Bridgehouse

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

Thanks! I have a jam weekend this weekend so it's getting it's first proper run out. I may well take it to band rehearsal next week as well

There's one local to me that's collection only, and I've put a cheeky low offer in. It would be a nice head to use with my BF Compact for recording 😁

Well, I've just been weighing up a couple of Preamp/DI options for the mini board and enhance my FRFR goodness... ..whilst simultaneously submitting an offer on a GK 800RB on evilbay... lol

That’s it - spot on. Addictive it is indeed - you’ve done a good job there!

You are describing something I went through with Helix, and then with Preamp/DI's a little while back. At the end of the day, any FRFR motor, speaker, system or whatever is just that - it's a completely neutral flat representation of what you put into it. It's the old adage of sh*t in, sh*t out.. some traditional amps add a colour, a texture and a quality that gives them their unique sound. You need to create that somehow before it hits your FRFR device. At home, and at rehearsals, I can hear clear differences between different preamp pedals, and different models on Helix - some sound brilliant, others not so much - but for Helix the biggest difference comes with cab sims.

I have a FRFR system, a Vanderkley 210LNT and a Barefaced Compact. I use a range of DI pedals and Helix through the FRFR, I use an EICH T1000 through the Vanderkley, and I’m looking for a valve head to pair with the Barefaced. The FRFR is in the car more than any other - it works on any size stage and sound engineers love it. The Vanderkley is just a glorious sounding cab and the T1000 has volume for days. It’s just so nice and rich.. The barefaced is light and adept and totally different to the others. Put it up for sale but changed my mind as it’s a brilliant cab. Conclusion? I’m no bloody help to you whatsoever, I’m a gear head, I like to mix it up.

Can’t say I disagree at all to be honest.

You can cross a shallow river quite safely in a pickup