USA Epi hollowbody

[drbassman]

Got a newer Epi USA Sheraton body and we'll be doing the short scal bass thing with her, but with something original for the pups, like TV Jones ThunderTrons.  I've got a mahog neck for it that needs a fret board and finishing, so this will be a fun one for sure.

[Chris P.]

Good idea! I like your plan.

[Granny Gremlin]

My Idea, that I will execute as I aquire the appripriate basketcase candidate, is to put some Triumph pups in a short scale hollowbody.  The Trons doon't sound like a bad idea tho.

[Barklessdog]

Nice!


Keep us posted

[drbassman]

I used the TVJ pups in my Allen Woody (in Uwe's possession now) and they sounded pretty good.  I've learned a little more about wiring Gibsons since I did that one and the key, I'm finding, is to use 250 k pots for the tone controls.  Makes a big difference in the sound and tone.

[eb2]

I really like the binding on that.  I hope your neck gets the full treatment to match it up. 

I had an old Peter Tork Gretsch, and the pups in that - which were Supertrons - sounded wonderful.  Probably the one I liked most for recording.  I know people love Hagstrom/Dark Stars, but I preferred it.  I would imagine the TV Jones pups are simillar sounding.

I thought of TV Jones for a future Coronado experiment.  I would love to try your Sheraton, but I know I can't handle a set neck.  A man's got to know his limitations.

As always, Good Luck.

[doombass]

Nice project. You sure know how to keep being busy, and what better way than building/restoring basses. Is the mahogany neck your own build?

[godofthunder]

That will be one cool bass ! Bill I think you should quite your day gig. 

[drbassman]

Thanks guys.  I bought a bare bones neck some time ago just waiting for the right body to come along.  Here's the neck.....



I haven't decided what I might do about binding on the neck.  I'd probably have to make a matching binding, so I don't know if I have the patience for it!

[Dave W]

Interesting project. I've thought about a guitar to short scale bass conversion but not with a semihollow.

[drbassman]

Interesting project. I've thought about a guitar to short scale bass conversion but not with a semihollow.

I did it once before with my first project, a tele guitar body with a short scale neck.

[the mojo hobo]

Are those real toasters?

[drbassman]

Are those real toasters?

Yep. I sold it a few years ago on eBay then saw it later on G Base.  It sounded pretty neat but the toasters lack bottom and I let her go.

[ramone57]

the key, I'm finding, is to use 250 k pots for the tone controls

Dr B, can you elaborate on the difference in sound between the 250k & 500k pots please?  thanks!

[drbassman]

the key, I'm finding, is to use 250 k pots for the tone controls

Dr B, can you elaborate on the difference in sound between the 250k & 500k pots please?  thanks!

I have found that the lower resistance of the 250k pots enhances the lower frequencies and gives a fuller sound to the bass, IMHO of course.  The higher the resistance, the more you bleed of the low end output of the pickup.  I used four 500k pots on my recent NR repro TB and it sounds thin to me, so the 500k tone pots are coming out soon for 250s.

I first noticed it with a 72 Telecaster bass I rehabbed.  It has 1 meg pots and no low end at all!  It took all of the mud right out of that old humbucker pup.  So, that one will be redone with a 500k tone pot to bring back some of the missing lows.