AntLockyer Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Need to open this with I've been very bored this week. Anyway I've been thinking a lot lately about having 2 P basses, one of which isn't as good as the other one and despite string changes (and ending back on the original ones) and setup change (mostly pick up heights). The second one which is newer has a skinnier neck and with my small hands is maybe a little easier to play. I've been thinking about the best bass I ever played (1974 P, weighed more than the sun, super sound mega thick maple faced neck). I've been thinking about the maple jazz neck I had sitting around. Today they joined forces The headstock is that way because of a failed project and for the sake of playing about doesn't matter. Now what was a surprise this neck is MUCH thicker than a fender one at the heel requiring maybe another 5mm of string height to make it work at all. What was another surprise is that this 'cheap' all parts neck made the bass sound great. I'm going to have to record it now to see if it has made a difference, but I hashed a setup onto it and it instantly played superbly. I went back to my pre CBS P and it felt bad in comparison and will definitely get a setup tweak now. Some fast passages were easier on the Jazz neck. It felt a little cramped compared to a P but to be honest the differences were so small that I no longer feel my D necked P bass is a hinderance (that's been playing on my mind a bit). So once I've recorded the Jazz neck version, I'll revert to Rosewood and record that. Post up the results and think about what it all means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntLockyer Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 One of the grand things about messing about with instruments is that unforeseen delights ensue from initially uncontrolled experiments. Glad you're enjoying your new configuration. As regards the mismatched headstock colour: a quick overspray would sort that. Something close to Fiesta Red (or even black) would do the job. Nice work, Sir 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntLockyer Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 That clip above is of both configurations. Maple first then Rosewood. Sound near enough identical that it doesn't matter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 10 minutes ago, AntLockyer said: That clip above is of both configurations. Maple first then Rosewood. Sound near enough identical that it doesn't matter. True dat. Nice old school tone you've got going on there with either neck. Still, if it feels nicer to play then that's a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petebassist Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Love the tone you're getting on that SC clip. What strings have you got? Any tone-shaping or is it clean into the recorder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntLockyer Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 Thanks, Labella deep talkin flats, standard 2004 USA P bass electrics with both pots wide open. Recorded into Logic using the HiFi DI preset. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntLockyer Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 For completeness here is my other P bass. First bit recorded with tone control almost all off, second part wide open. Ti flats on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 (edited) On 02/03/2018 at 12:48, AntLockyer said: ...this 'cheap' all parts neck made the bass sound great. I'm going to have to record it now to see if it has made a difference, but I hashed a setup onto it and it instantly played superbly... If you mean Allparts, their necks are right up there with the best in quality and 'tone' - they are at least as good (If not better than) stock Fender necks. The Allparts neck fitted to my Bass Doc custom P is as good as anything produced by the big F. Edited March 5, 2018 by discreet 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntLockyer Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 I did mean Allparts but it is in fact a mighty mite neck not Allparts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 5 minutes ago, AntLockyer said: I did mean Allparts but it is in fact a mighty mite neck not Allparts Er... well, Mighty Mite is second only to Allparts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 (edited) Yup, the last Mighty Mite neck I had was simply lush. Incidentally, while you're in fettling mode, Sheldon Dingwall was giving a talk yesterday at the LBGS about different tonewoods, why & how they change the sound of your bass, and how luthiers can tweak them. He pointed out that one advantage of bolt-on necks is that you can make an appreciable difference to the tone by backing off the neck screws by maybe an eight turn, certainly no more than a quarter. If the bass sounds "too tight", then this backing off can free up the tone by changing both the way the bass resonates and the rate of decay. Edit: I definitely typed "eighth turn", y'know. Does this forum have autocorrect? Edited March 5, 2018 by Happy Jack 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 (edited) 24 minutes ago, Happy Jack said: Edit: I definitely typed "eighth turn", y'know. Does this forum have autocorrect? I'm surprised the forum didn't change it to 'pink torpedo turn'. Edited March 5, 2018 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 34 minutes ago, Happy Jack said: Yup, the last Mighty Mite neck I had was simply lush..... I once had a bitsa P bass which had a Mighty Mite neck The neck was so nice, I was genuinely surprised at just how good it was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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