Mr. Foxen

I can have exotic wood knobs made by the guy who makes gear lever knobs for us. Buncha people would have to ask to make it worthwhile, not loads though. Edit: Gah, just looked at THG knobs prices, pretty sure can do better than that. Probably less variety though. Let me know interest, if it starts looking real it will have to move over to affiliates forum.

[quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1335114021' post='1625945'] I just got the copper tape for my Mike dirnt easy enough job, just soldered a wire between the two cavities to link the two. [/quote] Depending on the tape, sometimes you have to attach the pieces together, because the glue isn't conductive.

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1335112497' post='1625913'] So you don't like loads of things about Rics but object to not being able to copy one. FWIW, your choice is to use replacement parts that [i]are[/i] available (so they differ slightly, but you've already expressed your dissatisfaction with the originals) or buy something else, including a custom, as you pointed out. Given the thousands of different basses out there and the almost limitless permutations of a custom build I'm surprised you find that's taking away your choice. [/quote] It took away my choice to buy some very excellent japanese basses, and others, best part of 100 pages of posts worth for a start, that's one thread. As well as the option of showing pictures of such things on this forum. You don't get much more real than that. The objection is in not being able to choose a product with all of the upsides and not the downsides, of which there are many, which have been addressed by a number of manufacturers. Actual prevention of improvements is actually happening. In real life.

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' timestamp='1335111465' post='1625885'] Remember that an instrument isn't just one wave, it's a collection of sound waves that make up the sound of the instrument. The differences in the presence of different tones is what makes up the timbre of the instrument. [/quote] Its all one wave is kind of all of the point. Only separate waves after you run a Fourier Transform, or filter through a crossover network which is a bit artificial, although your brain functions in an analogous manner.

What is the finish on the bass currently?

All that stuff is unrelated to the shielding, shielding is to form a faraday cage around the wiring and coils, the screen in instrument cable is the continuation, but theres lots of stuff inside a bass that isn't always shielded in itself, such as the pickup coil in some cases, and the wires coming off it, that all work like antennae for interference. Problem is, interference sources differ depending on where you are. You might be fine in one place, but go somewhere else and suddenly you find you are missing shielding.

If hum is coming out of the bass, then you amp will amplify it, unless there is something wrong with the amp, or you have eqed it out. The idea of shielding is to stop the interference from reaching the signal path, including the pickup and wiring in the bass. If you magnetic pickop has no earthing, it won't make sound, the second wire is the earth, and it probably has its own shielding in the pickup casing, plus double bass type tone amplification probably won't have so much top to get the noises.

Depends if you like hum. The pickup is unshielded, so that is fairly necessary if you have a bright tone from the amp, or use any gain. Is the rest wired with shielded wire? Active basses tend to have better hum rejection from shielded components. Shielding is more important than it was because of the fluorescent bulbs that are everywhere now.

I'm using shielding paint on one of Shockwave's basses now, an not loving the process. I also dislike copper tape for its fiddly sticky finger slicing ability, but soldering the seams is very satisfying, and paint isn't, having trouble figuring how to connect the separate cavity electrically now. Important to check its all electrically continuous with a multimeter.

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1335081017' post='1625386'] OK, missed that. My eyesight plus low res pictures don't go together well ! And I agree, there's nothing inherently wrong with PCB done right. Proper industrial/spacecraft-grade stuff is just as reliable as any handwiring. It's just that hand-wiring is so much easier for idiots like me to mend and fiddle with, compared with PCB. My soldering is always at risk of wrecking PCBs ! [/quote] Can handwire a pcb too. Handwiring itself isn't a plus, because someone can still do a rubbish job by hand. Turret construction is easy for fiddling, but pcb can have all the parts labelled on the PCB, which helps with idiot proofing. The turrets on PCB that Matamp use is the ultimate, neat layout and ease of repair.

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1335030029' post='1625032'] Yup, looks neat and tidy. All "decent" handwired construction. Not a PCB in sight. chassis-mounted valve bases. All as it should be !! Very nice indeed. [/quote] That is a PCB in the middle. Nothing wrong with a PCB done right, but its totally there.

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1334936350' post='1623774'] But they're not openly attacking consumer choice. [/quote] [quote name='4000' timestamp='1334936350' post='1623774'] (assuming I was allowed to ) [/quote]

So people think they're buying something good.

Maxwatt is the cheapy line, and new Hiwatts aren't Hiwatt.

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1334933522' post='1623725'] But you seem to be missing the point that something that suits someone else may suit you too. I'm not the only person who likes my favourite book, my favourite film, my favourite food. FWIW there are all sorts of basses that I like, but no one bass could ever be all those basses to me. Because in some instances I want a bass that sounds, plays, or looks different then in the previous instance, for whatever reason; practical, aesthetic, whatever. I've had basses built for me that were exactly as I wanted them, but only within a certain context. If you're happy to have one pair of shoes custom made and wear them in every instance for the rest of your life then fine, but I'm not. [/quote] Or, could by lots of different, easily adapted shoes, for the same price as one really specialist, and with a fair chance of not being very good due to poor quality control pair of shoes, that is admittedly of a certain retro style. Price point is a big deal, and should buy more than a branding excercise. If branding is the only substance to an item, I will openly decry it every time. Openly attacking consumer choice is a bad thing.

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1334932679' post='1623703'] Yes, a better one in the individual's opinion, not necessarily a better one per se. [/quote] That is all of the point of having your own bass. I'd be happy with a general opinion if everyone else wants to buy a bass for me. Spending over a grand on something suited to someone else doesn't sound like a sensible plan.

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1334931343' post='1623670'] IMO on paper the Ric bridge, like the Fender BBOT before it, shouldn't do the job, but seems to handle it quite well most of the time [/quote] Kinda of comparing a bridge that costs as much as a whole bass equipped with a BBOT though with one. That's the major thing, about the price point, when it starts tail lifting, as little appreciable difference the gap at the back makes, I know its there, and is a flaw that is going to get worse over time. Edit: kind of assumed the genuine ones were about same price as a Hipshot, poor assumption, make that three basses with a BBOT.

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1334930460' post='1623649'] both my Rics have the earlier aluminium tailpiece which doesn't lift, so I don't need them. [/quote] Would you replace those with the ones that do tail lift though? [quote name='4000' timestamp='1334930460' post='1623649'] Some people will always feel the need to replace something because it doesn't give them what they want. Take a P bass. how many replacement pickups are there out there? Yet it appears no one is indisputably better than the rest. [/quote] That choice is what means you can get the better one.

[quote name='nick' timestamp='1334822795' post='1621702'] I recall this seller [url="http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/my_rare_guitars_store/"]http://myworld.ebay...._guitars_store/[/url] having them some time ago. They're the pickups that Eastwood use in Hi-Flyer Mosrite copies, by all accounts not bad. Might be worth shooting a message to their UK outlet [url="http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/my_rare_guitars_store_uk/"]http://myworld.ebay....itars_store_uk/[/url], may be able to help. [/quote] Goo call, they can get the pickups for sensible money. Not sure if they are good though.

I've seen the paint Eltham makes and uses and it measures fairly conductive. Since this was the first time I've used it, I went and paid attention to a pro. Lots of paint left so can give it another coat or two I guess. Was kind of hoping to rob the leftover for other things.

I had a play on that side and ended up looking at a blocked and bound telebass neck with bloodwood board that cost more than any of my basses, even the nice ones. Figured best avoided.

On gumtree: http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/ricky-bass-copy--1970s--now-fixed/100752287

Hmm, 24 hours later and the resistivity of this 'conductive' paint is still in kilo-ohms, hope second coat sorts it out.

Just bought a bridge, posted within an hour of payment and arrived next day, cheers.

Oh man, had a go at reshaping the body and managed to make it look like a total piece of sh*t: [IMG]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b69/Incarante/cockedup.jpg[/IMG]