NBD pt1 : Charvel Pro Mod San Dimas

[dub_junkie]

Received this just the other day after BillyBass posted it up on here as being on a blowout deal with PMT. 

Have looked it over and over and can't see any flaw. Action was high when it arrived - now sorted and there was no battery in. Originally thought I had a dud. Also there is no passive tone control which is a bit of a missed opportunity. 

The good bits - the roasted neck is an absolute joy - it has a really comfortable profile and luminlay side dots. 

The DiMarzios sound great passive and the preamp is not anywhere near as bad as I was expecting. This is some hiss on the treble and mid pots but only at the extreme end of travel. I tried it passive through my Sadowsky SBP2 preamp pedal and...well it has that sound which with my Valenti having the Sadowsky preamp and the subject of my NBD pt2 also having one, I'm growing to love that signature tone more than any other I think. 

Lots of other cool little appointments on this bass but lastly the lustre to the finish is up there with the USA Musicman and G&L basses Ive owned. The pics really don't do it justice. 

Looking forward to gigging this one next weekend!

 

 

 

Edited March 28, 2023 by dub_junkie
Add pic

[Owen]

That is a fine looking bass. 

[MrSpace]

Love the colour scheme 😍

[Owen]

Getting older is odd. I used to hate light pickup covers. Now I look at them and think "tasty".

[la bam]

Do you still play the san dimas?

[dub_junkie]

8 hours ago, la bam said:

Do you still play the san dimas?

I don't play it so much at the moment but I still have it

[edstraker123]

I was just considering selling mine as I'm a bit overloaded with basses currently but then I played it again and the neck is absolutely to die for . If only they did it in a short scale.

[la bam]

20 minutes ago, edstraker123 said:

I was just considering selling mine as I'm a bit overloaded with basses currently but then I played it again and the neck is absolutely to die for . If only they did it in a short scale.

 

Love mine!

[dub_junkie]

8 hours ago, la bam said:

 

Love mine!

Which one do you have? 

 

I've started playing mine again a bit more this last week or so. It has one of the easiest five string neck shapes to get along with imo. 

[la bam]

1 hour ago, dub_junkie said:

Which one do you have? 

 

I've started playing mine again a bit more this last week or so. It has one of the easiest five string neck shapes to get along with imo. 

 

It's the 4 string san dimas in blue.

 

So versatile and quality.

[dub_junkie]

I'm quite taken with the platinum San Dimas P/J five string. BAX Music are offering it at a tempting price but I keep telling myself I don't need another five.

 

[BillyBass]

On 29/03/2023 at 23:41, dub_junkie said:

I'm quite taken with the platinum San Dimas P/J five string. BAX Music are offering it at a tempting price but I keep telling myself I don't need another five.

 

Seems not to be in stock, but if you don't mind waiting.  £761 but I think you can get another £5 off if you subscribe to their newsletter, or something, it was a pop up when I went on the site.

 

I would be interested to see if the stock pre amps improved with the platinum pearl and black models?

 

By the way, have you changed the B string on your red fiver?  I stuck a 135 in and I might change that to a 140 shortly.

[dub_junkie]

On 01/04/2023 at 21:30, BillyBass said:

Seems not to be in stock, but if you don't mind waiting.  £761 but I think you can get another £5 off if you subscribe to their newsletter, or something, it was a pop up when I went on the site.

 

I would be interested to see if the stock pre amps improved with the platinum pearl and black models?

 

By the way, have you changed the B string on your red fiver?  I stuck a 135 in and I might change that to a 140 shortly.

Still deliberating over whether to or not.

 

.140? I haven't felt the need for a heavier B but I may have an  unused 135 kicking around. Did you find a noticeable difference with it?

[BillyBass]

47 minutes ago, dub_junkie said:

Still deliberating over whether to or not.

 

.140? I haven't felt the need for a heavier B but I may have an  unused 135 kicking around. Did you find a noticeable difference with it?

The 135 was a big improvement over the stock B string, which, I believe, was a 120.  

 

I don't have any experience with fivers other than my Charvel, so I'm not sure how realistic my expectations of the B string tension in a 34" scale bass are.  The 135 improved things but it could still be better.  I bought a 140 d'Addario single a while ago and when I next change the strings I'll try the 140.  Hopefully it will be ok in the nut. 

 

My current band doesn't go below E so I just use my 4 strings at the moment.  When I'm using the fiver in a band setting again I'll spend more time on it.