The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Other Bass Brands => Topic started by: daan on December 17, 2016, 10:53:19 AM
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So my Dad has been retired for a couple years (good for him, 34 years in the Army, he deserves some time off!) Anyway lately his thing has been going to yard/garage/barn sales. He called me the other day to tell me he found a guitar, did I want it? Sure, why not? How much? "$65, but maybe I can get them down a little." So even if it's total trash, I can leave it out so my kids don't wreck my "good" stuff (ha, my $100 guitars aren't valuable to anyone but me) I kind of forgot about it, Kid #4 has been kicking our butts, not much time for playing, let alone building stuff. So I come home from work last night to this:
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/D849431B-1E1B-42A0-BED8-E51E69572C33_zpsdqk3ttn3.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/D849431B-1E1B-42A0-BED8-E51E69572C33_zpsdqk3ttn3.jpg.html)
It's an "Austin" brand P copy, with embroidered gig bag, with a tuner/metronome, a bunch of tools (Allen keys, etc) a bass instruction book with extra sheet music and a couple CD's, and an amp! Jeez... Dad says he paid $50 for it all, the seller says "It doesn't work". Most of the screws are missing from the pick guard, but the wiring seems to be all there underneath. The bass itself seems to be a thin-ish body, the neck is HUGE, but feels really nice (the shape and either it was sanded down, or just has a really nice feeling matte finish), and was still (mostly) in tune despite being in the back of my Dad's truck for the last week, and then in my garage most of yesterday...
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/A19E9ED6-625B-4CCD-B79C-73B777AC47B2_zpsjpfokxpl.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/A19E9ED6-625B-4CCD-B79C-73B777AC47B2_zpsjpfokxpl.jpg.html)
So if the little one gives me enough time, I bet I could get this to work...
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I'll bet you can.
Austin (http://www.austingtr.com/guitar/apb200bk/) is a branch of St. Louis Music, which was bought by LOUD (owners of Mackie) about 10 years ago. I've seen the basses in stores for about $200 new and maybe $120 used. Never played one, but I would guess they're about the equivalent of a $200 Squier. If the neck's good and the truss rod works, it's a good deal. At that price, you can spend a little to get the electronics working and not feel bad about it.
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I do think it's kind of funny that when I thought of what my "bass collection" would be, a bunch of black Fender copies wasn't at all what I imagined... And the fact that I got this entire setup for about a tank of gas' worth of $ is pretty cool.
I had 6 minutes to futz with it last night, I still can't get sound out of it, but it's still in tune, despite the massive temp. swings it's been subjected to. (It's -21f where I live right now)
So next Q, now that I have TWO bass amps (never thought that would happen, either :) ) can I somehow hook both the amps up to the bass, or maybe hook the one amp up to the other one, to change the sound? Or, ha ha, somehow trade my entire pile '0' plywood for a NR bird? :mrgreen:
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You're talking about two inexpensive combo amps, right? It might be possible to connect the amps, depending on what jacks there are on each amp, but you aren't likely to accomplish much other than creating nasty ground loop buzz. OTOH you can use a signal splitter to run the bass to both amps.
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What Dave said, bevare of ground loops. Phase problems too might trouble you, might be difficult to balance them without reversing one of the speakers. A tip would be to keep the speakers in line; on top or next to each other - not different places in the room. But it´s definitely possible, I often play a clean musicman rig paired with a dirtier marshall super bass 4x12, works fine.
Gerald Weber got a whole chapter about the topic in the book ´tube amp talk for the guitarist and tech´.
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Gerald Weber got a whole chapter about the topic in the book ´tube amp talk for the guitarist and tech´.
...just ignore what he says about tube bass amps, specifically vintage SVT's. He's full of $hit.
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...just ignore what he says about tube bass amps, specifically vintage SVT's. He's full of $hit.
I would not say that he is full of £hit, maybe more like 50/50. He is definitely no Frederick Terman, but I do like to read books by contemporary techs. Ok, so Weber gets somewhat hung up on a Texas tone mission; you'd think there is only one correct guitar tone and for thet you need three tube amps. But many of them tech-authors specialize 'modding' or having in-depth knowledge on amps they love, and see things from a different perspective. Sometimes tech experience can add to the picture, though I'm more fond of the classic tube amp books from the 40's up to the 50's. I like Randall Aiken, amongst other 'young' techs. Aspen P. on the other hand :sad: All in all I try to avoid Google. Hey, and I read you too PBG, read through most things you've said about Mesa/Boogie :)
Regarding Weber's Ampeg papers, maybe he has more to offer for the guitarist than the tech. He gives us a peep throgh the ampeg factory door, nothing wrong about that. What exactly 'bout his SVT work is it that you don't like? The way he describes the biasing process?
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No harm in trying the two-amp setup and just see what happens! I've sometimes found when playing borrowed rigs that two cheap amps sound better than one, maybe due to just moving a bit more air. If it doesn't sound good, no harm done.
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What exactly 'bout his SVT work is it that you don't like? The way he describes the biasing process?
He says to bias an SVT like one of "his" guitar amps and recommends installing huge screen grid resistors to limit screen current, no big deal if you like burning up output tubes in months while killing all your headroom and power, but the worst sin is his assertion that an old SVT with the switching jack "can't make full power" unless you put a dummy plug into the main jack and run a 4 ohm load off the extension speaker output from the 2 ohm tap tripped by the dummy jack. That halves the plate voltage safety factor and makes the amp unstable at idle, not to mention exponentially raises the possibility for catastrophic destruction should anything go wrong. That's OT coupled output stages 101 and he has it exactly wrong. Following his advice could take a healthy or borderline SVT and destroy it completely.
Besides, I've heard plenty of Kendrick amps and they all sounded very much like contemporary mass produced PCB and and IC infested Fenders. Leo's tweed Fenders, his "shtick," all came straight out of the RCA Receiving Tube manual, yet he acts like he's discovered some kind of mysterious secret that only he fully understands. The BEST book by far about amps is the long out-of-print Electric Guitar Amplifier Handbook by Jack Darr; it's concise, technically accurate and while not exactly layman-speak, easy to follow.
Edit: found a link a reprint on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Guitar-Amplifier-Handbook-Jack/dp/1882580486
(and I fixed some typos in my original post because I'm a bit OCD)
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but the worst sin is his assertion that an old SVT with the switching jack "can't make full power" unless you put a dummy plug into the main jack and run a 4 ohm load off extension speaker output from the 2 ohm tap tripped by the dummy jack.
I was rather puzzled by by this too.
The BEST book by far about amps is the long out-of-print Electric Guitar Amplifier Handbook by Jack Darr; it's concise, technically accurate and while not exactly layman-speak, easy to follow.
Thanks, I´ll have to check it out!
EDIT: By the way, PGB - from one thing to another.. Did you ask about Winged ´C´EL509 II tubes a couple of years ago? I might be able to get hold of some, just PM me if yo´re still after them!
Sorry for the detour, daan :)
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Gerald Weber, is he still around? Sure got tired of all the free publicity he got in Vintage Guitar magazine back in the 90s. I figured he was all hat, no cattle.
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By the way, PGB - from one thing to another.. Did you ask about Winged ´C´EL509 II tubes a couple of years ago? I might be able to get hold of some, just PM me if yo´re still after them!
Not for awhile, maybe never.
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Gerald Weber, is he still around? Sure got tired of all the free publicity he got in Vintage Guitar magazine back in the 90s. I figured he was all hat, no cattle.
He is still around, somewhere in the Fort Hood, TX area. A friend of mine had some "work" done on his amp a few years back, so he still gets occasional e-mails from GW. Apparently, he's on his marketing list. He usually forwards the messages to me as they're good for a few laughs.
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So I snuck away from all the festivities yesterday, to futz with the Austin. I got the guard off of it, I don't know why I'm still kinda weirded out that nothing is attatched to the guard...
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/CB7D7E0E-460E-4F0E-ABD9-69CD361A7335_zpskyjewgnt.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/CB7D7E0E-460E-4F0E-ABD9-69CD361A7335_zpskyjewgnt.jpg.html)
But anyway, it APPEARS to be made of wood. I suppose there could be plywood under all the buffing compound in there, but I'm not worried about that
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/8BFF174F-A66C-4A3A-BB25-25E74FC82EE1_zpsgqikjeog.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/8BFF174F-A66C-4A3A-BB25-25E74FC82EE1_zpsgqikjeog.jpg.html)
So 30 seconds after getting into it, I realized I wasn't getting any sound, because the ground wire was broken off the back of the pot...\
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/91AE6BC0-E09C-4D04-AC8F-8C6F5FCDEDC6_zps06jhks6m.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/91AE6BC0-E09C-4D04-AC8F-8C6F5FCDEDC6_zps06jhks6m.jpg.html)
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Typical problem. You just made the deal better!
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Simple fix, if that's all that's wrong.
What made you think it was plywood? Austin says the bodies of their electrics are solid wood.
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I guess I thought it was ply because of the cheap "import" guitars I've had, were ply. Y'know, "less than $100, no wood for you" or something. Not that it matters, really, I'll sound like me on plywood or a $$$$$$& "real" bass.
Anyway I worked on it again today, I still had a set of the Allparts flatwounds, so I took the strings off, and the nut promptly flew off.
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/79B9DD4A-FBB8-4F7D-82DE-6345B643762D_zpsbxrlcelk.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/79B9DD4A-FBB8-4F7D-82DE-6345B643762D_zpsbxrlcelk.jpg.html)
It's ok, my 3-year old found it for me. I also cleaned all the gunk off the frets and oiled the board.
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/9674ED78-1B7A-40C7-BB6F-D134507544F8_zpsjcetsqlq.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/9674ED78-1B7A-40C7-BB6F-D134507544F8_zpsjcetsqlq.jpg.html)
The fretboard is stripier than I thought-the oil really made it look nice.
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I got my cleaning stuff out, and got all the gunk off the body, it was kind of gross. I polished it up, there's no scratches or anything on here, it looks great!
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/4CE26AAA-C83C-4E8F-8D6A-6F1B003F182E_zps7fwrpauo.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/4CE26AAA-C83C-4E8F-8D6A-6F1B003F182E_zps7fwrpauo.jpg.html)
I also decided to take the pickups out, mostly because I was one of those kids who took EVERYTHING apart :rolleyes:
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/94E9E1FF-81E6-44A5-B4C0-30EBBE4BDEB1_zpsmem70t79.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/94E9E1FF-81E6-44A5-B4C0-30EBBE4BDEB1_zpsmem70t79.jpg.html)
Maybe everyone but me already knew this, but there was foam on the bottom of the pups, for height. I tried seeing how the foam was attatched, and pulled the magnets right off the bottom of the pup :o
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/63374579-838C-476E-9EB2-804FA48BC277_zpsf1ur1luu.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/63374579-838C-476E-9EB2-804FA48BC277_zpsf1ur1luu.jpg.html)
I glued them back on, but kept the foam pieces for a different set of pups.
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/82A70BF0-93AD-4B81-9BD2-6D1EAA17048A_zpsdurrfhrx.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/82A70BF0-93AD-4B81-9BD2-6D1EAA17048A_zpsdurrfhrx.jpg.html)
I glued the (ceramic, not that it matters) magnets back on. Oops. Anyway, my other F style bass has a set of "EMG Select" pickups and I really like the way it sounds. I know, they're cheap imported copies of EMG's, mostly found on Korean stuff from the 80's, but I like they way they sound, so sue me. I had been looking for more, in case I screwed up the ones I had. I found a set of them, for the princely sum of $1.00, which should tell me what everyone else thinks of them... Anyway they had been clear coated at some point, half of that was worn off, and grunge everywhere. I tried cleaning them, but it didn't help much. Today I got out some 2000-grit sandpaper and just wet sanded them. They cleaned up just fine, and the "Scratch-X" I used on the body, polished them up nice.
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/026E9C5D-4738-4FE9-9B67-EF545702A9AC_zpsrv20abgl.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/026E9C5D-4738-4FE9-9B67-EF545702A9AC_zpsrv20abgl.jpg.html)
I have a set of pots and an output jack on the way, so when those arrive, I will put it all back together and it should be pretty nice. I mean, for the $ it cost, I won't have any complaints whatsoever!
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You'll have a good bass for very little when you're done.
Those EMG Select P pickups really do sound good.
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just a drop of glue on the nut they don't need to be any more anchored than that id the contours match.
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I got to futz with this a little more. I had a couple gift cards from Xmas, and I found this neat "Varitone" circuit online. I realized I haven't taken any of the tone knobs off "10" for eons (or is it 0, turned all the way up anyway) and this Varitone would change the sound up without just rolling off all the highs. And I could just replace it with a normal pot if I don't like it...
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/55585CB4-0CE8-402D-9089-D8BAC1E466F4_zpswiy0psza.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/55585CB4-0CE8-402D-9089-D8BAC1E466F4_zpswiy0psza.jpg.html)
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/CF3839DC-598B-4EAB-B5A5-A815C15D7C18_zpsborqgbqm.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/CF3839DC-598B-4EAB-B5A5-A815C15D7C18_zpsborqgbqm.jpg.html)
It came with a fancy Chicken Head Knob, and I was able to re use one of the black knobs off my JB-Player, so now it has a nice all-black look, instead of mix&match
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/57CDC85A-7377-43D5-9843-C6B059771614_zpszsqejtiw.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/57CDC85A-7377-43D5-9843-C6B059771614_zpszsqejtiw.jpg.html)
The only issue is that the route under the guard must have been for the mini-pots it had, since none of the components fit correctly...
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/DBA48083-AF2B-40C9-9487-0D6B55EE827A_zpsa2rb9sp0.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/DBA48083-AF2B-40C9-9487-0D6B55EE827A_zpsa2rb9sp0.jpg.html)
So I will try to open up the cavity where it "necks down" so everything fits. My Dad gave me a Dremel for Xmas, and I can order a router bit for it, so once I won't be waking a bunch of kids up with my power tools, I'll get this buttoned back up.
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/DA3BB7D8-250B-49BA-9F6B-B00D90513FE8_zpsm9ey0hsy.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/DA3BB7D8-250B-49BA-9F6B-B00D90513FE8_zpsm9ey0hsy.jpg.html)
If I wanted to get really crazy, I could actually replace the factory bridge from my JBP with the Gotoh one I've had in the case for a year (or two... :rolleyes: ) and put the black bridge on here.. and while I'm at it, get some black PG screws... Yeah, it's all 80's up in here!
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Careful with the router bits. If you don't need to move too much wood, a sanding bit or other options might allow finer control.
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Careful with the router bits. If you don't need to move too much wood, a sanding bit or other options might allow finer control.
Or use a carving bit. cylindrical kind offers more control than router bits.
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Didn't everybody used to hate on EMG Select pickups? Was that just the usual "it's cheap and it's not vintage so it must not be any good" fashion nonsense?
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I've got a few humbuckers and found them to be fine pups... had one by the bridge of my PC for circa 20 years as the only pup too...
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Didn't everybody used to hate on EMG Select pickups? Was that just the usual "it's cheap and it's not vintage so it must not be any good" fashion nonsense?
Some people did say that. My judgment came from actually hearing the P pickup. It sounded good. The innards aren't vintage type construction, at least there are no visible polepieces, but it's the tone that matters.
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My favorite P has a select Pickup. I love it.
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Stew-Mac is closing them out (http://www.stewmac.com/Closeouts/EMG_Select_Pickup_for_P_Bass.html). Other Select models are also on closeout.
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I tried out an EMG select bass humbucker in the neck position on a P bass, but there was no sound on the E string. Turns out the pole piece was misalligned. The 3 other stings sounded good, though. Now, of course - there is a mudbucker in that position.
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I tried out an EMG select bass humbucker in the neck position on a P bass, but there was no sound on the E string. Turns out the pole piece was misalligned. The 3 other stings sounded good, though. Now, of course - there is a mudbucker in that position.
When in doubt, add mud. :D
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Stew-Mac is closing them out (http://www.stewmac.com/Closeouts/EMG_Select_Pickup_for_P_Bass.html). Other Select models are also on closeout.
I just checked them out. THese are new, and going for about half of what used ones are selling for on the bay right now... Glad I got mine a couple years ago (for $1.00!) If I needed any more projects, I'd scarf them up.
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(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/C1E36B1E-74E7-484C-ADDC-5F328EBF6219_zpstbyqcejp.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/C1E36B1E-74E7-484C-ADDC-5F328EBF6219_zpstbyqcejp.jpg.html)
So it's done...
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/384CB32D-7323-4830-AB9B-BAAEA7728DD9_zpskqn44tj8.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/384CB32D-7323-4830-AB9B-BAAEA7728DD9_zpskqn44tj8.jpg.html)
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/FEB72833-CAC7-43DB-BA0F-37E62B02C02E_zpsvsrbfvnv.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/FEB72833-CAC7-43DB-BA0F-37E62B02C02E_zpsvsrbfvnv.jpg.html)
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/Austin/40E4EE81-7023-438F-BFD5-34029021D531_zpsoy1p7yb0.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/Austin/40E4EE81-7023-438F-BFD5-34029021D531_zpsoy1p7yb0.jpg.html)
I just took a little off the sides of the control route, enough so the components sit down like they're supposed to. I still had a set of the flatwounds I got from Carlo, so those went on. It sounds good, it's fun to play with the Varitone, it feels like it weighs half of what my (all maple) JB Player or my Hondo weighs. So, I call this a Win. :mrgreen:
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I'm not surprised that it sounds good.
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Looks good, and I'll bet it balances well too.
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(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/h2/groups/E87DA2C1-43F5-4B79-B73B-47F0A8E07F4C_zpsv23vy0sx.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/h2/groups/E87DA2C1-43F5-4B79-B73B-47F0A8E07F4C_zpsv23vy0sx.jpg.html)
So I actually had the house to myself for a couple hours last night, I could drag the amp out and play loud. (The baby cries when I "plug in" and the 3-year old will actually go turn my amp off if I have it on... Perhaps some lessons might be in order? :o :mrgreen: ) My JBP has the same "Select" pups as the Austin, so I had to A-B them. They sound... similar (to my untrained ears anyway) but the Austin is easily twice as loud. When I put the pups in, I used the foam pieces that came under the stock pups, so they sit up nice and high. I just realized I haven't touched the pups on the JBP, and they sit pretty low compared to the guard
(http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/h2/JBP%20bass/EBAC39E2-0591-4BDC-B2B7-35911797D5E2_zpses38wpht.jpg) (http://s427.photobucket.com/user/dannew2008/media/h2/JBP%20bass/EBAC39E2-0591-4BDC-B2B7-35911797D5E2_zpses38wpht.jpg.html)
So what does everybody like for under pups? Does it HAVE to be foam, or can I use something else? (or, y'know, just leave it alone, and turn the amp up higher :rolleyes: )
I didn't weigh the basses, but the Austin is really light compared to the others. The Hondo is the heaviest, but not by much, compared to the JBP.
Oh, speaking of the Hondo, it worked OK when I picked it up from the store, but now when I plug it in, it just howls feedback, instead of sounding like a bass... I'm kind of tired of rewiring it, and the store guys had it for about 6 months the last time (and I don't reall want to spend more than I paid for it, again, to get it re-wired...again) I'm starting to see why people just save up the $ to buy something that already works. Oh, and my Douglas EB-2 copy, now sounds like it's strung with rubber bands, it just kind of "thuds" anywhere on the fret board instead of sounding like it should. I tried loosening the strings, and re-tightening them, but it still doesn't sound right... ugh. I joke about trading everything, but now I really want to.
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Have you thought about wax-potting the Hondo pickups?
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THe pups are new(ish) ones from ebay, guitar mini humbuckers, and they SAID they were potted already... but who knows, for the couple $ I paid for them. IT wasn't that they squealed or made feedback when I was playing, I either get silence or EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE thru the amp, depending on if I wiggle the cord... Unplugged on the couch it's OK but if I try to play thru the amp I don't get any sound. Ugh. This isn't Rocket Surgery, so I don't know why I'm having so much trouble with this (well, other than that I don't actually know what I'm doing :mrgreen: )
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Sounds to me like a short in the output jack. That should be an easy fix, and the jacks aren't expensive. Two solder points and one nut to remove and replace....
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Mouse pads are a good substitute for foam under the pickups.
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There's a giant pile of unused mouse pads at work, maybe I can "recycle" them 8)
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There's a giant pile of unused mouse pads at work, maybe I can "recycle" them 8)
Eggs-ackly. They work well.