Overwater basses by Tanglewood

[Phil-osopher10]

I played the classis j in a car in a local store and it was an absolute blinder! Incredible instrument, actually I may go in tomorrow and pick it up if it is still there. Though I am interested in finding out when production 3/4 is coming and what will be on it!

[Machines]

Production 3 was October 2011 I believe.

[WalMan]

Got my black Classic J last week. Noticed that the volume pot is wobbling, but I suspect that is because it had two days of abuse at LBGS'12. Anyone know how the knob comes off to tighten it? Is it just a pull as I cannot see a retaining screw hole?

Plays nicely and looks good too.


Had apparently been set up for the show by Chris May, unfortunately with a lighter set than I use normally (38-98 as opposed to 45-105) but I shall live with those for a while before getting a heavier set on.

Thought that the J pup was quieter than the P initially, but actually I think not after yesterdays noodle, it is just that it is thinner (probably not the right word) being back at the bridge. We also have to bear in ming I have been using active basses since the Wal was converted by Pete in '96

All in all I am currently pleased with the deal I got railroaded (mind it didn't take that much for the plastic to be flashed ) into late in the show last Sunday

[blitz]

Looks great - nice one.

Has there been any news on the second half of production 3 - specifically the fretlesses?

[Gust0o]

[quote name='WalMan' timestamp='1331473760' post='1573279']
Got my black Classic J last week. Noticed that the volume pot is wobbling, but I suspect that is because it had two days of abuse at LBGS'12. Anyone know how the knob comes off to tighten it? Is it just a pull as I cannot see a retaining screw hole?

Plays nicely and looks good too.


Had apparently been set up for the show by Chris May, unfortunately with a lighter set than I use normally (38-98 as opposed to 45-105) but I shall live with those for a while before getting a heavier set on.

Thought that the J pup was quieter than the P initially, but actually I think not after yesterdays noodle, it is just that it is thinner (probably not the right word) being back at the bridge. We also have to bear in ming I have been using active basses since the Wal was converted by Pete in '96

All in all I am currently pleased with the deal I got railroaded (mind it didn't take that much for the plastic to be flashed ) into late in the show last Sunday
[/quote]

Crikey, that looks nice - are you able to PM me the price you paid?

[WalMan]

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1331657829' post='1576732']
Crikey, that looks nice - are you able to PM me the price you paid?
[/quote]Done...just don't say "you were!!"

[WalMan]

[quote name='tbonepete' timestamp='1331667627' post='1576959']
[attachment=102427:IMG-20120301-00055.jpg][attachment=102427:IMG-20120301-00055.jpg]Well done WalMan, I too have a similar bass, although I bought mine secondhand, and in terms of appearance its just about mint, although it took some time, and a new nut to sort the action, intonation out to my liking ( way out of tune, very high action, and a nut that had been cut in a dark room using nothing but a sledge hammer, and a spoon!). Im interested to hear about the apparent difference in pup outputs, Would you mind telling me what height from pups to bottom of strings are please?. I keep faffing about with them, and think Ive cracked it, only to reveal something out of balance later. I know that its personal preference but If your bass has been set up by Chris, theres a fair chance its going to be at or near optimum set up. P and J passive completely new to me (an active 5er player from the start), but it looks so good, and individually the pups sound retrotastic!!! Great bass at any money I think.
Cheers Pete
[/quote]I'll have a look at the heights & report back.

Re the pup difference, I think that is actually just tone. Initially I thought the J was lower output and a bit thin when wound back to that alone, and that it warmed up / got louder as the P was wound in. But actually I don't think there is anything on levels, it's just that the J is closer to the bridge so the P nearer the neck is/was bound to be warmer.

I got drawn in when I said I had been looking for a P of some sort and think that I'll probably be using this with the pup knob more middle to P than the J end, but you never know, and to be fair it has only really been run through the little Orange Crush 25 practice amp, not the main rig and I suspect that has a fair bit to do with my initial thoughts. Also my Wal went Active in '96 and this is the first passive bass I have had since so I need to get back into reflective passive mode as opposed to active roar

Tomorrow it is coming to r/h with the rig so we shall see.

[Gust0o]

[quote name='WalMan' timestamp='1331660461' post='1576804']
Done...just don't say "you were!!"
[/quote]

Very unlikely, that seems a fantastic price - the Mexi Jazzes in town seem to be hitting £650, with the Squiers not overly far behind, to put your bargain into context

[ead]

I have totally got used to the light strings now and really like the tone they produce. I have recently acquired a reserve set just in case!

[WalMan]

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1331799781' post='1578894']
I have totally got used to the light strings now and really like the tone they produce. I have recently acquired a reserve set just in case!
[/quote]Took this as my only one to r/h last night, forgetting that it would need to be detuned a semitone. Should have taken the full rig not the Orange Crush so it was all a bit farty & indistinct. Almost certainly more re the amp not the bass, but light dont help. I shall need to take it tomorrow to the gig & see how it goes there.

Got compliments on the bass generally, though my drummer said "needs a mirror scratch plate" which got me thinking Is it a standard Jazz plate that I could just swap over?

Edit: to which the answer is "probably, but it's a P pup not a J"

Edited March 15, 2012 by WalMan

[dmccombe7]

[quote name='WalMan' timestamp='1331473760' post='1573279']
Got my black Classic J last week. Noticed that the volume pot is wobbling, but I suspect that is because it had two days of abuse at LBGS'12. Anyone know how the knob comes off to tighten it? Is it just a pull as I cannot see a retaining screw hole?

Plays nicely and looks good too.


Had apparently been set up for the show by Chris May, unfortunately with a lighter set than I use normally (38-98 as opposed to 45-105) but I shall live with those for a while before getting a heavier set on.

Thought that the J pup was quieter than the P initially, but actually I think not after yesterdays noodle, it is just that it is thinner (probably not the right word) being back at the bridge. We also have to bear in ming I have been using active basses since the Wal was converted by Pete in '96

All in all I am currently pleased with the deal I got railroaded (mind it didn't take that much for the plastic to be flashed ) into late in the show last Sunday
[/quote]

Keep us posted on how that sounds. I've looked at these too but have to say your black one looks very nice. I already have 2 active Overwaters but would be nice having the P/J set up. Sometimes feel my Fender J lacks a little depth for some songs. This could be the answer. Chris and his team make fantastic great quality basses and they are all good guys which helps a lot.

Dave

[barkin]

I've just got one of these - a CAR Classic J.

To say that I'm extremely pleased with it, would be a massive understatement !

[Mornats]

I may have a little problem with my contemporary J4 (or it may not be a problem, hence the post!). I think the bridge J pup may have an issue as it's much too quiet in my opinion. Full details over here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/171143-pickup-volumes-on-my-overwater-contemporary-j4-problem/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/171143-pickup-volumes-on-my-overwater-contemporary-j4-problem/[/url]. I'd certainly appreciate any help and advice!

[Machines]

Have you altered the individual pickup output control pots under the back panel ?

[Mornats]

Yep, I turned the neck pickup way down and the bridge pickup way up. It did make a little difference but barely noticeable. I did make sure I turned the right one up so I'm sure it's not that. Could it still cause a problem? I just want to make sure I get some other opinions before I bother the good chaps at Overwater with it.

[ead]

Has anyone heard anything more about the fretless basses e.g. spec, finishes, prices, availability etc? I'm looking to purchase a fretless bass soon and would hate to think I might have missed out on a sister for my CJ4?

[Mornats]

Not heard anything yet about the fretless ones except that they are intending to do some. Just checked their Facebook page and nothing on there. I know that Chris May's in Frankfurt right now for Musikmesse so if he's going to announce anything soon that would be a likely place to do it.

By the way, the "issue" I mentioned a few posts up isn't actually an issue... I got my knobs mixed up.

[WalMan]

So I have finally recorded a few bits, though possibly of no great help - I was noodling to a loop a couple of nights ago.

Put them on Soundcloud [url="http://soundcloud.com/aka_walman/sets/overwater-by-tanglewood"]HERE[/url] hopefully.


Recorded with the Tanglewater Classic J into an EBS Microbass II (but using that purely as a DI switched to pre EQ) through a Novation nio 2|4 into Mackie Tracktion. All that has been added is a smidge of plate reverb with IKMultimedia CSR Plate reverb on the Vintage Plate default patch on a low level send on the fingerstyle versions only.
The six versions are recorded as:
- J pup alone
- P pup alone; and
- with the pup pan in the middle so a mix of the two

They all sound a bit similar in tone to me, though there is some difference - the P is a lot warmer than the J to my ears and obviously as you sweep through the pup blend it warms from J to P

EDIT: having added three more with a pick in a rockier style I am a bit worried that on the J alone the A string seems to drop level compared to the others. They also had the benefit of the Microbass though reasonably flat.

The strings are what it came with (38-98 I believe) and lighter than I use. Was going to add a set of 45-105's and get it set for that, but need to investigate the A string anomaly first

Apologies for the sloppy playing I was somewhat distracted by the A string at the time

Edited March 29, 2012 by WalMan

[Mornats]

Overall, some very nice sounds. The volume on the P only using the pick is huge. My P pup is quite a beast (on my Overwater Contemporary J) too. I can hear a distinct difference between the J, P and JP tracks. The JP sounds are my favourite out of the lot.

Check the height of the A string, it may just be a little too high from the pickups. My E string is around 0.5 - 1mm slightly too low after my last setup and the volume difference is noticeable. Not by much and I can compensate easily on the E string - perhaps less so if it were my A string.

I should do a test of mine too to compare my active bass with your passive.

[BassBod]

That bass sounds very, very good....thanks for that. Like I need another bass!

[WalMan]

Further update following a r/h with the country rock/americana band.

Took the ClassicJ, Genz Benz Streamliner 6.0 & Barefaced Super12T and it sounded great, once I had adjusted settings from the normal required with my other active basses. Gain button in and master up to around 12 o'clock. (Must remember to switch those back before the next r/h with the actives & the main band or I shall be in trouble)

Also no obvious drop in level on the A string on the J pup, which is encouraging. Mind I was running it mot of the session on the P. The sound was solid, with no obvious dead spots, and the whole rig sat very nicely.

[NeilMorrell]

Are any other Contemporary J users having issuses with exceptoonally noisy actives (almost like something is breaking down) or is it just me. Just had to do my debut gig with a new band with the Musicmaster because the Overwater sounded pap.


Never thought I'd be writing that?

[ead]

[quote name='NeilMorrell' timestamp='1336185465' post='1642301']
Are any other Contemporary J users having issuses with exceptoonally noisy actives (almost like something is breaking down) or is it just me.
[/quote]

Sorry to hear that. Not noticed this on my bass. The only issues I have found after about a year of use are that the frets on the G string side of the 'board were a teeny bit proud and the jack socket seems to prefer straight jack leads, my OBBM sourced right angled jack sometimes needs a little wiggle?

[ead]

Update on the fretless issue. This from Martin at OW:

"managed to track down Chris and yes there is now a 4-string inspiration fretless available from tanglewood but he wasn't sure which dealers have them, if you would like any further information please don't hesitate to get hold of Chris at [email protected] "

[Mornats]

[quote name='NeilMorrell' timestamp='1336185465' post='1642301']
Are any other Contemporary J users having issuses with exceptoonally noisy actives (almost like something is breaking down) or is it just me. Just had to do my debut gig with a new band with the Musicmaster because the Overwater sounded pap.
[/quote]

I've got a Contemporary J4 and never had a problem with the actives. They're the quietest set of pickups I've ever had in a bass (out of the 3 Bass Collections and the Dean that I've owned). They're pretty much noiseless for me so it may be a fault. Get in touch with Overwater and see what they say. Calling them is quicker than emailing from what I've heard although they've always answered my emails quickly.