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Harley Benton PB-50 - Modded! *Audio*


discreet
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Looks and sounds fantastic!

If they came with that lovely tint, my debit card would be already in danger of being utilised. I sold my Squier CV50 and I miss it sometimes...

Edited by mcnach
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[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1458733935' post='3010253']
Looks and sounds fantastic! If they came with that lovely tint, my debit card would be already in danger of being utilised.
[/quote]

Thank you, sir... my latest plan is to do one more P and then have a go at a HB Jazz/Precision neck swap (where I get to keep the Jazz with a P neck - as you know I don't get on with J necks but like the J sound)...

Edited by discreet
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[quote name='paul h' timestamp='1458735345' post='3010278']
It does look the nuts. Would suit my country band rather well too :)
[/quote]

I'll find out if it suits my country band this evening at rehearsal. I think it might, especially with La Bellas fitted. :)

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1458737685' post='3010318']
...what if I picked up the HB 5-string Stingray copy and made a proper 2-band preamp for it?
[/quote]

I think there's a good chance you'd have a halfway decent 5-string active Stingray-a-like for not very much cash.
I'm not helping much, am I..? :D

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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1458734566' post='3010265']
Thank you, sir... my latest plan is to do one more P and then have a go at a HB Jazz/Precision neck swap (where I get to keep the Jazz with a P neck - as you know I don't get on with J necks but like the J sound)...
[/quote]

sounds like a great plan...

I'm thinking of letting my Jazz basses go and just get a Maruszczyk shaped like a P with two J pickups in the right place, as I really don't like J necks... but your plan agrees a lot more with my pocket right now :D

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[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1458737685' post='3010318']
I should avoid these cheap bass modding threads. I don't have the space, the cash, or the need for another bass, but something in the back of my head is saying "Hmm, what if I picked up the HB 5-string Stingray copy and made a proper 2-band preamp for it?". I must resist!
[/quote]

Ha!
I still have a 5-string Stagg Stingray copy. I liked the string spacing (wide) and that it looked like a SR4 not a SR5 (pickguard...). Got the preamp, a SD pickup... it's still unfinished. Such a procrastinator!
It doesn't help that I made some mistake with the preamp and I can't be bothered to figure out where each wire goes now... I just need some space and time... and hopefully the will will show up :P

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  • 1 year later...

Inspired by this thread - I stole the painting the pickguard idea from Discreet, who also gave me some advice on best way to do it. Here it is. I've tinted the neck to honey it a bit.

I've also added a decal





Also changed the tuners to Wilkinsons & a KiOgon wiring kit will be installed also a Seymour Duncan PB3.

The body is away getting sprayed black, so we'll see how that goes

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  • 3 weeks later...

A bit of an update - here's where I am now. Body been given a respray. Pickup avity extended by my own fair hand using mallet & chisel method. Re-sized cavity required pick guard to have a bit taken away using Stanley knife method. KiOgon wiring kit being installed.



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Thanks to Donnyboy for resurrecting this thread - as somehow, I managed to miss it first time around! How did that happen? :o
Great work both Donny & Discreet. Really like the look of this HB Precision. The colour looks great too, and I liked it with the gold pickguard - even though a Gold PG is not usually "my thing". Every now & again, I get a bit of a hankering for a 50's P bass.... and those pics haven't helped! ;)

Nice tint to that neck too Discreet, and the re-shaped headstock looks great too :)

Edited by Marc S
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I've actually got one of these PB-50 basses, currently stock. Came as a part trade on something else I sold.

Cogs be turning after reading this thread!

To the guys who did these, how did you nail the headstock shape before taking tools to them?

Edited by LewisK1975
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[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1496945248' post='3314925']
I've actually got one of these PB-50 basses, currently stock. Came as a part trade on something else I sold.

Cogs be turning after reading this thread!

To the guys who did these, how did you nail the headstock shape before taking tools to them?
[/quote]
You can download the template

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/87240-tele-bass-headstock-template/

Remember, we need to see pictures! :)

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[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1496945248' post='3314925']
I've actually got one of these PB-50 basses, currently stock. Came as a part trade on something else I sold.

Cogs be turning after reading this thread!

To the guys who did these, how did you nail the headstock shape before taking tools to them?
[/quote]

Why do I keep finding out you've got even more basses than I previously thought Lewis? :o lol

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So the Thomann website currently says the pickup is "Pickup system: Roswell VTN4 Vista Alnico-5 PB-style single coil", is that a rebranded Wilkinson or have they changed it?

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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1458321232' post='3006663']


I finally bowed to pressure from the offspring and painted the guard white. Technically it's 'Royal Ivory', but I think 'white' covers it. :rolleyes: I know more people expressed a preference for gold, but I have to live with the great moaning git, so here it is.



I think it's not half bad actually... to be more 'authentic' it would need to be a two-tone burst, not a three-tone. And have a two-saddle through-body bridge. And the horn shape is too pointed... and on and on. But I'm hoping it's going to be enough to stem the 50s P-GAS I've been suffering from. Here's the previous gold version, for an easy comparison:



I think they both have their merits. :)

Also it was cloudy today, so the white guard pic is a much more accurate real-world colour representation. The pics in full sunlight are very lush - but in reality the bass just isn't that bright.
[/quote]

I absolutely love the ivory pick guard. The gold looks fantastic too.
I am actually gonna buy one of these pb50's asap! (On the strength of this thread) I can't believe I've got gas for a Harley Benton.
I've had a one or two pass through my hands before and they are perfectly serviceable instruments especially after good fret and setup work. Never had a pb50 though.

Definitely tint nitro the neck. Remove logo. Nitro the body and maybe do some aging. Spray pg not sure what colour tho I love the ivory look. Finger rest remounted to useful position just behind the pu to make it a thumb rest, possibly make thumb rest same colour as resprayed pg.


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[quote name='Jack' timestamp='1497003054' post='3315190']
So the Thomann website currently says the pickup is "Pickup system: Roswell VTN4 Vista Alnico-5 PB-style single coil", is that a rebranded Wilkinson or have they changed it?
[/quote]

I noticed that wonder what the difference is?

Edited by Twincam
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