[quote name='BottomEndian' post='949591' date='Sep 8 2010, 04:39 PM']I think that's the OLP I've ended up with. Brass nut as well as the Nordy/East combination? I know what you mean about the build quality. Not even close, and the neck profile's quite "clubby". BUT... tonally, I love it. It's my fretted bass of choice at the moment, and I actually prefer the sound over my genuine SR5. To me, it out-Stingrays the SR5.[/quote]
Yup, that's the one, I put a lot of time and money into that bass. It's a great bass, no question, and quite easily the best Tony Levin out there, and in fact Tony himself was interested in the work I'd done on it, and asked a few questions via email. The electrics are the best you can buy, and the brass nut was beautifully made by Steve Robinson in Manchester.
The original electrics were awful, I chucked the lot in the bin.
I guess it just comes down to the original timber and components, they're just not up to the quality of the US made stuff, but then it wouldn't be, it's produced for a fraction of the price, you get what you pay for at the end of the day.
It'd be a shame to pull the upgrades out of that particular bass, I think it's quite special as it is.