Home Forums Guitar Discussion Bass Guitar Let’s Get This Thing Going !!

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  • #23840
    boogieman
    Participant

    COME ON ALL YOU BASS PLAYERS. LET”S GET THIS THING GOING !!THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD PLAYERS WITH GREAT INFO AND QUESTIONS OUT THERE

    LET’S TALK BASS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN !!!!!!!! 🙄

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    • #66577
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Upgrading and adding the piezo to the fretless came ahead of the Cort. I’ve started a new thread, and will add the Cort details when I get to it:

      https://www.guitarsite.com/hotlicks/viewtopic.php?p=16636#16636

    • #66603
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Just another thing. I had to grab a Fenix Jazz bass (a 1990, when they had the Squier production job – I’ve written before on them) that’s been defretted. It went for £50 and was a driveable distance from me.
      http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=009&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=190069549596&rd=1&rd=1

      It had occurred to me that this could be kitted out with the Graphtech Ghost piezo system I have. Although the Cort would be a fretted roundwound and the Fenix a fretless flatwound, I might be able to compare the two piezo systems.

      The trouble is that the control cavity in a Jazz is tiny (the Ghost preamp and battery would take a lot of space) and I found another problem. I started taking the bridge off and only one screw undid. Two of the others, the head turned round and round and came off. Leaving the entire threaded shank still in the bass wood. Anybody fancy a pair of crosshead earstuds? What a pain.

    • #66590
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Yes, I’ll start a new thread on the remake of it.

    • #66605
      Michael
      Participant

      [quote=”1bassleft”]and the company’s product info (typing “cort action” into Google gets you a lot of lawyer sites – presumably spelling isn’t a requirement for an attorney) is here:
      [/quote]

      hahaha

      Looking forward to seeing this project. You should start a new thread for it so new comers can look in.

      Corts always look nicest in cherry red / walnut finishes.

    • #66604
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Good idea, Mike. The Cort Action V is still available for sale, although the current model has some differences to mine. Here’s a pic of the current model:
      #http://www.cort.co.kr/DataBank/product/model/Action/view/Action_V.jpg

      and the company’s product info (typing “cort action” into Google gets you a lot of lawyer sites – presumably spelling isn’t a requirement for an attorney) is here:
      http://www.cort.co.kr/english/products/common/view.asp?product_id=88

      I’ll get my camera running, but mine is similar. Instead of a “walnut” stain, the agathis body on mine is a putrid “natural”. Also, that body up there looks very Jazz-like but mine has much more rounded horns in a Warwick style. The Jazz-type pups, and that odd slant, are present. According to the manuf’s site, those are own-brand “Powersound” pups but I’d read somewhere that they’re just MightyMites.

      As a minimum, the Fender-style bridge will be replaced with the piezo bridge (temp pic):
      #http://i8.ebayimg.com/06/i/000/7b/4f/669d_1_b.JPG

      and I’ll use the Fishman Powerchip to blend the mag/piezo signals and provide the piezo vol control. I also have lying around the EMG BTC control to give the mags an active EQ so it would make sense to control the two mag pups’ volume using a stacked vol/vol pot. That’d negate the need for any hole drilling.

      HST, I haven’t ruled out replacing the pups. They’re OK (and the spacing allows for decent tone change from neck to bridge) but they’re not great. Standard Fender Jazz-bridge size pups would be easy, but I have some nice options in my spares bag if I could stomach some routing.

    • #66597
      Michael
      Participant

      how about DIY shots of this Cort as it goes through its stages.

    • #66595
      Tim
      Participant

      Should be cool, is it a 5-string already?

    • #66606
      1bassleft
      Participant

      My 5-string piezo bridge has arrived. Getting the screwdriver, allen key and soldering iron ready. The intention is to turn the Cort backup into a all-singing + dancing bass. Updates to follow… 🙂

    • #66581
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Well, I’ve returned to Blighty and encountered all manner of tedious things that get in a musician’s way and blow money. £260 to get the central heating working, and now my main PC is down and I’m scrabbling on a lappy just to get online.

      Looks like that 8-string will have to wait until February 🙁

    • #66594
      Tim
      Participant

      [quote=”1bassleft”][quote]A lefty 8-string is a very rare item that I’d be highly annoyed if one suddenly appeared halfway through a build[/quote]

      Talk about “ask and ye shall receive!” I’ve now spotted this auction for a lefty Schecter 8-string:

      [/quote]

      It was that bit, sorry 😆

    • #66592
      1bassleft
      Participant

      What caused it, Tim? The fact that someone makes something every time I start a build, or the fact that I might spunk 200 quid on a Schecter? 🙂

    • #66568
      Tim
      Participant

      I did try really hard not to laugh when I read this, honestly! And I was quite successful too, I just splurted wine out of my nose instead, which hurt. 😀

    • #66576
      1bassleft
      Participant

      [quote]A lefty 8-string is a very rare item that I’d be highly annoyed if one suddenly appeared halfway through a build[/quote]

      Talk about “ask and ye shall receive!” I’ve now spotted this auction for a lefty Schecter 8-string:

      #http://i1.ebayimg.com/05/i/08/1d/6b/1a_12.JPG
      http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=003&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=130019926972&rd=1&rd=1

      There are a few things I don’t like. Basswood body for one, not particularly because of the tone (although some cheaper makes get some right nasty stuff) but because it picks up dings like anything. Secondly, and this is a common 8-string thing, the higher octave string is up top. That’s fine for the finger pickers (and I’m playing more that way) but I’ve got a feeling I’d tend to plec an 8-string more often than not. Rickenbacker-style, bass string on top would be better and the Warmoth neck allows either way, because all tuning keys are bass minikey sized. Finally, the pups are Schec’s own Diamond Series. I notice their more upmarket (righty only) 8-strings are fitted with EMG-Hz pups. I don’t rate the EMG-Hz much, so that doesn’t speak volumes for the quality of these pups. Still, they look like EMG-35 types so they’re replaceable.

      Watch this space. For £200 including shipping from USA to Blighty, I might just go get one after the hols.

    • #66598
      1bassleft
      Participant

      I’m thinking of a build that doesn’t make the obvious, otherwise it’d probably be easier/cheaper/better resale just to buy something or adapt a not-quite-right. I started out on a build because, at the time, you just didn’t see volume manufacturers making a lefty 5-string except for pretty expensive items such as the Stingray 5. I was just at the point of realizing that body and neck weren’t quite going to fit when the Jim Reed came along and, thanks to a shipping error, mine for a comfortable £299. I then got a basic but serviceable used Cort backup for £100.

      It took a lot of point out of doing my own. A lefty 8-string is a very rare item that I’d be highly annoyed if one suddenly appeared halfway through a build. HST, I’d rather have routs for pups of my choice than the soapblocks. I wonder what Nirvana’s “Come as You Are” sounds like played on an 8-string, with a plectrum?

    • #66593
      Tim
      Participant

      With the $2 pound that is pretty ridiculous!

      Project would be good, can’t imagine using an 8-string that much myself, but it would be cool to whip it out for the odd song (not in the Flea sense, obviously…)

    • #66588
      1bassleft
      Participant

      I’m wondering whether to split this off into a separate “bass making ideas” thread, but just for now…

      I’m having a serious thunk about that Eden lefty body in the Ric style. It would mate up with the Warmoth 8-string neck and look quite nice. The pup routs, unfortunately, don’t match anything I have. They’re for the EMG 35 type of pups (Bartolini and Seymour also make pups fitting this rout). If I could cough up for EMGs, they do at least have the advantage of field coverage across the pup, whereas polepiece types might be a real pain to line up with each pair of strings. No 35-style pups on Fleeb at the moment. Predictably, new EMGs are $95-110 in the USA and £95 here in the UK. Do these idiotic UK retailers think we haven’t got the internet yet?

    • #66570
      Tim
      Participant

      [quote=”1bassleft”]
      You can get a shorter headstock (that’s why the Musicman has the 3+1) from 2+2, but it’s not the only thing to combat head-heavy syndrome. Minikeys (Schaller M4 or Gotoh and Grover types) are much less weight than the “elephant ear” Fender types. Most important is to make sure that the body’s upper horn, where the strap button goes, is above at least the 12th fret. If it falls short, then the neck will head to the floor. Gibson Thunderbird basses are one of the worst examples.

      I wonder what you mean by a thin neck? There are two things to consider. The width across the nut on a Fender is either Precision-style 1+11/16″ or Jazz-style 1+1/2″. Most players opt for the Jazz width, although my porkies prefer the Precision style, and Arias also adopt the Jazz width. The depth (and back of the neck “profile”) changes, too. Precisions tend to be a clubbier “D” shape whereas the more narrow Jazz has a slight “V” shape. The Aria falls between the two, being more rounded across the back than the Jazz. Again, me personally, I prefer the Precision club. No wonder I found the move up to 5-string pretty easy.[/quote]

      Luckily I really, really, hate elephant ear tuners, However I always think that the lengh of the headstock would make quite a difference ( you know the whole moment thing, distance from the pivot, too pissed to remember the equation!) I won’t unleash my headless visions on you yet…I think it’s too soon to really distress you! The button above the 12th is a great rule balance-wise, I just wish the basses that obeyed it didn’t tend to look pants.

      As for the other, yeah, that was about my most vague post to date, sorry 😕 Okay, ignoring for the moment the width of the board, the closest thing I’ve felt to my Aria’s neck is my friend’s American Strat (6-string). D-profile but very thin back-to-front (it took a lot of practice before I stopped bending the neck when I fretted!) The width of my nut and bridge, materials, fret size and all that is still to be decided but luckily (?!) this is all pie in the sky till I get some cash anyway.

    • #66583
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Always expect a lengthy from me, Tim 😉

      The Jay Turser necks haven’t been around for that long, but it looks like they’ll circle the Fleeb for a while yet. The thing to remember is that JT is a pretty budget-ended line of basses so it follows that the neck won’t be top drawer. HST, what does this mean in practice? They’re all rock maple (mostly) and, unless it’s a maple board, most manufacturers use Indian rosewood these days because Brazilian is frighteningly expensive and not very planet-friendly.

      Everybody’s using computer-controlled machinery so a cheap neck is not so much about being badly made, perhaps the wood won’t look as pretty or the finish will be a bit less classy. An example is that the Indonesian Squiers today look a bit naffer than even the 90s Korean ones (and certainly the Japanese Squiers) mostly because of the neck and peghead. The actual wood is very pale, usually has no interesting grain and I really hate the look of today’s satin finishes. But they seem to stay straight and in one piece, which is what you want mostly. For Warmoth money, you’re getting a better truss rod and strengthening bars, prettier wood and hopefully better QC.

      You can get a shorter headstock (that’s why the Musicman has the 3+1) from 2+2, but it’s not the only thing to combat head-heavy syndrome. Minikeys (Schaller M4 or Gotoh and Grover types) are much less weight than the “elephant ear” Fender types. Most important is to make sure that the body’s upper horn, where the strap button goes, is above at least the 12th fret. If it falls short, then the neck will head to the floor. Gibson Thunderbird basses are one of the worst examples.

      I wonder what you mean by a thin neck? There are two things to consider. The width across the nut on a Fender is either Precision-style 1+11/16″ or Jazz-style 1+1/2″. Most players opt for the Jazz width, although my porkies prefer the Precision style, and Arias also adopt the Jazz width. The depth (and back of the neck “profile”) changes, too. Precisions tend to be a clubbier “D” shape whereas the more narrow Jazz has a slight “V” shape. The Aria falls between the two, being more rounded across the back than the Jazz. Again, me personally, I prefer the Precision club. No wonder I found the move up to 5-string pretty easy.

      If possible, wander into a shop and try the Jazz against the Precision and you’ll see what I mean. One last thing; Fender has trademarked the headstock design so you only see it on Fenders and aftermarket necks. Other manufacturers have to use something different enough to get away with it. It’s the only reason I can think of for nasty old planks from the 70s fetching higher prices than budget newbies; more “Fender looking” headstock (handy for those awful knockoff logos).

    • #66584
      Tim
      Participant

      Thanks 1bl, that was a lot more reply than I thought I’d get! And very useful too.
      I’d seen the JT necks but wasn’t sure if they were a regular on fleeb or not.

      To be honest, I prefer the feel of the Fender type necks I’ve played, the neck on my Aria is very thin, I just really dislike Fender headstocks and ‘fake’ Fender headstocks are even worse.
      Also, cant’ help thinking that if I could find a compact 2+2 it might help with the head heavy tendencies as I do want quite a small body, however, most of the 2+2 I’ve seen are about as long as a normal head anyway.

      Thanks again

    • #66580
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Fancying a SG look, Tim? 😉

      FleebUK is a dead loss, usually. There’s that ghastly thing with star inlays and a £45 BIN that I wouldn’t touch at half the price (circles endlessly with no bids). FleebUS is a slightly richer seam. If you just want 2+2 rather than a Gibson look, there are Jay Turser necks going there (JT is a cheapish range so they won’t fetch high bids) and you could keep an eye on Warpdrivemusic. I bought a Washburn 5-string neck from them (see Mackflynn’s thread).

      The seller’s quite pleasant and shipped to me no problems their side. HST, they tend to have seconds. My neck, although unused and straight, has some fret tangs on the fingerboard edgings that need a really good rub down. The 2+2s they’re selling are distinctly distressed looking.

      There is a real problem, if you’re considering a self-build or design-from-parts. For your sanity, I’d suggest you avoid 24-fret necks and other (basically, non-Fender neck pocket) designs. You’ll need a custom body, and getting a body with a non-Fender pocket that actually fits is a difficult trick. I’ve got a $100 lump of firewood that won’t quite fit my neck properly.

      Less tears all round if you go for the Warmoth Gibson-style neck with the angled headstock (nice) and standard, bolt-on Fender heel:
      http://www.warmoth.com/bass/necks/necks.cfm?fuseaction=include_13angled

      The only caveats are that (a) the necks are good value, well made, but Warmoth’s lacquering price is hefty. Worse, they insist on using UPS couriers. Not only do UrParcelShagged throw any box in its “care” all over the hangar, they are extremely efficient in whacking on import duties and associated handling charges. Import duty (see Lee’s sticky) includes a percentage of the shipping price, so a lacquered neck sent by courier builds up to a nasty 17.5% tax loading.

      There is a way to minimize this and I’m seriously considering getting one of their Fender-pocket 8-string bass necks:
      http://www.warmoth.com/bass/necks/necks.cfm?fuseaction=include_8string
      so, if you jump, I might jump with you.

    • #66574
      Tim
      Participant

      Very long shot but does anyone know of any ok makers of bass necks with a 2×2 tuner layout (long scale) on fleeb? I notice all the Eden ones are Fender style and this appears to be the norm.
      Thanks.

    • #66582
      Tim
      Participant

      Did a quick search for those Eden bits, look pretty nice for the price, quite tempted myself. They don’t have the exact specs I want but for something to mess about with…

    • #66575
      1bassleft
      Participant

      I’ve also noticed on FleebUS that some outfit are making “Eden” bodies and necks unbelievably cheap and sending them out from Hong Kong. Typically, the lefty side is pretty limited (no bass necks in lefty style, for instance) but I’m considering contacting them. Even the BIN price with shipping is not too hard to swallow.

      I’m going to empty out my bag of bitson the floor and have serious thunk about what to make. It’s late now and bed beckons, but I’ll probably blog it in this category, with all suggestions etc welcome.

    • #66587
      boogieman
      Participant

      Yes, I agree that the Koreans are quite adept at building quality instruments. Oz, I own a 2006 ” Lion” proto type. Exact copy of a 1954 P Bass. The man that had it built is named Ted Lion. He took his 54 P to Korea to a small “custom” luthier shop that employs only 4 workers. He then sat with them while they took his apart and copied every part. The wood is aged and in fact, of the quality that can not even be obtained in the USA any more. All hardware is top notch USA, and the pickup was custom designed by a custom winder in Montana. It is a beauty !!! He ran in to so many problems both personally and business wise that he scrapped the project. He had six of them built. Only 2 sold in the USA.

      On one hand, it is just another well done knock off. On the other hand, it is indeed proof that if given the chance, the Koreans can build a world class intrument. 8)

    • #66586
      1bassleft
      Participant

      IME, Koreans have always made basses as well as they’ve been allowed to make them. Yes, there were a lot of ply-bodied guitars made in Korea in the 90s but that coincided with the decision by the majors to cut costs on materials as well as labour (Squier Strats instantly became ply as soon as they shifted from Japan to Korea).

      However, I have a Young Chang 1990 Fenix that is alder-bodied and an excellent Jazz replica (I’m the originator of the Fenix history that some Fenix sellers on Fleeb have annoyingly misquoted to imply that they’re better than Japanese Squiers. They aren’t, but the rumours I had at the time from working at a magazine were that YC was using the best leftovers for their own brand). Even ’90s ply-bodied Arias have decent playability and tone compared with similarly priced competition of the time.

      Nowadays, many manufacturers use Korea to produce good mid-level instruments from decent materials. I use a Cort Action V as my backup lefty 5-string and it’s not bad. There’s a not-great gap under the extended fingerboard and the agathis (eastern alder) body, and the (Mighty Mite, I suspect) pups are boringly generic sounding, but the latter is beyond the factory’s control; bean-counters at work again. I’ve got a temptation to use it as the basis of some serious rerouting for a much nicer bass.

    • #66599
      boogieman
      Participant

      Yes, A big thanks in advance !!!!

      I did speak with a very well respected Luthier who told me that the Koreans have been turning out some world class work in the past few years.

      Boogieman 8)

    • #66585
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Jimmy (Boogieman)’s question to me was this:

      [quote]A buddy of mine just bought a fairly new Burns Bison that was made in Korea. He was on his way to a gig last week and stopped in at my place before my band hit the road. We compared Bisons. Mine was made in 92 and it’s not Korean. His finish and hardware look a bit better than mine. Pickups seem to be the same. It is not the difference in age. I really believe that the Korean made Bison looks a bit better and has a bit better hardware.

      I found it sort of strange. What do you know about the newer Bisons ?[/quote]

      To which I would say “not a lot” I’m afraid. Rather than look stuff up on a search, it’d be much better if a passing Burns bass owner would look in and chime some opinions – thanks in advance.

    • #66591
      boogieman
      Participant

      Thanks 1Bass———— please do post the question. You are the computer dude, I am a lowly Bluesman !!! 😆

    • #66572
      1bassleft
      Participant

      I enquired about the router in the tech dept and it’s good enough for grooving teddy patterns out of a piece of MDF for coathook projects, but it won’t chunk out a MM5 pup-sized hole from a lump of alder, bah 🙁

      I’m going to rationalize my bag of bits and start thinking about what I might do with them. Probably going to be thinking aloud via a thread here. All chip-in ideas and contributions welcome.

      Incidentally, boogieman, you did email me about the Burns you got but I’m not extremely up on the history (unlike the WEM, which I know well). Perhaps you could c+p your question into the forum here? If you don’t have the email, I can post it in for you.

    • #66579
      boogieman
      Participant

      8) Interesting Oz. One of the only “new from the store” basses I have ever purchased was a Baldwin Bison that was hanging on the wall in this little Norteastern Oregon town in 1966. I found a used Baldwin just like it in 1970 and bought it too. I only hope the “new baby” sounds close to the old ones.

      JLR 8)

    • #66448
      Tim
      Participant

      Oh, and very envious of the Burns Bison aquisition, that was the first bass I ever lusted after as a kid!

    • #66436
      Tim
      Participant

      [quote=”1bassleft”]Tim has chipped in that neo-anoraky stuff about how a bass guitar or amp build affects the sound interests him. I’m all for that, and I don’t think it’s all that covered on other bass sites. Also, I’m fired up by a new job – more money – and a technology dept with a nifty looking set of computer-controlled routers and suchlike. Watch this space.

      That said, trademark Guitarsite humour and no-offence-intended mickey-taking of each other is always encouraged.[/quote]

      Certainly think this would be a good way to go and something not covered by many sites, however, my main contribs will be questions as I have very little knowledge to offer.

      Congratulations on the job, sounds like a good (read useful) place to get into and more money is always good.

      Not sure about trademark Guitarsite humour…that’d require bringing tennis into the bass forum where it really has no place.

    • #66459
      boogieman
      Participant

      8)

      Great news about the new job Oz !!

      Forgot to tell you that I just bought a 1992 Burns Bison. The bass sounds pretty close to my original Burns Bison and my Baldwin-Burns Bison. Not my old 50’s P Basses, but a good player for certain.

      As for the site I have always thought it could be a real trend setter. Most all the other bass sites are a ” I have this and you don’t “type of thing. I think players want just good honest opinions and knowledge, thrown in with some help every once and a while.

      PLAY THAT LEFT HANDED BASS !!!!

      Jimmy 8)

    • #66460
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Jimmy! You’re back with your original moniker (aka “Pegleg”, caused by logging difficulties, in case others don’t know). Nice to see, and thanks to MightyModMike for sorting.

      You may have read in Mack’s Washburn thread his valid point that the cat is a tad quiet. Tim has chipped in that neo-anoraky stuff about how a bass guitar or amp build affects the sound interests him. I’m all for that, and I don’t think it’s all that covered on other bass sites. Also, I’m fired up by a new job – more money – and a technology dept with a nifty looking set of computer-controlled routers and suchlike. Watch this space.

      Meantime, I’m appealing for EVERY low-Hz producer passing through to take the time to register, say hello, and chip in with what they’d like to see here in the category. This is the thread to make your opinion known. With a few ideas contributed, this can become more like the place you want to see.

      That said, trademark Guitarsite humour and no-offence-intended mickey-taking of each other is always encouraged.

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