Fender Slabs, and what made them tick.

[Alanko]

I read in the interview John assembled the bass himself, soldering iron in hand. I have no idea if this is correct. So I wonder was one pickup from the carcase basses just a bit hotter? Or maybe a capacitor of a different value? Maybe it was a odd pairing of potentiometers?

John Kallas told me that the Slab circuitry was bone stock, as per regular P basses. He got to explore an original one. Likewise the one I've seen dissected online had normal Precision circuitry, though two different coloured bobbins were used on the pickups; a real mutt.

My unproven theory was that Jazzmaster 1 M ohm pots were used, because the original request had been made for a 'Telecaster bass' from Fender, and the first run of slabs was a response to that. 1 M pots would be brighter, and more Tele-like, and were a standard Fender component in 1966, though I have no evidence to back this up and evidence that refutes this idea! The classic Leeds tone doesn't have any perceptible treble roll-off, so surely the cap would be less of an issue?

Gareth, who is behind the Slab 66 basses, builds them with a hotter pickup apparently. I've quizzed him and he doesn't do anything else deliberately to get slab tone. Conversely I've got a pretty good Slab tone out of a Yamaha BB bass with low action, fresh rounds and a tube amp emulation.

[senmen]

I Do own an Original 66 and it is electronicswise. 
But you cannot ignore the facts that a seperate Maple fingerboard
And the Body Mass itself Do Influence the sound.

Oliver
The Hybrid Hunter

[Dave W]

Couldn't the larger body mass of the slabe be at least as responsible as the maple capped fretboard? That would make more sense to me.

[slinkp]

Does a 2-piece maple neck sound different than a 1-piece maple neck?

[Dave W]

Oliver obviously thinks it does. I can't dispute him, he's the one who plays them! But I've found it's often hard to pin down the reason for differences in sound.

[Pilgrim]

But I've found it's often hard to pin down the reason for differences in sound.

That statement is a model of diplomacy and moderation.   

[Droombolus]

But..... but........ but........ How can that be ? Dave's no moderator, he's the administrator ....... 

[senmen]

The Main Facto soundwise is the Maple Capped Maple neck.  My rosewood Board Original P Bass does Not have that extreme agressive Sound in the highs, But also Shows a massive low end punch. 
Electronics and pickup Are definetely Standard.
As for Body Mass that Could possibly be a factor.  The Slab Bodies Do Look bigger compared to normal P bodies due to the non-contoured edges

Oliver
The Hybrid Hunter

[Dave W]

Oliver, I don't doubt it sounds just as you say it does. And it very well could be those particular necks are the main factor on these particular basses. But that doesn't mean that any maple-capped neck will get that sound any more than a one-piece maple or a rosewood board neck. One of the most non-aggressive, inert sounding basses I've ever played was an early-00s Jazz with a maple-capped neck. I didn't keep that one for long.

[senmen]

Dave,
I am absolutely with you on that Point. 
I Tried several Maple capped Ps and they do sound different. 
I also have a Custom Shop Masterbuilt Slab with a
Maple cap Maple neck and this one is Most aggressive. 
Electronicswise it is completely stock they Chose. 
But one of the Most aggressive Ps I have ever played. 

Oliver
The Hybrid Hunter

[JazzBassTbird]

Mid-'60s P Basses in general tend to sound a bit rattier than earlier black bobbin examples which lean more to a "hi-fi" tone. I say this as someone who's owned and worked on many '58-'60s Precisions over the last 35 or so years.

Back in 1984, I did a fret dress on a '66 slab P bass. It was the U.S. version with tortoise guard and rosewood board, the blonde slab body was the only unique feature. It was a long time ago but as I remember, it sounded like a '66 Precision. At the time I wasn't particularly struck by the tone.

Re the maple cap neck imparting its own sound, it might. I had a Hendrix freak friend who had to have a cream colored maple cap Strat. When he got one (this was 25 years ago...) I remember him opining that the maple cap neck really had it's own special sound. On the other hand, I've played single coil Telecaster basses with maple cap ('68) and 1-piece necks ('69-early '72) and not sure I noticed a big difference in tone between those.