Withdrawn Jazz Style Bass

[tazza1]

I've decided to withdraw this bass from sale until I decide what to do with it.

This is the second of my basses I've decided to put up for sale to fund my latest purchase (or I may possibly trade).

I imported the loaded body from America about 4 years ago with the intention of fitting a Mighty Mite Jazz neck to it.
Unfortunately Fender spec necks do not fit without shimming as the heel is not deep enough so I ended up importing the neck from the same guy.
The body is Alder & the pickups (Axis JB's) are reported to be hand wound, epoxy potted & foam backed. I can't verify this as I've never removed them but whatever they are you can get a nice variety of sounds from them. Think cross between Precision & Jazz (it's a bit more bassy than a Jazz).
The neck pocket has microtilt adjustment & is set up to allow fitment of 20 or 21 fret necks. It has a four hole cushioned neckplate.
When I bought it the configuration was set up to give an extra long scale length, but I decided in the end that I prefer it as standard so I've now fitted it this way. The scratch plate needed to be trimmed to allow this & unfortunately I damaged it when cutting it.
That's the reason it has no scratchplate in the pics (but at least it shows the pickup routing - I think it looks pretty good like that).
It is now fitted with a red tortoiseshell scratchplate.
The bridge is a substantial cast steel item not the usual BBOT & allows stringing to be through body OR top loading.
The neck is more Precision spec than Jazz, it's a bit thicker & wider at the nut than a Jazz.
It's all in very good condition with no nasty dings or scratches but don't forget that this has been gigged for the last four years so there may be some small marks here & there.

The body cost me £180 plus shipping & the neck was an additional £100 plus shipping.

I'm looking for around £140 collected or possible trade for an EB3 style bass

(Sorry about the pics they're taken with my phone.)

Edited January 25, 2011 by tazza1

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='tazza1' post='1100983' date='Jan 24 2011, 04:27 PM']..When I bought it the configuration was set up to give an extra long scale length, but I decided in the end that I prefer it as standard so I've now fitted it this way....[/quote]
There's a couple of parts of your description I don't quite get, especially this ^. Could you clarify please?

[tazza1]

The original scratchplate position gave a 35" scale length with the neck set flush against it.
Fitting the neck flush with the body cavity rather than flush against the scratchplate gives a standard 34" length but the scratchplate needed cutting to allow for this. I tried it at 35" but I didn't like it!
By the way the neck has 21 frets.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1101038' date='Jan 24 2011, 05:02 PM']There's a couple of parts of your description I don't quite get, especially this ^. Could you clarify please? [/quote]

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='tazza1' post='1101390' date='Jan 24 2011, 09:12 PM']The original scratchplate position gave a 35" scale length with the neck set flush against it.
Fitting the neck flush with the body cavity rather than flush against the scratchplate gives a standard 34" length but the scratchplate needed cutting to allow for this. I tried it at 35" but I didn't like it!
By the way the neck has 21 frets.[/quote]

how the hell do you intonate the thing then? 34" and 35" scales would have the frets in different places???!

[tazza1]

That probably explains why it didn't play well then

Sh*t - I see what you mean now the 12th fret would be further from the bridge but the nut would be the same length
from the 12th fret as 34" scale - doh!


[quote name='LukeFRC' post='1101407' date='Jan 24 2011, 09:24 PM']how the hell do you intonate the thing then? 34" and 35" scales would have the frets in different places???![/quote]

Edited January 24, 2011 by tazza1

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='tazza1' post='1101437' date='Jan 24 2011, 09:49 PM']That probably explains why it didn't play well then

But surely the frets would be in a different position - they would be further away from the bridge?

Anyway it's intonated now & plays well.[/quote]

but the 12th fret is designed to be exactly half way along the scale. the bridge can compensate a bit but not that much I would think. this isn't something that you can change easily. Also the placement of the bridge would be set for a certain scale length and again and possibly more imortantly the placement of the pups, half and inch can make a massive difference!
who did you buy the parts from?

anyway, that's me being confused, I don't doubt it plays well!

[tazza1]

No you're quite right - I hadn't thought about that.

The guy I bought it from does sell quite a range of different necks & I should think he had longer scale ones. I didn't buy the neck at the same time so he probably wouldn't have thought about it - I certainly didn't!! - Spot the deliberate mistake.

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='1101466' date='Jan 24 2011, 09:59 PM']but the 12th fret is designed to be exactly half way along the scale. the bridge can compensate a bit but not that much I would think. this isn't something that you can change easily. Also the placement of the bridge would be set for a certain scale length and again and possibly more imortantly the placement of the pups, half and inch can make a massive difference!
who did you buy the parts from?

anyway, that's me being confused, I don't doubt it plays well![/quote]

[gafbass02]

It's from good old Geodt Lamberts or eBay seller 'slonk18' if I recall correctly

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='gafbass02' post='1101580' date='Jan 24 2011, 11:28 PM']It's from good old Geodt Lamberts or eBay seller 'slonk18' if I recall correctly [/quote]
Haha I was just away to post that.
I think a lot of the confusion above is because he has spun the OP a lot of BS which he is simply (and one presumes innocently) passing on.

[tazza1]

Yep - it was taken from the original specs in the Ebay auction posting which I saved. I hadn't cottoned onto it until you pointed it out.
Embarrasing really as I built a bass at school in woodworking classes (we bought the necks & hardware in) & we were told to be very careful about our measurements for bridge placement. Still that was over 35 years ago!

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1101588' date='Jan 24 2011, 11:32 PM']Haha I was just away to post that.
I think a lot of the confusion above is because he has spun the OP a lot of BS which he is simply (and one presumes innocently) passing on.[/quote]

[tazza1]

It's from good old Geodt Lamberts or eBay seller 'slonk18' if I recall correctly


[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1101588' date='Jan 24 2011, 11:32 PM']Haha I was just away to post that.
I think a lot of the confusion above is because he has spun the OP a lot of BS which he is simply (and one presumes innocently) passing on.[/quote]

Is there something I've missing here?

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='tazza1' post='1101620' date='Jan 25 2011, 12:07 AM']Is there something I've missing here?[/quote]
I hope you are asking me to point out the inaccuracies of what he's told you. If not I will gladly delete this post.

Well apart from sending you a 34" scale body fitted with a 35" scale p/g and some and some guff about it being a handy option and the dubious ability of the neck to slide about in the pocket to any position you choose.
(Perhaps a quick measurement in it's current state from nut to bridge (G saddle) and 12th fret to saddle would allay any concerns a potential buyer might have about this confusion)

[quote]The neck pocket has microtilt adjustment & is set up to allow fitment of 20 or 21 fret necks.[/quote]
If your neck, bridge and pickups are distanced for a 20 fret neck then adding a 21 fret neck will send this out of whack (much like bunging a 35" scale neck on will - albeit to a lesser extent) unless the neck has the 21st fret on an overhang, therefore whether you have a 20 or 21 fret neck is nothing to do with the neck pocket but rather governed by the neck itself.

[quote]....Axis JB's.... you can get a nice variety of sounds from them. Think cross between Precision & Jazz...[/quote]
Unless the neck pup has spilt coils then I doubt if J pups in the trad J position can do anything other than a Jazz sound. I've never heard of Axis JB's but if they were split singles I'm sure he would have mentioned it.


Daft question - The bridge allows both top and through body stringing. Does the body allow this too?

[tazza1]

It was more a question about Slonk18 because he was mentioned in gafbass & your posts.
I can see now from posts over on Talkbass that there's been a lot of people at issue with him. All I can say is that when I bought the body about four years ago there were positive reviews on Harmony Central & he had 100% feedback on EBay.
I suppose you live & learn. I think it might be best if I withdraw this from sale
& possibly part it out.
By the way the body is set up for through body stringing.


[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1101670' date='Jan 25 2011, 02:04 AM']I hope you are asking me to point out the inaccuracies of what he's told you. If not I will gladly delete this post.

Well apart from sending you a 34" scale body fitted with a 35" scale p/g and some and some guff about it being a handy option and the dubious ability of the neck to slide about in the pocket to any position you choose.
(Perhaps a quick measurement in it's current state from nut to bridge (G saddle) and 12th fret to saddle would allay any concerns a potential buyer might have about this confusion)


If your neck, bridge and pickups are distanced for a 20 fret neck then adding a 21 fret neck will send this out of whack (much like bunging a 35" scale neck on will - albeit to a lesser extent) unless the neck has the 21st fret on an overhang, therefore whether you have a 20 or 21 fret neck is nothing to do with the neck pocket but rather governed by the neck itself.


Unless the neck pup has spilt coils then I doubt if J pups in the trad J position can do anything other than a Jazz sound. I've never heard of Axis JB's but if they were split singles I'm sure he would have mentioned it.


Daft question - The bridge allows both top and through body stringing. Does the body allow this too?[/quote]

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='tazza1' post='1101703' date='Jan 25 2011, 07:37 AM']...... I think it might be best if I withdraw this from sale
& possibly part it out.....[/quote]
I don't think you need to go that far mate, unless of course you too are worried the neck and body aren't entirely compatible.
If I were you I'd just start the thread again and state that it is a Signature Bass (trade name) from Geodt Lamberts but put up the measurement I mentioned earlier so as to clear up any doubts (nut to bridge and 12th fret to bridge) and avoid any claims of miraculous properties that no other bass has. After all you've been playing the bass for 4 years with no problems. Go for it and good luck.

[tazza1]

Thanks for your comments mate. The neck fit is really good & I will do the measurements for my own piece of mind (the bass is intonated OK - open string, fingered at the twelfth fret & harmonic at the twelfth fret) so I don't think it can be far out but in all honesty I couldn't sell to this anyone knowing what I know now.
Still it does play nicely & I have been using it for a long time now. I think I'll just let the "I've been conned" feeling subside before I make any decisions.

I'd be even more gutted if I'd spent £695 on it like someone did for one last year on Ebay!

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1101781' date='Jan 25 2011, 09:43 AM']I don't think you need to go that far mate, unless of course you too are worried the neck and body aren't entirely compatible.
If I were you I'd just start the thread again and state that it is a Signature Bass (trade name) from Geodt Lamberts but put up the measurement I mentioned earlier so as to clear up any doubts (nut to bridge and 12th fret to bridge) and avoid any claims of miraculous properties that no other bass has. After all you've been playing the bass for 4 years with no problems. Go for it and good luck. [/quote]

[gafbass02]

I feel bad now :-( sorry mate, I actually think it'd make a great project and you should totally keep it for sale. I once paid about £500 for a signature myself. Luckily I got a full refund from Geodt who was fantastic to deal with to be fair.

[tazza1]

Yes I have to say that Geordt did seem OK in my dealings with him - I'm just too trusting I guess.

Don't feel bad mate - I'm just glad I found out.


[quote name='gafbass02' post='1102152' date='Jan 25 2011, 02:14 PM']I feel bad now :-( sorry mate, I actually think it'd make a great project and you should totally keep it for sale. I once paid about £500 for a signature myself. Luckily I got a full refund from Geodt who was fantastic to deal with to be fair.[/quote]