mart

The P ones have the same width throughout, whereas the J ones have a kind of bulge in the middle. Putting that another way, if you look at the bass square on from the front, then the P one is much more rectangular, whereas the J one has more of a (convex) lense shape.

[quote name='Jungle VIP' timestamp='1329929371' post='1549940'] Sounds painful.... [/quote] No, could be worse - he could have suggested the crocodile clip in your boxers

[quote name='GreeneKing' timestamp='1329925647' post='1549863'] ....I fitted the scratch plate after filing many lumps out of it .... [/quote] Er, why? What sort of lumps? [quote name='GreeneKing' timestamp='1329925647' post='1549863'] ....I'm not overly keen on the white pup but it sounds good so it'll have to do. ....[/quote] Can you replace the cover on the pup? Mind you, I'm not sure what colour would go well with the pearly plate. Can you get pearly pup covers?

[quote name='Jungle VIP' timestamp='1329865946' post='1548973']...How much higher than 0 is acceptable?... [/quote] Even with the cable I'd expect a reading of less than 1 ohm, but I'd guess that 1 or 2 ohms should be ok, and (guessing a bit further, so I'm hoping someone more expert will chip in) I'd reckon that it would need to be a good few K ohms before the audible popping became a big problem.

I don't know what the Wal serial numbers look like, but could he simply be misreading the number, e.g. if it's 2906? On the other hand, perhaps he replaced the top veneer wood at the same time as he got lines fitted to the fretboard.

If you have a multimeter, you could do an overall check of the earthing on the bass by plugging a cable in, and checking the resistance between the strings and the other end of the cable (the sleeve, not the tip). There should be very little resistance at all if the bass earthing is good. If there is resistance, then check the resistance between the strings and the jack socket, and then between the strings and the pot casings etc. By a process of elimination, you'll find out where the gap is.

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1329857120' post='1548700'] Try taking a look at the wire that runs from the bridge back to the common earth point inside the bass - that's the first place I'd check as it seems to be a very common point of failure. [/quote] +1, except that this is also the first place the OP checked: [quote name='Jungle VIP' timestamp='1329847729' post='1548504'] [b]....What I have done so far:[/b] Checked the earth cable from the tone pot to the bridge.....[/quote] So, next: I'm guessing you'll already have tried using a different cable? Is the buzzing the same with both of your amps? And have you tried plugging the amp(s) in to a different power socket? It's obviously some earthing problem, and the strings/bridge/etc should be connected to the earth via the bridge and then the wire to the pot casings and then to the jack socket. If those connections are good, and the instrument cable is sound, then I fear there must be an earthing problem in the amp(s).

As Ed_S says, it's very simple. Except if it's the Dunlop flushmounted straplocks. Those would need a bit more woodworking (e.g. a bit of dowel or something to block up the hole, then maybe a very long screw to go through the dowel and actually engage in the body). I've never replaced Dunlop flushmounts, and I wouldn't want to!

From the Warwick pricelist (off their website): [quote]Boots Collins Signature, 4-string, Orange Airbrush Design / Metal flake lacquer £5.779,00[/quote] Edit: Whoops, no, that's the old one. In that case, I'd guess the new one is probably very close to £10k.

[quote name='MarkBassChat' timestamp='1329763387' post='1546967'] What do you mean by "had some EMG PJ pups"? Do you have one of models listed in the diagram? Which diagram are you using, #2? In this diagram the pickusp are shorted to the ground when pots are turned down. So probably you have pots not connected to the ground. Can you make a photo and post it here? Mark [/quote] +1. In that diagram when the volumes are down then the pickups' signals are sent to earth. So if you can wind both volumes down and still hear a signal, then your bass is simply not wired the same way as in that diagram. And it seems most likely that it is a lack of proper grounding that is the problem. All of which makes me think you need to go to a different tech.

[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1329677347' post='1545762']....The instrument can be intonated in much the same way as a fretted. ....[/quote] This is one of the other big differences with a fretless: it [i]can[/i] be intonated the same as a fretted bass .... but it doesn't [i]have[/i] to be. I've never done it much myself, but with a fretless you have the option to intonate it how you like. For example, one suggestion I've seen is that you might choose to set the intonation so that the right fingering position is different on different strings. You might have it set so that on the E-string you need to play exactly at the side dots, but on the G-string you need to play a little behind that to compensate for the fact that when you look through the dot towards the G-string your line of sight is not going to be perpendicular to the strings, so what looks in line with the dot usually isn't actually in line with it.

Mine's about 310g with the mesh cap on.

It's nice that he can quote such positive feedback from the ebayer called "skyshook".

I reckon I'm pretty irreplaceable. You won't find another bassist with less talent than me. And even if you could, I'd still sound worse cos I play a fretless. I've got a perfect artistic temperament which can be summoned up instantly by asking me to play in Eb or transpose a song from D into Bb. I'm ugly enough to make everyone else in the band look like models. I've got a GSOH, like eating out, and have had one careful owner....

I think the Fender "No load" tone pot will do what you want. Axesrus have them on their site, although they seem to be out of stock atm. Look here [url="http://www.axesrus.com/axeElectronicsPots.htm#CTS"]http://www.axesrus.c...icsPots.htm#CTS[/url] and scroll down for the Fender stuff.

I thought Fender 'guards had the screw holes in different places to Squier ones? Mind you, based on my experience with my US Strat, it's impossible to get a 'guard with holes to match your instrument.

On second thoughts, please can we NOT have any pics. That's giving me a headache just thinking about trying to play it!

And it also might be useful to know that when you switch into "passive" mode, the battery is being drained just as much as when you're in "active" mode (even if your pickups are passive). The bypass switch just switches the output, but the preamp keeps working away.

Pics?

[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1329164997' post='1538294'] I have one of those, although its the 4-string variety. But it sounds good through a chorus, and is a lovely shade of seafoam green. ...[/quote] I bought the 8-string version (exactly as in the photo) because I couldn't quite understand the point of the 4-string! It is fantastic, and gets more comments than any other instrument I own! And if they've really discontinued them, then now I can look forward to its value going up and up and up.

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1329207977' post='1538621']....Practice spraypainting on a piece of wood before you begin. If you've never used spray cans before, it really doesnt work how you expect it to, you need to practice to get the distance right. Not so close that it builds up and runs, but not so far away that the paint dries before it hits the wood. It just takes time and practice!....[/quote] +1 to all that Truckstop said. The only thing I'd add is that, in my experience, you need to keep the can moving quite fast across the bass. At first I was trying to be very precise and putting the paint on exactly where I wanted it (just next to the previous bit I'd painted). But that meant I was going too slow and getting too much paint on one spot, which leads to runs. After I twigged this I started doing very quick runs starting a few inches to the left of the bass and ending a few inches to the right. If you're quick and only leave a very small amount of paint on, then you'll be able to go back over any missed patches after a few minutes.

[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1329134373' post='1537508'] ... has sorted out the usual Les Paul problems, in particular upper fret access, balance, no body contouring, and weight? [/quote] I've got a chambered LP that certainly sorts out two problems: the weight and the balance are perfect. On the other hand, I can't see there being an LP with better upper-fret access - that would require quite a major change of shape, wouldn't it?

I've got almost all of my basses tuned DGCF, with regular strings on (TIs, 43-100 IIRC), and never had any issues. I'd recommend it. If you do put a capo on at the 2nd, bear in mind the effective scale length will be more like 30" than 32".

Can be done, and has been done. I remember somebody converting a Thumb into a headless bass (to improve the balance), but I can't find a proper link, only this thread on talkbass: [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f57/beheading-project-turn-standard-bass-into-headless-one-602828/"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f57/beheading-project-turn-standard-bass-into-headless-one-602828/[/url]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1328891646' post='1534486'] Cool - sounds like a "best practice" thing that a bodger like me tends to forget/never know in the first place [/quote] You and dozens of "professional guitar techs", going by the stories I've read!