Beedster Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 (edited) A parts Fender P-J that was - until recently - my current main bass (note that being one of my main basses is a little like being married to Henry VIII). Neck, tuners, string tree, strap buttons, bridge and PUP are from a sunburst '78 Precision, the body of which I got rid of a while back as I wanted to add a J-PUP to vary the tone a little and wasn't going to cut up a perfectly good vintage body (I used one which had been routed already). PUP is classic 70's mid thump. Neck is B-width and straight with no need for any work. Headstock has that lovely vintage thing going on Body is a well used '77 in natural, routed sometime ago for a J-PUP. It's medium weight and has a great aged natural look (going kinda orangy). J-PUP is an SD JB3 which is growly and snarly. Controls are Jazz Bass style V V T. Pickguard and pots are NOT original. This is now redundant(ish) as I my recently acquired '80 'ray seems to be playing Anne Boleyn to this baby's Catherine of Aragon. I was going to keep it but think I'll keep the fretless Precision that no-one wants instead £800 delivered (UK only) or some heavy negotiating Will PX (with cash my way) for a good 4x10 combo or head alone. Chris [attachment=16298:CIMG0249.JPG][attachment=16299:CIMG0253.JPG] Edited November 27, 2008 by Beedster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 (edited) Bung her on the bathroom scales please, Chris Ta Does my Classic Randall RB2000 1990's Bi-Amp Head count as a possible "Dr Holly Goodhead" ? Edited November 24, 2008 by OldGit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tut Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 You keep teasing me with that body!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted November 24, 2008 Author Share Posted November 24, 2008 [quote name='King Tut' post='335492' date='Nov 24 2008, 02:07 PM']You keep teasing me with that body!![/quote] Sorry Col OldGit, re weight, I don't have any scales here but I'll see what I can do and get some info to you. I will say that the bass is significantly lighter with this body that it was with the original, and that body wasn't overly heavy either (but I would say that wouldn't I) Not sure about the Randall, I'll need to do some homework Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 [quote name='Beedster' post='335499' date='Nov 24 2008, 02:17 PM']Sorry Col OldGit, re weight, I don't have any scales here but I'll see what I can do and get some info to you. I will say that the bass is significantly lighter with this body that it was with the original, and that body wasn't overly heavy either (but I would say that wouldn't I) Not sure about the Randall, I'll need to do some homework Chris[/quote] Randall Not a lot about them out there .. I'm afraid most of the google hits are for my signature here Good ol Google Anyway it's an early 90's thing, weighs a ton, loads of knobs, built in compressor. Bi amp, 175 watts or so for the highs, 375 watts or so for the bottom. I am sure you realise this but in case .. You need two speaker cabs (or a clever bit or wiring in a 2x something cab) to use the separate pre and post stages. They originally sold them with a 1x15 or 2x15 with a 2x10 top box. The power side isn't bridgeable but the pre-stage is so you can have 375 "mono" with the full range It's not in the same department as the current metal bands amps they do. There you go.. OG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted November 24, 2008 Author Share Posted November 24, 2008 At the risk of seeming mercenary, I would be happy to sell this neck on the newly refinned sunburst body Precision in my other auction (the fretless Precision, P-PUP only) - this (fretted) neck sat on that body for a while and it was a good fit (well, for a 70' Fender anyway) and a sweet combination sound-wise. I'm thinking of keeping the fretless neck but letting the body/parts go so either combination works for me. Did any of that make sense? How do I keep track of it all Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 [quote name='Beedster' post='335521' date='Nov 24 2008, 02:36 PM']At the risk of seeming mercenary, I would be happy to sell this neck on the newly refinned sunburst body Precision in my other auction (the fretless Precision, P-PUP only) - this (fretted) neck sat on that body for a while and it was a good fit (well, for a 70' Fender anyway) and a sweet combination sound-wise. I'm thinking of keeping the fretless neck but letting the body/parts go so either combination works for me. Did any of that make sense? How do I keep track of it all Chris[/quote] Blige mate, stay still for 30 seconds there .. How much for that combination? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted November 24, 2008 Author Share Posted November 24, 2008 OK, a picture paints a thousand words etc Below is the '78 rosewood neck on the '79 sunburst body (the one which was refinned by Martin Simms and which is bloody awesome). PUPs, neckplate, strap buttons and bridge are original, pickguard and pots not. [attachment=16312:CIMG0259.JPG][attachment=16313:CIMG0260.JPG] And the '79 fretless neck on the natural body. This is probably the combination I'd rather keep if I can [attachment=16314:CIMG0257.JPG][attachment=16315:CIMG0258.JPG] Pretty much any combination of the above can be had for much the same price Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tut Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I want your body ha ha!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesemt Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 If there aren't any nibbles, would you be interested in selling that fretted neck? You knew I was going to ask eventually Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted November 24, 2008 Author Share Posted November 24, 2008 (edited) James/Col TBH given that you have both expressed and interest in the neck and body respectively previously, I might well split, but I'd rather sell as a bass if I can. Give it a couple of days perhaps? James, would you want the neck with or without tuners? Chris Edited November 24, 2008 by Beedster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesemt Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 [quote name='Beedster' post='335600' date='Nov 24 2008, 04:05 PM']Give it a couple of days perhaps? James, would you want the neck with or without tuners?[/quote] tbh it depends how much you want for the neck!! In an ideal world I'd like the tuners too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmybass04 Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 iv never played a fretless maple neck ,how does that sound compared to rosewood, and how does it wear. im liking the natural body and fretless neck. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted November 25, 2008 Author Share Posted November 25, 2008 [quote name='jimmybass04' post='335936' date='Nov 24 2008, 11:18 PM']iv never played a fretless maple neck ,how does that sound compared to rosewood, and how does it wear. im liking the natural body and fretless neck. cheers[/quote] Hi Jimmy Depends a lot on strings and style, but with rounds and a bit of patience with the controls I can get most of the classic fretless jazz tones, and with flats I get a far more Precisiony sound, i.e., thumpy and middy. The only real difference I've ever noticed between maple and rosewood boards is that on the E and A you seem to get a more powerful tone with maple, although this might however be a function of the basses I've played as opposed to any generalisable fact. I occasionally the bass for blues rehearsals and with flats you really wouldn't know it's a fretless (apart from my occasionally poor tuning), whilst with rounds whatever you play has that distinctive swell in the note (or mwah as folks here seem to call it). When I play it with light and flexible flats (e.g., TI Jazz) it's somewhere between the two, a lovely rich Precision tone with a bit of mwah and great sustain. In terms of wear, like any wood, it will wear with rounds, but this neck has clealry spent most its life either strung with flats or simply not being played as the baord is almost perfect, in fact pretty much glass-like. There's a popular (Fender-head led) myth that the reason maple wasn't used much for fretless boards was because it wears easily, but I've seen plenty of Ibanez maple fretless from the same era still going strong today so I doubt there's a lot in it. Hope that helps Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmybass04 Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 hi there would you be interested in swap for my 78 precision, im looking for a fretless. i put on a badass and a quarter pounder and the covers and pickguard, a set of black nylon strings for that old motown vibe. 0h and a hipshot on the e string which i could take off. and you can see the white bass clef on scratchplate,its just white tape. a few scratches as youd expect but its got the mojo. cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ritch Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 Out of interest Beedster, what's the sunburst body and rosewood neck like? Are they a good fit? I like a heavy body (my 78 jazz weighs a ton, but sounds great for it). How are the frets on that neck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted November 25, 2008 Author Share Posted November 25, 2008 [quote name='jimmybass04' post='336511' date='Nov 25 2008, 06:16 PM']hi there would you be interested in swap for my 78 precision, im looking for a fretless. i put on a badass and a quarter pounder and the covers and pickguard, a set of black nylon strings for that old motown vibe. 0h and a hipshot on the e string which i could take off. and you can see the white bass clef on scratchplate,its just white tape. a few scratches as youd expect but its got the mojo. cheers.[/quote] Hi Jimmy Looks lovely but I'm not really after any more precisions at present. If I sell just the neck perhaps you could simply use that with the above body? I'll be in touch Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted November 25, 2008 Author Share Posted November 25, 2008 [quote name='ritch' post='336532' date='Nov 25 2008, 06:37 PM']Out of interest Beedster, what's the sunburst body and rosewood neck like? Are they a good fit? I like a heavy body (my 78 jazz weighs a ton, but sounds great for it). How are the frets on that neck?[/quote] Hi Ritch Fit is good (you can tell they weren't originally from the same bass, Fender never got neck/pocket fit that good in the '70s), and frets are fine. Medium weight body but resonant all the same. I can honestly recommend it as a good PB, and you are of course more than welcome to come and try it. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmybass04 Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 no prob, cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted November 26, 2008 Author Share Posted November 26, 2008 And a quck reminder of the sunburst/fretless combination [attachment=16391:CIMG0235.JPG][attachment=16392:CIMG0236.JPG] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted November 27, 2008 Author Share Posted November 27, 2008 I've had cash offers for the fretted neck and for the natural body so unless there's an offer for any of the above combinations of necks/bodies I'll take them, which is a shame as the sunburst body/rosewood neck bass is now really growing on me Cheers Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted November 27, 2008 Author Share Posted November 27, 2008 Withdrawn/parted out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted November 28, 2008 Share Posted November 28, 2008 Have to say Chris, I was very tempted by this thread but am also seriously low on cash right now - that simms body looks amazing and I'm still quite shocked that it didn't sell at what I thought was a really good price. I really like the sunburst/rosewood combo. Better luck next time mate. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted November 28, 2008 Author Share Posted November 28, 2008 [quote name='Legion' post='339230' date='Nov 28 2008, 08:51 AM']Have to say Chris, I was very tempted by this thread but am also seriously low on cash right now - that simms body looks amazing and I'm still quite shocked that it didn't sell at what I thought was a really good price. I really like the sunburst/rosewood combo. Better luck next time mate. J[/quote] Cheers Jason To be honest, my flirtation with a fretless Jazz hasn't been as fulfilling as I'd hoped so I'm going to let that go instead. The natural body and rosewood neck above have both now gone so I'm left with the lovely fretless Precision - things could be worse If you wanted the Simms sunburst body, it's on ebay for £300 for a day or so. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts