Bridgehouse

They were a diverse bunch - from total beginners to pro level full timers in big function bands to originals, long term shredders, blues freaks and everything in between. Some of the amps were epic 200w all tube guitar heads - granted they weren’t on full chat but man they had some girth My little 10.2 didn’t skip a beat or let me down at all. No parping out and enough depth to just about keep up But the real advantage? All my gear fitted in the boot along with my bedding, and it was DI’d into the desk for recording.

Right. Been away all weekend in a studio with 20 guitarists, a drummer and a studio engineer for a Jam weekend. Took the k10.2 and borrowed a preamp with a valve in it. It lapped it up. Sounded brilliant. Was loud enough to balance against a drummer 3 feet away in a room 6m square, with up to 3 guitarists all thrashing it through some pretty big expensive amps with 2x12’s and 4x12’s plus vocals PA. Didn’t flinch once and never felt I didn’t have enough welly. Stuck a lot of drive on the Preamp pedal - and on one song I hit a massive low E at one point and got stares from 3 guitarists, a vocalist and a drummer who all had a “wtf where did THAT come from?!” Chuffed.

Bassed for a Jam weekend full to the brim with guitarists.. last night played a bowls club with them - 20 guitarists in total swapping and changing in a full and varied set list. Brilliant. To top it off it was 3 guys first ever live gig and so they popped their cherries. Lots of really chuffed players, lots of beer, and a brilliant brilliant night of entertainment. Having a setlist that went from boulevard of broken dreams to fortunate son then on to comfortably numb was cracking...

Eh...?

Well, it was delivered today! It’s on! However, I’m away at a Jam weekend so no work on it for a few days.. you will all have to be patient!

That cheap P build to use up a spare neck and a b grade body is looking a smidge more expensive 😁 Why can’t you lot come up with el cheapo suggestions?

With no router access I’m reluctant to rout the body.. I may go wacky on the paint scheme, but would prefer to stick to trad P pickup shape - a hidden piezo sounds good tho - what should I use?

I’m not sure this thread is quite going in the direction I intended it to, as a documented P build....!

I already got one... a proper one!

@rubis - I’ll have a look into Ceruse - looks interesting!! @tommorichards - some food for thought there too! Thanks!

I’d say 90% of my recording is DI - especially when out and about, but you know how it is.. at home.. every now and again you get a hankering to go all trad and retro and spend two hours arguing with a mic stand and all that faff 😁

Certainly an option. My preference is something with valves for recording - but worth checking all the available choices out

So basschatters - what do you think? What would you like to see me do with it? Finish suggestions, Pickup suggestions, oddities, or any other comments all greatly appreciated So long as it ends up as a usable, P-bass(ish) end product then I’m all ears

One neck ready to go:

I’m thinking Danish Oil again - a slightly darker tint from the last one. Other option is a Crimson stunning stain and oil. Not sure yet. The big difference tho, is I want to put something different in the pickup slot. I could do a custom wound and go weird, or source something vintage or oddball.. again, not sure yet!

Not one to go for the usual.. and liking the more, ahem, unusual build.. I’m actually not sure how this one is going to go. One of the two PJ builds I did last year isn’t getting used - so I’m disassembling. I have a nicely subtly relic’d neck and tuners, a bridge a pickguard, and some other bits and pieces for a P bass. I contacted Graham, body and neck supplier extraordinaire and he said he had a P bass body “second” - it’s got a minor repaired split in it. Swamp ash.. nice and light. Dead cheap. So it’s ordered. It’s the one on the right: And here’s the repair:

I’ve got a BF Compact (I was going to sell but now keeping it) - is there a decent used cheapie Ashdown head you guys would recommend for it?

I didn’t like the TH500 when I tried it - I found the EICH head far more to my liking and might suit the sound you are after more

I take it you want to keep the cabs?

I hear they are good for playing a Tango or two

What’s your budget?

I have the Battalion and like it a lot. It's been on my nano board for a few months - wireless -> tuner -> battalion -> QSCk10.2 It bumped my Ampeg SCR-DI off as I fancied a change - it's a different sound entirely, and a different feel to it. Though I have to say the drive is so much better than the scrambler on the SCR-DI. I don't have the Hartke - but might pick one up if one pops up cheap S/H. What I do have though, is a Hotone B:Station. Crikey. That's good for the money as well. I put it on the board last week - it's got great compression, brilliant drive, great EQ and an FX loop. I like it a LOT - probably more than the Battalion (but still too early to tell)

You can run it through a Bad Monkey as well