196
The Bass Zone / Re: Brass hardware Q
« on: April 21, 2012, 10:56:14 PM »
Thank you guys!
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197
The Bass Zone / Brass hardware Q
« on: April 19, 2012, 03:53:20 PM »
So I have this cool 70s bass (in another thread) that I'm trying to get playing nice. The guy at the store I got it at was saying to make it a total 70s machine (it's already a 70s J-bass copy) I should get the used Bad-*** bridge he has and a brass nut for it. I've seen lots of guitars with brass stuff from that era, what was the deal with using brass on everything? And why did it fall out of favor? I came up in the 80s so it was all graphics and locking tremolos on pointy guitars then, and anything brass was "old" 
The older I get the more appreciation I have for 70s stuff (my music collection, my guitars, etc just not the bell bottoms, ha ha) I wanted to ask you guys because I figured I'd get a straight answer here more than at other places.
Thanks!
The older I get the more appreciation I have for 70s stuff (my music collection, my guitars, etc just not the bell bottoms, ha ha) I wanted to ask you guys because I figured I'd get a straight answer here more than at other places. Thanks!
198
Other Bass Brands / Re: NBD/bridge question
« on: April 18, 2012, 05:42:58 PM »
So with all the votes on here I guess I'll be looking for a 201 when the budget allows... in a year or so
Well I just spent the last couple hours fooling around with this bass (I was actually a little late to work because of it
) The neck is just perfect. It is a little bowed so I might tweak the truss rod and changing the bridge will help too but it's all good. I sprayed a bunch of contact cleaner into the rat nest of wiring (something was changed at some point, and everything is rusty) and all of a sudden the neck (middle? Whatever the front pup is called on here) started working again. Everything is scratchy so I will probably change stuff (the cheezy white plastic control plate and the broken pup switch's gotta go) but its fine for now. Whoever had this before me either sweated like a pig or played in the rain a lot because every (mismatched) screw on here is rusty. The frets/fretboard look OK though. Oh yeah, the pickups. This thing doesn't do "clean" very well but it makes some insane awesome snarly growl thru my little amp, I absolutely love the way it sounds for that kind of sound. It doesn't seem that microphonic (my fake EB2 is so bad you could use it to play a harp thru it, not in a good way) Anyway other than all the buzzing it does (and I was afraid I'd break the screws in the bridge raising it) it sounds and plays juuuust fine. I still want to make it a little nicer but that may just be my mod-itis talking.
Oh yeah I was poking around looking for parts and found this
http://www.ecrater.com/p/13274407/prewired-jazz-bass-control-plate
THe pics make it look OK (other than the mini pots) and it's all of $12 (nearly the same price as just the plate from guitar fetish) but it ships straight from China. I figure it's even money that I'd get a cheap crummy control plate with parts I'd end up replacing, or they'd just steal my identity and never ship something.
Well I just spent the last couple hours fooling around with this bass (I was actually a little late to work because of it
) The neck is just perfect. It is a little bowed so I might tweak the truss rod and changing the bridge will help too but it's all good. I sprayed a bunch of contact cleaner into the rat nest of wiring (something was changed at some point, and everything is rusty) and all of a sudden the neck (middle? Whatever the front pup is called on here) started working again. Everything is scratchy so I will probably change stuff (the cheezy white plastic control plate and the broken pup switch's gotta go) but its fine for now. Whoever had this before me either sweated like a pig or played in the rain a lot because every (mismatched) screw on here is rusty. The frets/fretboard look OK though. Oh yeah, the pickups. This thing doesn't do "clean" very well but it makes some insane awesome snarly growl thru my little amp, I absolutely love the way it sounds for that kind of sound. It doesn't seem that microphonic (my fake EB2 is so bad you could use it to play a harp thru it, not in a good way) Anyway other than all the buzzing it does (and I was afraid I'd break the screws in the bridge raising it) it sounds and plays juuuust fine. I still want to make it a little nicer but that may just be my mod-itis talking.Oh yeah I was poking around looking for parts and found this
http://www.ecrater.com/p/13274407/prewired-jazz-bass-control-plate
THe pics make it look OK (other than the mini pots) and it's all of $12 (nearly the same price as just the plate from guitar fetish) but it ships straight from China. I figure it's even money that I'd get a cheap crummy control plate with parts I'd end up replacing, or they'd just steal my identity and never ship something.
199
Other Bass Brands / NBD/bridge question
« on: April 17, 2012, 03:26:33 PM »
(Quick version: What's you guys' favorite F-style bridge for a non-professional guy like me? I don't want to catch my hand on the 2" long screws sticking out of this thing and would like actual intonation ability preferrably without paying as much as a whole Squier bass...)
I just picked this up (70's Hondo II Jazz copy) I know you guys on here are probably going "Yuk" since y'all have real basses, but there's no way I can afford a 'real" Jbass (this one was $79!) and this actually felt nicer than the Squiers they had at the same store. Obviously it didn't sound as nice, but it's a 3-piece ash looking body (instead of the plywood that the "real brand" ones I was comparing it to) and a neck that's easily the nicest shaped bass neck I've had my hands around (other than the real Gibson that cost more than my car did but that's another story...) I've had the terrible plywood Hondos in the past (my 1st real electric was an LP copy) but this thing felt absolutely perfect in my hands, and sounded ...interesting with the humbucker-looking pups. One of them didn't work but who knows if it was the pup itself or the 30 year old wiring but for the price, I'm not complaining.
Anyway the bridge is a 2-barrel one and sometime in the past somebody replaced half of the screws in it with random wood screws, plus I've got "mod-itis" so if you guys were to replace a bridge on something, what would you choose? They have a used chrome 4-barrel bridge at the same store supposedly off a Squier for about the same $ as the new Fender copy ones at guitar-fetish. They also have some weird thing they told me was a "bad-ass copy". I've never replaced a bass bridge, and I'd really like to do it once (and hopefully not spend a huge amount). Considering the bridge on my "real" bass (70's Hofner) is a piece of wood with fret wire holding the strings up) and I think it plays/sounds fine, I probably don't need to be so picky about this, right?
The store guy said I should find someone who's upgrading a Squier and get his cast-off parts, but of course I couldn't find anything like that locally. Got any spare parts you wanna sell?
More pix:
no plywood here!
most of the natural ash J's I've seen had maple necks, which I just don't care for. The neck on this thing is HUGE, wide nut and really full back contour. I love it! Girth=good!
interesting route poking out of the pup ring-maybe I could slip actual J pups in there. Weird bridge, too. There must have been the ash tray cover over this at some point. Do the screws just come out, nothing is coming out the back?
the usual belt rash but nothing that goes into the actual wood. Nice aged color, too.
I've been sitting here playing this for the last couple hours and only "came up for air" to post this here, no matter what I'm happy with my new toy.
Thanks for letting me schmutz up your awesome forum, I really like coming here but I don't usually have anything to post (some might say I still don't...
)
I just picked this up (70's Hondo II Jazz copy) I know you guys on here are probably going "Yuk" since y'all have real basses, but there's no way I can afford a 'real" Jbass (this one was $79!) and this actually felt nicer than the Squiers they had at the same store. Obviously it didn't sound as nice, but it's a 3-piece ash looking body (instead of the plywood that the "real brand" ones I was comparing it to) and a neck that's easily the nicest shaped bass neck I've had my hands around (other than the real Gibson that cost more than my car did but that's another story...) I've had the terrible plywood Hondos in the past (my 1st real electric was an LP copy) but this thing felt absolutely perfect in my hands, and sounded ...interesting with the humbucker-looking pups. One of them didn't work but who knows if it was the pup itself or the 30 year old wiring but for the price, I'm not complaining.
Anyway the bridge is a 2-barrel one and sometime in the past somebody replaced half of the screws in it with random wood screws, plus I've got "mod-itis" so if you guys were to replace a bridge on something, what would you choose? They have a used chrome 4-barrel bridge at the same store supposedly off a Squier for about the same $ as the new Fender copy ones at guitar-fetish. They also have some weird thing they told me was a "bad-ass copy". I've never replaced a bass bridge, and I'd really like to do it once (and hopefully not spend a huge amount). Considering the bridge on my "real" bass (70's Hofner) is a piece of wood with fret wire holding the strings up
) and I think it plays/sounds fine, I probably don't need to be so picky about this, right?The store guy said I should find someone who's upgrading a Squier and get his cast-off parts, but of course I couldn't find anything like that locally. Got any spare parts you wanna sell?
More pix:
no plywood here!
most of the natural ash J's I've seen had maple necks, which I just don't care for. The neck on this thing is HUGE, wide nut and really full back contour. I love it! Girth=good!
interesting route poking out of the pup ring-maybe I could slip actual J pups in there. Weird bridge, too. There must have been the ash tray cover over this at some point. Do the screws just come out, nothing is coming out the back?
the usual belt rash but nothing that goes into the actual wood. Nice aged color, too.
I've been sitting here playing this for the last couple hours and only "came up for air" to post this here, no matter what I'm happy with my new toy.
Thanks for letting me schmutz up your awesome forum, I really like coming here but I don't usually have anything to post (some might say I still don't...
)
200
Bill's Shop: Projects, Mods & Repairs / Re: Like I need another project
« on: February 06, 2012, 10:45:56 PM »Yeah that's pretty much exactly what I wanted to buid. Did you have to monkey with moving the bridge or how deep the neck pocket went into the body? And did you shave the neck down because it was easier than enlarging the neck pocket or for another reason?
I think mine was plywood!
I did make a 7enderbird of sorts with an Epi body........
The trick for me was to shave the sides and heel of the neck to fit the narrow pocket.
201
Bill's Shop: Projects, Mods & Repairs / Like I need another project
« on: February 06, 2012, 06:43:47 PM »
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Epiphone-Thunderbird-Ltd-Ed-Bass-Guitar-Body-Mahogany-/400274248173?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item5d323451ed
I'm trying to fix a stripped Epi SG, and while looking for parts for that, I ran across this. (Stripped Silverburst Epi THunderbird in case I hosed up the links) I've watched the various JAE-bird threads on here, and added this to my list of things I'd like to try. Not that I have time for it, but I can't do it if I don't have a body, right?
Didn't someone on here start with a body like this for a fender-bird project?
They're claiming this is mahogany. I've had enough plywood Epis but none of them were maho. ply. Have any of you run across this, or is it safe to assume it's "real" wood?
Maybe one of you should snag this if I don't since A: you guys do waaaay better work than me, and B:it might get finished this century yet.
Oh yeah, no affiliation to seller! Thanks for looking.
I'm trying to fix a stripped Epi SG, and while looking for parts for that, I ran across this. (Stripped Silverburst Epi THunderbird in case I hosed up the links) I've watched the various JAE-bird threads on here, and added this to my list of things I'd like to try. Not that I have time for it, but I can't do it if I don't have a body, right?
Didn't someone on here start with a body like this for a fender-bird project?
They're claiming this is mahogany. I've had enough plywood Epis but none of them were maho. ply. Have any of you run across this, or is it safe to assume it's "real" wood?
Maybe one of you should snag this if I don't since A: you guys do waaaay better work than me, and B:it might get finished this century yet.
Oh yeah, no affiliation to seller! Thanks for looking.
202
Other Bass Brands / Re: Howsabout a cheap Japanese EB-2 wannabe?
« on: September 30, 2011, 07:17:49 PM »
did somebody say "cheap Jap. EB?"
The ad the OP posted is gone, but I'm assuming it's like my "Conqueror".
Mine is pretty warped, the action is high and the binding is coming off where the neck joint is (I think the top is coming off) and of course it doesn't SOUND like an EB. It does sound pretty cool though, the (mahogany) neck is straight and it feels like it weighs about 2 pounds. I like it, despite it's flaws.
And my Hofner looks JUST like the Univox above.
The ad the OP posted is gone, but I'm assuming it's like my "Conqueror".
Mine is pretty warped, the action is high and the binding is coming off where the neck joint is (I think the top is coming off) and of course it doesn't SOUND like an EB. It does sound pretty cool though, the (mahogany) neck is straight and it feels like it weighs about 2 pounds. I like it, despite it's flaws.
And my Hofner looks JUST like the Univox above.
203
Other Bass Brands / Re: New availability Gretsch Junior Jet basses.
« on: September 30, 2011, 06:05:23 PM »
I had one of the 2-pickup ones from the late 90s. It was definitely plywood. It sounded fine, but the neck warped to the point of unusability (like pulling the frets at the end of the board so they didn't hit the strings bad) in less than 2 years. The pickups now live in my Hofner bass and sound awesome in that. Thinking back on it, the quality of mine at least was more like a "Stagg" or "Jay Turser" than what seeing Gretsch on the headstock would make you think. So, hopefully these new ones are a little nicer.
204
Other Bass Brands / Re: Captured the elusive Gretsch 1222
« on: July 21, 2011, 08:30:54 PM »
Hey look it's a thread here I can actually contribute something to... I had one of these basses a few years ago
I got mine at a local GC in the late 90s when they were new, mine was the "black sunburst" finish although they had some all black ones when I was there. (Maybe some were darker than others, yours looks really light compared to mine) ANyway I really liked how it sounded and played, but the neck on it warped terribly in about a year. LIke the frets sprouted right out of the neck, I adjusted the TR pretty much as far as it would go and it would still buzz everywhere. I did take it to a real repair guy who couldn't fix it and advised me to return it but of course it was way out of the warranty period. (and yes I kept it in correct humidity, it gets dry here in the winter but it was in my music room the whole time I owned it). I ended up scrapping out all the hardware to get my Hofner playing again. The pups sound better in that than they did in the Gretsch IMO.
EDIT to add, just keep track of the neck, I don't know if the Chinese ones are made any better than the Korean ones. And a friend of mine had one of the one pickup ones and it turned out to be plywood. The finish looked the same as my 2-pup one before he took the belt sander to it.
I got mine at a local GC in the late 90s when they were new, mine was the "black sunburst" finish although they had some all black ones when I was there. (Maybe some were darker than others, yours looks really light compared to mine) ANyway I really liked how it sounded and played, but the neck on it warped terribly in about a year. LIke the frets sprouted right out of the neck, I adjusted the TR pretty much as far as it would go and it would still buzz everywhere. I did take it to a real repair guy who couldn't fix it and advised me to return it but of course it was way out of the warranty period. (and yes I kept it in correct humidity, it gets dry here in the winter but it was in my music room the whole time I owned it). I ended up scrapping out all the hardware to get my Hofner playing again. The pups sound better in that than they did in the Gretsch IMO.
EDIT to add, just keep track of the neck, I don't know if the Chinese ones are made any better than the Korean ones. And a friend of mine had one of the one pickup ones and it turned out to be plywood. The finish looked the same as my 2-pup one before he took the belt sander to it.
205
Other Bass Brands / Re: Talk me out of this (fake EB2)
« on: June 20, 2011, 10:47:29 PM »
So if the construction is anything like a "real" one (bolt-on neck excepted...) how hard would it be to put some kind of intonatable bridge on this thing? I had a fake Gretsch COuntry Gentleman for years and years that was apparently made by the same guys, and once I got a different bridge on that thing, it played just fine.
And to everybody posting pix of your real EB's, thanks, guys, you aren't helping here!
And to everybody posting pix of your real EB's, thanks, guys, you aren't helping here!
206
Other Bass Brands / Talk me out of this (fake EB2)
« on: June 16, 2011, 06:45:21 PM »
Hey guys, I lurk here a lot but don't post real often. Here goes:
I just found this bass on CL http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/msg/2443290310.html (ad text in case the ad goes away)
"Bruno Conqueror hollowbody bass guitar, made in Japan in the mid-60's. This bass is in very good condition and plays great. The neck is straight and has an adjustable truss rod, the rosewood fretboard has been freshly oiled and looks great, the pots are clean, and the enclosed gear tuners work fine. Bound top and neck. About the only indication of its age is the crazed finish, mainly on the back that runs with the grain and is pretty common on hollowbodies of that era. You don't see many old hollowbody basses, especially as nice as this one."
pics:
Now I've always, always wanted a Gib. EB2 (the ES-355 shape one, at least) but will never be able to afford a real one. THat and my mediocre skills don't really warrant a $$$$$ bass anyway, but that's another story... I have a Hofner that sorta looks like this one so I dig the semi-hollow basses. You guys around here don't seem to be afraid of Gibson basses, or weird Japanese things either so I was wondering if any of you have any experience with "Bruno" or other Japanese copies. If this thing is a total dog then I won't feel so bad about passing on it, but if it's the "75% as good for 10% of the cost" kind of bass, then I'll definitely try to snap it up. Now, how to figure out how to sneak it into the house past the spouse...
Thanks in advance.
Oh yeah if it is worth it, how hard is it (or even worth the effort) to put a 3-pointer on instead of the 2?
I just found this bass on CL http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/msg/2443290310.html (ad text in case the ad goes away)
"Bruno Conqueror hollowbody bass guitar, made in Japan in the mid-60's. This bass is in very good condition and plays great. The neck is straight and has an adjustable truss rod, the rosewood fretboard has been freshly oiled and looks great, the pots are clean, and the enclosed gear tuners work fine. Bound top and neck. About the only indication of its age is the crazed finish, mainly on the back that runs with the grain and is pretty common on hollowbodies of that era. You don't see many old hollowbody basses, especially as nice as this one."
pics:
Now I've always, always wanted a Gib. EB2 (the ES-355 shape one, at least) but will never be able to afford a real one. THat and my mediocre skills don't really warrant a $$$$$ bass anyway, but that's another story... I have a Hofner that sorta looks like this one so I dig the semi-hollow basses. You guys around here don't seem to be afraid of Gibson basses, or weird Japanese things either so I was wondering if any of you have any experience with "Bruno" or other Japanese copies. If this thing is a total dog then I won't feel so bad about passing on it, but if it's the "75% as good for 10% of the cost" kind of bass, then I'll definitely try to snap it up. Now, how to figure out how to sneak it into the house past the spouse...
Thanks in advance.
Oh yeah if it is worth it, how hard is it (or even worth the effort) to put a 3-pointer on instead of the 2?
207
Other Bass Brands / Re: My Gretsch
« on: November 21, 2010, 12:44:15 AM »
So now you have a vol. for each pup, and a master tone? Does the switch then allow neck/both/bridge independantly from the volumes? 
How does it sound to you now? When I moved my Gretsch pups over to my Hofner, it now has more or less "Les Paul" wiring (2vol/2tone/3way). I was wondering if the wiring changed the tone on mine or was it being in a hollow body, or some of both... anyway cool bass, enjoy!
How does it sound to you now? When I moved my Gretsch pups over to my Hofner, it now has more or less "Les Paul" wiring (2vol/2tone/3way). I was wondering if the wiring changed the tone on mine or was it being in a hollow body, or some of both... anyway cool bass, enjoy!
208
Other Bass Brands / Re: My Gretsch
« on: November 07, 2010, 02:33:14 PM »
Just putting quality pots & switch in that thing will really make the pickups come alive. Just keep an eye on the neck and don't let it get too dry, mine warped so bad the neck needed to be replaced after a year, and I live in Minnesota, not the Gobi Desert or something...
Hope you keep enjoying your new bass!
Hope you keep enjoying your new bass!
209
Other Bass Brands / Re: My Gretsch
« on: October 13, 2010, 08:39:05 PM »
I think the neck pup sounds more or less like the unplugged bass, just louder if that makes any sense. I also think I spent less $ gutting the Gretsch to fix the H. than if I had just bought real Hofner pups. Did you just add the G pup to your Bronco or did you replace all of the circuitry?
And the Gretsch wasn't plywood, but it was definitely veneered for the "Black-burst" finish. I can't say for sure if the all-black ones GC had when I bought mine were ply or not, they were cheaper than the burst ones.
And the Gretsch wasn't plywood, but it was definitely veneered for the "Black-burst" finish. I can't say for sure if the all-black ones GC had when I bought mine were ply or not, they were cheaper than the burst ones.
210
Other Bass Brands / Re: My Gretsch
« on: October 13, 2010, 07:34:17 PM »
I had one of those Gretsches I liked it when I got it, it played and sounded nicer than anything I had owned previously. I got mine at GC in late fall, and by the end of winter the neck had warped so much that adjusting the TR and shimming the neck pocket had no effect on the fret buzz. I was ready to plane down the frets even... I tried taking it back for warranty work and the tech at GC told me that they wouldn't honor the warranty because I must have stored the bass wrong, like the wrong environment. 
I ended up stripping all the parts off of it to fix my Hofner 
I swear the pups sound better in the Hofner than they did in the Gretsch. Of course it had cheap mini-pots and switch, and I used CTS parts when I did the rebuild so that may have something to do with it...
SHORT VERSION:
I had one of the 2-pickup versions, they sound fine but are made kind of cheaply.
I liked it when I got it, it played and sounded nicer than anything I had owned previously. I got mine at GC in late fall, and by the end of winter the neck had warped so much that adjusting the TR and shimming the neck pocket had no effect on the fret buzz. I was ready to plane down the frets even... I tried taking it back for warranty work and the tech at GC told me that they wouldn't honor the warranty because I must have stored the bass wrong, like the wrong environment. I ended up stripping all the parts off of it to fix my Hofner I swear the pups sound better in the Hofner than they did in the Gretsch. Of course it had cheap mini-pots and switch, and I used CTS parts when I did the rebuild so that may have something to do with it...SHORT VERSION:
I had one of the 2-pickup versions, they sound fine but are made kind of cheaply.