Sean

I've always loved Sea Foam Green and I've always really fancied Rich's Pingray and the whole concept of getting a P pickup on a bass that has the MM pickup in Leo's sweet spot. I love BBs too and I managed to find one that was good enough to convert and also that needed enough loving care that I wouldn't want to keep it as is. So what we have here is the recipe for a bass that could turn out to be one of my all time favourites but [i]many a slip twix cup and lip[/i] as they say. This BB has got a bit of interesting figuring on the neck. The profile of the neck is different from my BB400S, same width but less chunky and it feels faster overall. The bass weighs in at 9.0lbs. In its current state it's set up beautifully with a nice low action and no buzzing and it intonates really nicely too. It sounds like a BB should, it's like a Precision but a bit a tiny bit tighter because of the reverse position of the P pickup. The frets are nice on this bass, very neat and look like they've been dressed at some point. Compared to my 400S this is a nicer neck. Here's the bass photographed today before any work begins:

I sold a rackcase to Jim - great guy to deal with, highly recommended.

I got home and there was a new John East preamp waiting for me!

Now here's a thing... What is a BB? To me a BB is a BB200, BB300, BB400, BB1000, BB1200, BB2000, BB3000 and any Yamaha bass that has the classic BB body shape and headstock and usually a P or reverse P pickup - that's what I like and that's what I expect. IMO even my BB1300 pushes the limits of what a BB is. How is this ever a BB except in name? or this Body shape completely different, headstock totally different! Nathan East's signature model is a BB but it isn't what I think of as a BB. Why don't these completely different basses have a different nomenclature? Anyone know?

Bought a bass from Luke, he's a top Basschatter and kept me up to date throughout the deal. Bass came very well packed on a next day from Interparcel. Really chuffed with the deal and the instrument and can't wait to start pulling it apart! (It's for project) :-D

Jean-Claude Van Damme plays a character called Gibson Rickenbacker in the film Cyborg. I wonder if TC John Hall took any legal action over that? The baddie in that film was called Fender Tremelo. I just wonder whether there was a superior Japanese version of the same film.

[quote name='4StringFortress' timestamp='1350420790' post='1838728'] Oh very nice which BB are you getting? [/quote] It's a BB300 but it'll be the starting point for a sea foam green pingray-type bass.

[quote name='4StringFortress' timestamp='1350418541' post='1838670'] Here is a question im sure will spark an argument, in your opinions what is the best BB ever made? [/quote] The modern Super BBs take some beating by anything else on the market and I prefer my BB2024x over a BB3000 although I'd still like one. My BB1300 is definitely the rarest BB and also the least BB-like BB. I've got a 6th BB incoming at the moment too which is going straight to Ou7shined for some surgery and then a complete recon and electronics and hardware pimp by me.

I bought a pickup from Mark. Great bloke to deal with and really nice pickup. Super-quick delivery and he's obviously been to the same parcel packing classes that I went to Cheers Sean

[quote name='DarkHeart' timestamp='1350241123' post='1836264'] try spraying with spray filler primer then sanding back [url="http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/140697000005?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&adtype=pla"]http://compare.ebay....sbar&adtype=pla[/url] [/quote] Cheers, I'll give it a blast.

I don't really want to strip it compIetely again. I think I'm going to sand back a bit with 240, grain fill and then do more sonic blue on top of that. Will that work?

[quote name='Grant' timestamp='1350236553' post='1836136'] Where did you get the Sonic Blue paint? [/quote] [url="http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/"]http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/[/url]

Here's the body after three coats of Sonic Blue [IMG]http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk29/seanfunk/P1050112.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk29/seanfunk/P1050113.jpg[/IMG] I'm convinced that I should have used grain filler now.

Yes, you can. I use exactly this set up. It's just plug and play.

The Stones' new single Doom and Gloom is obviously in existence just to help sell yet another greatest hits collection but I was pleasantly surprised. Sure, it's formulaic latter day Rolling Stones fayre but it's the best thing they've done in years. Darryl's a bit buried in the mix and Ronnie Wood's contribution is phoned in but I like it.

£49.99! And there's a perfectly good Kramer for sale on here for £50 that's not going. Madness.

Now that the primer is on I can see imperfections that I couldn't when it was bare wood so I've filled them and I'll sand back with 400 and 800 grit tomorrow before starting the sonic blue coat. Hopefully by this time tomorrow we should have an idea of what it'll look like when it's done. I think the three week wait for the finish to dry off properly before sanding and polishing is going to be agony.

Lovely looking bass. LEDs are fantastic! I always liked Status instruments but never managed to get on with one until I got my Streamline.

I'm thinking that maybe I should have used grain filler but it's not recommended for alder. Anyway, here's the body after three coats of primer. The horns are a nightmare and seem to be the place where runs are most likely. [IMG]http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk29/seanfunk/P1050110.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk29/seanfunk/P1050111.jpg[/IMG] So far I've really enjoyed doing it and I'd encourage anyone with any interest in giving it a go to try it. Long way to go yet and lots to learn.

Sold a pedal to Trev, really easy bloke to deal with. No messing about. A proper Basschat sale :-)

Does anyone know what wood the BB400S is made from? I've Googled and found some references to it being Alder but I don't think it is, it's more like mahogany but it's definitely not that either. Is it nato or similar?

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1350146319' post='1835179'] Yes, patience is of the utmost importance! Looking good so far, be interesting to see a [color=#ff0000]Sonic Blur [/color]Yammie! Truckstop [/quote] I hope that's a typo and not a portent for what the paint job ends up looking like!