hooky_lowdown

Flats should feel very smooth to the touch, especially after being broken in. The coating will probably wear off after a couple weeks of playing. Unlike roundwounds, flats get better with age and will last for years. I've heard many players with flats have them on for 10 years or more. I tried every brand of flatwounds as I like the punchy warm tone with some articulation, and I found Chromes gave me what I was looking for. They are slightly bright at first, but once they are broken in, they sound amazing. The tension is perfect as well, not floppy like some flats, and not high tension like Fender flats.

You want pure nickel strings - NOT nickel plated. The pure nickel strings give a much warmer sound than nickel plated.

Not tried those strings. I only asked the question as I was given these 5 string set.

Well done Newfoundfreedom that is a lot of bass for not much money. That should give you the P sound for sure!

Depends if it’s the 30 or 34 inch scale? Short scale will have its own sound, but any bass with P pups will sound like a P bass - will it sound like a Fender P, then no!

Thanks fellas, I will stay away from using the heavier gauge strings.

I've been given a set of 5-strings (130-45) to try out. I only use 4 string basses generally set up at 105-50, but I like a big, deep tone. I have an idea of using the heavier gauge strings from the 5 pack (130-100-85-65), so before I file away at the nut - would this be a good idea, I use standard tuning EADG?

Wow, resurrection of an old thread. I know the OP doesn't like rounds, but maybe pure nickle rounds? They are not as rough, a lot smoother on fingers than steel rounds, and have a bright, warm tone which would be the balance between punk and anything else.

The bass isn’t refined, you’re totally right there, but it reminds me of Danelectro basses which were made of cheap parts but sounded decent and are fun to play.

I think I must have got a good one, played it with some old/dead strings (stock ones are horrible) as I don’t like the zing of new strings, and without doing any setting up, it sounds really good stock. The neck is super easy to play with a lovely low action (less than 3mm at 12th fret), and being so lightweight it still somehow maintains a nice balance. The pickups (after adjusting the height) to be more bass bias sound good, warm and good articulation up and down the neck, even with the tone at 60%. The highs are a bit harsh, so the only mod I now plan to do is change the cap to 0.1 instead of stock 0.047, which should round the sound off nicely. Machine heads and pots turn firmly and work well. I don’t think I will do any of the upgrades I had planned, they may improve the bass, but only very marginally so isn’t worth doing imho. I may add Chromes, but the old roundwounds sound really nice and are different to my other basses (which all have flats) that I may keep them on. After I do a proper set up, this is definitely a keeper. It’s super fun to play, was noodling on it for well over an hour, felt like 5 mins.

Sorely tempted. I'm a P guy through and through, I'm also not fussed about neck widths.

10lbs according to kodiakblair

Just seen this, someone buy it before I have to... £188 inc postage to mainland UK. Less than a Squier Affinity, and far superior pups. https://www.backalleymusic.co.uk/contents/en-uk/p9119_Revelation-RPBX-Bass-3TSB.html

Clearly not to you. I don't know, but I'm guessing because the two P pups are close together, the dials are similarly placed for aesthetics.

The three diagonal dials are volume for each pup, and the other is master tone. It mkes sense when you know what each does.

ESP PPJ-160 has two P's and a J...

Nice one tom1946 Bass arrived yesterday, amazingly light which is great for my back. The pickup I'm going to be adding is MIM (not the neck), keeping the neck stock, though I do have a one piece maple one should I wish to change. I did notice the neck's heel is smaller than standard 63mm. Will be having a little noodle on it (stock) tonight, as I like to give basses 24hrs to acclimatise.

Wouldn't it be easier to fit a simple thumbrest/tug bar where you want it, close to the pup?

Been needing a beater bass for a while to mess around on at home, played a cheapy gear4music LA bass last week and found I liked it, neck was nice and really liked it being lightweight. Now, I do like modding cheapy basses, and this seems a good start. So pulled the trigger on a silver sparkle one today, which by accounts is more of a champagne colour than a true silver, so I've photoshop'ed what it should eventually look like. Obviously the pups, electrics and hardware are poor, but for now I will be leaving the tuners and bridge alone, and will be replacing the pup with an old Fender MIM one I have in my parts box, adding full sized Alpha pots, neutrik jack and 0.1 PIO cap. Tug bar, as I may be one of a few who likes to play using my thumb. Slapping on some old Chromes, and will sand off the headstock logo, to be replaced with a cheeky ESP vinyl decal I've seen on fleabay. Should end up with a pretty decent looking and sounding cheapy bass.

My friends little lad recently got into bass, he has a gear4music la precision bass, however the headstock struck me as it’s the same shape as Peavey, so this got me to wonder if these cheap la p basses are made in the same factory as Peavey’s international range, or its just coincidence?

Finally got round to installing the new hotrails pup, however I've done something wrong because when I plug in my electronic tuner, as soon as I turn it on the needle move towards B and remains in a fixed position, when I pluck a string (EADG) the needle moves but doesn't register anything and reverts back to the fixed postion towards the B. I'm a utter novice at soldering and electrics, so please don't laugh at my poor attempt, any idea's what I've done wrong? Update: tried the bass through an amp last night and the pickup works, however if I move the pickup the sound cuts out. I have to gently wiggle it for sound to come back. Also found if I turn the tone knob the sound intermittently cuts out. Any theories why the pickup seems to short as I can’t see any wires touching and everything is taped up with electrical tape, or why if I plug the bass into an electronic tuner the needle stays fixed towards B?

My PJs were replaced with Alpha pots and wilkinson pups, cheap upgrades but massive improvement on stock.

Well done @Grangur brilliant work.

@The59Sound I've owned a few Standard Squire PJ's. Some are better than others. Every time I had to change the pups and electrics as they are by far the weakest part of the bass. The last one I had I managed to set the action super low, with flats, and was a dream to play and nailed the p sound. My goto bass now is a 57 style bitsa V4 p bass. Its light, neck plays like butter and the parts from a V4 are solid and sound great. I prefer it over any Fender I've played.