucker (for now, I might bring back the neck pickup in the future, at a new location closer to the bridge). So to force me to act, I cut all the wires and removed the pickup. :lol:

watch this space...

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[quote name='tommorichards' timestamp='1350506749' post='1839936']
2 things.

What oil?

And why not a ricky neck pickup?
[/quote]

Casey's TruOil. It's what MusicMan recommends for the Stingray so I bought some a while ago.

Why not a Ricky neck pickup? Because... I don't particularly like Ricks (even if I were able to find a pickup!) and also I'm not a big fan of neck pickups.
I know, I know, this way I'm just getting another slight variation of the Stingray... but what can I do? I'm stuck in Stingrayland :P

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

[quote name='MarkG' timestamp='1357507088' post='1923828']
Hi,
Just flicked through your progress with the Vantage as I've got a white one. You do seem to have been unlucky with the bridge p/u routing as it's a very snug fit on mine. Anyway, it's kept you busy!
[/quote]

That's what David at ProBass said, that it was unusual for me to have that issue... so I guess I was the lucky one... Strange, as I'd have imagined these basses were routed using the very same jigs!
Anyway, yes, it's kept me busy. :)
Part of me still wants a blue or a white one... greedy, I know! :lol: Nah, I think I will stay with the one. I already have more basses than I need. (as if that could stop me! :P)

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The Vantage was only the second bass I've ever bought. Had a '76 Precision ever since 1979. Then in the summer I saw the sea foam green Precision Bass Special in Merchant City Music in Glasgow and just had to buy it there and then. It's very nice, but has probably started a bass buying addiction!

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  • 2 months later...

and this thing is not yet done! :lol:

But we are getting there.
An aluminium control plate (thanks soooo much, apa! B) ) arrived today. I need to choose the layout carefully and drill the holes... but it's going to look something like this (knobs may be different)

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