Andyjr1515

With different basses (and six-string double humbuckers), I've had the mid position sometimes drop the perceived volume and sometime raise it. Some of it is often the tonal difference but there is probably something else going on with paths and treble bleed etc etc. In practice, however, you can usually get the volume balance you want with small adjustments (1/4 turn for starters) of the neck and / or bridge pickups until you have it where you want it, both from tone or volume.

I agree with leftyhook about the D'Addario Chromes - they stun every bass player who tries my Jaguar. Flat wound in feel but bright as roundwounds. Fabulous! Ref the fretboard - don't epoxy at this stage. Try it first - probably ( with the above strings) perfectly fine with just a good fine sanding and a good lemon-oil treatment

Hi, Jason There are a number of ways of going about this, but I find the alcohol, water or ink-based stains the best. The biggest challenge, though, is usually getting the old coating off! I've done a couple of threads if you want to have a peep. Ref the results of stain, have a look at my website - ajrguitarmods.co.uk .The Hank Marvin strat 6 string used red calligraphy ink (any colour will do just as well and there are some great colours around if you search on the internet). The AJR Custom Built strat 6 string in teal used Dylon fabric dye (navy blue and amazon green). The former was finished in Tru-oil (with 4-5 coats it finishes in a gloss varnish effect, not like a traditional oiled finish). The latter had 20-30 coats of Halfords clear cellulose varnish. Either brings the colour and sheen of the wood out a treat. The basses on the site have all been veneered and then finished with Tru-oil. You can get wood coloured stains also from DIY shops, but go for the small 'lighter fluid' type of tins - not the paintcan-style tins of, eg, acrylic stain - they are a complete pain! The great thing is that, if you don't like the result, just sand it down and start again! Andy

Just being pragamatic, the other option is to let the buyer know and leave it be! The reality is that almost certainly the extra screw is not needed for either strength or tone (many similar bridges use 4 screws) and the probability is that a screwed out job will leave a bigger hole that means that the screw (even a slightly larger one) probably won't be doing much anyway. Just a thought...

Hi I'm sure there will be many learned opinions on this but, in my own experience, the tone is affected as much by the wood, the pickups, the strings, etc, etc as much as it is by the pots. Having 250's when you need 500's can be a problem because you simply can't achieve the brightness for some setups. 500's instead of 250's has never given me a problem and I've fitted and changed dozens.

Cellulose thinners from Halfords (in the car paint spray section) and enamel thinners from a shop that sells plastic aircraft model kits (Humbrol enamel paints). I'm sure there are wiser folk on the site than me but I would get the smallest bottle of one and, if no good, get the smallest bottle of the other. If neither shifted it, I would then probably shout at something or someone...most probably the p**t that suggested it on Basschat!

[quote name='soopercrip' timestamp='1321282944' post='1437293'] Andy, it's more reply options bottom right, then browse and attach files, then add to post. [/quote] Thanks - you've reminded me I forget every time...

Couldn't work out how to do it, so I've pasted a copy onto a page of my website! [url="http://www.ajrguitarmods.co.uk/#Rear%20View"]http://www.ajrguitarmods.co.uk/#Rear%20View[/url]

Hi This is the back of a Strat I did for someone - also a three part Ash body. I stained it with red calligraphy ink (but any colour fountain pen ink would do and there is a pretty vast range if you start looking on the internet) and then finished it with Tru Oil. Staining like this softens the differences in colour and cut (Sorry - have forgotten how to past a photo I will try again soon!!!!)

The bridge should be easy enough - it will presumably be either cellulose spray or enamel. In both cases there will be stripper/solvent available and it should just need a soak and wipe off. The pickguard will be a little trickier - if it is cellulose spray, the solvent will tend also to soften the plastic of the pickguard. If it was me, I would put a little solvent onto a rag, rub a small patch until the paint comes off and then immediately wipe dry. Move to a diffent area each time rather than progressively expanding from one spot - it will mean that the solvent doesn't sit in one area for too long. Be prepared that the reason the guy has sprayed it might be because there is something even worse underneath...

Hi I use Tru Oil for most of my Custom jobs. I find it great, but wouldn't term it as a satin finish. Have a look at ajrguitarmods.co.uk - I think you'll agree most of them are pretty glossy (for example, check out the Epiphone Junior 6 string shots) It does dull a little over time but not to what I would call satin. There are satin spray lacquers about - any other basschat members use them?

[quote name='LawrenceH' timestamp='1321012151' post='1434314'] I've posted what I think is a better way before and linked to several times but...the reason the heat gun burns the wood is it is TOO hot. It doesn't actually need to be that hot to soften the poly enough to scrape off with relative ease. I used a tresemme hairdryer on hottest setting to strip a thick MIM poly finish. Soft, easily scrapable but no bubbling, fumes or burn marks. Takes probably a little more patience but for the lack of mess and total lack of burns on the wood it's worth it. That is my only useful contribution to the world of guitar building. [/quote] But a very useful contribution nonetheless I do agree, and this is a great tip - although it doesn't always cut the mustard. My heat-gun has a high and low setting - wherever possible I use the low and, as you rightly say, it often softens it enough to get the scraper under and rarely scorches the wood. But some finishes are just not touched by it and seem to need the city-lights-dimming-eco-system-destroying-mega-tega-bega-watt treatment . Whether that's nitro vs poly I can't be sure, I just know that serious heat is all that seems to work.

Great Link! This is, indeed, how I do mine . Both poly and nitro (I suppose impressively) is an absolute sod to get off any other way. However, the wood often burns before the covering bubbles so it needs to be done with great care - especially on the edges and in the cut-out curves. This is no great problem if it's going to be veneered or sprayed, but leads to considerable sanding for any natural or stained finish - the burn 'bruise' goes deep!

Hi Congrats! I'm a big fan of Warmoth - pricey but great, great quality. I suspect you will be delighted with results. Andy

[quote name='iBudd' timestamp='1320261642' post='1424587'] I've checked the action a few different ways - I like your method though. Fretting at 1st and 16th fret I do have some clearance at the 8th, but not very much at all. A little tap produces a tiny click. I can get feeler gauges up to 10 in there before they start to drag. Running a straight edge up the neck doesn't seem to show any major relief either, but I only have a 15" straight edge to hand so I can't do the whole neck... [/quote] Sounds OK - as long as there's a gap and it's not too big, its probably OK. Clearly, the nut slot is also OK. Maybe we're into the other things Retroman has talked about

Hi Sounds more like the nut slot on that string is set a bit low. It could also be, as Brensabre79 says, the angle of the neck. However, no point on checking either until double checking the neck relief is broadly OK. To check the neck relief, get a friend (or capo) to hold down the E string at the first fret, hold down also at the 16th fret and then press the string up and down at the 8th fret (told you you needed a friend or capo ) If there is perceptable movement (more than nothing but less than 1mm), then its broadly OK. If the string is hard on the 8th fret, loosen the trussrod (small movements at a time), until there is between 1/2mm and 1mm gap at the eighth. If gap is way over 1mm, you need to tighten the truss rod - this is a bit iterative because you need to loosen the strings before you tighten the truss rod and then retune the strings before checking the gap Once the neck relief is checked, then look at what distance the string is from the fretboard at the nut. If your troublesome string is much closer than the rest to the fretboard, the nut slot may have been filed a bit too far. As a very (VERY) broad guide the gap should be around the same as the first fret is deep and so, when fretted at the first the string is broadly parallel to the fretboard. If that is OK, then check the neck angle - find a straight edge long enough to reach the bridge while running along at least 5 frets-worth of fretboard. Run it along the frets towards the bridge, with the bridge saddle at its lowest setting, and the straight edge should meet the bridge on, or just below, the appropriate saddle. If it is way below, you need to shim the body-end of the neck, if it is way above, you need to shim the headstock end. If that is all OK, it could be some slightly proud frets or slightly low action or something completely different - but worth checking the above first and in any case! Hope this makes sense and helps! Andy

Hi, Mel I can have a look at it when I fix your jack sockets. Like the others say, it's very rare that these things can't be fixed cheaply and easily Andy

Hi, John The reason the sealer / filler helps (or you can just add extra coats of the Tru-oil) - and the sanding steps, is that it allows a true gloss finish to develop much quicker. Otherwise, the grain will continue to show (which is what some people like, of course) and it will look more like an oiled finish rather than a gloss varnished finish. I've done both ways, to be honest, and been pleased with both - they are just different. Keep up the good work! Andy

Hi, John I use Birchwood Casey Tru-oil...available from all good gun shops! It is used to do the gunstocks of shotguns and therefore also readily available over the internet. The thread you saw earlier details how it is applied (very easy, though a b****r to get the final coat dust free). Birchwood Casey also do a sealer filler which dries clear and fills the grain pretty successfully. In very brief, I do a generous brushed coat of the sealer/filler, let it dry (you can sand the sealer filler while it is still wet and the mush will pretty successfully fill the larger gaps), sand back down to the veneer, then apply a number of coats of Tru-Oil, letting it dry fully and sanding gently with 1000 wet n dry in between (I apply it with my fingers - but read the datasheets just in case that will send me to an early grave!). After about four or five coats, you end up with a high gloss finish. This stuff REALLY brings the grain out! It sets touch dry in around an hour but takes about a week to fully harden. It will never be anywhere near as resilient as poly or nitro, but is very easy to repair and can be kept shiny with a Wax polish that Birchwood Casey also sell. The other great thing is that one small bottle of Tru-oil (around about £4.00) can do at least two guitars!

Whoa! That's truly stunning - and it will look even even better when the varnish gets into that grain!

Parts arrived - just got to sort when I can next make Chelt / Glouc. I'll have a look at the old diary and PM or call over the next day or two to find out when you and I are both in the same place at the same time.

Hi Allparts do one - any good? Their stuff is usually top quality, fit-for-purpose and these are pretty cheap [url="http://www.allparts.uk.com/online-shop/guitar-bass-parts/electronics/250k-pots/stacked-concentric-pot-250k250k-metric-p-4072.html"]http://www.allparts.uk.com/online-shop/guitar-bass-parts/electronics/250k-pots/stacked-concentric-pot-250k250k-metric-p-4072.html[/url] Hope this helps Andy

Hi You have termed it as orange peel but described it as crazing "Then after a week the orange peel starts!! Its 'crazing'. Since they sit there for a couple of weeks with no ill effect and it only starts after the final buff could the T cut be reacting?" Orange peel is usually due to too thick or a chemical reaction and is a bobbly finish like the skin of an orange. Crazing is usually due to the shrinkage of the coating - literally splitting it into lozenge-shaped islands of glaze. Usually that is to do with the lacquer having too high a shrinkage compared with its bonding, or continuing to cure and shrink after it has hardened to a brittle state. This is usually a characteristic of the lacquer itself and therefore trying different lacquers on some test pieces might sort the suitable ones from the unsuitable ones. On pottery glazes, this is deliberately done to produce what is called 'crackle glaze' finishes. The reason that acrylic is often better for avoiding this is because it remains 'stretchy' for longer. The down side is that it never cures quite to the hardness of solvent based lacquers. Hope this helps

[quote name='Evil Undead' timestamp='1319402067' post='1413786'] Cool! Which ones did you order? One stereo barrel thingy and one normal one? I'm in Gloucester, will that be an issue at all? [/quote] Yup - one stereo barrel (EP-0152-000) and one mono standard (EP-0055-000). Sourced them from Allparts [url="http://www.allparts.uk.com/online-shop/guitar-bass-parts/electronics/jacks/14-inch-long-threaded-barrel-input-jack-switchcraft-152b-stereo-2-p-2906.html"]http://www.allparts.uk.com/online-shop/guitar-bass-parts/electronics/jacks/14-inch-long-threaded-barrel-input-jack-switchcraft-152b-stereo-2-p-2906.html[/url] This is the Spector site - they don't yet sell them directly [url="http://www.spectorbass.com/accessories/misc.html"]http://www.spectorbass.com/accessories/misc.html[/url] Gloucester's no problem. It will probably be week commencing 7th Nov if that's OK I'll PM closer to the time Andy

On order (and don't worry if you change your mind - I can always use these) at total £8.50 I'll be in touch Andy