The Last Bass Outpost

Got a new bass build ready.

TB-12-Q
Twelve string Thunderbird Bass with Quilted Maple top.

- Mahogany body
- Bookmatched Quilted Maple top
- Nine ply Mahogany/Walnut set neck. Glued in
- Transparent black stain
- High gloss transparent acrylic finish
- White binding
- Ebony fretboard
- Mother of pearl position dots
- Jumbo frets
- 34" scale
- Buffalo horn nut ?
- ETS twelve string brass bridge set
- Two spokewheel double action trussrods
- Carbon reinforcement strip in the neck
- Lace Alumitone Bass Bar in the neck position
- Lace Alumitone DeathBar in the bridge position
- Allparts stacked pots (volume/tone volume/tone)
- Mullard capacitors
- MEC on-on switch for coil split (humbucker-single coil)
- Gotoh GB 350 lightweight bass tuners
- Gotoh Stealth ST 31 guitar tuners
- 2 xPure Tone Multi Contact jack output
- d'Addario EXL 170 - 12  strings
- Weight: 4.25 kg

Electronics circuit by Bas Becu.

Serialnumber: 2021003














Pics of the build process can be found here:
https://www.enkoo.nl/brooks-tb-12-q.html

A few years ago I had two prototype bass guitar built by a Chinese manufacturer.
The idea was to offer a medium priced series next to the basses that I build myself (by hand). I was gonna complete the Chinese built bass guitars myself with high quality hardware and electronics here in The Netherlands.
But I abandonded the whole project, because I was not happy with the level of fit and finish by the Chinese manufacturer. There were too many mistakes in the lacquer and other details. I would have cost me too much of my time to get them up to the level that I had in mind.

Eventually I sold both prototypes to a Dutch bass player, who is very happy with both bass guitars.
He completely relic-ed one of them.
And the other was left in its original state. Until two months ago. Then he sent me a request to give the bass a complete make-over...



The original:


The final result after the metamorphosis:












I tried it with a red speed knob as an eye catcher:



Pics of the process can be seen here:
https://www.enkoo.nl/modification-eb-spl-noir.html

Birth of a new Brooks bass!
The EXB-12-2PR (EXplorerBass - 12 string - 2 Pickups - Reverse strings triplets)
- Mahogany body
- Laminated Mahogany set neck. Glued in
- Black gloss finish
- Checkerboard binding
- Ebony fretboard
- Brassl position markers
- Nickel silver frets
- 34" scale
- Buffalo horn nut ?
- ETS twelve string brass bridge set. Gold plated
- Two spokewheel double action trussrods
- Carbon reinforcement strip in the neck
- Lace Alumitone Bass Bar in the neck position
- Lace Alumitone Bass Bar in the bridge position
- Switchcraft output. Gold plated
- 2 x Stacked volume/tone knob. Gold plated
- Pickup selector switch. Gold plated
- Gotoh GB 350 lightweight bass tuners. Gold plated
- Gotoh Stealth ST 31 guitar tuners. Gold plated
- d'Addario EXL 170 - 12  strings
- Weight: 4.5 kg
Electronics circuit by Bas Becu.

Someone in Argentina made a three point bridge that looks like a vintage two point bar bridge.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-point-Vintage-style-bridge-tailpiece-replacement-for-Gibson-Epiphone-Bass/163617524954?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item26185d4cda:g:GrUAAOSw6JZcmnTi&amdata=enc%3AAQAFAAACcBaobrjLl8XobRIiIML1V4Imu%252Fn%252BzU5L90Z278x5ickkfOCvCjTOBWK8pwriaolq5iMTIA4D8wN2d18UiWapoHqXbOBgbL2CJN6VcMYMtu6pPCB%252FUQo%252BU0vQXiNp5j6hRM4S7wtd3VA5vruDyZ0TBvf0usM7EDOexPSw6PoLnqxYAKeDMy37w6QXJRpECwcP6wPsJ%252BwZV2176usbPlYBcIwFPhMe%252B4fgZumYmevTK8uVzA4Qsn0Mcq9CYfVo80%252BOnHyQtJAg32AaOmJbDzFPbbfhJYUHkrmyK%252BJu%252B3Thy3EvHzE4DJkI78j1jmTHKV1hr%252BJ4ks3ot8jr9bYefkGtQN%252BHHh6KliURxDHVj5ZahcS8FkCWGigMlz54TVDQlhZwtl9oTHokL1fisEU0V8TmYjS9V47zcUHJZVvBZ4lvVy2NXludyE9CTiwyKABTWsfTxsDKP6n4hfk8w5xHZyj8Ps5DQaf9steLfG8cpnsY2iBYhi6s575TeZTIVVwQGqlTFfmjIW7VpgOFhwzn9jiJYwcKotzYWF0kxKcWnuvBLzGD4Ik5a8RM%252FIyvjSgwTUlWbxg4eADFrO16tBQTsPwX%252Be%252B3U4kYNg55SPL4%252BIC%252B%252Fq3zbFtpEvIBva%252Bd7UKjJIULl97QpdnESvB8hLncSXRQBpu7FTwp1aX%252BfX%252BzlbDPTaToXSDOvsaEp3vuBtgZQFlSKjgSOwYMR%252BhdYMwZZ1V%252B0G%252F45rvH4ED7EHSeA0H7zoYOrHtF8q9xHx5ZzdX7XZtdedbu%252FXvIclYvmiPaIIuYasMKfyg0ASxGrEsluCsiUrwY0IVbXLckMnVRkQlkC0gTiw%253D%253D%7Ccksum%3A1636175249540ffc0e101e7e4d309b539403a52fc5c9%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A2334524

Ladies, Gentlemen and everyone in between:
I proudly present the Brooks Thundervee.

A hybrid between a Thunderbird and a Flying V.

- Neck through with Korina body wings
- Nine ply Korina/mahogany neck
- Ebony faceplate on headstock
- Red Mahogany stain. Gloss transparent acrylic finish
- Rosewood fretboard
- 23 Jumbo frets
- 34" scale
- Handcut Buffalo horn nut
- Three ply black-white-black pickguard
- Wide travel Thunderbird bridge
- String through body ferrules
- Hipshot ultralite nickel plated tuners
- Spokewheel double action trussrod
- 2 x Sixties repro Thunderbird pickups nickel. 9.2 K Ohm
- Di Marzio EP111 toggle switch 4PDT for serial mode
- 2 x Volume pot Bourns 500 kOhms logarithmic
- 1 x Tone pot Bourns 500 kOhms logarithmic
- Kemet capacitor 47 nF paper insulation
- DR FatBeams 45-105

Electronisch circuit by BQ Music

https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2020/11/20/calton-cases-and-gibson-collaborate-for-signature-series-guitar-cases/

The premium cases can be ordered for models as common as the EB-O to as rare as the 20/20 or the Leland Sklar Signature model.

I wonder how many people are going to order a case for their Leland Sklar Signature bass... 

Lost the battle against cancer today...

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/oct/06/eddie-van-halen-dead-age-65

His talent was immense. He influenced several generations of guitarists. Changed the landscape completely.

Rust zacht Edward.