Recent content by Fat n Fretless

I don't think there's one instrument I've left alone: partscasters, pickups, electronics etc. Deep breath - here goes.. 4 x regular Precisions Cabronita Fretless Precision Luna P Yamaha BB300 Waterstone Lulu 3 x P/J P bitsa with 2 soapbars Jay Turser '51 Gianinni '51 Parts '51 Squier Telecaster...

Glad to hear you were able to get the action down. 2mms at the 12th is close to what I use. Are you fixed on using rounds? They will eat your fretboard in time. I have rounds on one fretless and flats on 3 others. What I lose in brightness with the flats is made up by ease in sliding and, in...

I made it through the 70's with just one bass. Started with a homemade bass with a Watkins Rapier neck. Moved on to a Japanese P copy. Gear was expensive in UK back then. In the 80's I gigged a lot with fretted and fretless pair of Westone Thunders. In the 90's a MIJ P came and went (too light)...

Thanks for replying. That's where I am right now. Drawing my own is quite an iterative process. Because the 54-p has the additional fixed reference point of the control plate, the fit has to be perfect. I'll get there in the end but it would sure save some time if I could lay my hands on an...

I recently picked up a used Jay Turser JTB401. That's the '54 p-bass look-alike. I just love that pickup! Trouble is the last owner went down the Sting route and yanked off the pickguard. I want to replace the 'guard but of course nobody offers replacements and I don't have an original to trace...

prd004 got it. Don't go anywhere near the bridge pickup if you want a "precision" tone". Also depends what sort of precision tone your buddy wants. One is the thuddy sound on flats, the other would be like Steve Harris - neck pup wide open and add some treble & grit. BTW rolling back the...

I put one of those necks on a Suier Jag HB. Thought it would be a good marriage and it sounds great. You may have got a bad 'un. I've got my neck relief at about 2mm. It took ages for the neck to shift when I adjusted the truss rod but after a week or two it seemed stable. The nut was HUGE...

Like others, I hadn't heard of Tutmarc. I'm wondering what these early pioneers did for strings. I read the Leo was unable to source anything and his early experiments used regular bull fiddle strings which he added ferrous wrapping to just in the vicinity of the pickup. As he moved closer to...

..another one, not me this time. 1979 I think, I was at the Top Rank Suite in Sheffield, England watching a band comprising Clem Clempson, Mitch Mitchell and Boz Burrell plus several other big names (it was 35 years ago - can't remember everything). Most of the band was steaming drunk. Boz...

Back in the 80's in a pub in England something made me turn around. Just in time to see an inebriate gently pouring a whole pint of peer into the top vent of my Sound City 120. The stage was too crowded with pointless backing singers to do anything about it. Moments later, the bottom end of...

Joey. That's a very neat solution to pickup placement. Why didn't I think of that. I have a precision with a MM pickup in the bridge position behind the 'guard. I still have the original precision pickup in place as well which makes for a very versatile bass. I can split the coils on the MM...

I've played in originals & covers bands since the early 70's. An originals band develops it's own identity largely based on the individual members' influences and playing style. Look what happens when Fred leaves the band and you have to replace him - it's no good choosing anyone solely based...