Sue Ryder Bass Arrived

[lemmywinks]

Got round to doing a bit of work on mine tonight. Shimmed the neck as it had an upward lean from new and fitted a new set of (cheapy) strings as the ones it came with were beginning to sound truly awful. They weren't so bad at first but i couldn't bare it any longer. Had a quick tweak of the intonation and lowered the saddles a touch and it's playing really nice.

Getting sick of the white scratchplate (they look awful on pretty much everything i think) so am going to buy some sticky backed plastic to cover it with, black and maybe dark blue. I don't see the point in spending any more tbh and if i can do a neat job it will do.

The only other thing i'm gonna do is maybe swap the pickup. I have an EMG select and a no-name jobby lying around so am leaning towards the Select. Never used either before - i got them for 2 projects i still haven't finished as i need good weather and time, not something i got last year when my girlfriend gave birth during summer just after we moved house!

Anybody used the EMG Select P pickup before? I'll need to swap the pup cover at least as it'll look horrible in white!


Also has anybody else's pup got raised poles? The ones on mine are really high and i wondered if they can be tapped down.

[Bankai]

The only problem I'm having is that I always hit the pole on the E string pup. I play fingered and quite powerfully. I suppose I'll have to lower it

[lemmywinks]

Yeah i think the poles protrude too far, i don't want to lower the pup any more as i like something chunky to rest my thumb on. Once i get the pup out and disassemble i'll see if i can gently tap the poles down.

Another little idiosyncracy i noticed when i took the neck off is that the neck plate on mine is stuck on, i'm guessing with glue! Also the neck holes aren't precisely drilled but funnily enough all the screws go in easily without warping so not a problem. Neck on mine is true and the pocket is very tight, can get the action down really low - sub 3mm believe it or not, it's actually "playable"!

I also improved the string grooves in the nut so they are the correct size, they weren't large enough before.

Like i said previously, i think mine is a return so who knows what's been done to it. All fine now though.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1136755' date='Feb 22 2011, 09:36 AM']Yeah i think the poles protrude too far, i don't want to lower the pup any more as i like something chunky to rest my thumb on. Once i get the pup out and disassemble[b] i'll see if i can gently tap the poles down[/b]......[/quote]
You might not need to resort to such drastic measures there Steve.
If you can get the covers off, use some material of your choice (I like heavy duty foamy double sided tap as it keeps the bobbin in place if it's loose) to pack the gap between the bobbin top and the cover thus reducing the amount of pole that sticks out the top.

[apa]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1136755' date='Feb 22 2011, 09:36 AM']Yeah i think the poles protrude too far, i don't want to lower the pup any more as i like something chunky to rest my thumb on. Once i get the pup out and disassemble i'll see if i can gently tap the poles down.

[b]Another little idiosyncracy i noticed when i took the neck off is that the neck plate on mine is stuck on, i'm guessing with glue![/b][u][/u] Also the neck holes aren't precisely drilled but funnily enough all the screws go in easily without warping so not a problem. Neck on mine is true and the pocket is very tight, can get the action down really low - sub 3mm believe it or not, it's actually "playable"!

I also improved the string grooves in the nut so they are the correct size, they weren't large enough before.

Like i said previously, i think mine is a return so who knows what's been done to it. All fine now though.[/quote]

I dont actually think they are stuck on. They assemble the things before the finish is fully dry. Mine was like that but a quick tap and it fell off

A

[The Bass Doc]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1136249' date='Feb 21 2011, 08:54 PM']Anybody used the EMG Select P pickup before?[/quote]

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the response you get using the EMG Select - Hillbillydeluxe specially requested one to be fitted to his main gigging P-bass and prefers it to the many others owned over the years.

[hillbilly deluxe]

I have used them in all my gigging basses .They are high output,punchy and quiet.My gigging basses are a Jazz 5 and a Precision.

[dave_bass5]

I had a EMG Select P in my old JV Squier and it sounded fine.

[lemmywinks]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1136777' date='Feb 22 2011, 09:54 AM']You might not need to resort to such drastic measures there Steve.
If you can get the covers off, use some material of your choice (I like heavy duty foamy double sided tap as it keeps the bobbin in place if it's loose) to pack the gap between the bobbin top and the cover thus reducing the amount of pole that sticks out the top. [/quote]

Yeah that's probably a better idea! I have quite a bit of foam left over so i'll give that a go tonight. I remember tapping the poles down as a solution for uneven response onStingray pups so it stuck in my head!


[quote name='The Bass Doc' post='1136842' date='Feb 22 2011, 10:53 AM']I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the response you get using the EMG Select - Hillbillydeluxe specially requested one to be fitted to his main gigging P-bass and prefers it to the many others owned over the years.[/quote]

[quote name='hillbilly deluxe' post='1136862' date='Feb 22 2011, 11:07 AM']I have used them in all my gigging basses .They are high output,punchy and quiet.My gigging basses are a Jazz 5 and a Precision.[/quote]


Ah cool, i had the Jazz ones in my Hohner JJ bitsa and preferred the sound of them without the circuit, didn't know what the P was like though. I haven't played that many Precisions, never mind ones with a different pickup than a Fender/Squier.
As i have it lying around (it came in a job lot of parts i bought for peanuts ages ago) i might as well stick it in the SR. Should be quite a cool bass and i've kept the cost right down, think it's something like £66 so far.

[lemmywinks]

[quote name='apa' post='1136787' date='Feb 22 2011, 10:01 AM']I dont actually think they are stuck on. They assemble the things before the finish is fully dry. Mine was like that but a quick tap and it fell off

A[/quote]


I gave mine a sturdy tap and it wouldn't budge. Didn't try any harder as i didn't want to damage the finish and it's not like i'll ever be likely to change it!

[lemmywinks]

Quick question:


The EMG Select i have doesn't have a ground wire, just the white hot wire. There doesn't appear to be anywhere that a ground wire could have come from as these are sealed pups with only one hole that the white wire comes out of.

Do i just solder this to the volume pot or what?


Also y local SR branch have another Navy Blue with Maple fb in stock if anybody's passing through Cleveleys, or want it sending to them.

[lettsguitars]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1137475' date='Feb 22 2011, 07:00 PM']Quick question:


The EMG Select i have doesn't have a ground wire, just the white hot wire. There doesn't appear to be anywhere that a ground wire could have come from as these are sealed pups with only one hole that the white wire comes out of.

Do i just solder this to the volume pot or what?


Also y local SR branch have another Navy Blue with Maple fb in stock if anybody's passing through Cleveleys, or want it sending to them.[/quote]
emg active pups are internally grounded. whatever that means. basically they don't need to be string grounded, which eliminates the risk of electrocution. nice one. don't quite understand how they do it though.

Edited February 22, 2011 by lettsguitars

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1137475' date='Feb 22 2011, 07:00 PM']Quick question:


The EMG Select i have doesn't have a ground wire, just the white hot wire. There doesn't appear to be anywhere that a ground wire could have come from as these are sealed pups with only one hole that the white wire comes out of.

Do i just solder this to the volume pot or what?...[/quote]

Sounds bad. Have you got a pic?

[quote name='lettsguitars' post='1137477' date='Feb 22 2011, 07:01 PM']emg active pups are internally grounded. whatever that means. basically they don't need to be string grounded, which eliminates the risk of electrocution. nice one. don't quite understand how they do it though.[/quote]

Selects are passive.

[lemmywinks]

Just found the wire is actually 2 core with the ground wrapped around the white cable, like a jack lead.

Doesn't look as sturdy as the usual arrangement but i'll solder wires to these as i may be swapping pups in and out a bit, the wire from this pup needs lengthening anyways.

[Ou7shined]

Do they look like this?

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1137514' date='Feb 22 2011, 07:20 PM']Just found the wire is actually 2 core with the ground wrapped around the white cable, like a jack lead.

Doesn't look as sturdy as the usual arrangement but i'll solder wires to these as i may be swapping pups in and out a bit, the wire from this pup needs lengthening anyways.[/quote]
Ah you beat me to it.

Edited February 22, 2011 by Ou7shined

[apa]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1136899' date='Feb 22 2011, 11:31 AM']I gave mine a sturdy tap and it wouldn't budge. Didn't try any harder as i didn't want to damage the finish and [b]it's not like i'll ever be likely to change it![/b][u][/u][/quote]

Thats right, thier collectors items you know

A

[gafbass02]

Had a slap 'n 'grind' on mine earlier. It's pretty darn good innit! Might hang onto it after all :-) sounded great with drive and a plectrum and the slap sound was fab. If I could just find a cheapo thinner neck ..

[lemmywinks]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1137518' date='Feb 22 2011, 07:22 PM']Ah you beat me to it. [/quote]


Yeah i trimmed it back as the exposed wire was a big melted mess, looked like someone had tried to solder it and given up. Mine is like the pic you posted but without black shrink tube over the ground wire. Mine was just exposed like an instrument cable, was worried about melting it tbh but it's all sorted now.
Mine is an older unit with "Select" in Italics and "Designed by EMG" below it in small lettering.

Have to say, great sounding pickup! One of the better Precision sounds i've heard, it adds a lot of wallop to the low end.
I thought it sounded pretty good with the stock pup in but it's much fatter now, glad i did the swap.

The pole pieces on the old pup were easy to push up or down too it was much nicer with them flush against the pup cover.

[lemmywinks]

Oh btw, the soldering in my bass was truly awful, i'd advise anyone who owns one of these to completely redo it from scratch if it's anything like mine.

You know when you first try to solder at school and you end up with 'orrible lumps of it which have gone black at the connection point? Like that!

Like i said i think mine was a returned bass so who knows who did it, but it's definitely worth checking. I wouldn't trust a single one of the joins in my bass for a gig.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1137752' date='Feb 22 2011, 09:22 PM']Oh btw, the soldering in my bass was truly awful, i'd advise anyone who owns one of these to completely redo it from scratch if it's anything like mine.[/quote]

Well they are made by little old ladies working for nothing arent they?

Edited February 22, 2011 by dave_bass5

[lemmywinks]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1137772' date='Feb 22 2011, 09:35 PM']Well they are made by little old ladies working for nothing arent they? [/quote]


Hmmmm, i [i]thought[/i] it smelled of cabbage and wee............

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1137772' date='Feb 22 2011, 09:35 PM']Well they are made by little old ladies working for nothing arent they? [/quote]
Are you sure you're not thinking about.....

Edited February 22, 2011 by Ou7shined

[skankdelvar]

FWIW, my mate just took delivery of the [b]Telecaster[/b]. The design cues are all lifted straight from a 70's Tele - abbreviated upper front bout, fat neck, two butterfly string retainers, six saddle bridge, protruding string ferrules. Surely this can be no coincidence ?

Bad: * Loose neck pocket * Crack in the neck pocket * Small wood knots visible in neck * Neck shimming required * Stiff pots * Rusty marks on frets (came off with some elbow grease) * Utterly useless neck pick-up * Immovable bridge pick-up - the adjustment screws stripped instantaneously * Tone pot does nothing until the last mm

Good: * Nice neck shape * Tuners work OK * Gnarly little bridge pick-up * Light, resonant body * Scratchplate to Squier dimensions * OK strap buttons / Pot knobs *

Verdict: OK platform for pimping - basically a Friday afternoon Affinity. For £60, a bit of a bargain. But a beginner would need to spend another at least £50 or so to get it up to scratch.

Edited February 23, 2011 by skankdelvar

[lemmywinks]

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='1138019' date='Feb 23 2011, 01:13 AM']FWIW, my mate just took delivery of the [b]Telecaster[/b]. The design cues are all lifted straight from a 70's Tele - abbreviated upper front bout, fat neck, two butterfly string retainers, six saddle bridge, protruding string ferrules. Surely this can be no coincidence ?

Bad: * Loose neck pocket * Crack in the neck pocket * Small wood knots visible in neck * Neck shimming required * Stiff pots * Rusty marks on frets (came off with some elbow grease) * Utterly useless neck pick-up * Immovable bridge pick-up - the adjustment screws stripped instantaneously * Tone pot does nothing until the last mm

Good: * Nice neck shape * Tuners work OK * Gnarly little bridge pick-up * Light, resonant body * Scratchplate to Squier dimensions * OK strap buttons / Pot knobs *

Verdict: OK platform for pimping - basically a Friday afternoon Affinity. For £60, a bit of a bargain. But a beginner would need to spend another at least £50 or so to get it up to scratch.[/quote]


I thought similar thigs about the two Teles i've played. I think they represent less of a bargain than the basses because they have much more serious construction faults.
The first one i tried needed a fret dress, the frets on the basses are quite tidy. Immediately that makes it a £100+ price tag unless you can do the work yourself. Still not a bad price for a nice looking guitar but much less of a bargain. The ones i played had a horrible amount of buzzing around the early frets, that was before a neck shim too so it'll get worse.

Neck pockets were good on the ones i tried though and the wood on them was really nice, as was the fit and finish in general.

It's also worth considering that your mate may have a returned guitar as they sold out of Teles a while ago. I think they are punting out the returned stock as new (my bass was i think, as is the one currently in my local shop), they have also put a few on eBay that have been returned.

I think the difference between the guitars and basses is that the work needed on the basses is easily done by most people whereas the guitars require a more accomplished touch to get them up to scratch.
For that reason i don't think i'd advise beginners to buy either as they all need work and if they bought an instrument from a guitar shop there's a good chance it would be properly set up and fit for use. Buying from a charity shop leaves you on your own unless you want to spend money which you hadn't budgeted for.