Another Prosebass build

[arsenic]

Right - first off- appologies for not sharing this earlier.

There is no excuse other than I am a lazy git.

anyway.....

I ordered one of Paul's (Prosebass) Picobasses around the end of October and received it a couple of weeks before christmas.
I was impressed - not only with the actual bass, but the size and shape fitted my needs so well, I enquired about a Fretless version

when these basses are resting on my thigh, the short scale and the more forward "lower curve", means that my elbow doesn't move very far from my body, and any movement is really from the elbow and wrist - perfect for me due to sever nerve damage that I have bleated on about elsewhere on this forum.

A few mails back and forth, and Paul told me about a fretless version he was producing, that was very much a work in progress/experiment.

Basing my assumption on the one I already have, I agreed to releive him of it - and over the course of the last month or so, I have let him take the lead with it, and use it as a test bed for ideas, with input from me, with a time-line to suit himself.

This then is the result that should be with me in the next week or so :

The first Picture I saw - which was taken alongside the build I already have (bottom).

Body is mahogany back with zebrano front, neck is english oak.

[attachment=43662:001.JPG]


I received these later which show a little of the early stages of the build

[attachment=43663:002.jpg][attachment=43664:003.jpg]


The bridge is this one, which allows for both bridge and through body stringing.

[attachment=43666:000_7537.jpg]


Bridge and Pickup

[attachment=43689:body_pup.jpg][attachment=43690:TF005.JPG]


With a MM style Pickup - and an unsual control set up - I will let paul explain it in his own words - based on an Email I have just received,
"it is passive but each coil has an individual volume control of 50K . This means each coil can be used individually but the way it is wired gives some interaction between the coils . The rear coil on its own gives a proper single coil tone (along with the usual interference noise like a Jazz if near an amp) but the front coil solo does not. They both go to a master volume and passive tone with a 0.047 cap. Depending on the settings of the coil volumes the tone gives varing degrees of cut , more so when both coils are on. It is certainly different , the output is good and it suits the fretless tones."

This is an earlier picture when a 2 band eq and coil tap were considered

[attachment=43667:Fretless001.jpg]


and the headstock with the tuners fitted

[attachment=43671:Fretless006.jpg]


The fretboard is lined, and coated with isocyanate

[attachment=43672:Fretless005.jpg]


I have just been told that it should be with me around mid-week, so I will get some photo's up of the completed bass.

Thanks to Paul for his work.

Edited February 27, 2010 by arsenic

[cLepto-bass]

Looks great, cant wait to see some more (hopefully bigger) pic's.

I would be interested in one os these two, how much did it set you back?

[pantherairsoft]

I think it looks fantastic!

[arsenic]

[quote name='uzzell' post='763264' date='Mar 3 2010, 07:26 PM']Looks great, cant wait to see some more (hopefully bigger) pic's.

I would be interested in one os these two, how much did it set you back?[/quote]

Paul Prices these depending on the spec you choose.

As this was more of a prototype, and, as such, I gave him near enough free range to do what he felt like, I admit to getting it at a good price....If you want to PM him with an idea of what you want, I am sure he would give you a "no obligation" quote.

Since the last post - we have discussed the electrics, and, as I was unsure about the 3 volume control setup, he is going to try it with a coil selector switch instead - like a pickup selector, but between coils.

Due to this modification, it has been put back a few days, especially as he is fitting it in with other builds.....and the fact he want to ensure that it is "right" before he sends it to me.

I will put up some pictures when it arrives - with and without it's fretted sibling