mcnach

One of the worst basses I have ever tried (didn't own it) was a MusicMan Stingray. Incidentally, one of the best was a MusicMan Stingray The bad one... was just in such poor condition, you would have never guess it was once a decent bass. The neck had lots of gouges, the body had gone to war... and lost, by the looks of it. The strings were some kind of rusty wire... it sounded and felt like crap. So much of people's impressions are forged by the set up in a particular instrument, eh?

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1360257632' post='1967603'] You might be able to just get the threaded saddles, maybe on eBay or through someone like the BassDoc. Can't believe the 75 already has a Badass How did those Fat Beams work out, by the way? Were they the strings you were looking for? [/quote] Yes, the CIJ75 has the Badass... and the J-Retro I have for it... has a black plate (I know, I know! shut up! ) The Fat Beams *look* like they are the right stuff, but I have not yet tried them! Too many other things got in the way. I could change them easily enough rather than being 10min on BC, but... "Hi, my name is McNach and I am an addict" I have used the Stingray instead of the SUB for those gigs where I normally would use the SUB, and I am lately using the Jazz (or the L2000) for the others... but I have another one on Sunday for which I'd like to use the SUB, so the Fat Beams will be on this weekend. I will report back.

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1360255043' post='1967510'] Just measured my AV '62 Jazz sitting next to me & it is set with each string at 20mm almost exactamundo, on the standard Vintage style Fender bridge with the screw saddles. [/quote] That's promising! Could I please have you go back and measure again? This time from the groove (string centre) on the E saddle, to the groove on the G saddle. This is because measuring 19 vs 20mm sometimes can be innacurate, but by measuring between the extremes you get a better reading. It should be 60mm for the 20mm bridge, and noticeable shorter otherwise.

[quote name='Cygnus x-1' timestamp='1360252802' post='1967454'] My solution; get a BBOT baseplate and source some Squier CV P or jazz saddles and screws (they come in chrome or brass) depending on what CV they came from, 20mm spacing. Fit it all together, bingo, BBOT with 20mm spacing. HTH. [/quote] Now that's an option, I suppose the extra 1mm per saddle would not cause much trouble, it just means the saddles will be slightly, a tiny bit, angled... I shall try! I already have all the components, I am sure.

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1360229674' post='1966934'] Strings seem to stay put pretty well, I guess if you're using lighter strings there may be less tension holding them in place. You could always choose the grooves that work for you and open them up with a file. I think new Badass bridges come unfiled don't they? That way you could choose your spacing (plus it's the bridge Marcus Miller uses ) [/quote] and a hundred more Well, this is for a black/rosewood Jazz, not the CIJ75... which... already has a Badass (not my choice, previous owner's!!! I'm not a MM fan! I promise!!! ) I think your idea is so far the closest one to a solution.. if I find one that doesn't cost too much just because it's "vintage style".

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1360243648' post='1967237'] Surely all you need is something with sideways adjustability - Schaller 3D (an excellent bridge IMHO) or the Hipshot A Style (Fender mount) would give you this flexibility and [i]should [/i](no guarantees) retrofit over where an old BBOT used to be. Worst thing is you'd have to fill/redrill a few holes. EDIT: Ignore me, I've just re-read the OP and just realised that you've already been down this route. That'll teach me to skim read [/quote] no problem yeah, I have no problem getting 20mm spacing bridges. In fact, I already have one! But I'd rather keep the look... what can I say, I'm vain that way!

best way is... to get somebody else to do it. What a pain in the butt this can be! It looks like nitro finishes are easily removed with Nitromors... The one I tried it took a lot of persuasion with NItromors, but with the help of steel wool rubbing gently after I let Nitromors act for 30-50min, it was ok. Except... there was a semitransparent filler coat that Nitromors just will not touch. Eventually it came down to sanding. This is not too bad on the larger flatter surfaces, but it takes a long time and a lot of effort to get it around the body contours, horns etc. After this experience, if I ever do it again, and that's a big if, I will sand from the beginning, since I'll end up there anyway, unless you know the finish is something that will be easily removed chemically.

That's an idea, although wouldn't the string tend to fall back into a "straight" position with just a small amount of encouragement? There must be a proper 20mm out there. I can't be the only one who likes that spacing!

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1360179597' post='1966315'] Hope you find someone. If not l expect I'll get a call from Gaz. [/quote] Quite possibly Left him with 4h to fill!

[quote name='barneyg42' timestamp='1360156625' post='1965714'] Lost to us on this day two years ago.....always will be a legend!! [/quote] The first decent size concert I went to... Gary Moore, back in 1987.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1360152629' post='1965602'] Not sure... I think it might be an idea to give myself a bit of space. I love me, but I'm not [i]in[/i] love with me if you see what I mean. It's not me - it's me. [/quote] Sometimes I wake up, and I don't even want to talk to me. I go to work, and when I come back I pretend I don't see me. Then I go to bed, and stay still. I think I am asleep, but no, I'm just pretending I am asleep so that I don't ask me something pointless like "how was your day?"... I just need some space. I understand what you mean. If only I could listen to myself a little sometimes...

[quote name='BigAlonBass' timestamp='1360094032' post='1964802'] A Loooong Time ago.....I gave my eldest lad a little clapped-out Grundig record player when he was 4, along with some 'bargain bin' LP's I had picked up. The idea was, if he learned to treat stuff carefully at an early age, it might continue as he got older. It seemed to work, as he spent most nights sitting in his bedroom, playing the LP's over and over again, carefully removing the needle from the record, putting the next one on, ad infinitum. One night, while I was sitting with a room full of friends and family, it all went quiet, and after about ten minutes, he shouted "Daaaaaaaddyyyyyyyyy! Can I borrow one of your Status Quo records?" Proud of my son getting a taste for decent music, and smiling at the assembled throng, I shouted back "Why, son?" His reply "Cos I'm f*cking pissed off with Wally Whyton!" [/quote] fantastic!

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1360050959' post='1963934'] It's definitely an option, but being an unusual bass it'll be a custom 'plate and therefor I expect not cheap. I'll get a quote at some point for sure. [/quote] as long as you have a template, it won't be extremely costly providing you or BassDoc has the material you want. Do get in touch with him, you may be surprised. He has copied a few scratchplates for me in the past, including an unusual one... and I am very happy with the results.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1360017284' post='1963733'] Ok, so that is a picture of the pickup that came out of it. I'm thinking it's red-power in, White-power out, bare-earth and green and blue for the coil switch. This was in a double humbucker model, and i want to make it a single humbucker version, so i removed the coil switch. The preamp had 1 wire that went to the coil switch which I assume was live, then all the wires of the pickups went to the coil switch, but how do i now wire the pickup straight into the preamp with the coil switch? Cheers guys. [/quote] Do you have a multimeter? That way you don't have to guess and you will know which wire is which, from the pickup.

Does anybody know where I can find such a thing? It's not a big issue, 19 vs 20mm, but I do feel the wider spacing more comfortable and I'm thinking about replacing the bridge in my Vintage brand Jazz for that reason. I'm playing it a lot lately and for her birthday I want to make her feel even better. Sorry, I meant for ITS birthday and make IT feel even better. I have found enough 20mm spacing bridges (60mm between E and G ridges), but not in the traditional look, which I prefer. Does anybody know of such a beast?

Sharing members across various bands is nice: it helps scheduling and you already know them (and like them, otherwise why are you with them?) But when one lets you down... So, we had a double bill gig scheduled in a well known music bar in town. At 9.30 Radge Against The Machine. At midnight Sea Bass Kid (originals). Now we share vocalist... and he just told us something came up at work and he will have to be away on that date... leaving both bands in dry land. How very frustrating! It shows you you can't have everything... If any of you wants to be Zach de la Rocha for one evening, in Edinburgh, on the 21st... do let me know! I started with that question but not being serious... however, hey, you never know! If any of you is interested, it would save us from cancelling both gigs

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1360141793' post='1965329'] Good work. I've owned three Vintage guitars/basses---one of them was very nice indeed (ask McNach about that one...) and the other two were solid, decent budget instruments. My main issue with them is the name---"vintage" is a horrible name to google when looking for guitar gear! Not sure I could ever be an endorsee of anything, though. I don't think I could keep a straight face when asked to do that moody "this is my bass and I rock hard" publicity shot [/quote] + 1 in everything, except for the 3 Vintage guitars/basses. I owned 4 That Jazz, by the way... will never ever leave my side again. I have been using it a lot live lately (tomorrow, again!), although I have changed it a bit since I got it back from you. I restored the wiring to standard, and I put some better pickups that I had in my drawer (US Fender of some sort, came originally in the CIJ 75RI, which the original CIJ 75RI owner had removed and replaced with Nordstrands. I think the Fenders sound great!).

I bought a set of DiMarzio Model P pickups for my P bass from Ash. Straight forward, easy, great communication and quick postage. A pleasure to deal with. Thank you, Ash!

Paul sold me a set of Wizard Thumpers for my P-bass. Easy transaction, good communication, no hassle. He posted the pickup quickly and I'm very pleased. Thanks Paul!

[quote name='juliusmonk' timestamp='1360059704' post='1964053'] I think selling is hard sometimes, and once you've made the decision then you want to get it out asap. I can understand that. But I am the one paying. Many sellers change their mind. Many play the 'make the decision quickly or I'm selling to someone else' or '... Withdrawing soon' thing. What the... ? [/quote] my response if hurried like that would be "sell it to the other guy then". On gumtree I once saw a bass I mildly wanted. I expressed my interest, and we discussed when we could arrange to meet. It was tuesday or wednesday, I could meet him on Thursday, or at the weekend. Thursday was going to be complicated for him at the times I could make it, so we went for Saturday. He later txted me saying he had someone coming on Friday and was offering £10 more to hold it for him. He wanted me to either show up on Thursday at a time that was inconvenient for me, or offer more for him to hold it for me till Saturday. I said he could sell it to the other guy. The advert was again active the following week.

[quote name='BILL POSTERS' timestamp='1360009989' post='1963580'] Speed slugs go at, it would need to be about 2 hours long... [/quote] just speed it up, and add the Benny Hill song as soundtrack

[quote name='BILL POSTERS' timestamp='1360004378' post='1963438'] As for slugs, I tried wire and it didnt work, even tried putting a slug inside a circle of it, but it still got out. This year I,ll be trying 2 wires half an inch apart with an aa battey connected between. anybody tried that one ? [/quote] No, but I want a link to the youtube video

[quote name='3below' timestamp='1360008264' post='1963542'] What a shame I am the sort of customer they needed - some disposable income. [/quote] If you buy second hand, no, you are not the customer they need, because you are not their customer... the sale was already made to someone else previously. But although I would not expect them to look after you with basic wear and tear, if a fault develops that suggests a problem in the manufacture, I would expect a serious company to take care of that. That is good for businesses, not having disgruntled users posting their bad experiences on internet. I'm very disappointed at this outcome.

A car is expected to break down at some point. Maintenance is required. The neck of a bass is never expected to bend sideways over time. That indicates a problem with the original materials.

Nice! Glad you got it sorted!