Essex Bass Club - Part 13

[Rip Topaz]

I agree. Fretless isn't that hard. Just play it exclusively until you get it down. Ignore the neck markers and trust your ears. Practicing with a tuner helps, but you can become reliant on it.

Just play it as much as you can and you'll be amazed how quickly fretless becomes easy.

[dougjwray]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

I agree. Fretless isn't that hard. Just play it exclusively until you get it down. Ignore the neck markers and trust your ears. Practicing with a tuner helps, but you can become reliant on it.

Just play it as much as you can and you'll be amazed how quickly fretless becomes easy.

Exactly right.

[dougjwray]

Here are my SX basses.
The white one was a birthday present from my wife in 2008. It cost $99. I have it set up with high action. It is super resonant and fat, and the big body and wide, thick neck add to that. It's my main "P Bass with roundwounds" instrument. I've previously posted it in a picture of me rehearsing with John Scofield and a few other guys.
I purchased the black PJ from Rondo a few weeks ago. It originally had an Ursa maple neck, but I put on a left handed, rosewood "old headstock" neck which I got from Rondo over the summer. I'm using this bass for tuned-down songs (I just joined a grunge/metal cover band). It's not as massive-sounding as the white one (and not as physically large), but it has a nice clarity. The action is medium-high.
Both have DR Fatbeam strings. Both (it needs to be stated) have perfectly good fretwork, hardware, electronics and finishes. Everything is stock, except that the string tree on the white one is from Allparts.
The sticker on the white one is courtesy of my 7-year-old daughter.

[jasonbraatz]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

Dang, I wanted one of those before, but now I GOTTA!!

No copying!

I don't know if I got lucky, but the neck pockets on both basses were quite snug. The bound neck from the J fit perfectly on the P, no shimming needed. There were shims in the J's pocket, but it looked like a little more time was spent to level paint out inside the P's neck pocket than the J. I'll have to tend to four or five high frets, and there are a few spots where the binding on the neck got chewed up, but it's an SX.

I threw some LaBella flats on it, and everything is as it should be. Just needs a tort guard.

As for the P neck and J body, I'm just going to put them up for sale separately. The P neck has a vintage tint that does not go with the J body at all.

[Rip Topaz]

I really like that particular sunburst. It's darker than the normal one you see.

My plan is to take one of the burst P/J's and replace the neck with a left handed bound and blocked maple neck. Cool reversed headstock look with the burst I want. Then the REAL modding will start!!

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Originally Posted by jasonbraatz

...

I threw some LaBella flats on it, and everything is as it should be. Just needs a tort guard.

...

Of course it does. This is TalkBass after all!

(written by a guy who modified his Squier P5, made a tort pickguard for it and strung it with flats)

[jweber76]

Bassbenj, would you post (or pm) a picture or diagram of how your controls are wired with that switch /multi-cap setup? I've got a bronco that I'm using as a pickup and control test mule and I'd love to install and play with this mod!

[bassbenj]

Originally Posted by jweber76

Bassbenj, would you post (or pm) a picture or diagram of how your controls are wired with that switch /multi-cap setup? I've got a bronco that I'm using as a pickup and control test mule and I'd love to install and play with this mod!

Here it is. It think it's here in one of these SX threads but it's easier just to post it again than to find it!

Note the key is that is a three position switch (on-off-on) as opposed to the usual spdt (on-on).

The wiring for my pickup selector is included with a dummy coil to kill single coil hum. Don't get excited though, because I haven't got it working yet! Just short dummy coil leads to give usual pickup switching. You can get by with a normal 4 position switch if you don't have muting, but I very much LIKE the mute feature!

Good luck!

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by bassbenj

Here it is. It think it's here in one of these SX threads but it's easier just to post it again than to find it!

Note the key is that is a three position switch (on-off-on) as opposed to the usual spdt (on-on).

The wiring for my pickup selector is included with a dummy coil to kill single coil hum. Don't get excited though, because I haven't got it working yet! Just short dummy coil leads to give usual pickup switching. You can get by with a normal 4 position switch if you don't have muting, but I very much LIKE the mute feature!

Good luck!

I'll be watching to see this working!! Adding a dummy coil to my SCPB (under the pickguard) might be a very cool way to quiet the hum!!

[fourstringbliss]

I replaced the neck volume with a push/pull pot tonight and now I also have the series/parallel option. My controls are V/V/T, series/parallel, and the red switch is north coil/both/south coil on the MM.



I think that's enough monkeying with the electronics - now I need to level a few high frets and round the fret ends.

[jweber76]

What is that dark square under your E string between the pickups?

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by jweber76

What is that dark square under your E string between the pickups?

Looks like a makeshift thumbrest.

[fourstringbliss]

Originally Posted by jweber76

What is that dark square under your E string between the pickups?

It's a piece of rosewood that I made into a thumbrest. It kind of looks out of place but it's a good spot.

[jweber76]

In terms of comfort and playability looks are secondary... That being said, it looks fine! I'd like to see a shot of it from a different angle as I'm always struggling with thumb position on my non-J or P equipped basses.

[fourstringbliss]

Originally Posted by jweber76

In terms of comfort and playability looks are secondary... That being said, it looks fine! I'd like to see a shot of it from a different angle as I'm always struggling with thumb position on my non-J or P equipped basses.

I prefer the sound when I play between the pickups which is why I put it there. I made it out of rosewood from a pen blank that I bought on Ebay. I'd prefer an acrylic one (not as visible) but this one works for now.

[JPrinos]

Just picked up this SX Jazz from a Craigslist ad. Any idea how much Rondo was charging for a bass with this grain and whether or not the pearl pickguard was stock?

[DJ Bebop]

Originally Posted by JPrinos

Just picked up this SX Jazz from a Craigslist ad. Any idea how much Rondo was charging for a bass with this grain and whether or not the pearl pickguard was stock?

Maybe in the $139 - $169 range and yes that pickguard was stock on that run. That has a Quilt maple photo finish.
I have a four string fretless of that, without blocks, neck.

[JPrinos]

Thanks! I paid $150 so I'm pretty happy. It is in excellent shape.

Originally Posted by DJ Bebop

Maybe in the $139 - $169 range and yes that pickguard was stock on that run. That has a Quilt maple photo finish.
I have a four string fretless of that, without blocks, neck.

[eli]

Originally Posted by CnB77

Oof that sounds nice. Want one, but don't think I can justify another instrument right now, plus I have no fretless bass skill whatsoever and haven't a clue how to start learning.

Originally Posted by BillyB_from_LZ

I'm not sure how I let that post get past me... It does sound nice!

As for learning...I think it's about listening, making minor corrections and sort of adopting the attitude that you're just going to do it and not worry about it too much. And developing a nice vibrato.

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

I agree. Fretless isn't that hard. Just play it exclusively until you get it down. Ignore the neck markers and trust your ears. Practicing with a tuner helps, but you can become reliant on it.

Just play it as much as you can and you'll be amazed how quickly fretless becomes easy.

I concur that fretless is NOT the huge hurdle that many fretted players think it is. But </dumb boss> I'm gonna have to, uh, go ahead and, uh, disagree with my friend Rip... <dumb boss out/> I highly recommend starting with songs you know quite well on fretted. Play the song on fretted to refresh your memory. Then play it on fretless and listen to the pitches. Switch back to fretted, play it again, and switch back to fretless. Your ears will absolutely tell you what you need to do with finger positions. Playing fretless with a (properly tuned) guitarist is also quite helpful, especially if they're using overdrive which increases the opvertones content and helps you hear your pitch relative to the guitar.

I play the snarly mwah-y Jaco tone as filtered through Mark Egan, though there are lots of other sounds to look for, like the woody string bass tone. The main reason to play fretless is the tones available plus the near limitless expression possibilities. All that to say that if you intend to play a dark, round, bottom-heavy tone, and you intend to play only right on the pitches, IMHO fretless does not add much. But if you want to express melodies with a brighter sound, then fretless can REALLY add to that, even in the lower registers. I've found it's also particularly pleasant with acoustic guitars.

Obligatory SX content: This one used to be mine. It is/was a real sweetheart.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/121018651178...84.m1423.l2649

[SBsoundguy]

Originally Posted by eli

I concur that fretless is NOT the huge hurdle that many fretted players think it is. But </dumb boss> I'm gonna have to, uh, go ahead and, uh, disagree with my friend Rip... <dumb boss out/> I highly recommend starting with songs you know quite well on fretted. Play the song on fretted to refresh your memory. Then play it on fretless and listen to the pitches. Switch back to fretted, play it again, and switch back to fretless. Your ears will absolutely tell you what you need to do with finger positions. Playing fretless with a (properly tuned) guitarist is also quite helpful, especially if they're using overdrive which increases the opvertones content and helps you hear your pitch relative to the guitar.

I play the snarly mwah-y Jaco tone as filtered through Mark Egan, though there are lots of other sounds to look for, like the woody string bass tone. The main reason to play fretless is the tones available plus the near limitless expression possibilities. All that to say that if you intend to play a dark, round, bottom-heavy tone, and you intend to play only right on the pitches, IMHO fretless does not add much. But if you want to express melodies with a brighter sound, then fretless can REALLY add to that, even in the lower registers. I've found it's also particularly pleasant with acoustic guitars.

Obligatory SX content: This one used to be mine. It is/was a real sweetheart.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/121018651178...84.m1423.l2649

BIN is $400 I seriously doubt they'll get that.