Maude

Thanks guys, just set up a Photobucket account and all is well again. I've never bothered using a photo host since one just disappeared over night once losing all my pictures. The pictures weren't important to me but were used on a forum where my specific field of expertise was very welcome in helping a lot of other folks, of course all of the posts now have blank boxes. Thanks again

Hi all, I may be being thick but I can't upload any pictures to my build thread. Have I used up too much space on the forum so to speak. The message below the uploader thingy says I have used 31.66MB of my 30MB global upload quota. I didn't realise I was limited, how can I add more pictures to the thread?

I belt sanded the pointy bits off the headstock and finished by hand to get the shape to how I liked it. The holes need enlarging from 16mm to 18mm so I can fit the Wilkinson 'Elephant ears' I've ordered. I'm going to make a waterslide decal for it but won't pretending it's something it's not, I think as it's a Variax but will incorporate lot of Telecaster/Fender styling I'm going to call it a 'Varicaster', using the scroll type 'Vari' and the bold print 'caster'. [url="http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/120120141398_zps2b8cf865.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/130120141404_zpsc89fa494.jpg.html"][/url] Next the body, I sanded the black off using a sander but left the sealer coat on to make it easier to repaint, I didn't want to just paint over the black as, if the body has grain, I will use a translucent paint to let the grain show through. Once the front, back and the flat sides had been sanded back by machine I went over to blocking it by hand to finish, but before doing this I really liked how leaving the rounded edges black made it look like it had binding, the quite square edged helped this so I'm going with a faux binding in black on a trans blonde. [url="http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/120120141397_zpsfb1e16d6.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/120120141395_zps1c75aada.jpg.html"][/url] I'd also noticed how similar the shape of the pickguard was to a Tele bass Thinline so have discarded the '73 Tele idea, as I was never fully sure about the upper horn, and made a template incorporating some Thinline lines into the Variax pickgaurd and sent it off to 'The Bass Doc' to have one made in black. Thanks Howard for putting up with my constantly changing mind . [url="http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/TeleThinlineBass001_zps61b1ed27.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/120120141400_zps6b41f53b.jpg.html"][/url] I've got a Tele bridge cover which I'll use and I think I'm going with a painted headstock. I'd ordered a set of stick on Jazz blocks a couple of weeks ago and have put them on the Variax neck and they look really good, now I know that Tele's didn't have blocks but this bass is really just all of my favourite bass stylings put into one (where appropriate), it just so happens most of them come from a Telecaster Thinline. [url="http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/160120141411_1_zps868920ba.jpg.html"][/url] I'm not sure about the 'f' hole yet, a sticker would look ok from a distance but is a little 'fake'. So the state of play at the mo is, the body stripped ready for paint, the headstock stripped ready for paint, and my pickguard on order from the Bass Doc. I'll update as and when thing occur .

Hello folks, I've started to make some changes to my Line 6 Variax and thought I'd document it here. I'm in a covers band and the Variax is perfect for my needs and I really like the way it plays, even if it is a little heavy, but I've never liked the way it looks. Personally I can't stand perloid pickguards and the Variax has a pretty large one that dominates the black expanse of the body, and the headstock has always been a gripe with it's weird little pointy bits. [attachment=152700:b700.jpg] Soooo I decided it's time to change it a little, I picked it up cheap and I'm not fussed about devaluing it as it's a keeper as it's so versatile. I can't spend too much time on it because of gigs and I don't want to spend a load either so I got my thinking hat on. I am a fan of the more traditional styled basses, call me boring but it's what I like, and I'd like to keep it fairly neutral so it fits all occasions. We play a lot of private functions and mad design might not suit some events. First up the headstock, straight away I could tell that without the pointy bits it would be Telecaster-esque, a design I like, so I thought turn it into a Tele tribute. I was born in '73 and a '73 style Tele pickguard would cover all the electrics well so I went with it. I'm going to end this post and continue in another as my PCs screen driver keeps crashing at the mo and I have to restart it to get it going again, I don't want to have retype everything.

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1390086153' post='2341408'] Basses as decoration only? Just like the majority of vintage basses that end up in collections then. [/quote] Ooooh! To be fair, the hope of buying two and making one good one will only save you £20, I'm sure those Jazz's are only £100 anyway. And whilst Gear4Music were mentioned, what the hell do they do to their stock? It puts me off ever buying anything off them if they treat stuff that badly.

Sorry for the late reply! Bloody real life getting in the way of this internet lark . On the bridge there is a recessed bit just in front of where the original nylon strings would pass through, I drilled downwards into the guitar body in this recess as it seemed a nice tidy place to do it. [attachment=152096:110120141391.jpg] This is from inside the body so you can see how the strings are terminated. I was going to put a metal washer over the string first before threading through the bridge to stop it from pulling through but the strings are such low tension I didn't think it was needed. [attachment=152095:110120141393.jpg]

I had a similar issue when choosing my Squier Bass VI, I wanted that creamy aged Olympic white, with a tort guard I love it, but the Squier Oly white is very bright, a lot more so than the Fender version, Fender also do 'Aged Oly white' which is creamier than the standard Fender Oly white. The Squier Oly white is so much cleaner/brighter that I ended up going for Sunburst. If you want a very clean white then the Squier is the best bet out of the three I mentioned.

I drilled through the bridge and fed the strings through from inside the body, like a string through body bridge would be on conventional electric bass. You don't need to knot them, they come with a sort of rubber sleeve on the end which will stop them pulling through. I'll take a couple of close ups tomorrow from inside and out so you can see, it's easier than trying to explain.

[quote name='The Twickerman' timestamp='1389206408' post='2331394'] I ordered a customised set of strings direct from LaBella - it was surprisingly inexpensive at about $23 (inc p&p) for the set. They took a couple of weeks to arrive - but that's good value IMO. - Nick. [/quote] Was that for flat or round?

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1389048883' post='2329431'] . . . . . . . . . most punters haven't got a clue what a bass does, or why a band sounds crap when it's not there [/quote] My band sounds crap when the bass [i]is[/i] there

Wow! I hope he knows how lucky he is .

A few more pictures [attachment=151749:060120141361.jpg] [attachment=151748:060120141359.jpg] [attachment=151750:060120141353.jpg]

Volume wise it's not bad at all, plenty loud enough for playing at home. I use 40watt near field monitors with my PC and it's loud enough to play along to music on there at a sensible level, obviously if you crank the volume it won't keep up, but at a 'normal' level it well within it's capabilities. The larger body definitely helps. Strings are direct from Road Toad Music, who I think make the Pahoehoe strings, if not distribute them. $31 inc postage. [url="http://www.bassuke.com/string_store.html"]http://www.bassuke.com/string_store.html[/url] You can get the white Thunder Guts, better name worse colour , which are a touch brighter, more articulate sounding according to my research but I'm happy with the Pahoehoes. I can't see there's a lot of difference anyway. The Pahoehoes do have more sustain than I expected but they have a very strong solid fundamental, think gut strung doublebass rather than steel strung doublebass.

I'm no electrical whizz but my understanding on the way it's being explained is that the tone control is essentially a variable resistor. If wiring the P/U direct to the ouput, either via the volume control or not, is too bright then put everything back as it was and replace just the tone control with a resistor of the same value. I also assume if you like the tone of your bass somewhere between 'fully up' or fully down', as mine seems to have a real sweet spot so to speak, then you could replace the control with a resistor having a value somewhere inbetween the 'fully up' or 'fully down' values on the tone control. I assume it's possible to get a reading of the tone control when it's in that sweet spot so you know what resistor will achieve this 'tone'. Is this correct? I don't want to do this, just interested.

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1388705812' post='2325244'] Thing of how much lager £150 would buy. [/quote] 150 quids worth of lager leads to this type of thing

Just noticed this, only needs the nut sticking back on but you'll have to be quick. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SubZero-Detroit-Semi-Acoustic-Bass-Red-Wine-Faulty-RRP-249-99-/301049247623?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4617eef787"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SubZero-Detroit-Semi-Acoustic-Bass-Red-Wine-Faulty-RRP-249-99-/301049247623?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4617eef787[/url]

I thought black blocks would've looked really good against all the light wood, especially with the black P/U, thumbrest, nut, etc. Not to say I don't like the cream pearl. Is that scratchplate clear or a wooden one, looks wooden, I like it

If positions didn't overlap it would be a fun experiment to route out and fit, from neck downwards, Mudbucker Jazz neck Precision Musicman Jazz bridge Would take some wiring and switching but would definitely be interesting.

That looks really good xilddx, headstock looks fab. My blocks turned up this morning, that's been a week from Japan over New Year period, not bad at all. I've now got to resist ordering loads of different inlays and pimping everything, less is more as they say .

Can't say I've really noticed a problem with neck dive. No weights added, just there to pimp it up along with the tort guard, which may be going black in a mo. I like to move my bass around a lot when gigging anyway, sometimes it's horizontal, sometimes it's vertical so I probably don't notice neckdive as much as a lot of folks seem to, can't stand a grippy strap for the same reason.

I've gigged with my Aria STB P loads, I paid a whacking £40, 1/4 Pounder P/U and Chromes later and it's awesome. [attachment=151467:531471_10150898487935686_321614790_n.jpg] [attachment=151468:dscf6709_1.jpg]

I've no idea about the Sub Zero, sorry, but in that price range I'd be looking at second hand. For around £250 you should be able to pick up a Yamaha Bex 4 or an Ibanez. I can vouch for the Bex 4 being amazing value for money as I own one and the Ibanez basses in general are usually on par with Yamaha, both make really great 'budget' instruments. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ibanez-Artcore-Bass-AGB-200-and-Practice-Amp-/251412649493?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3a895c9615"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ibanez-Artcore-Bass-AGB-200-and-Practice-Amp-/251412649493?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3a895c9615[/url] [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/c-2005-Ibanez-AGB-140-Semi-hollow-Bass-Guitar-Clean-Stock-/261363186556?pt=Guitar&hash=item3cda75bb7c"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/c-2005-Ibanez-AGB-140-Semi-hollow-Bass-Guitar-Clean-Stock-/261363186556?pt=Guitar&hash=item3cda75bb7c[/url]

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1388613653' post='2324128'] [url="http://bit.ly/1iuyhSQ"]http://bit.ly/1iuyhSQ[/url] [/quote] Ah it never gets old that does it Noel Coward? Unfortunately the first I don't know how many rows of pictures on there are all BWB so not much use, never mind eh, the thought was there . So anyone else got some pictures of plain black or BWB plates on their P?

Firstly, happy new year . I have a 3TB P bass copy that's currently wearing a tort scratchplate, the one in my avatar. I'm thinking of putting a black plate on it but I'm not sure whether to get B/W/B 3 ply or just a black single ply. Rather than go searching for pictures I'm being lazy and asking if you could post up your pictures of a 3TB P with black plates. I know you all love posting pictures of your basses and I love seeing them . Thank you.

Blimey, how long ago was this! Right, I got some time over Christmas to finish this, eventually. The wax never dried properly before as there was still some finish left on so the wax couldn't be absorbed, so off it came with white spirit. I then sanded all the finish off the body and filled the fret slots in the neck and gave it all a nice rub down ready for waxing properly. [attachment=151325:281220131330_2.jpg] I first gave the body a coat of 'dark oak' water based wood stain, the stuff you put on sheds, to darken it up as I didn't want to put lots of wax on. I had the same stuff in black kicking about as well so I did the neck. [attachment=151326:281220131332_1.jpg] Another coat of black on the neck and a coat of dark wax on the body have made it just the colour I was after, the flash in the pictures make all the colours look a lot light than they really are. [attachment=151327:281220131334.jpg] After all this dried and a good buff up it was looking something like it. String time, I had to file the E string slot out on the machine head so the fat Pahoehoe would fit in. I glued the new nut in place and fitted the E and G string and visually lined them up over the bridge so I could mark where the new holes needed to be drilled. I drilled new holes straight down through the saddle so the new strings could be fitted from inside the body and over the bridge. Once the E and G strings were done I then did the same with A and D strings, I didn't bother measuring any of the string spacings as it was simpler to do by eye due to the differing thicknesses of the strings. The strings really need stretching to close to pitch before fitting through the machine heads so as not to have too much string wrapped around the post. They are still stretching in so may need to be pulled through some more yet, I have just fed the strings through the post and not down the centre hole as the E,A and D won't fit. They hold in place nicely as to fit them you need to stretch them so they are slightly thinner, once released they grip well on their own. [attachment=151328:010120141348.jpg] Here it is all built up including a thumbrest I had spare, it plays really well and is surprisingly loud, it's only for at home anyway. Although I am going to order a peizo for under bridge so it can be amplified, I reckon it'll sound awesome amped up. I'll take some nicer pictures in daylight to better show the colour but it wasn't ever meant to be a stunner, just a cheap Ubass for a bit of fun, which it definitely is. I've also added a couple of strap buttons in case I need them. A nice Christmas shot [attachment=151329:311220131339.jpg] Price up time, Guitar £15 Tuners £15 Strings £20 Nut £2 Strap buttons £2 Thumbrest £2 Total £56