The Last Bass Outpost

Many who wants to go active just needs to boost the pickups, but a boost pedal probably does the job - and then if you don't like it you can just trade it for another or something. I even once bought a pedal eq for a horrible bass. At least you don't make a mess in the control cavity.. Another idea is to bypass the controls (wire the pickup directly to the output jack) and work on the new onboard preamp
outside the cavity, if you are not allready experienced in this field.

Yeah +1; internal preamps have more compromises due to having to run of batteries as well as size limitations.  Direct to jack with a nicer external preamp will do the same thing (functionally), and there are far more tonal options.

Another (cheaper) option vs a preamp (internal or otherwise), playing off Amptech's  a boost + EQ pedals suggestion is to get the MXR 10 band EQ - it has a boost circuit as well as 10 bands of EQ - much more functionality and gain in hand than most internal preamps.  The KRK version (which I use) also has dual outputs if you need a line splitter for biamping or multiamp setups etc.  The 30 Hz band makes for a great rumble filter (indispensable between any unchoked Mudbucker and tube preamp section - saves sooooo much headroom).  I think this pedal could get you close to what you want.  Dial in your brighter Ric tone with the pedal disabled, and then set the EQ pedal to take the edge off the top end + maybe a low mid boost for the Guild tone. ... or vice versa - which ever works better.  Might also help to put flats or half/ground wounds on the Ric.

It's a "passive radiator."  Basically replace the port (a given volume of air) with a speaker cone (with no motor/magnet, or just not connected to anything).  The mass of the cone, and it's resonance point, is akin to the the mass of air in a port. Tuning the system is done by adding weight to the cone (there is often a bolt you can add washers to, often on the back, but I put mine on the front for easier tweakage) vs changing the volume of the port (length and/or width).  Theoretically very similar designs but they end up not sounding exactly the same (I tend to prefer passive radiators) and end up being (usually, but not always) more easily user-tunable than ported boxes.

So.... if you ever have a drive unit with a cracked magnet (e.g. shitty stamped frame late 70s PA stuff or white van speakers) whack off the motor with a hammer and you have a PR to play with (you will likely need to add weight and stiffen the cone which can be done by painting it with puzzcoat/hodge podge or just plain old watered down white/wood glue). 

Back when I ran a venue, I wanted the PA to look vintage (mostly indie rock shows), so I scored a pair of those old Traynor 4x12 vertical line arrays (I already had a pair of Sun horns to go on top) for almost nothing because half the drivers were blown.  I converted the broken drivers into PRs.  Later I replaced the remaining drivers with modern (heavier duty) bass drivers (an EV and a Black Widow each IIRC) which worked great because those cabs are a little on the small side for 4 modern 12s, but just 2 was about right.  Those things kicked and I only ever ran them at half the power they could take.

Love the idea, but with 3 pups you think they'd spread them out a bit more for more tonal options.  At least put one of them in front of P position for heaven's sake.


I wouldn't think that's a G3 neck at all.  That's a lot of expensive work (remove fretboard, replace truss rod, fill old truss rod route at headstock, refin etc)  for little benefit.  Pointy headstock necks can be found elsewhere.  Those do look like real Bill Lawrence G3 pups (which are great, one of my faves).

They sometimes use a live drummer, and if you watch some of their other vids (live performances) they have loopers and other fx on the floor in front of them.  Thunderstruck definately has more then 2 cellos going after about the midpoint (still awesome, not a negative to me - it's not cheating or anything, just saying).

Looks identical (under the hood) to my Nickel 65/66:



It is the earlier still brown plastic cover version (EB1/violin bass) that is different (one massive single coil).

Except it is not a 64 as mentioned.  Black plastic pup + bar bridge w/o mute puts this into 61ish territory.  The black pup is rare.  Not worth it to me personally (though I do like the look), but legitimate rarity and priced accordingly.  SG shape with black pup was only produced in 61 and 62 (before 61 it was LP Jr body shape, and after 62 it was a nickel pup).

If it's not loaded/strung, it's easy enough to unbolt the neck for shipping even if you sell it as a whole. I don't think they're very desirable so I wouldn't be so sure that parting it out is really worthwhile.  Also, a modified non-big name generic body will be a tough sell (dime a dozen), while the neck (they're actually decent ) will go easier so you might be left holding the bag on the body.

Dunno how consistent they were, but the last Fernandez P I played (possessed for a short time but didn't own) was a much better bass then a contemporary Squire P that a friend had (early 2000s or so)... to be fair that Squire was a dog and maybe not representative of average quality.

Not disputing that, just wanted to be sure there wasn't somerthing I was missing about the neck joint.

This looks sloppy and filled:


But this doesn't: