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'Bass Collection' Bass

P

PaulF

Nov 17, 2004
105
0
#1
Hi there !

I'm currently playing a bass made by 'Bass Collection' with a model number SB305 (it's a 5 string active bass)

I like playing the bass, it feels right for my style. However I had a few problems with the electronics last year. I had problems with a dodgy jack socket, and also the battery running down. I was never happy with the fact that you had to remove the backplate (about 6 screws) just to change the battery, so with the socket dead as well I altered it.

I now have an XLR socket in the end of the guitar, and using the 3rd pin I can send 9v to it from a power supply on my pedal board (which works really well).

Does anone out there know anything about 'Bass Collection' basses ?? - Is the preamp in the bass built to only run off 9v, or could it run from a different voltage ? Would a higher voltage increase the volume from the guitar (I tend to find it fairly quiet) ? Is there any chance it would run from the 48V Phantom power from a mixer ??

I don't really know much about this bass - I picked it up at a show in Birmingham a few years back and they guy said it was a really good deal (but I have to confess to not 'doing my homework' before I went so it could have been complete b*llsh*t). I paid about £300 for it. If anyone can tell me what they think of it (or any bass collection basses) I'd be interested.

Any thoughts / views would be welcome..

Cheers,

PaulF
 
#2
I dont know anything specific about the electronics in them, but my local music shop has a bass collection 4 string unlined fretless bass. Ive played it a few times. It currently isnt set up great: action is pretty high, but it plays and sounds nice. Has a very nice neck for only costing $225.
 
#3
I've got a Bass Collection too, but I don't anything about it either ... don't even know what type I've got. (bought it second hand for 185 Euro's)
It's a fretted four string with P/J pups and it's active.
I really like the way this bass feels and plays : very light weight, good ballance, slim and thin neck, low action.
It sounds pretty good too, but could be better.
There is some hum from the J pup and the preamp hisses a bit when the treble is boosted.
I planned to do some rewiring (shielding & star-grounding) to see if that could help, but I haven't gotten round to it yet.
 
#4
I owned a 305(?) four string fretted with a p/j config. I know that they're a knock off of the Tune Bass Maniac style basses (same factory?).
The truss rod seized after only a month of owning it (back in 1989) so it was sent back and a new neck was installed. The color between the body and the new neck weren't an exact match but I was glad to get it back. From then I found the neck to be too touchy with weather changes.
I always got a buzzing when the J pup was soloed but I found the neck to be very fast. Back in the day, my friends and I would jam on some Level 42 grooves and I was able to play those lines with ease on the BC but felt awkward on a buddy's bass playing the same tunes.
I sold it for $350 and bought a set of wheels for my road bike. :hyper:

Jon
 
#5
Bass Collection basses were made by SGC Nanyo through the '80's & into 1992 when they went out of business. There is very little information available about the company or the basses themselves. Try a web search using this wording "SGC Nanyo Bass Collection bass guitars" You'll get a little more info. You can also use the TB search, some info is there as well.

The body cavity cover should have the words "SGC Nanyo Bass Collection" printed on it. The serial number should be in the cavity. The original tuners and bridge were Gotoh's.

The basses were/are fairly popular in Europe, primarily for their light weight and general good construction. I have an SB310 4 string, rarely play it because it's just too small overall for me (I'm 6'5"), but it is a nice bass.
 
#6
teacherguy said:
I owned a 305(?) four string fretted with a p/j config. I know that they're a knock off of the Tune Bass Maniac style basses (same factory?).
The truss rod seized after only a month of owning it (back in 1989) so it was sent back and a new neck was installed. The color between the body and the new neck weren't an exact match but I was glad to get it back. From then I found the neck to be too touchy with weather changes.
I always got a buzzing when the J pup was soloed but I found the neck to be very fast. Back in the day, my friends and I would jam on some Level 42 grooves and I was able to play those lines with ease on the BC but felt awkward on a buddy's bass playing the same tunes.
I sold it for $350 and bought a set of wheels for my road bike. :hyper:

Jon
Click to expand...

wow a roadie like myself!!

i played a BC bass at a recordin studio i visited , it was a pretty sweet guitar played nice and sounded good for blues and jazz type playing (not enough natural treble for slap) i really liked the styling and finish but i have no idea how much it was worth.
 
#7
Thanks for all the info guys !

I've not been playing bass 'seriously' for that long (about 2 or 3 years), and this Bass Collection bass is my first 'real' bass (in the past I'd borrowed basses when I wanted one).

I'm really pleased with it, and it sounds like it's not a bad bass.

George Looney - I know whatyou mean about the hum - I get more hum from the back pickup (and more with the treble turned up) - let me know if you do manage to imporive it with shielding - and what you do. Also mine is worse if I'm near my amp, so maybe I need to shield that as well ??

Pointbass - Tried some web searches using "SGC Nanyo Bass Collection bass guitars" as you suggested - found a few interesting reviews - everyone seems to have good things to say about this bass.

Not having much experience of bass playing, I've been wondering if this bass was 'good enough' to be the instrument for me - I've learnt over the years (I play a variety of instruments) that although a good (or expensive) instrument won't make you play any better, and bad (or cheap) instrument can hold you back. I always try to get instrument's that are of a higher standard / quality than my playing, so that it's only my talent (or lack thereof) that holds me back. It's a difficult thing to judge, but reading what I have I'm now reassured that this Bass Collection bass isn't a 'cheap ish' bass that is likely to influence my playing, and it should be more that capable of playing anything I'm capable of in the next few years.

Now I just need to focus my GAS onto my Amp choice.... ;)

Cheers !

PaulF
 
#8
It's definitely a good gigging bass, the repairs that have to be made are minor and easily corrected. There are a few TBers that use it as their main axe ... I just can't recall their names at the moment.

It's a good bass, certainly won't hold you back. Good luck with it ....
 
#9
I have just joined the Talkbass forum and am most pleased there are people with all the questions I have had over the 17 years I have owned my SB615 bass.
I was overall extremely happy with the instrument however it always had an annoying hiss from the pre-amp. All my searching revealed no answer from the electronics manufacturer who I believe was SGC Nanyo so recently I installed a EMG P5J set of pickups which fitted perfectly and removed the original pre-amp. The change in output was unbelievable and the top end hiss is gone.
The model i have has a "paduk" timber body and maple neck with ebony fingerboard, Gotoh bridge and tuners. It is a very good looking bass and plays extremely well limited only by my ability.
I noticed that "PaulF" has fitted a Canon style output jack and I would be interested in details of how this was achieved as I do experience intermittent problems with the jack plug socket.
Great to find this site and look forward to sharing experiences with other Bass Collection instrument owners.
Grantus.
 
#10
wow, i used to have one of their old catalogs back in the day...i can't even remember where i got it from...they looked like really nice japanese made basses...moonspell's old bassist, well, their second bassist, sergio crestana recorded sin/pecado, irreligious, and darkness and hope with one...he toured live with it, too...not sure if it was original or altered, but he got a really good sound out of it
 
#11
PaulF said:
I now have an XLR socket in the end of the guitar, and using the 3rd pin I can send 9v to it from a power supply on my pedal board (which works really well).

Does anone out there know anything about 'Bass Collection' basses ?? - Is the preamp in the bass built to only run off 9v, or could it run from a different voltage ? Would a higher voltage increase the volume from the guitar (I tend to find it fairly quiet) ? Is there any chance it would run from the 48V Phantom power from a mixer ??
Click to expand...
I thought I was the only one that liked to do this sort of stuff. I've used 5 pin XLR's to run 18V from my Alembic power supply before.

Because the current is so low, you could use 48V, and run a series resistor (need to experiment to get the value right) into a 9V Zener and shunt capacitor.
 
#13
Paul I also play a Bass Collection 5 string active SB615 and am extremely happy with the instrument. I have had trouble getting info re the bass especially the electronics made by SGC Nanyo. I had a high end hiss present in the output with the treble pot wound up which was annoying to the FOH sound operator however I used all the top end to get clarity especially on the B string.
Recently I bit the bullet and replaced both pickups and electronics with an EMG P5J set and the difference was unbelievable - no hiss and huge increase in output gain and the sound came alive. I noticed you have retrofitted an XLR socket to your bass - any info on what you had to do to the body would be appreciated as i do experience intermittent problems with the jack connection. Also it would be good to contact someone else who enjoys playing these somewhat unheard of great basses.
Grantus.
 
#15
i have an sgc, sb301, i found the model number in the neck socket, i bought mine from a pawn shop for $250aus, (best $250 ever spent!) i gigged with a few times, wasnt really impressed, so it was going to be my screw around bass, i stripped back the finish from this dodgy metallic blue it used to be
RIMG1447.jpg

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RIMG1450.jpg

i hand sanded the neck by hand and took to the body with a power sander (mwah ha ha ha haaaaa) and my fiancee used automotive paint to repaint it, i found out, 1 peice maple neck, 1 peice alder body and i too had to replace the jack, $10 for a switchcraft and good as new, there is a trimpot on the circuit board which sounds to me to alter the output volume....once its been refinished it's amazing!, its getting even more play than my KSD now, if i ever find another one i'll definately try to con the missus into letting me get it

it now looks like this:
Image279.jpg

Image280.jpg

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Image282.jpg
 
#16
heath_the_great said:
i have an sgc, sb301, i found the model number in the neck socket, i bought mine from a pawn shop for $250aus, (best $250 ever spent!) i gigged with a few times, wasnt really impressed, so it was going to be my screw around bass, i stripped back the finish from this dodgy metallic blue it used to be

i hand sanded the neck by hand and took to the body with a power sander (mwah ha ha ha haaaaa) and my fiancee used automotive paint to repaint it, i found out, 1 peice maple neck, 1 peice alder body and i too had to replace the jack, $10 for a switchcraft and good as new, there is a trimpot on the circuit board which sounds to me to alter the output volume....once its been refinished it's amazing!, its getting even more play than my KSD now, if i ever find another one i'll definately try to con the missus into letting me get it
Click to expand...

Hmm, so you're saying refinishing made an amazing bass out of one that you weren't impressed with!? Interesting. :eyebrow:

Oh wait, I see now. You reshaped the neck profile?
 
#17
My Bass Collection is the second bass, the one that looks like the Godlyke, however when I look up the Jive series it looks nothing like this. My bass was made in '94.
 

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#18
I remember these basses from the 80s. The fretlesses were popular in this area, and I'd play them in shops whenever I could. I recall they were well made, nice playing basses.

As Grantus points out, The pickups are not an exotic size in these instruments, so theres no reason you couldn't replace the pickups and preamp with somethig more to your liking. We bassists have many more and better options for pickups and preamps than were available in the eighties and the switch might turn an already good bass into a great one.

Although there's nothing wrong with using the XLR jack you've installed, with a properly working preamp correctly installed, a 9V battery should last upwards of a year in an active bass. This would make the six screws a pretty small deal in the overall scheme of things.

Enjoy your bass!
E
 
#19
I've recently acquired this Rickenbacker copy, which I've fitted with D'addario flats. It sounds very sweet, but is still in need of some tweaking: the notches in the nut are too deep, so that, if you're not really gentle with it you sometimes get string clanks from up the neck when you're playing fast. I'll fix that when I get around to it. On the whole it's a good bass, and unlike a real Rick, it has 22 frets, so you have three full octaves if you need it. Good value at a third of the price of the real thing.
 

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