mcnach Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 (edited) As one of the most prominent resident OLP fanbois, I thought I'd report on my latest OLP-related adventure. I am down to only one OLP. As much as I like them and think they *can be* great basses, I prefer my SUB and my Stingray (especially that SUB!) and the OLPs just were not used as much. So they were sold, eventually. Except one. I decided to keep this last one, because it's black and has a maple fingerboard and I really like that combo... so I sold the fretless with a real Stingray preamp and a Nordstrand pickup, I sold also what was my #1 bass for some time, with a Basslines pickup and preamp... and kept one that had seen just a pickup replacement (Basslines SMB4A). It makes no sense, but there you go. Then, a few months ago I acquired one of the Stingray clone preamps Tommorichards was assembling... and nothing happened for a long time. Until now. And let this be a lesson to all of you who, like me, decide to act impulsively without good planning. Well, I've been ill, mostly in bed, for about a week, and now that I'm functional again and go to work... when I get back home I decided to do one of those "5 minute" jobs that I keep postponing. Ok, it will be 30min, but... how hard is it going to be to install the preamp, eh? Ok, so I want to put a battery compartment too... I bought the battery box ages ago too. Easy, just route a hole and put it in. Just pay attention where you put it. So I put some masking tape to protect the finish on the back and leave a rectangle to route (I'm not using a template, the box has overhangs that will cover a less-than-perfect routing outline). Then remove the strings and electronics (leaving the pickup, taping the cable away from the action), plce the bass face down on my "work blanket", and start to drill. Then I realise the cable will be in the way... ok, I remove the pickup too. It did not take very long... and then I put the battery box in, good fit... and I realise my mistake: I had placed it overlapping the control cavity, so the battery box is partly in the control cavity and... the pots and preamp will not fit!!! A few colurful spanish words later, I decide it's time to do some chiselling. The truth is, these OLP cavities are narrower than those on a Stingray, so they often require to remove a little bit of wood. A sharp chisel and a bit of care, and that's all you need. Of course, if you are dumb enough to route and install a battery box overlapping the control cavity... the work can be a bit more challenging than necessary. Fortunately, I was able to remove enough wood to fit the preamp and the pots and all is good. Battery box removed, pickup reinstalled, battery box back in place, solder preamp terminals, solder battery box and bridge ground wire... plug in and tap pickup... it's alive!!! So clean it up, screw it all in place, put new strings on and... BRILLIANT RESULTS! Thanks Tommorichards for making this possible (I don't think I'd have bothered to install a preamp on this bass if I hadn't been able to get one of the ones you made). Cheap modification (more or less) to a cheap bass resulting in something very tasty indeed. Just make sure you measure things before you start and you'll get it all done in 25% of the time it took me! Next: install a set of mutes. And I did measure these, they will fit Edited November 10, 2012 by mcnach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnFitzgerald Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Think I might need to be getting myself one of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.