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After a nightmare shopping trip with Mrs Bass (and bad clutch pedal) I’ve finally dropped off a coupla basses with Steve Robinson in Sale, Manchester; http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/
I’ve used him before (he finished off a vintage WEM Rapier bass for me once my limited ability ran out) and he’s both competent and reasonably priced. His first job is a setup on my 5-string, fretless EAB. Good old Starfire made a lefty version (thankyou) but factory-fitted it with a righty nut (not so thankyou). Also, he drew my retina to the fact that the saddle is an acoustic sixer that’s been plonked into a 5-string bass. Not a problem, but that’s Chinese factory cheapies for you.
His second job is more complex. I’ve given him my defretted Fenix Jazz copy which also has a duff nut. Now, I’m not keen on slicing my own nuts and would rather someone else did it 😉 . But, he has more to do. The neck pup is fine, but I don’t like the stock bridge pup (not very Jazz sounding). I’ve given him a Fender Custom Shop Vintage 60s to stick in its stead. Also, I’ve bunged him the Graphtech “Ghost” piezo saddles and mixing preamp; http://www.graphtech.com/prodghost.htm
If everything goes according to, I’ll have a fretless Jazz with nice pups, a dual pot for the two mag pups, a vol pot for the piezo and a tone pot for the mags (some day, I’ll find a use for it), and a stereo jack. Here’s the clever bit; the Ghost senses a mono jack cable and blends the mag/piezo but, if I plug in a stereo-Y jack, the mag and piezo will be sent to different paths/amps. Yummy.
I’ll let you know how it pans out. Poor Steve doesn’t know my next job if it does all work. Chisel sharpening required.
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My car’s clutch has died. On a more important (to this forum) note; bad news on the Starfire EAB 5-string. The truss rod has been turned to the max and still cannot be straightened enough to cure the intonation.
This is an electro-acoustic bass that came with a righty nut (on a lefty instrument), nasty phosphor strings and a piezo saddle originally designed for a six-string acoustic. Recently, an identical model was on FleebUS with a BIN of $40 because of a lifting bridge. I cannot emphasize enough that the Starfire EAB is to be avoided, no matter how cheap you see it. Firewood.
On a brighter note, Steve is going about the job of fitting up my Fenix with the Vintage 60s bridge pup and the Graphtech “Ghost” piezo saddles and blender preamp. As I’d already figured, putting the battery and the preamp gubbins in the control rout is too tight a squeeze. I’ve asked him to do a rear rout for a battery box. More info as I get it and, of course, my ops on this system. If it’s really good (and I’m told the Graphtech is) then I won’t care about an EAB.
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