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SharpCat · Nov 27, 2024

Yeah, those diagrams make sense to me. But in the darkglass setup, the volume and blend are passive, before the preamp, and the preamp is single-input. So they keep working fine when the pre is switched out of the signal path. With the artec, the balance/blend looks like it's passive, and the two wires from it are probably signal and ground. But the volume is part of the preamp circuit, not separate and passive. I don't think you can just change the pot values. That'd make the pre not work right IMHO.

Now, you could pull the volume out of it's hole, set it to full, and tape it so it doesn't move. (or swap in a trim pot.) Wire in a passive volume like in the darkglass diagram. That'd work, but you're still without a tone control. (And you'd have to somehow fit an extra pot in the back of the cavity.)

That seems to be the real issue--you're short a control spot to put a tone control. You could get double-stack pots. Fat Bass Tone has a 50K/250k that you could replace the volume and also have a tone. You'd also need stacked knobs.

So here's the choices I see:

1. Passive blend, with or without double-stack volume/tone.
Use the blend as "Input" on the switch. Run that to the tone control (assuming you do the double stack thing) and also to the switch. The Effect Send goes to where the blend connects now, the OUT connection on the artec board is "Effect Return". Wire the other half of the double pot to the volume wires on the artec. With all that, you can go passive, but volume will be always full on in passive.

2. Make it more like the darkglass.
Use a pot inside the cavity to force the artec into full volume, but wire in a passive volume before the preamp. (basically the diagram above.) Optionally, get a double-stack 250K/250K to add both passive volume and tone. Feed those into the switch.

3. Stay active.
Yank the ineffectual switch and call it a day.

4. Find some other preamp that does what you want.
Downside: $$$

5. Just go passive.
Easy, Cheap. Can reuse the existing blend knob.

I'd probably do 4 or 5. You do you, though.

Nashrakh · Nov 27, 2024

Check out Janek Gwizdalas Youtube channel, he recently posted a video about his new E to C five string, although it's a double reverse P, so I'm not sure how helpful that is to you. But I agree, it's a cool sound. One of the reasons I desperately want a six string P bass (I still need that low B).

TeeSee · Nov 27, 2024

Supernaute said:
Speaking of budget brands, I’ve been hearing some buzz about Gear4Music and their house brands. I think they’re based in the UK. Seems like they’re directly competing with HB. Any of you guys have the scoop on that company?

I couldn’t say they are competing directly with Harley Benton – remember HB are huge in terms of manufacturing and boxshifting – I’d say more like adding to the budget bass gene pool like Glarry etc giving us VFM chasers more choice especially for ‘oddball’ designs.
To be brutally honest I don’t know a lot about this brand other than the 5 string fanned fret I bought last year which I moved the neck pickup closer to the neck and added a different preamp and tuners. Soundwise it was very good before I did any work on it. The basswood body is utter sh*te though as the guy who did the respray for me will attest to. When I visited him while it was stripped it was like balsa wood with lots of holes and cracks, I hear basswood is good for carving but you’d be hard pressed to carve this, in places it was like sponge. Other than that the build quality was excellent especially the neck which was outstanding, but some of the hardware was a bit flakey like stripped grubscrews in the bridge(s) adjustment which I had to replace, although they did a great job of drilling the holes for the wire for the individual bridges ground.
If I was in the market for another bass, I’d not hesitate having a good look at G4M basses and as I live in the UK shipping is only £1 for next day delivery. You’re in the US though so you may want to weigh up the costs for shipping and whether it’s worth it.

JIO · Nov 27, 2024

MARVIN MECKLER said:
Wow! You've done the impossible!

I have always liked that pickguard, but could NEVER find a body or color that it really worked on.

But...

You've found it!!!!!

That looks GREAT!

yes, well played! :thumbsup:

nealw · Nov 27, 2024

Another vote here for Evah Slap E & A and gut D & G. Specifically this D & G. $50 for both strings and they play and sound like a matched set with the Slaps:

New Bass ADGE "Natural Gut" Guitar String Special 40% Off Sale!

Top Quality NGW "ADGE" Upright Double Bass "Natural Gut" Strings......"Natural Color Tone". Measuring about 200 centimeters per strand of high quality Natural Gut Musical String. ADGE CHOICES INCLUDE ALL VARIATION OPTIONS UP TO A Full set of 4 different band diameters measuring: - G 2.1mm- D...

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J Wilson · Nov 27, 2024

I think it's going to be interesting to walk the floors at NAMM this winter and see what the outlook is.

Should these concerns be realized, we'll have to see if pre-tarriff goods sell at the current prices until the stock runs out, or if they raise prices on those goods.

Most any manufactured product has in many cases parts sourced from around the world from many vendors. VW AG quotes current Golfs source parts from 2600 vendors to complete each Golf. Will content be subject to this, or only finished products?

Time will tell.

Joebone · Nov 27, 2024

Nine-and-three-Quarters said:
Guys I'm not sure what's the hold up on the 3k? A 3k is simple two 1.5k's in one housing and it actually operates as a 1.5k in normal use unless you use the second amplifier. Most guys buy 2 amps anyway. One for their main and one for backup. Now you have 2-in-1.

And we definitely can't used the excuse of it being too heavy because it's under 13 lbs. This is absolutely the last amp you'll ever buy. Just go for it! I'm telling you, this is the new Aguilar DB751 without all the weight and lots more power. I highly recommend it!

Holdup? It's complicated. I keep a used 1.0 at home - the preamp clarity and accuracy make it an incredible tool for playing along with tracks on headphones (learning covers, jamming on iReal Pro, etc.). And the whomp factor is a great match with my inefficent Greenboy Fearless cab. But I presently gig in bar bands, in communities where a $2500 amp simply seems off. And for which the double power module would not useful (I'm either carrying just fine with one cabinet,or reinforced by FOH),and for which the redundancy factor also does not seem useful -- what if a glitch is upstream of the power modules?

Weirdly, I can make a case for a hypothetical 1.5 in the $1900-2k range that looks like the 1.0 and does not include an extra module I'll never use or need (although that HPF feature would be great!) This, of course, presumes I also get my pedal act together for some dirt, as the 1.0 (and presumptive 1.5) are clean, dean, clean. Meanwhile, for most gigs I bring out a venerable GenzBenz Shuttle 9.2 that provides 500w. into 8 ohms, and tube and FET preamps that can be mixable or independent.

In the sprit of full disclosure, I've also manifested on Mesa Subway threads about interest in a WD800 (hommage to the Walkabout amps) mated with a higher-powered module. The value of increased headroom is undeniable, as I learned when first replacing a GB 6.2 with a 9.2, and which I also know from extensive home audio experience, and from a backline with a bridged Hartke LH1000 pushing major power into an Ampeg fridge, that blew my Ampeg-negative mind! I might be whistling in the wind, but suspect the first AmpCo that broadly releases a high-powered single-module unit will do well. That said, is this a niche filled by the Ampeg V12, and how are those amps being received by the community?

So, yeah, Bullhead 1.5. For that, I'd sell some other stuff and pony up.

DJ Bebop · Nov 27, 2024

N4860 said:
Part of the issue is that 'popular music' is basically chosen for us at this point by marketers. Sure, you can become successful on your own merits in the music industry but I'd reckon it is a lot harder now then it used to be. Yes, there's platforms like youtube that one can use to promote their own material and get a following but you'd be up against companies with a lot more influence that can easily push some random new artist to the top with a couple of 'hit songs' written by some people in an office. It's kind of unfortunate that we currently have more access to music then ever before but that what is popular is basically so concentrated on a relative few number of pop artists that nobody is exposed to all of the great music being made (when I say no one, I mean the average non-musician consumer who is just happy to listen to top 40 radio). Of course I could be totally wrong about all of this, just my opinion about how I see the music industry today.

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Shawn Luckman · Nov 27, 2024

Thornton Davis said:
Another pic of # 24 just cause.

TD

The burst looks really good on your bass. :thumbsup:

jerry · Nov 27, 2024

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hieronymous · Nov 27, 2024

I kind of wish this three would be closed. Some posts from early on were scrubbed so some of the context is missing. But while it’s still open, I’ll share that I finally played one! I live in the SF Bay Area and haven’t seen one in person - had to come to the Fender Flagship store in Tokyo to play one!

It was great - felt “solid” and yet not that heavy. No G string 5th fret deadspot. With the active eq and pickup selection could go from bright for slapping to more of a fat old school sound with the neck pickup. And of course I love the binding with dots. Wish I had thought to play Vintage on it!

TriumphRider99 · Nov 27, 2024

Alex Xander said:
If the luthier has examples of his work, I would not be uncomfortable with a hammer and chisel approach. Properly skilled people can do things with hand tools that some with power tools cannot.

I appreciate your reply, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. He said that he had never done anything like this before. Strike 1. Strike 2, no examples of anything. Then, he followed up and said that the pickup surrounds would cover up the enlarged area. Strike 3, the bass does not have surrounds. So, it's pretty clear this guy does not do stellar work. He's just too cheap to pay for relatively inexpensive power tools.

DJ Bebop · Nov 27, 2024

JIO said:
"It's CLOBBER'N Time!" (oops... that was attributed to "The Thing" from the Fantastic Four) Did the Hulk have a catch phrase?
View attachment 7086805

JIO · Nov 27, 2024

60bass said:
I recently picked up the Paranormal Rascal in Sherwood Green. Very nice bass but I thought it would look great with Lollipops. So, I ordered a set of Hipshot USA Ultra-lites and installed them. Very happy with the way they look but the install was not without an issue. See pic.

View attachment 7083287
When something you've done dozens or more times suddenly turns into one of those oh crap moments! These basses have a thick finish but it IS delicate as you can see. Time for repair as the washers for the tuners won't fully cover the ouch. The missing chunk of finish was still in one piece so I grabbed the super glue.

View attachment 7083289

As you can see the end result looks great. If you don't look too close you can't tell it's been repaired. There's just something about the Coronado style headstock that looks great with Lollipops and Fender did install them on some Coronado basses.

Nice save. Yes, if one has patience, a steady hand and trust in yourself you can save an otherwise costly re-fin issue. You just have to watch out for Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue though, it can burn a white fog in a finish. If I want to be 100% certain I won't wreck an otherwise save repair (like yours :thumbsup:

) - I use diluted wood glue as it's water-based, bonds, drys clear and excess is easily wiped away with a damp rag/sponge. "Super-glue"
works great for so many fixes - but it is hot and can easily turn south as far as a "seamless" fix goes.

The small-plate, Fender stamped stubby pops were installed on all '66 thru '69 Coronado basses as far as I know. From '70-'72, small-plate Fender stamped clovers appeared.

TriumphRider99 · Nov 27, 2024

Square said:
Don't do the hammer and chisel thing. It's possible to do it and make it right, but I wouldn't trust anyone to do it unless they had stellar examples of hand tool only projects

A router is not that expensive and a simple pattern bit is not either. That's all you need except of course the jig/pattern... and attention to detail... and patience. Any competent woodworker should be able to do it. Does your high school have a wood shop? Maybe hit up the wood shop teacher.

Thank you! I actually own two routers, a regular one and a small trim router. I haven't gotten brave enough to use the large one, and the one time I used the trim router does not bring back fond memories.

What you said about avoiding the hand method was my gut reaction upon first reading his email. I just couldn't imagine anyone being that good with no prior experience and no examples. Way too scary.

I really like your idea about contacting the wood shop teacher. There's a h.s. not far from my house. Excellent suggestion, thanks for that!

I appreciate receiving supportive comments from people who actually know what they are doing.

Bud

Garret Wheeler · Nov 27, 2024

Wow I'm dumb. I posted this from my phone and when I googled it on my desktop I found a nearly identical thread that I started almost exactly two years ago lol. Ignore the double post. If there are any new answers I'd love to see them!

Alex Xander · Nov 27, 2024

TriumphRider99 said:
Hi -

I have an Ibanez SRF706. It came with Bartolini MK-1 pickups. I intend to replace these with Lace Alumitone soapbars, which I have received. They are a bit larger than the Barts.

What is the best way to have the cavities enlarged? I sent inquiries to a few local people who claim to be luthiers. The first guy to get back to me freaked me out. He doesn't have a router (too expensive, he says) and offered to do it by hand using hammer and chisel. I don't see how in the world that would look good. I think he thought the pickups had surrounds, which they do not. There is no room for a surround for the neck pickup as it butts up against the end of the neck. I suppose it would be possible to create a custom surround that would cover the pickup on three sides.

He thought two hours at $50 an hour would get it done. The thought scares me to death.

Would a quality cabinet maker be able to do this type of thing? I'm in Eugene Oregon and my choices seem to be pretty limited.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. I would even be willing to send the bass (it is neck through) somewhere to have it done.

Bud

If the luthier has examples of his work, I would not be uncomfortable with a hammer and chisel approach. Properly skilled people can do things with hand tools that some with power tools cannot.

retslock · Nov 27, 2024

agedhorse said:
Years back, there was a player here who was utterly convinced that a bass produced only fundamentals, and that their cabinet must be able to reproduce that fundamental or the note wouldn't be heard.

If all that was produced was the fundamental, it would be the equivalent of a sine wave generator and very unmusical at best. I even posted a link to a 41Hz sine wave... but all that resulted in was further and more ignorant arguments. At low frequencies devoid of harmonics, it's also very difficult to discriminate pitch without the harmonics, and without being very careful in a mix, it's easy to negatively impact a mix with excessive LF material. ESPECIALLY in a smaller room, or one with a long low frequency RT-60 value.

The bass guitar is rich in harmonics, in fact at low frequencies the harmonics are about 2/3 of the total signal (it changes with time and how the string is plucked) which is why it's so important to focus on the whole signal rather than just the lowest notes.

I have always been under the impression that for low frequencies to be faithfully reproduced they needed to travel the distance of one complete cycle and that could be several feet or so. I remember older folded cabinet designs.
Ear buds, bluetooth technology and tiny speaker enclosure designs have set my understanding on it's ear - pun intended. I recently borrowed a very small Bose bluetooth speaker while on holiday and as they often do, it punched way above its weight in sound. What I noticed though and this has been my experience with ear buds too is that moving away from the speaker reduces low frequencies quite a lot very quickly. Does that pertain to the lesser distance the sound waves travel with such tiny enclosure designs? Even a phone will allow better low end if you put your ear up close to the tiny speaker.

Square · Nov 27, 2024

Don't do the hammer and chisel thing. It's possible to do it and make it right, but I wouldn't trust anyone to do it unless they had stellar examples of hand tool only projects

A router is not that expensive and a simple pattern bit is not either. That's all you need except of course the jig/pattern... and attention to detail... and patience. Any competent woodworker should be able to do it. Does your high school have a wood shop? Maybe hit up the wood shop teacher.

Michedelic · Nov 27, 2024

The Sundays—Here’s Where The Story Ends
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krfoss · Nov 27, 2024

Messing with the compressors in the core, I’ve landed on the regular “boss comp” option. Sounds fat and punchy without adding or losing too much of anything. X bass adds too much bass for me, x comp adds too much brittle high. Boss comp for me, for now.

But… do I still need to buy the empress…?

Rdore2000 · Nov 27, 2024

Thank you everyone.

Greg Clinkingbeard · Nov 27, 2024

As James posted, the cheap cast aluminum are junk. Delrin will certainly break if torqued and I don’t like them either. They are on a backup bass because i don’t have the time to make another bridge for it. My earlier point about wooden ones isn’t quite accurate. Due to the large diameter of the threads there isn’t much left of the feet (any thinking luthier worships threads down). The adjusters might not break but the bridge might.

JIO · Nov 27, 2024

Miles_ONeal said:
Looks like someone's about to become either Hulk or Green Goblin!

"It's CLOBBER'N Time!" (oops... that was attributed to "The Thing" from the Fantastic Four) Did the Hulk have a catch phrase?

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