davebass66

Hi guys, I have been playing upright for just over a year, using a Stentor student II which I got for a great price from Bill over at Thwaites... Anyway, The bass was unfortunately written off recently after being knocked over (thank God for insurance)...Decided I would try and go up a level bass wise with the money. I was back in Thwaites today trying a few basses (around the 2k mark) The one I ended up feeling best about was a Westbury (I know very little about DB manufacturers).. All I know is it was carved wood front and back and made in the far east. Bill seemed to think quite highly of it, although openly admitted that the price range I'm looking at is very difficult for uprights. (if only I could get up to 3k)! So...My point was, do any of you guys have any experience with these basses or know any more about them? I can't find much about them online other than companies selling them with the standard blurb. Any knowledge will be eagerly soaked up! Dave

So....a little update...... The bass is sounding great. I had it in a studio session for a couple of days and was told by the engineer that it was one of the quietest basses he had heard (signal noise wise) zero hum!...He was also digging the sound of it. He was shocked when I told him i'd done it myself!...... Something that made me smile the other day....the neck plate I bought for it was an allparts one, nothing special. However I noticed it had numbers engraved on it. I decided to do a random check on the Fender serial no. dater and it turned out that by some weird coincidence it is the serial no. for a 1960-61 Fender Jazz bass!! How freaky is that?! Do allparts always put serial no.'s on the back or is this just a weird happening? Can't believe it is the right era for my bass!! D

So I have been working on my first kind of bass build over the last month or so... ( Isay kind of as I ordered the body and neck pre made) Anyway I finally finished it on Friday so thought i'd stick some pics up for your viewing pleasure.. the thing plays great and sounds exactly as I'd hoped using the stack knob config!..Had her first gig on Saturday night and passed with flying colours! first studio sesh on Thurs will be the real test! link to the build thread for more pics.... http://basschat.co.uk/topic/184425-60s-jazz-bass-project/ Haven't taken any good pics yet but here is a couple Hope you like! Dave [sharedmedia=core:attachments:117426] [sharedmedia=core:attachments:117423]

Well....here it is!! It's finished! got the last bits done on Friday and set it up on saturday. gigged saturday night and I was pleasantly suprised at how good it sounded and well it played! It has exactly the tone I was hoping for from the stack knobs; a little darker. The back pickup has that beautiful smooth Jaco tone (thanks to the excellent Wizard 64's in there) and the 2 together have that classic scooped passive jazz tone! The pickups are not noisy at all...except in my garage!..no problem with the Mighty mite neck, it is fast, comfortable and in tune! The bass will have her first studio session on thursday, so that will be a real test. Will report back! Big thanks to the Bass doc for making me the suitable pickguard pretty much using nothing but his good judgement for measurements! (it fit's perfectly after a tiny bit of sanding). Also big thanks to Mr. Fingers for the hugely in depth advice and knowledge. I have to say I'm quite proud of myself and hopefully will gig and record the bass a lot!....I reckon the total cost came to about £630 as I had to re order one or two little parts. But I don't believe I would have been able to get the bass I was after without spending over a grand somewhere. Here are some pics, haven't had a chance to take decent ones yet but you get the idea! Anyway, as always all thoughts and opinions are appreciated, I hope you like her!... ps. Thinking I might just leave the headstock blank for the time being.

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Thought I'd post a few pics of the bass as it comes along....As I say, I was really chuffed when I managed to get it making noise....Think I will stick some copper shielding in the cavities to try and quell the buzz.... Also getting quite a hum (60 cycle??) from the solo'd pickups, although my garage is right next to a train line so hard to tell how bad it actually is until I test it somewhere else. Are there any wiring tricks could do to ease this? I know I could put some split singles in there (I have some NJS4V's in another jazz) but to be honest I prefer the sound and tone of the wizard 64's I'm using! Anyway...some pics for your enjoyment![attachment=116898:IMG_1413.JPG][attachment=116899:IMG_1414.JPG]

Big news!...... I wired everything in today......and it works!! This may seem fairly trivial but I feel quite a sense of accomplishment!....First time as well - no re soldering required! Decided to ground it using the modern technique, still gonna put the brass strip on for effect though! I have been having a few trials and tribulations through the process, including having to re drill certain holes! Also had an unfortunate accident which left a small mark on the body near the plate which is a real shame, but hey ho! Just stuck an old E string on it to test and I have to say I am pleasantly surprised by the stack knob config, sounds really sweet (though the pots need a bit of a clean I think...bit crackly)...Bit of a buzz when not being played but as soon as you put your fingers on it the buzz stops (I think this is usual for passive basses)? Will stick a few pics up later on! Thanks for your advice so far guys (especially Mr Fingers), You have been making it a lot more manageable! Should have the pickguard middle of next week (courtesy of the Bass Doc) and I am waiting on the correct string retainer which should also be with me this week or next....I am hugely excited to get this finished and setup!

OK, interesting, are there any advantages to either way of grounding? is one more effective than the other?!

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1345420262' post='1777405'] I notice your Warmoth body has been routed for this grounding wire so if you don't wish to go the whole hog, with the brass plates under the pickups soldered to the old style brass grounding strip, you don't need to. [/quote] If I was to do this do you have any idea which pot I would connect the ground wire to?

[quote name='The Bass Doc' timestamp='1345403760' post='1777167'] I have some thin brass sheet from which I can make the strip you may require as long as you have the brass grounding plates with the pickups. Can include it with the scratchplate I'm doing for you - no extra charge. [/quote] You are an utter legend! That would be massively appreciated!

That is some awesome info! thanks Fingers!!! Do you know whether this method would work using copper tape rather than a brass plate?

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1345116575' post='1773691'] Mmmmm pretty, pretty. I've always liked sonic blue Jazzers since I saw JPJ playing one with Lenny Kravitz. May I ask where are you planning on getting the neck? [/quote] Picked up the neck from a guy on Ebay, it is one of the licensed mighty mite necks. He gets them, sticks a decal on and sells on. I contacted him to get a blank one. It's a very nice neck I have to say, nice grain (with the odd bit of birdseye), clean fretwork etc....this guy.... http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/bluebass320/?_trksid=p4340.l2559 So is the consensus that mint green is the way? I am a little nervous tbh! I have been looking at pics but it's so hard to tell when it's not in right in front of you!....Have got in touch with the Doc who said he'd make me one, just deciding between mint or parchment (which is the colour of the current guard... Again if anyone has a stack knob wiring diagram it would be greatly appreciated! I looked at the one from Fender and it didn't appear to use a ground wire....is that right?! Dave

OK, advice time! I have been looking into connecting the neck today.....Had to do a little sanding on the heel to get it into the pocket, but what I now have is a very tight fit on either side....HOWEVER.....The front is not quite flush on the side of the top horn. DO you think this will be any sort of issue bearing in mind the rest of the fit? pics below....