neepheid

[quote name='retroman' post='737838' date='Feb 7 2010, 07:45 AM']My EB2 has the old fashioned 2 point mounting bridge, and the only way of adjusting the intonation is via two grub screws that work against the back of the two posts Took ages to get it adjusted, and it's as near as I could ever hope to get it. IMHO, trying to get a low action on the short scale EB2 is pointless anyway, as they are only really any good at root note stuff. Getting up the dusty end of the board makes for some interesting, boomy sounds! I find the 3 point bridges far better. The one thing I have found with them is they don't like strings that have the silks at the ball end of the string. Always seem to wind up with the silk on the saddle of the E string, making getting the string heights difficult, as the saddle for the E always seems to wind up towards the very rear of the bridge. So far I have always managed to get a low action, and really good intonation with the 3 point bridge. I've seen those Hipshot bridges, and they look good. Fine for a gigging bass, but don't they clamp down onto the body, and leave a "footprint" in the finish? That's the one thing that put me off [/quote] Yeah, they do leave a little depression, I had one on my Epi EB-3 and when I took it off you could see the faintest of lines in the light. That's a modern poly finish I reckon, so it might be worse for nitro. Having said that, if you're never going to sell it, then there's no harm in it I guess. Plus the fact that you'd be hard pressed to see it past the original bridge if you were to change back. If it turns a reluctant heirloom into a much more usable, friendly instrument, I'd say it was worth it.

I'm 3 years out with my Gibson G-3. The idea does intrigue me though. Anyone selling a bass made in 1975? For not very much?

[quote name='Greydad' post='737757' date='Feb 6 2010, 11:49 PM']Truss rod has been tweaked as much as possible by pro guitar guy but the neck seems very bendy and is never quite flat. The problem with the bridge design is it is fixed in place on only two mounting posts (go figure) not four which would hold it flat against the body. As a result it tips forward slightly which lifts up the strings. To be honest it's a daft bridge design and the sensible thing to do is to replace it with something that works properly but if I did that it would no longer be original, so I've just left it as it is. It was my only bass for 23 years up until I bought my Stingray 4 when I was 40 - and then the Stingray just blew it away. Sad, but true.[/quote] Hipshot do a direct replacement for both the 2 and 3 point bridges. No modifications required

G&L SB-1?

[quote name='bassaussie' post='736039' date='Feb 5 2010, 12:14 PM']What's the difference between the Artist and the Custom? I can remember seeing these basses when they were first released. I think I was about 12 or 13. I used to go to a music store in the city that had them just to look at them, I thought they were great looking basses.[/quote] Artist is passive/active, Custom is passive only, Artist has passive/active/active with choke (cuts out mids, I guess we'd call it a slap switch now?), Custom has parallel/serial switching.

I appreciate that there is unavoidable wear and tear (like fret wear, lacquer wear on maple fingerboards etc.) and anyone can have an accident, but things like buckle rash get my goat because it is mostly avoidable and a heavily dinged instrument just implies a lack of care and attention beyond the accidental which I tend to see as a negative trait in people. If something's worth doing, it's worth doing right, and that includes instrument ownership.

GAS I expect I'll be making a Wanted post soon.

Wasn't Prosebass making some ultra portable, short scale thingies a while back? The Tanglewood Elfin? [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=49584"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=49584[/url]

[quote name='alexharvay' post='734933' date='Feb 4 2010, 12:13 PM']I remeber this, didn't you put some of the metal parts in coke to clean them up?[/quote] You remember correctly

My 1978 G-3's been in a thread already but what the hell: I think I'll get a black switch tip, that white one looks silly

I have read Martin Koch's book "Building Electric Guitars" and found it to be quite good - a sample pdf is here: [url="http://www.buildyourguitar.com/books/beg/b112_115.pdf"]http://www.buildyourguitar.com/books/beg/b112_115.pdf[/url] You can get it from [url="http://www.buildyourguitar.com/books/books.php"]http://www.buildyourguitar.com/books/books.php[/url], either physically or in e-book.

I sold a pristine one for £190 about a year ago, so it's not too shabby a deal.

I'd get the shielding sorted out before you make any further decisions about upgrades.

The writing's on the wall for the fan in my 3500 also, it is very (mechanically) noisy from cold but after about a minute the noise disappears. Will try getting a drop of oil into it if I can, otherwise I guess I'll replace it.

Welcome to the forum

More of a recording blooper than playing, but take your pick from Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Californication" - clipping scattered throughout, the song "Otherside" springs to mind. Cheap shot really and you're probably already well aware of it, the album is often cited as an example when discussing the "loudness war".

Oh, forgot - fret distance calculator: [url="http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/fret_calculator.php"]http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/fret_calculator.php[/url]

I'll try and answer what I can (this may be opinion, not fact) 2) Judging by most basses I've seen it's "a little bit more". Take out too much and you'll be struggling to get the action low enough, so then you'll have to start messing about with shimming. 4) Find out the scale length of your neck by measuring from nut to 12th fret and doubling it. Then use a fret distance calculator to calculate the distance from the nut to the last fret and subtract that from the scale length. You now have the distance from the last fret to the bridge saddle. When placing the bridge, set the highest saddle (G) to about 90% of its maximum forward travel, and place the bridge in relation to that saddle and the distance calculated above. 5) Difficult to say - just don't place them too close together or there won't be enough tonal difference to justify having 2 pickups. 6) How to safely use a router? With the greatest respect. Routers are dangerous beasts, I presume you want to play the bass afterwards? Seriously though, I find templates are the way to go. I make mine out of MDF. You mess up the template, you only mess up a piece of MDF. I probably have a terrible Heath Robinson approach to making templates so I'll see if someone else can give advice on that. 7) Make sure you go deep enough for the pots to come through the top. I speak from experience, I guestimated the control cavity on Rich's (Ou7shined) holey head Jazz and had to go in again twice because of continual over cautiousness with the depth of cut. Repositioning a template over an existing hole isn't ideal, best get it done in one. 9) I do mine 90 degrees. Also don't mess about - use a drill press. You'll never do them well freehand. 10) I don't think you'll need to bury the tailpiece, there should be more than enough height difference between it and the bridge saddles, even at their lowest. Distancewise, it's difficult to say. It's mostly aesthetic and practical considerations. Obviously not too close. Too far will look stupid. The 2 piece bridge may be ruled out by your bridge position. 11) It's possible. Your best bet would be to cut right off the curvy/irregular stuff on the bottom/end edge of the headstock so you have a flat area to glue. Glue ought to be stronger than the wood. Use the same type of wood (maple I'm guessing), use good quality wood glue and apply good clamping pressure for several hours (or even overnight) 12) Shape the headstock first. I apply veneer in this (probably wrong) way - flatten the veneer if it isn't already, cut the veneer roughly to size, apply a thin layer of wood glue to the headstock with a roller, apply the veneer, position it, put an old t-shirt on top then place an iron on it (no steam) to speed up glue setting. Be very careful not to move/dislodge the veneer during this process. After you're done, trim round the veneer with a very sharp knife. Be very careful at corners, the veneer will love to split along its grain. It might be better to trim it close then sand it flush with some fine sand paper (200-400 grit so it doesn't snag the veneer and split it). 13) No, it won't be a problem. Plenty of other people do 3+2 headstocks. 14) I don't like it. It could get in your way depending on your style of play.

[quote name='cocco' post='725217' date='Jan 26 2010, 02:34 PM']Mine is a G-1 sliding pickup version. Tuners are good strings are good too. I think its the bridge if its anything. No one seems to make a direct replacement bridge for it though. I dont fancy drilling holes in it if it can be helped.[/quote] If you do go down the bridge replacement route, let me know as I'd take the original off your hands - a couple of the grub screws in mine are broken and have to be turned by pliers - not ideal! Also if you do find somewhere to obtain a bridge or the parts thereof, let me know.

I sold mine last year for £200, it was Korean but not in the best nick - some cosmetic damage around a neck repair, worn gold foil on the bridge pickup and a couple of deep dings near the bridge. So one in tip top condition would probably go for a bit more, £250 maybe?