Si600 Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 [quote name='Sean' timestamp='1350142760' post='1835118'] There's a fab motorbike thread [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/17518-so-who-rides-motorbikes-then/page__pid__1765003__st__780#entry1765003"]here[/url] and I've just put up some new pics. Let's see your Aprilia on it. [/quote] I'm on page 38 [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/17518-so-who-rides-motorbikes-then/page__st__740__p__1737418#entry1737418"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/17518-so-who-rides-motorbikes-then/page__st__740__p__1737418#entry1737418[/url] We were doing stuff in the garden on Saturday and I looked it over with a view to having a play if Sunday was nice, which it was. It's got a flat rear tyre, so no playtime It did mean that I had more time for working in the garden on Sunday which meant I got to use my chainsaw so all was not completely lost Anyway, back to painting basses... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted October 26, 2012 Author Share Posted October 26, 2012 (edited) I've always loved Sea Foam Green and I've always really fancied Rich's Pingray and the whole concept of getting a P pickup on a bass that has the MM pickup in Leo's sweet spot. I love BBs too and I managed to find one that was good enough to convert and also that needed enough loving care that I wouldn't want to keep it as is. So what we have here is the recipe for a bass that could turn out to be one of my all time favourites but [i]many a slip twix cup and lip[/i] as they say. This BB has got a bit of interesting figuring on the neck. The profile of the neck is different from my BB400S, same width but less chunky and it feels faster overall. The bass weighs in at 9.0lbs. In its current state it's set up beautifully with a nice low action and no buzzing and it intonates really nicely too. It sounds like a BB should, it's like a Precision but a bit a tiny bit tighter because of the reverse position of the P pickup. The frets are nice on this bass, very neat and look like they've been dressed at some point. Compared to my 400S this is a nicer neck. Here's the bass photographed today before any work begins: Edited October 26, 2012 by Sean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 nice bass... where did you get that? would look good if you had a hardcase built for it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted October 26, 2012 Author Share Posted October 26, 2012 (edited) Here are some of the ingredients that are going into this recipe: [b]Schaller machine heads[/b] - Look the same as the Gotoh GB1 (standard fit on BB2024x) but was in stock and a few quid less [b]Gotoh-alike bridge[/b] - got one on my BB415, other than the logo it's identical to the Gotoh [b]MEC MM ceramic pickup[/b] - going on reputation, never actually heard one [b]DiMarzio DP127[/b] monster humbucker P pickup - these are bonkers [b]John East MMSR preamp, 3 band/3 knob[/b] - I've had loads of John's products over the years and have always found it good stuff plus his customer support is outstanding. I've got a Hipshot string retainer on the way too - I like the look of them and have them on my BB415. Edited October 26, 2012 by Sean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted October 26, 2012 Author Share Posted October 26, 2012 [quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1351269427' post='1849566'] nice bass... where did you get that? would look good if you had a hardcase built for it.... [/quote] Some bloke on a forum, can't remember which one or who he was I reckon it would need a really mojoed original Yamaha case to give it the right authentic look. I'll never find one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted October 26, 2012 Author Share Posted October 26, 2012 Dismantled... [IMG]http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/PhoneyPoney/P1050141.jpg[/IMG] Stripping the body tomorrow. Will also be cracking on with the Sonic Blue BB400S project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 surprised about the change in tuners. I always liked the yamaha 'hearts' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 pmd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Subscribed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted October 26, 2012 Author Share Posted October 26, 2012 [quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1351273956' post='1849643'] surprised about the change in tuners. I always liked the yamaha 'hearts' [/quote] Well, I've got a spare set in case the Schallers don't work out but this is destined to be an uber-bass and I want everything just perfect. Btw and FYI, the bridge on the Super BBs is far superior to the one on the Attitude. I have been told by the good folks at Yam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Sean, Neepheid is on the look out for a set of Yamaha tuners for his BB450 on the off chance your selling the originals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 you'll pay for this by selling off the bits you don't need Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 [quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1351286604' post='1849856'] Sean, Neepheid is on the look out for a set of Yamaha tuners for his BB450 on the off chance your selling the originals. [/quote] I've already sold the tuners from this bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 [quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1351293515' post='1849916'] you'll pay for this by selling off the bits you don't need [/quote] Tuners, pickup, pots and speed knobs already sold. Just off to post them, then going to a turkey tasting event and then it's time to get serious with the heat gun. I'm going to keep the BB400S as original as possible so I'll hang on to the tuners for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 Questions: 1. Should this bass have a matching headstock? I know it's subjective as to whether it should and it's my choice but I'm thinking that masking it off and spraying could be a world of pain. Any advice? 2. How do you fill the dents and chips at the end of the headstock? Will filler get enough purchase or should I use epoxy or something similar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 [quote name='Sean' timestamp='1351323177' post='1850008'] I've already sold the tuners from this bass. [/quote] Ah no worries, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 [quote name='Sean' timestamp='1351323491' post='1850009'] .... then going to a turkey tasting event and then ... [/quote] er, this is more interesting than the BB.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenny Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Hi, Looks like an interesting build. I am thinking of modding a Attitude Special I have, but have bought the Billy Sheehan Dimarzio pickups. Did you consider them? That DP127 looks V HOT!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 (edited) [quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1351329704' post='1850092'] er, this is more interesting than the BB.... [/quote] It was this morning! It was my local butcher, they had different turkeys, sausage, pork pies, duck, stuffing etc. I've ordered the Christmas meat now. Edited October 28, 2012 by Sean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 [quote name='kenny' timestamp='1351338794' post='1850256'] Hi, Looks like an interesting build. I am thinking of modding a Attitude Special I have, but have bought the Billy Sheehan Dimarzio pickups. Did you consider them? That DP127 looks V HOT!! [/quote] Yes I thought about for about a minute until I realised the truss rod adjustment is where the pickup needs to go and I saw someone on here do that to a BB300 and although it was a neat job it would annoy the hell out of me if I had to remove a pickup every time I needed to tweak the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 CHANGE OF PLAN!!!!!!!! I'm currently stripping the BB300 body and can now see it's made of lots of blocks of what seems to be supele or nato or something, it's not alder like the 400S, which is made of 4 blocks and isn't as crumbly as the 300's body. So, I'm going to use the 400S body to do this project and use the 300 body to become the sonic blue reverse-P bass that the 400S was going to be. The alder body is going to cope better with all the routing and retain structural integrity whereas I'm not happy about adding a battery compartment, pickup routings and a controls cavity extension to the nato body. Make sense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Oh that's kinda disapointing. I would have put money on of the two basses I traded, my jazz turned out to be a turd of basswood laminated with some kind of plastic stuff and your one would have been solid wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Useful to know about the body on the 300. No full re-finish for mine then I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 (edited) [quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1351343666' post='1850337'] Oh that's kinda disapointing. I would have put money on of the two basses I traded, my jazz turned out to be a turd of basswood laminated with some kind of plastic stuff and your one would have been solid wood. [/quote] [quote name='3below' timestamp='1351346310' post='1850385'] Useful to know about the body on the 300. No full re-finish for mine then I think. [/quote] The BB300 will refinish OK, definitely. I'm going to use some grain filler on it and I've already started to fill the J route with a small piece of [s]oak[/s] wood and filler. When the two bodies are side by side suspended on hooks and hit with a mallet the 400S body makes a much nicer sound and the four-piece alder body seems to me as though it will cope with all that extra routing much better than the 300. I might have to merge the two threads now as I'm swapping necks between the two and the 400S will keep its original bridge while the Gotoh-alike will go on the 300. Edited October 27, 2012 by Sean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 (edited) Here's the front of the body of the 300 stripped. You can see the blocks of nato (?). The scorching looks worse in the photo than it does on the bass but that'll sand out easily - it's a much neater stripping job so far than the 400S was. There's an open joint running through the control cavity and there's a fair bit of movement there and this is the main reason I don't want to get the cavity enlarged. You can also see that there's a big open joint across the shoulder of the body on the opposite side. This is all very much a learning process for me and that's why I'm not using expensive bodies/necks. Edited October 27, 2012 by Sean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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