Recent content by exmaxima1

Ernie Ball Group III (45-100). Perfect balance, perfect feel.

Check the stock string sizes first to avoid having to file the nut. I put the EB Group II ---50-105---on my Classic Vibe '60's and they are probably the best flats I have found. Perfect balance string to string, not too stiff (Chromes), not too soft (TI Jazz). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

The original 2TEK bass bridge had twice as many screws, and the fingers were milled more like tuning forks. Each string had a different cutout. They were engineered to isolate string vibration via resonance control. They said something about piano technology, blah blah. I was exhibiting at NAMM...

You are very much correct that the overall Hamer combo is fantastic: quartersawn maple neck is stiff but not cold like graphite-reinforced necks, very good neck/body joint, and top quality woods. That said, while I enjoy my standard Gotoh-bridge Cruise there's no denying that many notes are...

Suspecting that something doesn't work is not the same as actually knowing. Until you try a bass with a 2TEK you can't make anything other than an uninformed comment. There is science behind the 2TEK design, and it is readily apparent the moment you play a Cruisebass. Bass Player Magazine...

I have 2 USA Hamer Cruises with the 2TEK and 1 w/standard Gotoh. The 2Tek versions definitely have more distinct notes due to the string isolation. It is more than subtle. BTW, when the 2TEK came out in the 90's, an early endorser was Lee Sklar---one of my favorite bass players. I see that he...

Those must be the Duncan AJB-5 active pickups, as they are the only SD actives available in the 5-string length. Plus they look EXACTLY like them. I had a Cruise5 , and you appear to have the stock passive V-V-T configuration. The dual battery pack appears to be an aftermarket upgrade, as I...

I have the Chromes in 50-105 on a Hamer CruiseBass and they are indeed pretty stiff. They sound very balanced and smooth, which is what I wanted for that bass. In particular, the G-string does not scream out with a different voice, which it usually does using lighter gauge. I also use the...

Just happened to see that pic---I had the SAME bass about 15 years ago. Paid about $150 for it at the time. I replaced the stock PUs with EMG35's, added a Sadowsky style preamp (DIY) and bronze nut. Loved the resonance and fat tone, but the skinny neck was too small for me and I sold it. Wish...

Absolutely. The 90's CruiseBass had an EMG option that included JV pickups and BTC preamp (I have one). Everything---including the battery---fits in the stock compartment.

One of Zappa's more famous bass players, Scott Thunes, played a koa-wood Carvin LB90. I had one just like it, installed EMG soapbars, and it was like butter to play. One of my favorite basses that I should never had parted with....

A good rule of thumb is that the port will control cone excursion about 1/2 octave on either side of the port frequency. If the tuning is 55 hz, one "octave" is half that, or 28 hz. A half octave would be around the middle of 28-55 hz or about 41 hz. The cabinet should be fine for a 4-string...

4 ports would be great but they will need to be much longer than using just 2. In the case of this thread, which calculates to a pair of 4.5" diameter tubes x 3.9" long, you would need 4 vents at 4" diameter x 9" long to maintain the same 46 hz tuning. The extra ports and extra length...

If you include a flare on both ends of the port (not just the outer end) you can run higher port velocities with no ill effects. Best are the "aeroport" type vents that have a larger radius flare to smooth the air flow and minimize any chugging noise: http://www.psp-inc.com/ Less vent area...