3below Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 (edited) Just to encourage you I am that bass player in 1975 aged 16 at the time with my 'home built' short scale tele bass. Constructed with hand tools and done by eye, there were no telecasters in the rural Herefordshire boonies to template from hence the tele flavour rather than accuracy. Your 2020/21 version is rather more professional, I do not understand why Fender have not built a decent USA tele bass yet. Edited March 6, 2021 by 3below 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted March 7, 2021 Author Share Posted March 7, 2021 11 hours ago, 3below said: Just to encourage you I am that bass player in 1975 aged 16 at the time with my 'home built' short scale tele bass. Constructed with hand tools and done by eye, there were no telecasters in the rural Herefordshire boonies to template from hence the tele flavour rather than accuracy. Your 2020/21 version is rather more professional, I do not understand why Fender have not built a decent USA tele bass yet. That's a great photo and a great memory. Must have been great to have a bass that was very much different at the time. Do you still have the bass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 (edited) 44 minutes ago, Jabba_the_gut said: That's a great photo and a great memory. Must have been great to have a bass that was very much different at the time. Do you still have the bass? Good times, well paid gigs every weekend Sadly the bass 'disappeared' in my going to university and my mother moving house. I moved on to an early Gibson EB2 (unpopular and cheap in the day) The body was made from elm coffin boards which the local undertaker gave me free gratis, predating Dutch elm disease. Finish was clear Ronseal and it came out pretty well despite little serious prep and skill. Edited March 7, 2021 by 3below Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derreybass Posted March 8, 2021 Share Posted March 8, 2021 Well done Jez looking good not to sure about superglue with wood had some change colour when glueing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 8, 2021 Share Posted March 8, 2021 The binding looks good, Jez. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 (edited) Nice and warm today and time off from work means into the garage!! Got some jobs to do around the house but found time to round over the edges of the Telebass and to drill the recess for the jack socket. I used a Forstner bit to get a nice sharp edge around the socket and a flat bit to shift the bulk. After a quick sand I put a light coat of sealer on the bass and it is starting to look quite nice. I'm pleased I re-did the binding as It has turned out nicely in the end. I've not done binding before so lots of lessons from that - I completely agree with the old saying of learning from your mistakes. All the big stuff is drilled, cut and sanded so should be at a point to do the final sanding and get the finish done. Cheers Edited March 12, 2021 by Jabba_the_gut 12 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 48 minutes ago, Jabba_the_gut said: I used a Forstner bit to get a nice shart edge around the socket Oh wow. You really aren't shy of getting your hands dirty then...? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 It's looking great BTW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 1 minute ago, SpondonBassed said: Oh wow. You really aren't shy of getting your hands dirty then...? Bloody fat fingers and small computer keys....!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted April 5, 2021 Author Share Posted April 5, 2021 (edited) Still got a few things to do before but put this together to make sure everything lines up and works. I've wired the mudbucker to a 4 way tele switch that gives options of coil 1, coil 2, series and parallel. Quite pleased with how this looks (I still have to get a logo sorted for the headstock) and it plays nicely. But.....I'm not entirely convinced by the mudbucker at the moment. I haven't used one before so don't have anything to compare it to as a benchmark. The pickup is a Retrovibe one and the pole pieces are pretty well aligned with the strings. The issue is that, to my ears, the A and D strings are louder and better defined than the E and G which sound quieter and a bit fluffy by comparison. This is the same no matter which coil combination I use. Anyone got much experience with these types of pickups that could point me in the right direction - any guidance would be much appreciated!! Cheers Edited April 5, 2021 by Jabba_the_gut 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 Lovely job (again ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 2 hours ago, Jabba_the_gut said: Still got a few things to do before but put this together to make sure everything lines up and works. I've wired the mudbucker to a 4 way tele switch that gives options of coil 1, coil 2, series and parallel. Quite pleased with how this looks (I still have to get a logo sorted for the headstock) and it plays nicely. But.....I'm not entirely convinced by the mudbucker at the moment. I haven't used one before so don't have anything to compare it to as a benchmark. The pickup is a Retrovibe one and the pole pieces are pretty well aligned with the strings. The issue is that, to my ears, the A and D strings are louder and better defined than the E and G which sound quieter and a bit fluffy by comparison. This is the same no matter which coil combination I use. Anyone got much experience with these types of pickups that could point me in the right direction - any guidance would be much appreciated!! Cheers At the risk of a case of grandmothers and egg sucking, could it be really sensitive to string height? Stunning build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 You cannot beat a bit of enthusiasm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 40 minutes ago, owen said: You cannot beat a bit of enthusiasm Blooming phone... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 5 hours ago, Jabba_the_gut said: Still got a few things to do before but put this together to make sure everything lines up and works. I've wired the mudbucker to a 4 way tele switch that gives options of coil 1, coil 2, series and parallel. Quite pleased with how this looks (I still have to get a logo sorted for the headstock) and it plays nicely. But.....I'm not entirely convinced by the mudbucker at the moment. I haven't used one before so don't have anything to compare it to as a benchmark. The pickup is a Retrovibe one and the pole pieces are pretty well aligned with the strings. The issue is that, to my ears, the A and D strings are louder and better defined than the E and G which sound quieter and a bit fluffy by comparison. This is the same no matter which coil combination I use. Anyone got much experience with these types of pickups that could point me in the right direction - any guidance would be much appreciated!! Cheers Stunning bass and build quality. Why (as I have said before) do Fender not make this? Stating the obvious, adjust the pole pieces. My SG bass E string is very variable depending on strings, it likes TI flats. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted May 4, 2021 Author Share Posted May 4, 2021 Well, I sent the pickup off to House of Tone pickups to look at and apparently it has been assembled incorrectly so they are going to rectify that for me. I have to say, their response to emails and looking at the pickup has been very quick. Great service so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted May 5, 2021 Author Share Posted May 5, 2021 Had a chat with House of Tone today and they are going to sort this pickup so with a bit of luck it should be back mid next week to refit. And I'm looking forward to that! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrinkleygit Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Where’s the JR logo !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted May 10, 2021 Author Share Posted May 10, 2021 That’s on the job list. I’m just sorting a logo that can be made on a slide transfer to be lacquered over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted May 15, 2021 Author Share Posted May 15, 2021 The pickup is back from being sorted so will hopefully get that fitted and tried out today. I really hope it has fixed the issue of the string balance. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted May 15, 2021 Share Posted May 15, 2021 🤞🤞🤞 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derreybass Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 Hello Jez did you get the pickup sorted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted May 19, 2021 Author Share Posted May 19, 2021 On 18/05/2021 at 00:03, derreybass said: Hello Jez did you get the pickup sorted? Yep, fitted the pickup but haven't had time to try it out properly yet. One thing I have determined though is the 4 way switch idea didn't work, I wasn't sure what it would do but the two single coils settings are just too quiet and thin sounding. I think I'll replace the switch with a 2 way version for series / parallel only but I'm also considering just wiring it permanently one way or the other. I'll have some time at the weekend to try it out further and then decide. I bought a blank Tele control plate anticipating that I might want to change the controls for this or if I decide the pickup is too dull / too bassy that it would allow an additional control for a second pickup. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrinkleygit Posted May 20, 2021 Share Posted May 20, 2021 I would go with a three way tele type switch, with series, parallel and coil tap to earth through a .047 capacitor. Using a cap in the coil tap circuit keeps the pickup in humbucking mode and bleeds off treble/mids from one coil (how much depends on the value of the cap) the other advantage is less volume drop when in tapped mode. I’ve used this method for years, generally .020 on guitar and.047 on bass, although any value between.010-.050 on a non polarised cap will give good results. From memory a low value starts to take off the highs and as value increases the mids as well are taken off, hope this all makes sense. Good luck, Mike. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTool Posted May 20, 2021 Share Posted May 20, 2021 On 10/05/2021 at 18:24, Jabba_the_gut said: That’s on the job list. I’m just sorting a logo that can be made on a slide transfer to be lacquered over. http://www.guitardecals.co.uk/ Superb logo transfers as recommended by me and @Andyjr1515 Jez 👍🏼 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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