The 'Show us your Limelight!' thread

[Ander87]

20 minutes ago, Skin Lewis said:

Very nice work @Ander87, the new pick guard looks much better too. How did the mute fitting go?

 

Hey Dave, good to hear from you!

 

Thank you - yes, I reckon this has the pick guard has the right shade of red - the one it originally came with was just 'too brown' if that makes sense.

 

The mute fitting was commissioned to Rob Bowman in Irchester, from Gordon Smith Guitars... Very nice job; I know it's 'just' drilling three holes but the one in the middle was half an inch diameter, felt too much responsibility and too obvious in the bass if I mess it up!

 

It rocks up nicely but I have read around here/talkbass that sanding down the rocking screw helps for an smoother on/off - I may try it, but the experience is great - proper muting or open in the click of a button basically!

 

Best,

 

Ander.

[Skin Lewis]

Sounds just the job, mucking about with a piece of sponge between numbers is a pain. Might go for this on the Nash.

[ezbass]

Where did you source the mute from @Ander87? I’d love to fit one to my JMJ. I’m using a Nordymute at the moment and the Mustang is the best sounding of my basses with it, but it’s a bit of a faff to use compared to a simple rocker affair.

[Ander87]

2 minutes ago, Skin Lewis said:

mucking about with a piece of sponge between numbers is a pain

Definitely. Just my reason to do it too… When I mute I like a hard mute on the strings and this is adjustable on how hard you want it to press on the strings. 
 

It’s simple surgery really, but you want to measure things perfectly before drilling anything…!

 

I love that it’s one of those mods that has been ‘vintage approved’ in a way - folk/purists won’t think you’ve ruined the bass ha!

[Ander87]

4 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Where did you source the mute from @Ander87? I’d love to fit one to my JMJ

Hm you’re giving me a good idea! It may interfere with my pick playing in the JMJ…

 

… I got it off eBay! I can send you the link via PM and it was some £35ish delivered, no taxes/customs on top and sold as a kit with the foam strip screws etc

 

Ander. 

Edited January 25, 2022 by Ander87

[BlueMoon]

After Brexit I thought the chances of picking up (another) Limelight were going to be slim. What d'you know, I just snagged #0256 from a German bass forum. Thanks, Andreas!

 

I think the pics are originally from Mark.

 

[Jackopie1]

Hi Limelight owners.

 

I was wondering whether one of you could answer a question for me?

 

I am very interested in ordering a PJ bass with a jazz neck - I've read great things about fit, finish and setup. They sound great from the videos I've seen, too.

 

I like fairly skinny necks (the most comfortable neck I've played is a Godin, which has a jazz neck measuring 20mm at the 1st fret - I know this isn't the be all and end all as to how a neck feels). 

 

Mark has told me that the necks they use are similar to an American Standard Jazz. For those of you that have played the jazz necks, how do they feel? Are they fairly thin feeling? Cheers.

 

Jack

[BlueMoon]

5 minutes ago, Jackopie1 said:

the most comfortable neck I've played is a Godin, which has a jazz neck measuring 20mm at the 1st fret

They are in the same ball-park - between 20 and 23mm on my two Limelight jazz basses.

[Dunk]

I have two with J width necks and one with a P width neck.. all P shaped bodies and pickups.. all made for me by Mark. 

 

The J necks are very close to a current US spec neck to my hands.. (I don’t own a current US spec J but have tried a few).. the relic process makes them feel very worn in and smooth.. the rolled edges really feel nice.. also the fretboard radius is very comfortable on mine, I don’t know what he uses, it’s more curved than my Stingray but not too much.. 

 

Just to throw a curve ball into your dilemma.. I favour the J necks and they are my main two basses BUT.. the P necked one sounds thicker and meatier.. they’re all Rosewood boards and they’re all P bodies with Mark’s standard hardware and pickups so the only difference is the neck mass.. so for a gig I’d favour the J necks.. but recording.. it’s the P neck.. 

 

Mark is a fantastic luthier to deal with.. super helpful and reliable.. I can’t recommend him more highly.. 

[Jackopie1]

Thank you so much for the information. 

 

I've recently moved on a P Bass because, despite being in love with the aesthetic and sound, the neck was just a little too big in my hands for the 2 hour + gigs I sometimes find myself slogging through. 

 

That's amazing that the neck makes such a difference to how the sound feels- I'd never even thought of that! It'll primarily be a live bass, so that's great advice. 

 

Stumbling across Mark and Limelight seems a little too good to be true! I've bever ordered a custom bass, so it's an unfamiliar process for me, but quite exciting. I suppose you just have to deal with the fact that you don't know whether you're going to love it until you get it?! 

 

Thanks again. Jack. 

 

 

[Ander87]

Hey gang....!

 

Let it be known that I'm in the market for Limelights, irremediably back to what I know and like after a long hiatus of no gear.

 

So sorry to hijack the thread, but if any is interested in letting go of their Limelight (jazz, precision or even better, P with Jazz neck) please let me know.

 

Apologies again!

 

Ander.

[Jonesy]

Hello there!

 

I was hoping some of you lovely limelight owners could help me out with a quick question.........

 

I've been chatting to Mark (who has been excellent!) about a potential build and am hoping one of you here could help me out - I think it's mentioned here that his J necks feel like the current J necks in use on the US model Fenders, but I'm trying to get an idea of what the finish on the back of a relic'd neck feels like. Would you say the Limelight necks felt similar to a Fender custom shop relic? Just wondering if there was something comparable out there I could try in a shop to get an idea. Mostly because I prefer glossy necks and have no idea of a glossy relic'd neck would feel like. 

 

Thanks in advance!

[BlueMoon]

I think he waxes the final relic’d neck. In my experience it is smooth, not sticky and not overtly shiny. It is obviously not as smooth as MM, G&L and others of that ilk though.

[Dunk]

3 hours ago, Jonesy said:

Hello there!

 

I was hoping some of you lovely limelight owners could help me out with a quick question.........

 

I've been chatting to Mark (who has been excellent!) about a potential build and am hoping one of you here could help me out - I think it's mentioned here that his J necks feel like the current J necks in use on the US model Fenders, but I'm trying to get an idea of what the finish on the back of a relic'd neck feels like. Would you say the Limelight necks felt similar to a Fender custom shop relic? Just wondering if there was something comparable out there I could try in a shop to get an idea. Mostly because I prefer glossy necks and have no idea of a glossy relic'd neck would feel like. 

 

Thanks in advance!

I have a number of relic’d limelight’s and none of them are glossy. They are all smooth and easy playing but far far from glossy. They just feel like worn smooth wood. I don’t have a modern Fender relic to offer a comparison for you but I can say that it’s very similar to the finish of my genuine ‘59 P bass although a very different profile of course. I can highly recommend Mark’s work.

[Jonesy]

Thanks for the help 😃

 

I assumed the necks had a gloss finish and were then rubbed down or something to make them relic'd, but maybe they just start off as having no finish and are oiled as well as other relic'ing to add mojo.

 

Thanks for that Dunk. I guess a modern Fender relic would feel something like your '59, so trying one out in a shop or even finding another original bass somewhere would be a good place to start. Sounds like I have an excuse to walk into a shop and pick up some very nice basses! 

[Lw.]

Been a bit quiet in here of late! 

Just popped in to see Mark & picked up this little number. Just noodling in a campsite at the mo but feels great! 

 

 

[knicknack]

@Lw. I had a look at this the other day... you've got a brilliant bass there! 

[Lw.]

17 hours ago, knicknack said:

@Lw. I had a look at this the other day... you've got a brilliant bass there! 

Yeah it's good! 

Not one for the purists though - the loose idea was an early 70s jazz that had had a precision neck swap, but really it's just all the fender bits I like in one bass! 

[Lw.]

On 08/03/2023 at 11:15, Jonesy said:

Thanks for the help 😃

 

I assumed the necks had a gloss finish and were then rubbed down or something to make them relic'd, but maybe they just start off as having no finish and are oiled as well as other relic'ing to add mojo.

 

Thanks for that Dunk. I guess a modern Fender relic would feel something like your '59, so trying one out in a shop or even finding another original bass somewhere would be a good place to start. Sounds like I have an excuse to walk into a shop and pick up some very nice basses! 

You might find this useful; Limelight on the left, custom shop on the right. 

 

I don't actually know how either company do it but going on feel/looks, the Fender feels like it was a high gloss tinted neck that has been sanded down to bare wood (it feels very smooth like bare wood but I assume there's a very thin layer of satin clear coat on it) - the Limelight feels like the whole thing has some kind of oil finish that is even throughout, not rubbed through in the middle. That's what they feel like to me anyway. 

 

 

[Jonesy]

29 minutes ago, Lw. said:

You might find this useful; Limelight on the left, custom shop on the right. 

 

I don't actually know how either company do it but going on feel/looks, the Fender feels like it was a high gloss tinted neck that has been sanded down to bare wood (it feels very smooth like bare wood but I assume there's a very thin layer of satin clear coat on it) - the Limelight feels like the whole thing has some kind of oil finish that is even throughout, not rubbed through in the middle. That's what they feel like to me anyway. 

 

 

 

Ta for the info! I got in touch with Mark and he said that all of his necks were glossed, maybe he does something to them afterwards to take some of the sheen off? Anyway, after chatting to him and reading about how highly rated they are in here, I placed an order and should have something to contribute to this thread in the next month or so. The wait is killing me!!!!

[Lw.]

48 minutes ago, Jonesy said:

 

Ta for the info! I got in touch with Mark and he said that all of his necks were glossed, maybe he does something to them afterwards to take some of the sheen off? Anyway, after chatting to him and reading about how highly rated they are in here, I placed an order and should have something to contribute to this thread in the next month or so. The wait is killing me!!!!

Interesting - it certainly doesn't have the sticky gloss feel the unsanded parts of the Fender have. 
Good work - I'm sure it'll be worth the wait! 

[Ander87]

5 hours ago, Jonesy said:

The wait is killing me!!!!

ooooh tell us, what did you ordered? I had to wait a couple months for mine…!

 

Ander. 

[Jonesy]

1 hour ago, Ander87 said:

ooooh tell us, what did you ordered? I had to wait a couple months for mine…!

 

Ander. 

 

So, it'll be a medium relic P with a J neck - shell pink over white, tort guard, cream pup covers with a 70s overspray headstock.

 

I love the evil dead so I'm thinking of having 'Boom Stick' with a decal of Ash rather than 'Precision Bass'...….

 

Mark is also installing and relicing a Jag mute for me.

 

Fender make a shell pink case that I really want, but I don't know if A) it's worth it seeing as I generally prefer gig bags and B) it'll just scream 'nick me!'

 

Fingers crossed it'll be with me mid August.

 

 

[Ander87]

19 hours ago, Jonesy said:

So, it'll be a medium relic P with a J neck - shell pink over white, tort guard, cream pup covers with a 70s overspray headstock.

 

I love the evil dead so I'm thinking of having 'Boom Stick' with a decal of Ash rather than 'Precision Bass'...….

 

Mark is also installing and relicing a Jag mute for me.

 

Fender make a shell pink case that I really want, but I don't know if A) it's worth it seeing as I generally prefer gig bags and B) it'll just scream 'nick me!'

 

Fingers crossed it'll be with me mid August.

 

Whoa this is gonna be stunning! pretty cool, especially as we use to see shell pink in the Fender Flea sig, nice to do Precision for a change. The decal will make it more yours yet too

 

I've had experience with those mutes (in previous pages) and love the mojo of them, actually I may just install it again on my current Precision MiM - they also work better, I think, than adding and removing foam etc and can graduate the intensity of muting too.

 

Agree on the sentiment of the case, they're great to look at and the wow factor but not practical outside bumpy road trips to studio and storage...

 

Looking forwards to seeing it my dude!

 

Ander.

[Jonesy]

Sooooooooo, I've just got some pics from Mark. It just needs a final setup and will be shipped on Monday. To say I'm excited is a massive understatement!