Shylock

So I recently picked this bass up which was a bit of a ‘barn find’ really. Absolutely dirty condition, rusty strings with loose and ineffective pots. The bloke I bought it from said it had not been out of its case for at least ten years, as he played guitar, and he bought it second hand in the mid 90s, which was not quite true on dating it. Anyway after a good clean and polish, pots sprayed, neck oiled and new strings it now looks new and I really cannot find a mark on it – not even any buckle rash or fret wear. In addition it is still all original – but the question is, what is original. Does anyone know more about the components of this bass guitar. [attachment=214770:P1011636.JPG] [attachment=214772:P1011630.JPG] [attachment=214773:P1011634.JPG] [attachment=214774:P1011633.JPG] (sorry cant get them right way up) There is limited and conflicting information on the web about the story behind this guitar which appears to have been put together with a left over 1983 one piece scratch plate and some sites say US bodies/necks and Mexican hardware and some sites the other way around. I also believe they were export only and were only made for a couple of years and the serial number dates in 1999/2000. Says made in USA and American Traditional in small script on the headstock. The pots, by the way, are the smaller ones but now work and with no scratching and there are two dates on the body neck socket - Jun 08 1999 and Jul 02 1999. Also a number 247843. The neck is great and plays like butter and sounds marginally better than my MIM Jazz, which has upgraded radioshop vintage pick ups, not so muddy and with a lot more sustain. It is also about 0.5lb lighter at 9.4lb. But do I mod it with an upgraded bridge, pickups and pots and perhaps replace the one piece pick guard with the usual jazz two piece offering, which will involve making new holes to fit? Or do I keep it totally original and in its period hardcase? Hmmm…..

I used to have one of the old heavy AH250 GP12 with ultra violet light which had a lovely warm sound but it let it me down one night when it got too hot. Luckily I had an old AH100 as back up. I replaced the AH 250 with a carpet covered AH300 GP 7 which I use straight with no EQ or pre-set on and love the sound and having now some 2 years is proving to be a solid reliable workhorse. However the AH 100 is a heavy amp to cart around purely as backup and therefore I have now have a TC Electronic BH 250 which being a D class is much lighter to carry around. Not as good as good as the TE but will get me out of a pickle if need be and similar tone.

Ordered P Bass wiring loom Sunday night and arrived first thing Tuesday. Easy to fit with a logical no solder connection but more importantly the tone has improved and I have now have more growl. Not only that but the tone control has gone from providing a muffled bass to a shrill treble to being able to dial in a usable tone from both ends of the knob. A great improvement and a pleasure to deal with. Thanks John

[quote name='GregBass' timestamp='1426194935' post='2715619'] I have a 60th anniversary MIM Precision. The pickup was a bit weak, so I changed it for a US jobbie. I also changed the pickguard, bridge (for a BadAss 3) and tuners (Hipshot). It still doesn't match my Warwick, but it's my first reserve. [/quote] Hi GregBass I have a great MIM precision from I think 2003 with a lovely neck I prefer to the U.S. versions I try out in local music shops. I did try swapping the pick up for Seymour Duncan SP3 but I found it too boomy and preferred the stock MIM but I wonder if it is worth trying the U.S. stock pick up. Did it make it much difference to the tone when you upgraded it please?

Picked up a BB414 off eBay for £148 plus £20 P&P the other day after a fellow bass chatter showed me his BB 614 and hold me it was his best bass,and he had five others including Warwick. So,preferring a passive bass, I bid for a 414 not expecting to get it so cheaply and voila! It was in excellent unmarked wine red although I don't think it had been played for ages as strings had signs of rust and fretboard dirty and dry but after a bit of 000 steel wool and some lemon oil on the fret board and a good clean and polish and new strings and set up it is now like new. These really are underrated basses and I have a plan to buy as many as I can before they are recognised for their true worth and their values rocket!. It so comfortable to play with a fast neck and a deep raspy sound and whilst similar to my MIM precision it has a deeper tone. Also the P/J setup is excellent giving more tone options and the bridge pickup is unusually the same volumes the neck pickup. Mind you I still marginally prefer my Gibson T'Bird it is just second and I suspect when I have a chance to use at band practice I will prefer how it it sits in the mix. Problem now is I am gassing for 1024, having tried one in local music shop. The question is though will I tell the difference back at home? Could I just put on 1024 pick ups and keep the 414, which imo has a easier neck to play.....and how would I explain another bass to Mrs S if I bought a 1024.

Whoops - no and thanks!