Can someone talk me into, or, out of this, please...?

[dougal]

I'm planning on doing a year using only [i]one[/i] of my basses. Putting the rest in storage and trying to banish GAS by cutting it out and trying to become completely comfortable with a single bass.

The choices have been discussed elsewhere - what I want to know is how stupid people think one of my more esoteric plans is:

Take one thunderbird (stock... apart from the bridge has been replaced. Bought 4 months ago on here for £500. Love the bass in terms of style, think it's comfy to play, and it's a little different):


.. and put an East U-retro that I have lying around into it.



Cons:
* I have to have the bass routed out for the size of the circuit boards - from initial fiddling the pots will fit in the right holes, but the electronics won't fit without extra routing (i'd ignore the option of the passive tone control)
* Mini switch needs a new hole
* battery compartment has to be put somewhere (I'm thinking underneath the pick-guard?)
* re-sale value is pretty much destroyed as the bass can't be returned to it's former 'glory'.
* it seems like... sacrilege

Pros:
* it's unique
* I may actually be able to use the t-bird as my mono-tastic bass for the year
* It makes me feel a bit like John Entwistle with his fender-birds. Only not as famous. And I'm not changing the neck. And I don't have much hair.

My ACG already has this circuit in it and I've had j-retros in the past. I'm pretty sure the pups will work unadulterated.

I can have a bass that looks cool [i]and[/i] doesn't sound like a wet dutch oven after a night on the ale.

I'm just having second thoughts. Someone please convince me one way or the other...

[risingson]

Do it, there's not much resale value in it currently anyway (no offence, looks like a cracking bass but there's just no market for it) and to be perfectly honest, that'd be [u]your[/u] bass as opposed to anyone else's... like you say, a bit unique. Go for it!

[neepheid]

More cons than pros there...

[geoffbyrne]

I did something similar with my Yammy BB415 - actually, I got the Bass Doc to do it - he routed out the back cavity (oo -err Missus!!) a bit, routed a new cavity for the battery box and bored the holes for the switches.

He also painted the interior of the cavity with not one but two coats of conductive paint & made sure it was earthed, included in the price.

This Yammy is now a Tone Monster - thanks Howard, smashing job (Grommet, I'm desperate to say!!) mate.

G.

[bertbass]

I've been a one bass man for years now. When you pick up THE bass you know it. If the Thunderbird is THE bass for you, then you instinctively know it so make the changes and make it truly yours.

[discreet]

Yeah, I'm a one-bass man too. Just so happens it's a Bass Doc bass, so there you go. I'd be tempted to find 'the one' as stock, without all the persiflage and procrastination involved in all that modding, but that's just IMHO. If you're feeling it, then go for it.

[Donnyboy]

Go for it - what happens to the stored ones after the year ?

[chrismuzz]

Nowadays I only buy basses for keeps, so I don't have a problem getting stuff done to them. Not that you'd fetch much for a 2nd or 3rd hand Peavey anyway! If you mod it, and end up loving the bass, AND the sound, the only thing I'd try to talk you out of would be getting rid of it! Having a sub £1000 bass that's perfect in every way is a luxury that some will never know

Much respect to you for experimenting with just one bass for an entire year, I could never do that! It will be a really interesting experience for you I'll bet

[jezzaboy]

You should go for it. And as I seemed to be the only one advocating you use the T` bird in your original thread, I`m pleased you seem to have come to the correct decision.

[tonyf]

Do it.

I don't see much that would "destroy" the resale value of the t-bird if I'm being honest. It's not as if it's an ultra vintage one and besides, do you care? It's a keeper.

You'll have to get the battery compartment routed but it'll be hidden. You'll need to get the control cavity rerouted but again, not by much that it'd be that obvious to all but the real trainspotters. Who'll need to be behind you to see it. So don't have your back to the audience.

The hole for the mini-switch probably won't be that obvious. If it is, and it's something you're unlikely to change, why not set it to the desired position and pop it back into the cavity, wrapped up.

Re the batteries, will the East preamp run above 9v? I've got a couple of EMG circuits in two of my basses and I've discovered a guy who makes 24v batteries that are TINY. They take up WAY less space that that of a single 9V. Maybe if the preamp is happy to run at higher voltages, you could use one of these inside the enlarged main cavity and not have to add a separate battery routing under the scratchplate. Just an idea.

T

[Lozz196]

I`d say do it. I`ve got four basses, but the more I play my 2011 Precision the more I realise that the others are there for the fun/enjoyment in buying and selling basses. Nothing wrong with them, far from it, but I only need the one bass and I`ve been lucky enough to find it. i know I`ve said that about other basses before, but now I have this one, I know I was only kidding myself previously.

[Dingus]

If I might add one dissenting voice , it looks like a very nice Thunderbird to me . Let it be a Thunderbird . There is nothing wrong with the sound of these basses as they are - it's got an earthy quality that is great for rock music , hence the enduring poularity of these basses in that genre . If that doesn't suit the music you play then why not choose another bass to use for a year that does suit ? It's not so much to do with resale value - if you only paid 500 quid for the bass there is a limit to how much you could lose - and more about choosing a single bass that properly fits the bill for all your needs . Is this [i]really[/i] that bass if you want to make such a fundamental change to it ?

[dougal]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1364990854' post='2033690']
Is this [i]really[/i] that bass if you want to make such a fundamental change to it ?
[/quote]

...and that is why I'm having such an internal debate - there's a very real chance that I'll pay to have this done, and it still won't fit the bill because it [i]is[/i] a thunderbird and no amount of John East trickery is going to change the fundamental sound going into the circuit.

I can tell already I'm going to end up with an 'effing super-J for a year, and that's just so... boring and predictable.

[Paul S]

Can you not jerry-rig the East preamp somehow and get it playable? Should be 'relatively' simple to cut the wires, use screw terminals to get them attached to the preamp. If you used longer wires you could even have all the bits sitting on a desk or what-have-you then just plug into that while you test the sounds. Worst case scenario is you have to reconnect the wires to the controls again but at least you wouldn't have done anything intrusive or damaging.

Edit - I have East Preamps fitted to 4 basses, all different. It makes a HUGE difference to each of them in the way the range of tones has been opened up but they still retain a recognisable individuality.

Edited April 3, 2013 by Paul S

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='dougal' timestamp='1364944718' post='2033268']Cons:
* I have to have the bass routed out for the size of the circuit boards - from initial fiddling the pots will fit in the right holes, but the electronics won't fit without extra routing (i'd ignore the option of the passive tone control)[b] Have all of the routing done to the control cavity with a new cover made for it.[/b]

* Mini switch needs a new hole[b] Buy - or have made - a new scratchplate & put the switch into that.[/b]

* battery compartment has to be put somewhere (I'm thinking underneath the pick-guard?)[b] Have the battery in a flip-up holder cut into your new control cavity cover. The shorter the wiring the better the signal & less battery drain.[/b]

* re-sale value is pretty much destroyed as the bass can't be returned to it's former 'glory'. [b]This way it won't be that big a change as to drastically affect a comparatively non-classic instrument.[/b]

* it seems like... sacrileg[b] Which isn't as bad as that itch of "would I like it?" that you'll always be scratching until you do. [/b][b] Been there done that, T-shirt?[/b][/quote]

[tonyf]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1365004218' post='2034012']
Can you not jerry-rig the East preamp somehow and get it playable? Should be 'relatively' simple to cut the wires, use screw terminals to get them attached to the preamp. If you used longer wires you could even have all the bits sitting on a desk or what-have-you then just plug into that while you test the sounds. Worst case scenario is you have to reconnect the wires to the controls again but at least you wouldn't have done anything intrusive or damaging.

Edit - I have East Preamps fitted to 4 basses, all different. It makes a HUGE difference to each of them in the way the range of tones has been opened up but they still retain a recognisable individuality.
[/quote]

A REALLY sensible suggestion by Paul.

Hanging the stuff together before you get it permanently modified will help you listen to any changes that the new preamp will make before you hack it about.

[bassmachine2112]

[u]hiho,why not get a pre-amp pedal[/u]
[u]Saves a lot of work[/u] and you could use it for any bass or situation ie going ampless live or in studio.

[discreet]

[quote name='bassmachine2112' timestamp='1365086018' post='2035103']
[u]hiho,why not get a pre-amp pedal[/u] [u]Saves a lot of work[/u] and you could use it for any bass or situation ie going ampless live or in studio.
[/quote]

Yes, there's a B3 currently for sale on here.

[Dingus]

[quote name='dougal' timestamp='1365003654' post='2033996']
...and that is why I'm having such an internal debate - there's a very real chance that I'll pay to have this done, and it still won't fit the bill because it [i]is[/i] a thunderbird and no amount of John East trickery is going to change the fundamental sound going into the circuit.

I can tell already I'm going to end up with an 'effing super-J for a year, and that's just so... boring and predictable.
[/quote]

I used a super J exclusively out of choice for eight and a half years out of choice , and I must confess I was ready for a change by the end . That sound is getting a bit old and stale in my opinion anyway - it's just been so overused - that I very much stay away from it myself nowadays . Depending on what type of music you are playing , the straight ahead unadulterated sound of a Thunderbird might do you perfectly well . For any kind of straight ahead rock , old or new , a T Bird is one of the best sounding basses , and I think it would work fine for soull/r and b / funk music too . If you listen to a lot of contemporary music , the bass guitar has darker sound than it used to have , hence the new - found popularity of flatwound strings and vintage - style amps ect . You could use your Thunderbird passive to really exploit that sound and see how you like it , and if it doesn't [i]then [/i]think about changing something , in which case an external preamp is a [u]fantastic [/u]idea , and one which I am way too thick to have thought of myself .

[W11ATO]

Don't do it.....I have learned at considerable cost that you can't "make" a bass something it's not. Keep looking until you find the one that looks and sounds right.

[White Cloud]

I say do it. Despite never having played one I have a real soft spot for the T bird design...this could be a great, unique bass. A real head turner and ear catcher.

If this is advice wrong then I don't want to be right

[gub]

What's all the fuss with these east retros ?

[White Cloud]

[quote name='gub' timestamp='1365197442' post='2036758']
What's all the fuss with these east retros ?
[/quote]
They sound great!

[cocco]

I'd say no. If I wanted to imrove on a Thunderbird I'd be changing pickups before installing a preamp. But having said that I'm not a biggest fan of active basses anyway. I know the pickups will be more expensive, but I think your end up with a better thunderbird at the end.

[paul_5]

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1365199145' post='2036784']
They sound great!
[/quote]

True dat.