Old Encore PJ re-build? P-J or P-MM ?

[Grangur]

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1444741747' post='2885501']
What about the layout that Billy Sheehan used on his first P, and the subsequent Yamaha attitude signature basses - P in normal position, and a mudbucker(or similar) near the neck.
[/quote]
Thanks SS for the input. Actually, seeing the vid below, Billy Sheehan uses the mudbucker to bring the tone of his bass back down to a normal tone; from the thin tone it normally has.

http://youtu.be/PIno_p20KGs

The tone of this Encore is quite meaty. It's certainly not thin like a Yamaha, and Billy Sheehan's in particular.

I may well go for the MM pup idea though.

[SubsonicSimpleton]

Personally if the P-pup sounded really good and the neck and body are well matched, I would dump the innards of the J-pup(to save a little weight and reduce magnetic pull on the strings) but remount the cover to act as a thumb rest and enjoy it as is - sometimes it's better not to try fixing something that isn't broken IMHO.

[Grangur]

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1444823568' post='2886361']
Personally if the P-pup sounded really good and the neck and body are well matched, I would dump the innards of the J-pup(to save a little weight and reduce magnetic pull on the strings) but remount the cover to act as a thumb rest and enjoy it as is - sometimes it's better not to try fixing something that isn't broken IMHO.
[/quote]

As someone who isn't a massive fan of the clank of the MM, this is an interesting view.

Yesterday I picked up a seriously cool, almost mint condition Encore P in white, with the TR adjustment at the heel.

I'm actually tempted to simply keep that and sell out some other basses that fall short of its sound in my estimation.

[Marc S]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1444827278' post='2886429']

....Yesterday I picked up a seriously cool, almost mint condition Encore P in white, with the TR adjustment at the heel.

I'm actually tempted to simply keep that and sell out some other basses that fall short of its sound in my estimation.
[/quote]

Just wondering how good those old Encore basses are?
The one in this thread looks pretty good IMO, and you've done a great job re-sanding / refinishing it

I recall playing one, years ago, and at the time, to me it didn't play very well
Of course, it may just be that it wasn't set up well, or that it was just a "bad 'un"
But what are they like, generally?

[Grangur]

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1445427594' post='2891343']
Just wondering how good those old Encore basses are?
The one in this thread looks pretty good IMO, and you've done a great job re-sanding / refinishing it

I recall playing one, years ago, and at the time, to me it didn't play very well
Of course, it may just be that it wasn't set up well, or that it was just a "bad 'un"
But what are they like, generally?
[/quote]

I was reading about the history on another thread...
http://basschat.co.uk/topic/172899-anyone-got-any-history-on-encores/page__st__30__p__2325298__hl__encore%20history__fromsearch__1#entry2325298
... that Encore may have dummed down the quality to get to a price for Argos to sell them.

The key to finding an old one is to look out for the TR adjustment being at the heel of the neck.

Both of the Encores I have have heel adjustment. My impression/perception is, I think the old ones play better than the newer ones. That said, the one in this thread is older than the pearl-white one that I've bought since.

What I mean about "how well they play" is to me some basses simply sound "mushy". That is to say the notes don't sound clear like a bell; there's a certain mush in the sound. This may not worry some folk, and if you're in to metal or simply want dirt in the vibe, then why should it.

Yesterday I was playing about with a number of basses comparing the clarity etc. What I've found is when I've played a "mushy" bass I've also found you can bend back the neck with your hands. If you find a bass that plays clear like a bell, you also find you can't bend the neck. So much for the folk that say there's nothing in the wood, huh?

With my basses, I've found the following:

Encore PJ - bendable - mushy
Encore White P - not so bendable - quite clear.
Marlin Slammer P - between the 2 Encores and sound quality is mid range too.
Westone Thunder: stiff-ish neck - clear sound
Warwick Corvette - neck as stiff as hell, sound is clear as a bell.

Answer; you get what you pay for, I guess.