barryman

I have added a photo of the current wiring layout as best as I can. Re the two pickups the neck pickup is ok with switch up, the bridge pickup makes a sound (albeit not as loud) when tapping it with switch in middle position, but nothing makes a sound when switch in bottom position.

I have just got a Columbus MIJ bass which is a 1970's copy of a Gibson SG/EB3. The neck has got an area where the paint has obviously splintered and lifted, leaving a shallow recess. Any ideas what to fill it with prior to respraying the area?? I was going to strip the bass back to wood but it's not in as bad condition bodywise as I thought so I think I can live with the slighly roadworn look. However, the back of the neck does need seeing to. Also, can anyone point me in the direction of a wiring diagram. There seems to be a problem in that the selector switch gives sound from the up & middle positions but in the "down" position no sound comes out. I presume the 4 pots are volume and tone for each of the two pickups. Any guidance will be appreciated. [attachment=225142:IMG_201.jpg][attachment=225143:IMG_2016.jpg]

[color=#000000] Can anyone advise me on pedals. I have a Korg Pandora PX4D which is no doubt a great bit of kit. However, I find it too compilicated to use. It produces masses of different sounds but they have to be dialled in for use. What I want is something that ticks the following boxes:-[/color] [color=#000000] * Has basic reverb / distortion / delay + any others[/color][color=#000000] * Can be programmed once to what I want and then stored[/color][color=#000000] * Most importantly, EASILY and QUICKLY selectable when on stage with pre programmed sounds that can be kicked in or out via footswitch. I find it difficult to dial in presets during a number - takes too long[/color] [color=#000000] So, can anyone suggest an inexpensive moron-proof item for me?[/color] [color=#000000] ps: - I will be selling the PX4D for £35 if anyone interested....[/color]

Guys - here is my query. I have a lovely bass with two pickups - the usual PJ split plus single bar pup. Controls are a master volume, a tone control, and a three-way selector switch. It plays fine but sounds far quieter than my other basses when used at the same volume settings. I have tried testing the output using a multimeter. When the switch is in the up position (neck P pickup???) I get a reading of 4.7k. When switch is right down (the JB bridge pickup?) I get reading of 12.5k. However, when switch is in the middle position (presumably that means both pickups working together??) the reading is only about 3.7k The sound volume is pretty much the same between top and middle positions. Am I reading this all wrong - I don't know where any fault may be. I can't understand the big difference between 4.7k on one pup and 12.5 on the other one Do I need to replace pickups or could it be a faulty switch? Or is my method of testing wrong?? What test does anyone recommend if not the way I have already done it? Any advice appreciated.

As Dannybuoy suggested, I think I'll go down to my local Halfords. I've used car paint on something before and, provided you leave it for a few days in a warm room to harden, it's fine. I'm sure I can get as near as dammit to a Fiesta Red. Allowing for different woods, lacquers etc, you can never tell exact colour that it will end up!!!

[attachment=175050:fiesta red 1.jpg]I fancy refinishing one of my basses in a Fiesta Red like in photo. Does anyone know which readily obtained spray car colours from one of the sheds (ie. Halfords, B&Q etc), is close enough to a Fiesta Red?? Any suggestions welcome

I fancy refinishing one of my basses in a Fiesta Red like in photo. Does anyone know which readily obtained spray car colours from one of the sheds (ie. Halfords, B&Q etc), is close enough to a Fiesta Red?? Any suggestions welcome

[color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]We have a Laney 8300 PA amp that has twice cut out during a gig. This amp is rated for use from 8 ohm down to 4 ohms. The first time it cut out we subsequently found one of the speakers was open circuit so we thought it was that. We also had the amp looked at, a new thermal fan unit was put in so we thought that would be OK. However, having replaced the dodgy speaker, the amp has tripped out again. Something tells me it's a speaker problem rather than the amp itself. Interestingly, when it cuts out it is the thermal warning light that comes on, not the load protection light!![/font][/color] [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]I have now been running it at home using a guitar and a mic with amp connected to [b]just one[/b] 8 ohms speaker and it has been 100% fine, no cutting out at all. So, questions are:[/font][/color] [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]1. If the two PA speakers were mismatched, ie one was 8 ohms and one was 5.5 ohms, could that cause the amp to cut out??[/font][/color] [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]2. Before buying a new set of speakers, is there any way of testing ie placing a "dummy" load on the amp to see if it cuts out again. How can I test it without forking out yet on new speakers?[/font][/color] [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]3. Bearing in mind that we play small places so don't push the amp to excessive volumes, can an amp make speakers go open or short circuit, ie can they get blown by something other than just volume??[/font][/color] [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]If anybody can offer any advice I'd really appreciate it.[/font][/color]

To add my tuppenceworth, I own both a Bass Collection SB310 (Jap made) and an Ibanez EDB500 - Luthite body and ebonite neck. Both are outstanding basses with the best actions I've ever known. The Iby's can be picked up for £150 - ish and the Bass Collections for not much more. Both are great but there's so much out there that nobody's advice will be relevant as we all have different preferences - the only way is for you to go and play the things and see what they sound and feel like to YOU!!

Howie - of course you are absolutely right. Tension should be on the lower strings so that's what I'll try first. Thanks

[b]I have a problem with a bass neck. I left my bass out in the sun for only a coupla hours and the result is the bloody neck has twisted. I don't mean a bow or hump, I mean it's developed a twist from right to left like someone held the body end while someone else tried to twist the headstock. Looking down from the headstock I can see that the headstock and nut are not level with the fretboard as it should be.[/b] [b]I need advice on how to fix it. I know that one answer is to buy a new neck but I'd prefer to sort it out myself if poss. A friend said something about leaving it in a steamy room then applying sideways pressure in some kind of jig or clamp. Can anyone help me along these lines, ie steam and natural re-twisting. Any advice on making some kind of jig etc? Or, would there be any way of using over-tightened strings to pull the neck round, ie loosen off the E and A strings completely and then over-tightening up the D & G strings - (the neck is higher on that side).[/b] [b]I happy to have a try at fixing it before I shell out on a new neck!!! [/b] [b]Thanks in advance[/b]

Thanks Ikay - it would certainly do the job but cost-wise there's just no point in me spending £75 on a bridge for this bass - it doesn't make sense. I can't see how or why people pay fortunes for a bridge - the prices are crazy and, if truth be told, I bet there's not much difference in sound for any of them!! Now - that's put the cat among the pigeons!!! I think I have solved the problem now - there was a little bit of movement sideways of the G string saddle so I have pushed over the saddle and have put a screw in next to it to hold it in place. Not perfect but it'll have to do!

I just finished redoing a lovely older short scale bass. Only problem is that it did not have original bridge with it so I put on a standard bridge I had knocking around. My problem soon became evident - the string spacing is a bit too wide and my G string starts falling off the cliff around the 6th or 7th fret. Current string spacing is about 19mm. (see attached photo) So, does anyone have a cheapo bridge - doesn't matter what condition - that they could donate or sell me cheaply as I cannot think what else to do. In theory I could try to file another groove into the existing saddle and fill in the current groove to stop string sliding back but I think this would be a bit difficult! Is this possible?? I also thought about drilling another hole in the L bit of the bridge through which to thread the string but the spring mechanism would then be in the way. I know I could replace whole bridge with those individual saddles but, as the bass now has a great sixties look to it, this would not look right with the era. Any ideas to amend existing bridge or do you have an old bridge lying around??

I have a tobacco sunburst finish P-bass copy that I want to rub down to bare wood (yeh, there's grain showing so it's worth a try). It has a black scratchplate so I thought a natural colour will set it off nicely. Once stripped I then wish to use oil to get it to a sort of honey natural finish or a bit darker, maybe like the colours shown in photos below. So, questions are: 1) Once I've used stripper etc to take off existing finish, then sanded everything down properly, would I use some kind of bleach to lighten the wood before colouring it up again? If so, is household bleach OK to use? 2) Once sanded etc, what oils would you recommend to get the soft satin sheen look I'm after? I've heard people say Danish/ Teak oil/ Tung etc but need advice on what's best and inexpensive! 3) What determines the shade of brown - do I use a wood stain first and then oil it or do I build up colour with different oils to achieve desired shade. All suggestions would be helpful. Thanks, Barry [attachment=142519:jd s4b honey.jpg] [attachment=142516:natural finish (5).jpg]