Happy Jack Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Back in the dim and distant past, in the days when I foolishly owned far too many basses (as if I would still do such a thing ... ahem), I bought this: [URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20SOLD/Westone%20The%20Rail%201986%20SOLD/DSCF4244.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Basses%20SOLD/Westone%20The%20Rail%201986%20SOLD/DSCF4244.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Because it was cool as f*** and I was interested to know if the slidey-pickup thang actually worked. Well the answer was yes, it did work very effectively, but that wasn't enough to salvage a truly crap-sounding bass. There was nothing [i][b]wrong [/b][/i]with the bass, as such, it was just really dull and dreary and gave me no reason to ever pick it up and play it, let alone gig it. So I sold it. Stupid of me really, because some fairly simple research would have revealed that my Rail had been retrofitted with an after-market Schaller pickup, and what's more a pickup designed to be fitted near the bridge where the string spacing is at its widest. Played in my preferred neck position, the E and G strings were not centred over the pole pieces, and the Schaller seems anyway to have been pretty low sensitivity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 Roll the clock (calendar?) forward a few years, and I bought this: [URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20CURRENT/Westone%20The%20Rail%201985%20CURRENT/The%20Rail%20-%20body%201_zpsxs96b9au.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Basses%20CURRENT/Westone%20The%20Rail%201985%20CURRENT/The%20Rail%20-%20body%201_zpsxs96b9au.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Because it's is still as cool as f*** and I already knew that the slidey-pickup thang actually works. Only now I knew what I'd learned in the meantime. This one had the original pickup still in place, and sounded good enough that I actually gigged it, but there was plenty of room for improvement. When The Rail was being designed, the Japanese guys responsible have long since admitted that they did it as a gimmick, never expected it to amount to much, so they skimped on the electrics. What this bass needed was new and better electronics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 And then I saw an advert here on Basschat. And eventually, I ended up with this: [URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20CURRENT/Westone%20The%20Rail%201985%20CURRENT/Westone%20The%20Rail%20-%20take%202_body%202_zpsvswnsdag.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Basses%20CURRENT/Westone%20The%20Rail%201985%20CURRENT/Westone%20The%20Rail%20-%20take%202_body%202_zpsvswnsdag.jpg[/IMG][/URL] That's a Dark Star re-issue pickup (neck position) with new wiring to the new jack socket and to the volume pot too. I couldn't replace the volume pot because the size is unusual. So this is now probably the best-sounding Westone "The Rail" in captivity. It certainly sounds WAY better than it did before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 There was one of these on eBay recently - advertised for around £500 IIRC - is this that one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 Might be ... might be ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joebethell Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Your right I never expected that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefbaker Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 I have been facinated with the idea of this, especially using it mid=song almost like a bandpass filter. You could probably bet some pretty textural stuff going on but still... there's that whole "needing a third hand or a very stiff gentleman" problem for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1459433664' post='3016549'] [url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20CURRENT/Westone%20The%20Rail%201985%20CURRENT/Westone%20The%20Rail%20-%20take%202_body%202_zpsvswnsdag.jpg.html"][/url] That's a Dark Star re-issue pickup (neck position) with new wiring to the new jack socket and to the volume pot too. I couldn't replace the volume pot because the size is unusual. [/quote] HJ, I don't know what to say.... I think I'll just stand up and applaud for a while. That is awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Nice one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 I'm surprised how well they hold their price considering how [s]ugly[/s] aesthetically unusual they are... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightlyseared Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 As used by Graham Lewis of Wire in the late 80s (dugga dugga dugga). The interview after this performance is one of the most toe-curling pieces of music telly ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g55U11h7dUI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickD Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Dunno about avoiding religion and politics... that is easily the most offensive thing I've ever seen on the forum! ... and yet somehow I desperately want one now! :0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Can it play under the bridge ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elephantgrey Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Im trying to convince myself that i dont really want one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 I've got one. I love it. Not as nice as HJ's, but still... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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