Immo Custom Shop/Encore TwinSplit P-Bass

[Immo]

Okay, she's finally fixed. My buddy and I took a soldering iron and a lot of determination and we finally forged a properly working electronics.
[quote name='Shockwave' timestamp='1388495917' post='2322631']
Switch the bridge pickups wires with each other.[/quote]
Bingo! Middle pickup is connected normally. Bridge pickup's polarity is reversed: original hot wire is connected to the ground and original ground wire to the VOL pot's middle terminal. That pot's hot input and hot output terminal was also connected by matching capacitor and resistor (treble bleed filter) and the bass works as she should. Really love all of the tones. Two pickups at once give a nice midrange honky sound with a lots of MM's punchiness. The bridge PU itself brings a nice, clean and glassy sound. I love that bass.

Now I only need a new set of strings. I strung it with the strings the bass came to me with: they were nearly new when the bass was left alone by previous owner for a year or so, so they're bright sounding and punchy, yet covered with rust. But still, they're better than a set of flatwounds I bought - it has the muddy and dull E, but manufactured will send me a replacement set. Those guys GHS are decent blokes.

EDIT: Current, great working wiring:

When I get my hands on a decent A500K pot, I'll try to use it as a tone pot to check whether the effects are any better.

Edited January 21, 2014 by Immo

[paul_5]

You know, Immo, this thread is pointless without SOUNDS… when can we hear some sampleses?

[Immo]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1391185589' post='2354353']
You know, Immo, this thread is pointless without SOUNDS… when can we hear some sampleses?
[/quote]
We had a little jam at our workplace (perks of having an recording room) and while I was gone, my colleague recorded the bass.
Plugged into audio interface, picked, both PUs at full, tone fully open. Strung with GHS Precision Flatwounds.

Edited February 12, 2014 by Immo

[Immo]

I decided to shop how it looks now, after further mods and improvements. The idea of doing the whole thing, after all, was to have a bass equivalent of a hot rod: a classic thing updated for more power and uniqueness. It worked. Soundwise, for me it's a Fender killer. Overall quality (wood, lacquer, wiring and all that) is waaay worse, of course, but I don't rally care. It works, it sounds great and I love it. Although it was cheap as dirt, this bass is one of my two favourites (the Telecaster bass comes first, as always).



To sum up the work done to "un-stock" it:
- extra pickup: routing (executed by a better woodworker than me), PU installation and wiring
- pickguard replacement (Boston) and adding an aluminum thumbrest (no name)
- new, heavier tuners (no-name)
- new nut (Tusq by GraphTech)
- string retainer bar (Jin-Ho)
- bridge chrome cover (no-name)
- corny "chickenhead" knobs for that vintage feeling (no-name)
- re-stringing it with GHS Precision Flatwounds



The ICS-modded Encore TwinSplit really packs a punch despite the weird looks. Like I said, it is strung with GHS Precision Flats, but it still growls. Sweet spot a little south from the middle pickup works even better than in other P-basses, probably because it's exactly between the pickups. Still have to deal with the weird wiring shenanigans - it needs a set of different pots to improve the controls.

Those scratches and dings seem to appear appear out of nowhere, but they're improving the "rat rod" appearance. Maybe it needs a "flamed" decal?

[Immo]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1391185589' post='2354353']
You know, Immo, this thread is pointless without SOUNDS… when can we hear some sampleses?
[/quote]
[media]https://soundcloud.com/that-immo/twinsplit[/media]
Sketchy.