hamfist Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I'm in the lucky position that I have a little money to spare and I'd like to upgrade my "Westone Thunder" custom. This bass has been through so many incarnations in my hands, it is certainly Buddhist by now. It is only nominally a Westone as all that is left is the body wood and the neck plate. But anyway it's a cracking bass and sounds incredible. There is nothing "wrong" with it, I just love tinkering. OK, currently it's got ...... Westone Thunder 1A body Maple/Rosewood Custom World guitar parts jazz neck Tonerider Jazz pickups Probass STinger preamp Gotoh bridge (can't remember the model number but it has adjustable string spacing) Generic tuners and other hardware. I'm toying with the idea of getting an all Wenge Warmoth neck for it, slim contour, Jazz neck (about £275 all in). It's a fair bit of dosh though so I'd like your thoughts on that as an upgrade or what else you might change if you had the same amount of money to spend on it. I've done a fair bit of playing around with necks and bodies but it's mostly been with relatively cheap necks. Would the all Wenge neck really give me something extra. ON all my other basses I have East parametric mids units, but the mids on this bass are so perfect I just haven't felt the need to add dedicated mids control, although of course it would increase versatility if I did. Another addition could possibly be lightweight tuners. COuld anybody suggest any in particular and let me know roughly how much weight that would actually save. Any other suggestion definitely welcome ! [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/westone-jazz-a.html][/url] [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/westone-jazz-b.html][/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 That's a really nice looking bass, but I think the headstock looks a bit out of proportion, maybe a Telecaster shape or 2-a-side (like, er, Westone) would look better aesthetically. IMO, of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Undead Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I feel like it needs a humbucker in the bridge position Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I wouldn't do much - maybe try some DiMarzio Model J pickups, to give it some grunt? Cheap thrills....often the best? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 The neck is no-doubt exactly how you like it, and the inlays look great with the body, but the headstock does look a bit yellow. (It might be that which makes MoonBassAlpha say it looks out of proportion) Maybe you could spray the headstock to match the body colour? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share Posted June 20, 2014 Lots of great suggestions and ideas. but ......... I definitely like the Fender style headstock, much better than the 2+2 Westone style (on this bass at least). The colour of the neck and headstock in the pics is pretty realistic. It doesn't bother me the "yellowness" but it's not something I would have chosen. I do have more paint to spray the headstock, but I'll be honest, I hate paint refins, they take soooooo much effort. A Humbucker in the bridge position is certainly something I have considered. I have made a couple of MM/J configuration Basses (all on Westone Thunder bodies as it turns out). Didn't really grab me. The split "single coil" MM option was not as good as a "proper" J bridge pickup and I guess I'm just not a Stingray guy in terms of using it as a full humbucker (either in series or parallel). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allighatt0r Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I think you're more or less reached the limit of things you can do with this bass. It's crazy complicated, and antyhgin more you do will have minimal extra effect. It's like you have a spaghetti bolognase sauce with every herb and spice and sauce in it. Adding a bit more basil isn't going to make any noticable difference. You could convert it to string through maybe? I would spend your £275 on another Westone, and go at that from a new angle. Do something crazy with it. Maybe see if you can reproduce the parallel pickup layout of the Italia Modulo bass, but with split P pups. http://www.italiaguitars.com/new/base/modu_02.html Or convert it to 8 string? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Allighatt0r is right on the money I recon. Unless.... you could always relic it. I've got a blow lamp.... (Runs for cover!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I've got a headless system I want to use if I can find either a Thunder 11 or 111 with a broken headstock. My first bass was a Thunder 1A which I remember with much fondness.. Go headless.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Is that the stock colour? I love it! If you refinned it yourself, what paint did you use? Looks very like Fender "surf green" to my eyes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share Posted June 20, 2014 [quote name='Conan' timestamp='1403267775' post='2481331'] Is that the stock colour? I love it! If you refinned it yourself, what paint did you use? Looks very like Fender "surf green" to my eyes... [/quote] I refinished it myself. It's Plastikote Super (enamel). I think they call the colour Peppermint Green. As for the bass itself, I think I'm veering towards using the money on something else. I don't think anything I'll do to it will improve it. significantly. Change it, yes, improve it, no. THink I'll probably spend the cash on a new bass. Hmmmmm, Now what's out there for about £300. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myke Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 (edited) Why don't you chuck a MM pickup between the two jazz ones? Someone did that with a nice Pink Jazz on here before. Might look nice. Or just chuck the money towards another bass and keep this one how it is Edit. Or get a fretless neck for it so you can interchange the two? Edited June 20, 2014 by Myke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 (edited) Tele headstock is the only thing I would do (that would reduce the weight somewhat as well). Maybe even by reshaping the existing one? Cheap too - then you could buy something else to rework Or possibly reshape the headstock for a more Peavey-style shape, slightly pointy to match the body. Edited June 22, 2014 by alyctes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share Posted June 22, 2014 [quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1403395183' post='2482405'] Tele headstock is the only thing I would do (that would reduce the weight somewhat as well). Maybe even by reshaping the existing one? Cheap too - then you could buy something else to rework Or possibly reshape the headstock for a more Peavey-style shape, slightly pointy to match the body. [/quote] I like that idea. I could certainly do it myself too. I could refinish the neck in a less yellow oil/wax at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allighatt0r Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 [quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1403281879' post='2481524'] Hmmmmm, Now what's out there for about £300. [/quote] This: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bass-Collection-SB310-SGC-Nanyo-Bass-Guitar-Made-in-Japan-free-shipping-/111389715134?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:3160 Or this!: http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/ibanez-atk-400-bass/1066743076 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted June 27, 2014 Author Share Posted June 27, 2014 [quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1403769410' post='2486001'] This: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bass-Collection-SB310-SGC-Nanyo-Bass-Guitar-Made-in-Japan-free-shipping-/111389715134?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:3160 Or this!: http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/ibanez-atk-400-bass/1066743076 [/quote] I ended up getting this .... http://basschat.co.uk/topic/239524-unique-bitsa-thunder-jet-ray-sold/page__p__2482325__hl__thunder__fromsearch__1#entry2482325 Very pleased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Much better value.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allighatt0r Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Good call! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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