StevieD_FenderP2009

Thank you so much to everyone here. Honestly, you've straightened out a lot of questions I had before I even asked them. As for cabinet value, believe it or not I only paid £300 for the pair (in all, 4x12 was £210 and the 2x15 was £90, bargain!) and they both have all original speakers apart from one of the 12"s got replaced by the last owner with some un-named p.o.s. so maybe I do keep an eye out for a matching original speaker. But yeah, if the value of the cabs decreases, it wont really matter to me as I never plan on selling these (unless my back problem gets even worse and I can't play bass anymore) so I think i'll just stick to adding a horn/tweeter (aren't they the same thing?) in to the 4x12 and possibly one in the 2x15 as well (but that's very very unlikely that i'll put on in the 2x15) The reason for all this is I've played through Ampeg and Orange 4x10 (Ampeg's 410HLF and Orange's OBC410) which both have horns in them and they just made my bass sound that bit better (they had the added top end that I am after, this was obviously down to the horns in them) but the Marshalls are my dream cabinets (it's something about having a pair of Marshalls booming away behind me that I love) so I don't want rid of them, I'd rather just modify them I may even try buying/building a bright box... we shall see!

Why? 'cos I'm bored haha. I was playing through an Ampeg with a horn and 3 porting holes which sounded fantastic and just had that extra top end my Marshall's dont. Didn't realise porting was speaker specific to be honest. I'm definitely going to fit a horn in the cabinets though. Speaker value? Roughly £200 a piece apparently. But if you don't think it'll benefit from porting, I'll leave it be. Tools for it? The head of an Epiphone T-Bird will do just fine xD

I was thinking of porting my Marshall 4x12 bass cabinet but I don't know if it's a safe idea. When I opened up the back of the cabinet, it seemed like they're fully sealed so if I was to add a port, where would I add one and how is it you do it? Here's a picture of the inside of one: Would it work or not? Cheers *edit, I've just noticed my 2x15 has one port hole in it but no porting cup, a cup needed? The cab has the speakers set out diagonally with a (roughly) 8" hole in one of the corners. Could I just put an 8" porting cup in there or what?*

[quote name='Lorne' post='1292210' date='Jul 4 2011, 02:21 PM']Update, finished [/quote] Please let me know if you plan on shifting that maple Mockingbird. It's gorgeous!

Well I need it so that I can turn 1 pick up off and keep the other one on so what would you suggest? Also, you say about lowering the pot values, I thought that would be the case to be honest but I want the bass to produce as much high end treble as possible. What do you guys suggest I do? I'll PM you Bremen but cheers to both of you for your answers

Hey guys As i'll be installing Seymour Duncan Livewire Classic II humbuckers in my Thunderbird bass when I can afford them, I went to find a "2 volume 1 tone" wiring diagram but they only show one for 2 volume, 1 tone + 3 way switch and I don't want a switch in mine as that would mean drilling another hole in the bass. Not my idea of fun. So yeah, here's the diagram I found. Can someone edit the diagram so that it doesn't have the switch in there but so it's still 1 volume for each pick up and a master tone controlling both pickups please? Cheers guys Stevie

Ian, that P-Bass is seriously beautiful. The covers just add so much cool factor to it! I WANT IT! haha

My personal choice would be an Aerodyne Jazz then i'd add an active pre amp to it

I'd have to say no as well for 3 reasons. firstly, the lack of chrome control plate would just look odd. Secondly, unless you were going to add a neck pup cover it wouldn't look right (to me, I just prefer both or none. Only reason my Jazz bass has one is because I can't afford a bridge cover yet) and lastly, the fact the bridge pick up pokes out doesn't look right. So... route out the control cavity, add a chrome control plate and you could even drill out a hole for the "slap switch". Also, if you're keeping that bridge on there, try the bridge cover they used on the big block precision basses. They're slightly taller to accommodate the bigger bridge.

Hey guys I'm wondering if there is anyone out there who has the old school 80's Fender Japan Jazz Bass Special (the one Duff McKagan uses) has tried to fit a Leo Quan Badass II bridge on it? Reason I'm asking is, I've noticed that on the JB special, the pick ups are slightly further back then on a normal PJ Bass so I'm wondering if the bridge would actually fit on the body. I'm thinking of trading in a few of my basses and getting one but as the Fender BBoT bridges are so good (hopefully someone will detect my sarcasm there), I'd replace the bridge with a Badass II so it's like all my other basses (Badass II's and Seymour Duncan pick ups on all my basses) So yeah, ANSWER MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! please? Cheers

Oh, just read you are probably getting a 1x15 extension cab. That will be more than enough to gig with. Even the 1x15 would be enough to gig with. The 2x10 or 1x15 will be enough on their own but together will sit very nicely in your bands mix I'll also point out the 2 guitarists were using a Peavey 6505+ (with marshall 4x12 cab) Stack and Peavey TripleX (with marshall 4x12 cab) stack with the drummer constantly riding the double kick drum. As said, I used to cut through perfectly even when it was just my amp and no PA system to go in to. I miss my Ashdown combo, it was so much more practical than my current set up =/ haha

I used to use an Ashdown 1x12 combo for gigging with and I was in a drop tuned heavy metal band so I'm sure the 2x10 will be more than enough to cut it when mine cut through the mix perfectly

Apparently the Seymour Duncan Livewires have a pre amp built in to each pick up so that's always handy. Means I just need to be able to put a 9v battery in there (unless I go for the 18v mod) which shouldn't be too hard. I can attach a box to the back cover to sit the battery/ies in. This bass is just going to be a trial and error project to see if I can get something I've never worked with before sounding how I want it to. Also, they're not routed the same across the board. A lot of them are completely different. Cheers for the bridge advise. I'll have to stick to mine for now. The bridge on mine is 3 point unlike what yours appears to be so it would be a wrong mod there too

I now feel so bad for making that comment I do apologise for that. Sucks that you get the shakes like that though. I agree though, heat and shakes is never good haha. Ah man, you must of laughed so much when she had a fit over the DIY effects

Johnston: Sorry mate, I can't see you... Oh wait, there you are, that big thumb was hiding you Sorry, I couldn't resist that one. I'm not trying to be nasty either Why has she banned you from soldering? When I opened up the control cavity last night, I did have to have a think over how everything would fit in there as the cavity is so small. I think it's going to need a separate route done on it to hold a battery box as the cavity is just too small. Although, I've been told by the Seymour Duncan guys that the Livewire Classic II's have a pre amp built in to the pick ups so they only need a 9v or 18v power source (might as well run a bloody plug off the bass!) The pre amp i'd be putting in would be the Michalik BP4 (which is what Spector call the "Tonepump") as I have one in my Tobias and love the tone it's producing. Plus it only needs a single battery and it's a tiny unit so hopefully that would fit in the small control cavity. Chrismuzz: Yeah I know what you mean about it being all personal to yourself and what not, it's just annoying when you buy a bass and it sounds like it's being played underwater. Actually, that's the perfect way to describe the tone from it. It sounds like you're being spoken to under water. Just a muffled mess! haha. Hopefully it will turn out how I like it any way. I'm pretty sure i'll get a nice tone from those SD pick ups. If not, I'll just have to sell them and get a new set

Thanks untune, I've messaged Catswhisker about a custom pick up set so I'll see what he comes back with. I'm hearing good things about these Catwhisker ones already. Seems like they might be the way to go.

I've just had an email back from Seymour Duncan saying that the Classic II Live Wire's should be perfect for bass as they have blades instead of poles for the magnets and they should work absolutely fine with an active bass pre amp. This has basically sold it to me. As said, £110 for the matched pair of humbuckers set. I've checked out a few wiring diagrams and I've found one for the pickups in the same configuration as the thunderbird's control layout (all apart from the 3 way switch on the diagram but I'm sure it'll work with out the switch) If I end up getting the pre amp I want for it, it'll end up being 1 blend, 1 volume and 1 treble/bass stacked pot control set up.

Yeah i'll let you know what the quote is once I get an email back. I've seen the Seymour Duncan's I want for £110 on the net (for the pair obviously and they have the chrome covers) so I'll see what the better deal will be. I'm going to be honest, I'll probably end up going for SD's because as I've previously said, I use Seymour Duncans in all of my basses and guitars and would like to keep it that way. But alas, I will definitely see what this guys pick ups are like

Neephid: I am seriously considering taking it back to london and getting my money back but there's no point in doing that. I do like the bass for how it looks and how it feels to play, plus it's quite rare in this country so if I have to spend out a little bit to make it sound how I want, I'll just have to do that. Delberthot: If it was that easy I would of put the EMG 35HZ pick ups in my bass but the pick up routes are a lot smaller than the EMG as it's been routed for guitar sized humbuckers. I wish I could give your T-Bird a go, it looks like it would play amazingly with the flats. What is that bridge you've fitted to it as well? iCastle: As said, the "steve harris-esque" tone, not exactly Steve's tone. It's just the way I describe it as it's that clicky type of bass tone. Very trebly, half bass and low mids. Matt P: Thanks for that dude, I will get drop the guy an email in a bit to see what his rates are and if he thinks he'd be able to build a pick up to my spec. Again, thanks for that

Ah thanks for that Henry, that's a real help there. I would ask Wizard to make me some pickups but I've heard they're seriously expensive. The EMG 89 idea isn't a bad one at all. As said, I'd prefer to go for Seymour Duncan so I'll wait to hear from them about the Classic II Livewires to see if they're blade or poles. I've also seen SD do a Duncan Designed humbucker with 2 blade magnets across them so I'm going to keep an eye out for those as well as an EMG select. End of the day, this is unfortunately going to have to be a trial and error thing. Honestly wish I hadn't bought this bass.

The site of that pick up makes me want to vomit. I was thinking of going for a pick up that has the 2 blades running across it because surely that gives you even sound?