Maude

All back together ready for restringing and a set up. Although in these pictures I noticed the fretboard wood could do with a tiny sand with some micro mesh and a buff up. I gave it a fret dress and although I didn't notice it in the flesh, the pictures show the wood is slightly dulled. It's got some lovely grain on the fretboard. I'm glad I opted for a single ply black, it's slightly different from the norm and I like it.

In our rehearsal room the lead guitarist has an Ashdown 2x10 amp and a Marshall 4x12 half stack. Every so often I'll really be struggling to hear myself clearly. After upping my mids a bit to cut through, then usually upping the volume, to no avail, I'll ask what amp are you using? Yep, the Marshall. It's not the volume with it, it's the frequencies it's taking up. It seems to just cancel out my bass, which I don't have as a thundering bottom end, more clean and punchy. I bet if he took some bass out of his EQ you'd suddenly be able to hear yourself without upping the volume.

Do you know I've had almost the same epiphany. After what I now believe was a Kay SG copy, my first three proper basses were Yamahas. When I got my recently acquired BB424x, I thought I could keep this and the BEX4 and get rid of everything else. But the rest are soooo perdy. 🙄😁

Aha! I couldn't quite make out the first three letters, and as is characteristic, opted for the wrong choice 😁. Anyway POWESOUND is even more awesome, and if that's one of your basses then a decent image to get a repro made from is now suddenly achievable. 😉

Yes, probably. The BB P pickup is nearer the neck than a standard P bass, and I've reversed them and moved the whole unit towards the neck around a further 10mm. I did work with it out further back in this thread but I think the EA is still nearer the bridge than a standard P bass, I can't remember. There's been no big plan really, just that reversing the BB P made it too close to the scratchplate so I moved it forwards a bit. The Mark Hoppus looks to be a lot further forwards.

This is the difference in pickup locations. The reverse P is on top of the old plate. The EA is only around half a pickups width back from the neck and DG is about one and a half a pickups width nearer the neck. Hopefully a good balance.

It could all change once the body has been oiled as it will look yellower. With a more amber body the cream might look best after all. Just in case you had made your mind up 😁.

Of course there's sunshine, 's Cornwall innit. 🤔😆 Black scratchplate I'm afraid, predictable but suits a white BB perfectly. I've gone for solid black rather than three ply black/white/black though, I like the retroness of a solid plate, plus the BB X's are busy enough without an extra white line. Here's the pickup surround flipped over, it hasn't got as nice a finish but it's perfectly acceptable. A quick mock up of the all new BB424XR, will rebuild tonight or tomorrow.

I think the chrome works best on that bass, even if it is the 'safe choice'. I like to try something different but sometimes classic just works.

Just making the new scratchplate for my BB. Working on a Saturday is terrible isn't it! The workshop 😁.

Will do 🙂👍

Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz

I you had a clear enough picture it would be easy to get a reproduction. I'm now thinking about getting a waterslide one had putting it on before I lacquer mine. 🙂 Apart from stripping there's no progress on the mine at the mo, currently sat in the garden making my reverse P, BB scratchplate.

I love that sticker, 'Equiped with SUPERSOUND high gain super distortion pickups'. F**k yeah!! 🤘

Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) - Bananananaramamama

Oh that's too funny. That was on the other night and Lady Maude said exactly the same, she even tied the top bit back just to check, like he does when he's about to kick off. 🤣🤣

I've got the Hidersine one. Bought it eight years ago, it was about £50 back then. To be honest it's been great. Like you I move my own gear so I'm relatively careful but a gig environment will take its toll eventually. Some of the material covering the piping has worn thin in the places where it sits on the floor when on its side and the stitching on the front grab handle came loose, but apart from that it's still good, for at least another eight years. A decent level of padding and a very thick, strong area over the bridge. I really can't complain for the price.

First is me a couple of years ago, I don't do photos so this blurry one is the best you'll get. Then during lockdown I just didn't bother with the head or face, the beard eventually got trimmed as I didn't like the feel on my chest in bed, but the hair stayed. It's finally annoying me enough that a shave up is imminent (that and the thinning patch at the back) , so I took a photo this morning for prosperity. 😁.

Oh L'Amour - Erasure

Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke? - The Alarm

Wade in the Water - Marlena Shaw

What do the original bridges look like? I reckon I'll probably put a Fender or Gotoh high mass one on. They're reasonably cheap and look like an actual upgrade rather than 'I haven't got the right bridge so just stuck a chinese BBOT on', if you know what I mean.

What, any help in making sure mine looks like a backed up sewer? Yeah thanks for that!! 🤣🤣🤣

Well, it's a tale of two halves. Externally, it's all good really, it'll get a full make over but no real issues. Internally, holy guacamole Batman! We'll get to that in a bit. The wood is very dry feeling and slightly rough, so I'll probably take off any finish and give a fresh oil and wax finish, or possibly clear lacquer, not decided yet. Maybe even dye the outer body wings red. It's had a thumb rest added at some point, but that's the worst part externally, it's not even got any real chips or dings. Pickup covers are starting to crack, but from what's been said about the tone I want to keep them. I'll probably try and stabilise the covers with superglue and polish them up. The cavity cover is a home made one that's not the best so will be making a new one. Maybe a nice brass one to match the TRC. Does anyone know if these are the original strap buttons? Internally 🙈 Apparently it works but the pots are crackly and only work in certain positions. As it looks like someone has been storing salt in the control cavity I'm not surprised. Look at the state of these pots. The pickups have been glued in, which coupled with already very fragile, cracked casings made removal more like a surgical procedure. But they're out in one piece, and the cavities are a mess. It's nothing that can't be fixed though, and it should be a great little bass once done.

He was, we spent a while chatting about gigs and stuff. He was only young, early twenties. Nice to see someone not brainwashed into believing money is everything in life.