Valenti #062: the make-over
 

The basics:
Ash, maple, really nice flamed fingerboard, Nord side-by-side humcancelling pickup.
34" scale, 8.5lbs.

Before:
volume only, no pickguard, no tone, no control plate.
So close to "1955 Precision" though...hmmmmmmmm.....

After:
New nut, a couple of frets dressed, new parchment p/g, control plate with volume and tone, output jack moved to the side; and some new DA XL165 nickel, in their new "balanced tension" set. Nino also made the trussrod access route larger too, which makes it nice and easy to access.

Result:
Very much nicer to my eye, and man, it sure plays and sounds great.

As always, "exceeding expectations is meeting expectations" when it comes to Nino's work.


pix:

That is one fine looking bass you have there, Chef!

Nice!!

Ditto. Classic!

It's been a loooooong time since I had a simple, passive 5 string that worked this well for me.
I dig it. Nice solid lows, great mids, snappy highs. Perfect.

Definite improvement. Looks beautiful.

I've had a lot of "1951-ish" stuff, and, while the slab bodies have never bothered me, I do in fact dig the '55 spec contours.

Looked great both ways . . . better now by an inch imo. Nice!

Was longing for that bass when it was on Bass NW... Now the pain is worse! Nice score, massive improvements ( at half the price of Sadowskys version).

I like it. I like it ALOT! Nice improvements. How much does she weigh Chef?

the pickguard, control plate, tone pot and knob, and, relocated jack took it from 8.0 to 8.2 on my digital fish scale.

Wow! Lightweight too?

I was going to buy this one as well. I wanted to send it back to Nino to get the same mods done minus the pg. :)

Looks killer! How are you liking the balanced tension, Chef?

they feel good, I like them.
I'm not hugely particular about strings..................

Very nice. I was eying that puppy on BNW site as well. Nice "adjustments".

Excellent! I love the idea of a modern five-string with that aesthetic. If it starts wearing a bit at the edges, it'll even further the concept.

Are you using the .145 B? I'm using the set with the .130. Thinking of going bigger though...

I still have first dibs, right? :D

130 I believe.
I think Mr Bowlus beat you on dibs, but, it really isn't gonna matter much.
I don't see flipping it anytime soon.

Sounds more like a nail than a string :-)

Don't make me search my pm's. :)

I am really digging balanced tension but the .130 balances with a rather light set of strings. The .145 balances with a more normal size. I agree that a .145 is HUGE though.

That's another thread in itself...

Nino's the man, this bass is legit, and as always Chef owns basses that make me jealous.