The Last Bass Outpost

LOL - did you notice the A tuner?  The post is too small for the peghead hole.

That is period correct for a block inlay 1980 EB3

Alphas have come a long way in the last few years though; they don't feel (when you tuen them; tactile sensation) like the other cheap pots (e.g. BDI) anymore.  And developing scratchyness/looseness greatly depends on use and abuse, but I can understand not wanting to risk it.  I maintain Bourns are the top of the heap and still cheaper than CTS (especially outside NA); it's just a relatively new product line for them  vs CTS.

I recently put Bourns pots in another test amp. The price is fine, but i expected them to be made in uk or us. The metal shell ones I ordered had were all made in china, with the exact same toolmarks as another unbranded chinese sample that cost half of the bourns.
Time will tell if they hold up!

I knew that would get your attention!     Actually, I always use CTS pots in my builds.  With my new semi-hollow design, I'm sliding the pots under a hole cut beneath the pup cavity ala the new Guilds rather than through an f-hole. 

I was thinking about tolerances and such and realized the mimi-CTS pots would make my life a lot easier during installation.  Anything inherently wrong or kinky with the minis from CTS?  I'm assuming the same high quality as their standard pots or is there something I should know about them?

Just wondering.........

I use only CTS pots. I know many (at least outside US) think they cost too much and that alpha might do the job just as well. Ten years ago  I built three tube amps that was identical except pots. One CTS, one alpha and one even cheaper chinese pot. Different guitarists had them, so it was no scientific experiment. But the cheapo´s was crapping out in about two years. The alphas were ok except one scratchy and one loose after five years. The CTS pots are all good even today, and they have the bonus of feeling just as tight as new.

As for the mini CTS´s, I´m installing a double one as a blend pot (to blend a P and a mud ) in a fender P, looking forward to try that one out!

I have an acoustic epi that i transformed into a jazzbox with f holes. I used the small CTS´s in it, and as I work the pots I cant really tell any difference between them and the big ones. I expected them to be more ´jumpy´perhaps, but they are fine! 

Add a handmade oilcap to the tone pot and they sound fabulous!!

Voodoo caps are annoying, but I'm glad stumac includes and informs about such products. They'd be out of business if they they stuck only to sense and tradition. Even though I do not repair many guitars, I am amazed how many of my amp service customers asking about caps and pots and stuff. Even pro players at decent age who posesses a good tone suddenly feels that this 'shitty original cap' in the guitar ruins their tone, all of a sudden. Even if the tone pot is always at 10. They come with piles of different oil caps purchased at ridiculous prices. End of the story for most of them is that they do not hear much difference, of course. If I just laughed at them, what good would that do for my business?

Nevertheless, people talk about it and get their opinions through practical experience and those who think their life is more meaningful with toiletpaper-in-oil caps well who cares. I think we just have to wait for this to die naturally, like cryogenically treated strings, active pickups, alu cone speakers and black hardware

If your willing to go fretless all the common problems of the 6070 go away and IMOP it becomes a better instrument.

I decided to have the neck reset now. I don't think pulling the frets could have helped, as the bridge is at the lowest possible point and the action is still to high. Pulling the frets would mean filing the nut slots and then I'd possibly need to lower the bridge even more, wich can't be done since the strings almost touch the pickup.

And last week i installed frets on my '74 P bass. Pulled the frets on this in 1993 - had some serious Jaco brain damage
Took almost a day to prep the neck before fretting (as expected when sideways installed frets are pulled straight up and slots filled with epoxy  )  But then, what was a 70's fender worth back then..

He made me a neck for a damaged EB3 of mine, very good. Seemed like a nice guy too - I am no ace when it comes to woodworking, but he gave me enough tips to complete fretboard glueing and body/neck joining without issues. Oh, got some help here too

Good prices and fast shipping. 

So gibson offered pickup kits back in the day?
Didn't know!

Just saw this on the bay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Project-Vintage-Gibson-Les-Paul-Bass-Pickup-Kit-Covers-Bobbins-Ring-1970s-NOS-/221966581499?hash=item33ae3d3efb:g:YUMAAOSwNphWa7lM

They were short scale only. I think the single-pickup model was the SB-1C "banana bass".

The Samurai, at least the information I have, was either one or two pickups with the same body outline.
SB5A (one pickup) and SB7A (two pickup) made between 1966 and 1967.
Found this pic a while back: