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Turning a Harley benton PB-Shorty into a JB-Shorty.


blablas
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  • 2 weeks later...

O.o :dash1:
The Pickup with its housing doesn't fit inside the cavity!
When I fit the housing without the pickup in it it did fit, once the pickup was inside it it didn't. Apparently the pickup pushes out the bottom-side of the housing by half a millimeter.
Back to the workshop (at work) again tomorrow to mill it out a little bit more.

Edited by blablas
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G7rbrMb.jpg
Built in and wired.
going to check it more serious tonight, during quick & dirty testing I noticed the pickups were influencing each others volume, probably need to solder in some resistors, also need to take a better listen to the phase of the Jazz pickup.

Edited by blablas
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Decided to modify the controls a bit more.
Normally I'm not a big fan of two volume controls, this was also the case on this little bas, replaced one of the volume controls with a balance pot, this also means the resistor is not needed anymore so I removed it again.

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Tough one to answer, probably the one I've got in my hands at that time. :biggrin:

They all feel same, which is not that strange given all three started out as being more or less identical (HB PB-Shorty). pickup preference is up to my mood and what I feel is needed. If I could only keep one I think would go for the MM version, mainly because I prefer the versatility of active basses.

Edited by blablas
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This was all pretty inspirational stuff! I was watching a video from Crimson Guitars yesterday which is the start of a series where they take a kit guitar (cheapo £80 kit) and start turning into an instrument a custom builder would be proud of. I think they only have the intro up so far but I'll be following it closely to see if it's something I could try:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJzvQFWwO9w[/media]

Edited by Mornats
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Another update:
The old J humbucker was seriously microphonic which made me decide to replace it. I replaced it with a DiMarzio DP148.
8kmXuFX.jpg
Experienced some problems with the wiring while replacing the old pickup, it also took a while to adjust the two pickups to get an even sound from both together.

In the end I'm glad I did replace this pickup, the new one sounds better and is dead quiet, no microphonic noise and no hum.

Edited by blablas
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[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1432058433' post='2777708'] This was all pretty inspirational stuff! I was watching a video from Crimson Guitars yesterday which is the start of a series where they take a kit guitar (cheapo £80 kit) and start turning into an instrument a custom builder would be proud of. I think they only have the intro up so far but I'll be following it closely to see if it's something I could try: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJzvQFWwO9w[/media] [/quote] Thanks for the heads up! Part 2 is up: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udme2rX-a8U"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udme2rX-a8U[/url]
I may use one of those kits myself as a prototyping rig for some of my idears!

[quote name='blablas' timestamp='1432139426' post='2778552'] Another update: The old J humbucker was seriously microphonic which made me decide to replace it. I replaced it with a DiMarzio DP148. Experienced some problems with the wiring while replacing the old pickup, it also took a while to adjust the two pickups to get an even sound from both together. In the end I'm glad I did replace this pickup, the new one sounds better and is dead quiet, no microphonic noise and no hum. [/quote]

Looks excellent - the hum cancelling design of the DiMarzio has some obvious advantages, but will never be 100% faithful to the single coil sound (asuming that's something you're striving for!). The DP 148 is also known as the model J? let me check... nope, it's the [url="http://dimarzio.com/pickups/bass/standard-bass/ultra-jazz-bridge"]Ultra Jazz bridge[/url].
I should have known it wasn't the model J. Wrong type & colour of pole pieces!

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the hum cancelling design of the DiMarzio has some obvious advantages, but will never be 100% faithful to the single coil sound (asuming that's something you're striving for!)


Nothing sounds like a single coil!
It's a sound I really like, that's why I use all kinds of switching possibilities with most of the humbuckers I use - for dual coils series/single/parallel and for split coils series/parallel.
On this bass I was not especially after the single coil sound, the bridge pickup was placed there to add bite and growl to the P pickup.

Edited by blablas
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[quote name='blablas' timestamp='1432150694' post='2778722']
Nothing sounds like a single coil!
It's a sound I really like, that's why I use all kinds of switching possibilities with most of the humbuckers I use - for dual coils series/single/parallel and for split coils series/parallel.
On this bass I was not especially after the single coil sound, the bridge pickup was placed there to add bite and growl to the P pickup.
[/quote]

What? Not even single coils? :lol:

Only messin' - I get what you're getting at. If the pickup allows it - having wiring options makes sense, for variety of tone and just for a change!

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And finished the (hopefully) final 'nit pick' session yesterday evening.
j9D0PSJ.jpg
Straightened the alignment of the bridge.
At first I didn't really notice it was mounted crooked but with the placement of the bridge pickup I immediately saw something was out of line, either the pickup or the bridge (of course it was the bridge :biggrin: , not my pickup placement),
The more I looked at it the more crooked it seemed! Decided to fill the existing screw holes and after that mounted the bridge on straight.

Edited by blablas
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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Made a new pickguard for the MMB-Shorty.
Old:

Got bored with this one. <_<

New:

I was making one last week for the upcoming RiB-Shorty conversion project and I could get two pickguards from one pickguard plate.

Edited by blablas
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[quote name='blablas' timestamp='1431769984' post='2774743']
Decided to modify the controls a bit more.
Normally I'm not a big fan of two volume controls, this was also the case on this little bas, replaced one of the volume controls with a balance pot, this also means the resistor is not needed anymore so I removed it again.
[/quote]

Fantastic work, you have a really nice collection there. I have a PB shorty, only done a fret level, restring and black knobs so far. I'd better check the tuners, had not noticed they can be out of square! The only thing I don't like about mine is the color, but the black pickguard looks like a big improvement - I may try this. the only problem left with mine is it could do with a neck shim as the bridge screws are almost out. They are great fun to play.

On one of my 34" bases, I've added two volumes but still get interaction even with a resistor fitted. can I ask what value pots and resistors you used, I guess it is only trial and error will tell. Perhaps I should use a balance pot also.

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