first build

[Reggaebass]

34 minutes ago, mickhardup said:

and me that's too much for me just to hang on the wall, not called mickhardup for nothing. LOL

Yeah I know what you’re saying I’ll keep an eye out for ya 

[The Guitar Weasel]

I built my first bass back in 1978(it was a set neck Thunderbird copy) out of an old mahogany hardware shop counter! I love the idea of recycling wood.

[Bridgehouse]

35 minutes ago, The Guitar Weasel said:

I built my first bass back in 1978(it was a set neck Thunderbird copy) out of an old mahogany hardware shop counter! I love the idea of recycling wood.

You still got that?

[The Guitar Weasel]

4 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

You still got that?

Sadly no ... I started to be more of a guitar player than a bass player, so I sold it to the bass player of my band at the time ... he used it for years. It's still out there somewhere. It's easily recognisable: a fretless Thunderbird bass with a ebony board and a Model 1 DiMarzio Mudbucker in the neck position and a split P Bass in the bridge. Pretty unique. 

[Bridgehouse]

1 minute ago, The Guitar Weasel said:

Sadly no ... I started to be more of a guitar player than a bass player, so I sold it to the bass player of my band at the time ... he used it for years. It's still out there somewhere. It's easily recognisable: a fretless Thunderbird bass with a ebony board and a Model 1 DiMarzio Mudbucker in the neck position and a split P Bass in the bridge. Pretty unique. 

You know what - I fancy doing an SG body with a mudbucker split P combo now...

[The Guitar Weasel]

1 minute ago, Bridgehouse said:

You know what - I fancy doing an SG body with a mudbucker split P combo now...

Mudbucker covers are pretty much impossible to get ... I'd do a version if I could get those. Perhaps a custom made ebony cover or similar would do the job. I'm an engineer not a woodworker mind ... 

[Bridgehouse]

12 minutes ago, The Guitar Weasel said:

Mudbucker covers are pretty much impossible to get ... I'd do a version if I could get those. Perhaps a custom made ebony cover or similar would do the job. I'm an engineer not a woodworker mind ... 

Time to use internet fu to see what I can find...

[SpondonBassed]

2 hours ago, Jimothey said:

I'm looking to change to some black tapewounds but I can only find the La Bella ones for about £45 a set which I can't stretch to as I'm only a bedroom player at the mo do you know of any cheaper but good sets?? 

I have the Rotosounds on my fretless Vantage.

They sound fine.  The bass is all black and the strings have yellow silks.  Visually it's quite satisfying.

[Jimothey]

2 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

I have the Rotosounds on my fretless Vantage.

They sound fine.  The bass is all black and the strings have yellow silks.  Visually it's quite satisfying.

I have looked at the roto nexus, are they the ones you've got or have you got the 88 flats? 

[mickhardup]

Spent a little time out in the shed today managed to clean the binding up makes the body look a lot whiter, i'll go out tomorrow and look for some lacquer and try and get it finished this week and then start putting it together fingers crossed. I have looked for some strings but the black tape wound are just to expensive for me if I could play bass I could justify buying them but I have found some fender flat wounds on line for 23 quid, I am fitting a jazz neck so what gauge strings would be best ?   

[SpondonBassed]

1 hour ago, Jimothey said:

I have looked at the roto nexus, are they the ones you've got or have you got the 88 flats? 

88s

[Jimothey]

23 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said:

88s

Apart from the obvious that the 88's are tapewound and the Nexus are coated what's the difference between to two and how are they different sound wise? 

[SpondonBassed]

1 hour ago, Jimothey said:

Apart from the obvious that the 88's are tapewound and the Nexus are coated what's the difference between to two and how are they different sound wise? 

I haven't tried the Nexus strings, sorry.

[Jimothey]

1 minute ago, SpondonBassed said:

I haven't tried the Nexus strings, sorry.

Cheers anyway mate 

[Pea Turgh]

I’ve tried rotosounds a few times, but they always seem abrasive feeling. Anyone else?

[Pea Turgh]

Btw - that looks awesome with the binding cleaned up! Gonna be a bit special, methinks.

[SpondonBassed]

14 hours ago, mickhardup said:

Spent a little time out in the shed today managed to clean the binding up makes the body look a lot whiter, i'll go out tomorrow and look for some lacquer and try and get it finished this week and then start putting it together fingers crossed. I have looked for some strings but the black tape wound are just to expensive for me if I could play bass I could justify buying them but I have found some fender flat wounds on line for 23 quid, I am fitting a jazz neck so what gauge strings would be best ?   

That's a subjective question.

"if I could play bass" - I have days like that.  Heeheehee, If you intend this to be more ornament than instrument, does it really matter?

If however you want to dabble, start with a medium set or a light/intermediate set if you feel that your fingers are soft.  If you play often enough your finger strength and the toughness of your fingertips will improve.  At that point you should ask the question again.

6 hours ago, Pea Turgh said:

I’ve tried rotosounds a few times, but they always seem abrasive feeling. Anyone else?

The nylon flats that I have were a little "grabby" at first but they were quick to bed down and feel slick.  If you have tapewounds that feel abrasive I'd say they are faulty.

[SpondonBassed]

The Rotosound 88 black nylon tapewound strings that I bought immediately impressed me with a pleasing thump.  Opening up the tone brings out some mellow harmonics that suit the fretless quite well.  The Vantage has P and J type pups.  The sound is never going to be bright but I am not a fan of bright so it's okay.  No finger noise whatsoever.  Slick.

I was reluctant to play the fretless with the roundwounds supplied from new.  This was partly due to the roundwounds being noisy under my fretting fingers and feeling harsh after a bit of playing.  This was born out by the way the black finish wore through on the fingerboard.  With the flats my attitude to the instrument improved lots.  I enjoy picking it up for a noodle now.  One day, I might actually knock a groove out of it!

[mickhardup]

put the guitar together today just a mock-up to make sure everything fitted and I was pleasantly surprized that it all fitted ok, the pups were a bit tight and I think I will need a little shim in the neck pocket or sand a bit of the bottom depends on how lazy I feel, I will take it apart tomorrow and try to get a coat of lacquer on it. got to put another hanger on the wall now.   

[Jimothey]

3 minutes ago, mickhardup said:

put the guitar together today just a mock-up to make sure everything fitted and I was pleasantly surprized that it all fitted ok, the pups were a bit tight and I think I will need a little shim in the neck pocket or sand a bit of the bottom depends on how lazy I feel, I will take it apart tomorrow and try to get a coat of lacquer on it. got to put another hanger on the wall now.   

Very nice! I like the family photo aswell! 😀

[The Guitar Weasel]

That looks really cool. 

[SpondonBassed]

That's lovely!

I like how having just the saddles in gold balances out the frets without being gaudy.  It certainly stands up well with the rest of your fleet.

[mickhardup]

1 hour ago, Jimothey said:

Very nice! I like the family photo aswell! 😀

Thanks a lot .

[mickhardup]

48 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said:

That's lovely!

I like how having just the saddles in gold balances out the frets without being gaudy.  It certainly stands up well with the rest of your fleet.

Thanks, I was thinking it might be a bit gaudy when I started doing it but I think it looks ok, the missis said it matches the wallpaper LOL.

[Bridgehouse]

I’m seriously gassing for a pinecaster now...