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Obrienp

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Everything posted by Obrienp

  1. Obrienp
    Got to state my vested interest up front, I am selling mine in the Basses for Sale listings. The reason it is dark is that the pickup is wired in series as standard. I have got more tones out of it by wiring it to have a series/single coil/parallel switch. Single coil and parallel have a brighter top end. The FSR version has a 4 conductor pickup as standard but they just wired it in series for some reason . I had to get a luthier to rewire my pickup to 4 conductor (standard Affinity version). I guess if you give it 500K pots it will make it louder and brighter too. Yes, the Jag body shape does cause it to neck dive but so do quite a few Jazz style basses (in my experience ). At least the Jag H is quite light.
  2. Obrienp
    Happy to post/courier but I appreciate that puts the cost up.
  3. Obrienp
    Update: In case you want to do your own mods, I am offering this bass but with most of the mods described below removed for £150, or you can have it with the mods for £170. Just to clarify, I would put the original bridge, control plate and electrics back in it. That will necessitate wiring the pickup in serial but it will still have the 4 conductor lead (in case you want to rewire in the future, or do your own mods). I would leave the shielding in this option, so it should still be a lot quieter than stock. The unmodified version would save you 25% over the cheapest street price I can find online. I bought this Squier Jaguar H late last year, as a proof of concept, to see if my arthritic left hand could cope with a 32". It seems that it can and in a rush of blood to the head I bought a Maruszczyk medium scale Elwood off fleaBay. I now have to sell a few things to contribute to the cost of that purchase. This Jaguar is actually a very nice bass for the money. I really like the neck: very Jazz like with a matte finish (no high or sprouting frets) and the bass is not too heavy at 3.9 Kg (8.6lbs). It comes with the hot MM style ceramic humbucker wired in series, which gives a hefty dark tone. Good to my ears but a bit of a one trick pony and noisy too. I got my local friendly luthier to open the pickup up, split the coils to give me a 4 conductor lead (plus shield) and wax pot the pickup. It proved quite tricky, so that cost £45. I have rewired it with 250K Alpha mini pots (cavity too small for full size), orange drop 0.047 capacitor and a 3 position DPDT switch to give series/single coil/parallel options. This has really opened up the tonal pallet to my ears. The single (front) coil position sounds quite Jazz bass like and the parallel much more Stingray. It is also very quiet now, as I shielded all the cavities with copper tape. I used micro connector blocks on the harness, so you can change pickup without having to solder (see pic) but I can't promise the wiring colours will match up on an alternative pickup. The pole pieces are covered so you don't get that irritating buzzing from touching them; e.g. with your thumb but they are not rails underneath, in case you are thinking of narrower string spacing than the standard 19mm. To complete the modifications, I put on a Fender high mass bridge with brass saddles and Ernie Ball Slinky strings. The OEM machine heads seem fine to me, so I left them alone. If they do start to wear, they are a very standard vintage design, so easily and cheaply replaced (Northwest Guitars do an identical own brand unit for very little). It is now a very nice and versatile bass IMO. Very easy to play with some good tonal variations on offer. The Jag body design does lend itself to neck dive, so a good grippy strap is recommended. The cheapest I can see these basses online is £199, so save yourself a chunk of cash with £100 worth of mods thrown in for free. Condition wise I would say it is extremely clean. There is a slight pin prick in the finish on the back where I started to install a screw in the cavity for the earth wire and realised it was going through (there is very little wood the other side of the route). Fortunately I stopped before it did real damage. The earth screw is now in the side of the control cavity. Otherwise there are a few micro handling scratches in the top lacquer that have not gone through: inevitable with a gloss black finish and some light marks by the pickup on the pick guard, probably from my thumb nail where I anchor it. You can try and buy in Fakenham, Norfolk. I have the original box, so can post/courier at buyers expense. I will travel to meet/deliver within about 50 miles of Fakenham. I am sorry, I need the money, so I am not open to trades and as a result of some bad experiences, I don't want to send it outside the UK.
  4. Obrienp
    Well the Gotoh would be a drop in replacement but obviously it would change your string spacing. I don’t think they do them with narrower spacing. Seriously though, I am all for bridges with locking saddles and intonation but I prefer something like the Babicz system for that. I find the standard Maruszczyk bridge requires a bit more skill and patience to set up than I posses. The more conventional screw based adjustment of Fender style bridges and the majority of high mass bridges, is more user friendly for the average owner IMO. However, I am sure a lot of owners manage perfectly with the Maru standard bridge. I just wanted to let folks, who want to change it, know that the Gotoh is a drop in replacement (for 19mm string spacing).
  5. Obrienp
    True. The standard Maruszczyk bridge with 19mm spacing to be precise.
  6. Obrienp
    I have found a drop in replacement for the standard Maruszczyk bridge. It’s a Gotoh 510BO. See:
  7. Obrienp
    OK, so follow up. It took about 20 minutes to remove the standard Maru bridge and replace it with the Gotoh. I used the original Maru screws as they are longer than the ones supplied with the Gotoh. I didn’t install the two front screws on the Gotoh because I wanted to make sure it worked OK before drilling new holes. I am pleased to say the Gotoh works well. It fits exactly with the original screw holes of the Maruszczyk bridge and the strings align with the pickup pole pieces about the same as they did with the OEM; not perfect on the two outer strings but acceptable. String height and intonation adjustment perfectly simple. Fortunately, the saddles will go more than low enough to get an acceptable action. In fact it is a bit slappy at the moment but I thought I would let the neck settle before doing the final adjustments. The E string saddle is just about back at the stops, so I am hoping I don’t have to flatten the intonation anymore. However, it was with the OEM bridge as well. It’s on its way to being 33” bridge to saddle on that side and it’s about 32 1/4” on the G side. New strings may get it back closer to 32”. The Gotoh anchors the strings a bit further back, so the wound part only just makes it across the nut before the winding starts (see photo). The Gotoh is about 20 grams heavier than the original Maruszczyk bridge, so it’s not going to make the bass feel any heavier, or fix the slight neck dive. I would definitely recommend it as a no modification replacement for the OEM standard bridge. I have put a few photos on: comparison of the two bridges and the string alignment with the Gotoh. Photos taken before setting the intonation.
  8. Obrienp
    Yes, good point. The baseplate looks as though it may be thicker but the saddles are not very deep, so I hope it will be OK. Otherwise it’s going to be a bit of credit card under the neck and then I’ve got the problem of the Maruszczyk stainless cheese screws, as articulated by @Woodinblack. 🤞
  9. Obrienp
    Thanks for the tip. I’ve got the saddles to move a bit now but I was really struggling with the intonation adjustment. The locking screw seems to be hidden behind the string and once you loosen it, the string pulls the saddle forward. It’s not easy to keep it in place while tightening the locking screw. Anyway, as per my post above, I have got hold of a Gotoh bridge that I think will work and I have new strings on the way as well. I saw some of your earlier posts about the quality of Maruszczyk screws, so I was very nervous when I first removed the standard bridge but it seems somebody may have waxed the threads on mine. Perhaps the previous owner had put on a different bridge. Anyway, to my surprise the screws came out cleanly and the heads are intact. I put plenty more wax on when I replaced them. The neck screws will be a different story though, so I will be very careful if I ever have to tackle them. It puts me in mind of the screw bolts they used on Japanese motorbikes in the 70s. They were made out of a special vegan cheese!
  10. Obrienp
    Wow! Yes, at least mine is roughly in the right place, although I am struggling a bit to get the intonation right. E string wants to go further back than the bridge will let it but I think the strings may have something to do with that. After a lot of online research, I think I may have found a drop in replacement: Gotoh 510BO. Not cheap for a fairly basic design, at £69. It arrived today and an initial look suggests the screw holes line up. I am still a little concerned that it might not have enough travel in the saddles to get the intonation correct but at least it has conventional adjustment. I’ll post the results once I have fitted it.
  11. Obrienp
    You will be fine with a Hercules stand: they do one, two, three guitar stands. I have had three basses of various heft hanging on a 3 guitar stand and it is absolutely rock solid.
  12. Obrienp
    OK folks, I now have my lovely Elwood 4a medium scale but the honeymoon is wearing off a bit. I want to lower the action a bit and adjust the intonation slightly. That standard bridge is a bit naff isn’t it? Rather than repeat myself, here is the post in the Maru bridge topic: Can anybody help with either the method to do the bridge adjustments, or even better a drop in replacement bridge recommendation?
  13. Obrienp
    Reviving this thread because I just bought a secondhand Maruszczyk Elwood and it has one of these standard bridges. I was looking to lower the action a bit but loosening the top grub screws on the bridge saddles doesn’t seem to cause any reduction in height. I can’t quite make out if there is a little locking screw accessed from the front of the bridge saddle? Also intonation adjustment looks hit and miss. It’s a pretty horrible bridge TBH and somewhat disappointing given the quality of the rest of the instrument. Has anybody worked out which decent after market bridges are a straightforward replacement for the standard Maru bridge? What 4 hole bridges are a direct fit without drilling? If they were wanting to save costs, why didn’t they go for a standard Fender fit 5 hole bridge? There are so many of them on the market for virtually nothing. Viewed from a distance this looks pretty good but close up you realise the deficiencies.
  14. Obrienp
    I just had a rush of blood to the head and bought a Maruszczyk medium scale off eBay, which means I need to sell my Jaguar H. I am going to be listing it pretty soon, just need to get a moment to take the photos and write the blurb. I have had the pickup rewired to give 4 conductors and potted to cut the noise. I wired it up with a 3 way switch to give series/single coil/parallel switching. That gives you two less bassy options than the standard series wiring. Also shielded and Fender high mass bridge.
  15. Obrienp
    So my NBD was yesterday, when the Elwood 4a medium scale i bought off eBay arrived, just in time for a band practice. I am very pleased with it. It is in as new condition, having been completed on 31 August last year and it doesn’t look as though it has had a lot of use. I love the translucent matte finish. The grain shows through nicely. Build quality is excellent and all the screw heads are intact. This one has a 38mm nut, 12” radius and a slim neck all the way up, which suits me perfectly. It looks as though the C neck profile gets a bit flatter towards the top of the neck, which means that it only gets a few mm deeper. It has the standard Maruszczyk jazz pickups and a two band preamp. The build sheet doesn’t say the manufacturer of the preamp. It is fitted with 45-105 flats, which look as though they might be D’Addario but the build sheet gives a Maru reference no, so maybe they just have the same ball ends and blue silk windings. I am not sure whether they are ideal for me. I think I am going to try some D’Addario round wound nickels for a bit more growl. I’m a bit nervous about that because the standard Maru bridge looks a bit complicated to adjust and there is not much scope for fore and aft movement in the base plate. It weighs in at around 3.9 kilos (approx 8lbs 9oz), which is a bit more than I was hoping for, without being grossly heavy. There is a little neck dive on a strap but quite a lot when seated with it on your knee. At some stage I might consider lightweight tuners but I don’t want to have unsightly screw holes at the back of the immaculate headstock. Here is the obligatory pic. The lighting is a bit warm, which is making it look more cream than it is. The bass alongside is short scale.
  16. Obrienp
    The problem with the two saddle bridge is it compromises intonation but if you never go beyond the 11th fret it shouldn’t be too noticeable. The lovely Ibanez EHB1000S has 24 frets, lightweight and very good dusty end access. It also allows you to use full scale strings, giving you much more choice and reduced cost (compared to short scale strings). Why did I sell mine?
  17. Obrienp
    Interesting: no mention of it on the official Fender UK website. It looks like this one would be easier to mod. I wonder what the string spacing is.
  18. Obrienp
    That’s what I understand. Bridge and machine heads by Hipshot.
  19. Obrienp
    Ah right. Sorry, not very helpful then. Could you try Hipshot regarding the bridge?
  20. Obrienp
    Try a PM to SoniaMara on TalkBass. She works for Nordstrand and has answered other contributors’ questions on that forum. P.S. I can tell you that their answer to other owners with the dropping bridge saddle problem has been to use Loctite. Not very popular with some of the owners it has to be said. I think a replacement saddle and adjustment screw is the least they could do.
  21. Obrienp
    I just cut pieces of fibreboard to size to fit the pedals I want to mount. Drill holes to take long cable ties to hold the pedals (and power supply) on: Velcro always comes unstuck from the back of pedals but you can use that if preferred; just staple it on. One cable tie will hold your average pedal. Then cover it with that non-slip perforated rubber matting (the type you put on outside wooden steps) held on with staples. That stops it from sliding around on the floor, prevents the fibreboard edges from flaking and makes it look less naff. Obviously, if you are using Velcro, then put the rubber matting on first. The resultant pedalboard is very light and really cheap to make. I have made several for different configurations of pedals.
  22. Obrienp
    Yes Keith. Rush of blood to the head! The Squier Jaguar H was the proof of concept for medium scale, so that will have to go. I am still working out what else I’m going to sell to cover the Maru 😏. I will definitely bring it along to the next NBS jam. See you there.
  23. Obrienp
    I hope so; I just bought an Elwood 4a off eBay that is in trans white. Complete rush of blood to the head but I had been looking for a nice medium scale and the one on eBay seemed reasonably priced. Might not arrive until the 14th though. The free postage is obviously by camel train! BTW I get the Jake and Elwood thing but shouldn’t it be Donald and Duck? After all Jake and Elwood didn’t play bass 😀.
  24. Obrienp
    Just in case you want an alternative supplier, the Bass Gallery also carry Acinonyx. I got my V1 from them last year and it was marginally less than Bass Direct at the time. Mine is from the second batch and has not suffered from the issues that some of the first batch had: noise, sticking or non-functioning buttons and bridge saddles dropping. I guess they must have sorted any QC issues for the second batch. There is a very active Acininoyx thread over on TalkBass. A few people across the pond have already got fretless and the V2 versions and are giving their feedback. Might be worth checking out, if you are interested in one. For what it is worth, I love my V1 but I agree that the tonal options are not subtle: basically heavy treble roll off, full dub and the mid-scoop also seems to roll-off a lot of treble. I do like the press button, instant predictable tone change and the options work for me in conjunction with the pickup selector but won’t for everyone. The bridge pickup really works well solo: it retains plenty of bass and with the first tone roll-off produces a really nice burpey vibe. It’s really difficult to select the “all in” serial mode but worth it when you do. I would happily swap the mute button for a single button “all in”. It is also a bass that you can play for those 3 hour, Sunday afternoon pub gigs without feeling totally wrecked at the end. Perhaps this V2 is going to have a wider and more subtle tonal palette. As everything is mounted on the scratch plate, they could just flog existing owners a loaded plate to do the conversion. My favoured first variant would have been a medium scale version but I don’t even think they have thought about that one. It would probably mess up the balance as well to have a longer neck.
  25. Obrienp
    Price drop: £135 ono. Also possibility of delivery. I’m selling an Affinity Precision Bass on behalf of a guitarist mate. I checked the serial number on Squier Wiki and it suggests it was made in 2000-1 at the Yako factory in Taiwan. The full spec on Squier Wiki can be seen here: http://www.squierwiki.com/Affinity-Precision-Bass. The highlights are Alder body, rosewood fingerboard, nut width 41.3mm (supposedly, 40.4mm according to my gauge), C shape neck. It weighs 3.7 Kg (a tadge over 8lbs 2oz) and it balances nicely. The pickup is really pretty good; not red hot but not as feeble as recent Squier Ps I have tried. It produces a satisfying P bass thump and growl. The action is not bad either and I think could be lowered a bit more. I didn’t play with the set up too much, because I am sure the new owner will want to change the strings (which I think are the original 45-105) and adjust the intonation. I lifted the pickguard out of curiosity and was surprised to find full size pots and pretty neat soldering (see pic). No shielding though, so there is a bit of hum when you let go of the strings. This a 23 year old guitar and has a few dings on the body, which I have tried to capture in the photos and a number of light scratches. A few dings around the bottom edge near the jack socket have been touched up by a previous owner. Surprisingly the back is pretty devoid of buckle rash. There are signs that the poly finish may be on its way to cracking but it hasn’t happened yet. There are some light marks on the back of the neck, which I have tried to photograph unsuccessfully. Frets show little wear and there are no significant marks in the fretboard. TBH I get the feeling it hasn’t been played that much: certainly not since my mate has owned it. I gave it a little clean and oiled the board with lemon oil. The pickguard has a few hairline cracks on the edges and has obviously had stickers on it. Plus a previous owner obviously used a pick. I started cleaning the residual glue off but ran out of lighter fluid. TBH I would change it for a tort or black guard but it serves its function OK. I have never got on with full scale P basses before and have moved pretty much to short scale these days but I found this example pretty comfortable and easy to play. I guess that is partly because the nut is a little narrower than some, while not being as narrow as a Jazz. The C neck profile is quite shallow as well. It is also lighter than some of my shorties and balances nicely on a strap, or when seated. It would make an excellent modding platform as well. For not very much cash it could be made into a very nice bass: I am thinking Fender high mass bridge, Tone Rider or similar pickup, Wilkinson lightweight tuners, replacement pickguard of your choosing, decent strings, perhaps a bit of mild distressing for that road worn look; job done. In fact please buy it, or I might be tempted to buy it myself! It comes with a very nice but dusty Warwick Rockbag gig bag, with pretty thick padding (25mm according to my gauge). The current equivalent costs about £50. You are welcome to try and buy in Fakenham, Norfolk. I am sure we can find a box to courier it at buyers expense. I can also meet up within about 30 miles or so for a handover. We can accept payment by PayPal, bank transfer, or cash on collection/handover.
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