SlapbassSteve

Hi all, starting off my first bass build at last! Back when I was touring with my ukulele band, Ukebox, we ended up in the South Pacific for a couple of weeks at one point in 2015, island hopping as guest entertainers on the MS Amsterdam. I spotted most islands we visited out there had a variation of what turned out to be the tahitian ukulele- basically a solid-bodied ukulele with 8 strings made of fishing line, and a carved internal bowl with thin soundboard- and vowed to make one one day as they looked amazing despite having basically just been made in someone's shed to sell to tourists. Fast-forward a few years; I'd left the band and got a job at Jack's Instrument Services here in Manchester, where after a couple of years of setting up and repairing guitars I felt ready to try and put one of these together during the lockdown! I altered the design a bit, doing radical stuff like putting on a separate fretboard and designing a slightly different shape with a lower horn for playing while sat down, and ended up making three. Each one was a bit of a learning curve but the third is definitely the best so far- Spanish Cedar compared to the other two which are obeche, plus it's concert scale so seems to be the sweet spot for string tension in this tuning(GGcceeAA). Moving on to bass things, keeping in with the ukulele theme I had been planning to make a U-Bass scaled model with a Piezo pickup/preamp, but hit a brickwall trying to get hold of anyone at Shadow about a UBass-specific piezo, so decided to go with metal strings rather than the usual rubber ubass fare. Then I figured since I was going to need to buy regular bass pickups and hardware and since the short scale of a ubass makes intonation... 'interesting' I thought for sake of a few hours more woodwork I may as well make a full-size bass that I could use at gigs without being laughed at(if gigs ever end up being a thing again). So I ordered a five-piece neck blank and a massive chunk of wenge off eBay(bought wenge because it looks amazing, but the more I've read about it since, the more I've realised this was a terrible idea- but I have it now so I'm going to use it). Looking at this I realised I was basically going the direction of my favourite era of bass design- the 80s; where, from what I gather, your quality as a bassist was decided by the weight of your bass, the number of knobs and outputs on it, and how convincingly you can sound like Mark King. So I decided to lean into that somewhat. I decided to design a bass with the shape of my tahitian ukes so I could use it as a giggable advert for them and their shape, but the weight, bells and whistles and general vibes of those early 80's custom jobbies- think BC Rich, JayDee, Alembic et all. I'm particularly inspired by the Westone Thunder Mk2, even if the bridge pickup is wayyyy to far from the bridge to give me that JayDee sound my Vox Standard bass used to have- So then came ordering some hardware; Badass MKII, Grover GB707 machineheads, 2x DiMarzio Model Ps (big thanks to Howdenspur for selling me his, as literally all of my suppliers at work had run out after Northwest Guitars sold me their only cream one), Bartolini NTMB+F preamp. I've also an Indian rosewood fretboard on order... need to get a trussrod on the go too once I work out how long of one I need. Knobs will be the old Boss style ones and switches will be those flat paddle throw ones, naturally. So I'm currently sketching out the shape onto a bit of 6mm MDF which I'll use as a template for table-routing the bass(I'll be doing it as a neck-thru). Resizing my tahitian uke design from 15inch to 34inch scale is proving something of a challenge... but I'll suss it out eventually. With the tahitian ukes, most of the time went into designing the template, so I imagine this will move fairly quickly once I get properly started. Buying the Model P was my first time on BC in years and I'm a bit out of the habit of forum-ing but will hopefully remember to keep this thread updated! I'm lucky also to work with some extremely clued-up people, including of course Jack of Jack's Instrument Services, and also Adam of Dolan Custom Guitars who's made some ridiculously good basses since I've known him so I should be able to work things out as I go... Control wise it'll have volume, blend, 3band EQ; 3x series/parallel and one active/passive switch(possibly phase too, but they're basically a 'make it sound naff' switch so probably not), and of course, the totally useless terrible idea that is an XLR output in addition to the jack socket, which probably won't even be wired in and will literally just be there because they look AWESOME. Very much looking forward to actually making some sawdust on this one! (hoping my image embed links work... last time I was on here everyone was still using photobucket..![edit- sussed it!])

Just bought mcnach's old DiMarzio Model P from Rod- he priced it very fairly, packed it up very well indeed, posted it off extremely rapidly and was an absolute pleasure to deal with! Very much appreciated, buy with confidence!

Some really enlightening stuff there, cheers folks! Interesting about the soapbar thing, got to wonder how many 'stealth' twin-P basses are out there... Particularly like the look of those Vantage basses, will be keeping an eye out for one in future, I'm big into my Matsumoku stuff- came across this stunner on eBay earlier, although the price is a little intimidating- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Westbury-Track-4-bass-guitar-c-1980-Matsumoku-factory-Japan/292661377603?hash=item4423fa3a43:g:lNMAAOSwnM1bXx7H

Hi all, I recently got hold of a Vox Standard bass (early 80's Japanese thing with a single DiMarzio P-bass style pickup right next to the bridge) and it sounds fantastic, surprisingly JayDee-like with the right effects added, the pickup just seems to work really well in that position. It's got me thinking, I'm sure I've seen a few over the years, but does anyone know of any basses with 2x p-bass pickups(think jazz bass configuration, but with two p-style split pickups instead of jazz-style ones)? I think Fender might have done a blacktop-series bass along these lines fairly recently, plus some early BC Rich Mockingbird style-stuff and possibly certain models of Westone Thunder might have had this, and of course tonnes of people have modded basses along these lines... really though I'm after basses that would have had this config from the factory- if anyone can recall anything it'd be much appreciated! Cheers!

Yes! I've been sorely tempted by one of these for a while now. Hope the sound and playability are better than logic dictates they should be! Has it got the crazy USSR midi-style jack output?

+1 about that Gibson Jimi Hendrix strat. If we're purely talking looks here, that thing was hideous. In any case the reviews of this I've seen that go beyond the cosmetics seem very positive, and it certainly seems to be selling well. Plus, I find it very reassuring(or at very least I like to think) that there are still people out there that are willing to spend the big bucks on a guitar based on the overall quality and how it plays/sounds/feels, rather than on 'traditional/iconic' looks and any prestige associated with it's brand... Time will tell though- I'll be interested to see what the secondhand prices are like on these in a couple of years!

Sounds like the front pickup has become disconnected..? Most likely be a single loose wire/dodgy connection on the back of the control plate, if you haven't already it'd be worth testing the pickups with the blend in the middle position by tapping the polepieces with a screwdriver/allen key- I'd expect there to be no sound from the front pickup on any setting if it has indeed become disconnected. If so, could be worth a look under the control plate for loose wires! Hope this helps.

Delightful! Always loved the sparkle finish on these.

Depends how much you like the Aria really! If it plays like an absolute dream and you're attached to it enough that -current pickups aside- you could keep it as your main bass for a few years then it's worth upgrading for sure. If not though you're better off putting the money towards a Squier, as new pickups won't add anything to the value of an Aria bass, and a new Squier would potentially be a much better bass overall.

I've not been particularly impressed with the 90's Mex Fender basses I've played, but I think the overall quality got gradually better after 2002 or so on the ones I've tried(massive generalisation based on personal experience alert). However the models made after the upgraded spec was introduced are in my experience in another league than the ones before- of all the Mexican Fenders I've played or owned the one I held onto was an '08/09... So, (in another sweeping generalisation thanks to Fender's notorious Q/C) a 2005'd likely be considerably better quality than a '95 whilst also noticeably not as good as a '15 model. Interesting thing is the prices don't seem to vary anywhere near as much as the quality, I'm a bit out of touch but a couple of years ago most secondhand MiM Standard Fender Ps used to sell for around £250-350, regardless of age or condition.

Nice! I've played some amazing old cheapo P-copy basses over the years, had an 80's Kay Precision once that sounded glorious(and weighed a tonne). There's a lot of fun to be had for under £100 once you know what to look for!

[quote name='guybrush threepwood' timestamp='1504285434' post='3363931'] I think a white pickguard will set it off - no refinishing needed! [/quote] +1! -Though that green does look rather Marmite, so otherwise option three if it still ain't your bag!

[color=#1D2129][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] Hi all, just throwing my hat in as available for dep/session work.[/font][/color] [color=#1D2129][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] Having just left my band this week after several years spent fully professional, performing in venues ranging from tiny bars to the London Palladium, BBC TV/Radio, football stadiums, cruise ships and all points in between, I'm looking for a few gigs/sessions here and there to keep me ticking over.[/font][/color] [color=#1D2129][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] I've strong stage presence and a massive repertoire of rock/pop/funk/soul etc, plus can pick up new arrangements, transpositions etc very quickly. Ca[font=inherit]n also provide backing vocals if required.[/font][/font][/color][color=#1D2129][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] [font=inherit] Currently based in Manchester but also know Liverpool and the Northwest very well having spent years gigging around here, have a car so transport is no issue.[/font][font=inherit] I'm being a little bit picky at the moment- I don’t really want to commit to anything unpaid, long-term or overseas at this point, but I’ll gladly hear out any offers if there's anything going, just in case I really connect with something![/font] [font=inherit] Feel free to drop me a DM for more info, cheers![/font][/font][/color]

I'm lucky enough to be doing a lot of travelling the world with my U-Bass as a guest entertainer on cruise ships at the moment and have first-hand experience of this! Flown with a good few airlines in the last year or so and unfortunately EasyJet are the only one that's ever had a problem with me taking my ubass as well as a backpack. This was enforced at the check-in desk(they asked us to show our hand-luggage to check it fit the rules before giving us our boarding passes) but I was able to purchase an upgrade- the flight was Manchester to Copenhagan so the upgrade was only £13 or so each for myself and our banjolele player to take our ukes as a second piece of hand luggage and be treated to about 5cm(if that haha) extra of legroom near the front of the plane... might that be on the day you can sneak it past them but otherwise it's probably worth the cash to not have to store it in the hold! Hope this helps, have a great trip!

Depends where you're based and what kind of stuff you play(original/covers, rock/jazz etc), but based on several years gigging professionally around Liverpool they do seem like bargain prices! Based on a typical covers band (at least one of the following; Mustang Sally, Walk Of Life, Sweet Home Alabama, Proud Mary on the setlist) in Liverpool, you'll ideally want £250-£300 for 2x45s, and £300-350 for 3 sets in a pub. Functions, it depends exactly what you're doing and who for, but generally for 2x45s at a private event you'll want at least £450 (extra money on top of pub prices to cover PAT testing/insurance etc). Then weddings you generally triple(or more!) the pub prices. A lot of people on both sides don't get why this happens, but the bottom line is on top of the PAT testing and insurance you're also being paid for the waiting time while the wedding inevitably runs over time and you're stood awkwardly at the side of the dancefloor for an hour while everyone cuts the cake etc. There are of course exceptions though, I remember being pretty much laughed out of a venue in Liverpool for charging £300 for 3 sets because 'there's a band from LIPA that'll do it for £120'... I had seen the band in question and they were extremely good, not to mention there were about 12 of them so a tenner each for three sets seemed ridiculous... undercharging 'because we love what we do' or for any other reason often costs everyone in the long run, unless it's a one-off 'taster' gig. Beware also of doing too many gigs cheap as favours though, or you'll be hit by the dreaded 'but you played at so-and-so's wedding for only £X so why are you quoting me £Y?'. (Sorry for getting a little preach-y, I'll get off me soapbox now!)

Resurrecting an old thread a bit here, but came across this just now and having bought from them before- absolutely, I've had several sets of U-Bass strings from them over the last couple of years. Always very fast postage, good prices, and their customer service is some of the best I've dealt with.

+1 for weighted cavity, but a decent wide strap will do the job

Very interesting stuff! I tried the ordinary Pyramid Rounds last year but they only lasted about 4 nights before the E-string snapped mid-set, I wasn't impressed! Acoustically they sounded great(if very buzzy) but plugged in the difference in volume was a bit extreme- the E was far too loud and the G far too quiet. I've been using Aquila Thunder Reds since, they feel closer to tape/flatwounds, much less sticky than Silver Rumblers or Thunderguts and there's none of the buzzing or snappage I had with the Pyramids!

Liked! It's an exciting time to play SS

Definitely Commercial Album is a great place to start, followed by Duck Stab(Primus once covered Hello Skinny and Constantinople) and Third Reich(great for a spot of 'guess the song'). I love Gingerbread Man too, the full video on YouTube is excellent, as all of theirs are. My highlight has to be this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTJJb1UqjuA

I gig a fair bit and I've broken strings onstage(E string on my precision in a previous band and a naff Pyramid wound ubass string that only lasted 2 gigs after installation) but I've never been in a position where I've needed to use a spare. I'm currently getting a fair bit of work abroad and I'm a bit limited for space as I take my U-BASS as a carry-on item. Just bring spare strings and some basic tools(screwdriver, allen key, at a push a very small soldering iron) and you'll be fine- I think generally speaking us bassists are a practical bunch and it's rare that something goes wrong on a bass that can't be fixed with the above.