haha now I know how you take the pics of the whole bass on the table, you stand on a chair.....
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basses for newbies (SX batch build thread)
- Thread starter chunger
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Dying to hear what you think of the Select by EMG pickup in #12 and perhaps hear a sound clip. I have the same pickup in my short-scale SX and really like it. Cheap but very smooth-sounding!
I was curious about this too, and the PO had installed a nice sprague pot when wiring in the new pickup, so it's not a bad setup on that bass. Plugged into my rig, the pickup sounded really smooth and useable. I have the final strings on the basses for PLEK, so it was a good time to test for tone. There's really nothing wrong with the pickup. I guess I felt it is very close to the stock MIM p-bass pup and a good bit better than the stock SX pickup all around. Good bass extension, pleasant and present highs, and nice "right-down-the-middle" voicing.
So, then, I went and grabbed #4 to play side by side and see what's going on. . . and perhaps it's not fair to compare to a pickup that you custom developed to what you like to hear, but general voicing characteristics aside, (the "chunger" p-bass pup is quite a bit more snarley in the mids), there is a depth, transparency, and harmonic sweetness in the Nordstrand that is not there in the EMG. Even though the pickup is more aggressive in general, it carries more nuance and responds more to variations in finger touch than the EMG. From my recollection, and I don't have #7 with me to confirm, the stock NP4 also had these favorable characteristics but is voiced more scooped than the "chunger" custom version.
So, theoretically, what should have happened with the custom tweak on the p-bass pickup is bass should have increased in the chunger p-pickup but treble should also have increased to a greater extent. I'm not sure what frequency that spike is centered at though. My ear it seems primarily listens in a bass pickup for the bass responsiveness first in preference to the other frequencies. . . making me feel the custom pickup was more "right" than the stock NP4 which I felt lacked a bit particularly on the E string low notes. And having that low end, made me feel the custom pup was more "round" even though in many ways, it is more aggressively voiced than the stock NP4.
I don't know if I'm going to get a chance to track the EMG pups in this batch. I am trying to power my way through them in order to get to the 1st production batch of spec basses. I view the remainder of the SX builds as practice to streamline my process and develop pickups and grading methods. Fixing all of the assembly bugs also gets tiresome after a while. In my seat of the pants test, the Nordstrand offers enough of a tone advantage right off the bat over the EMG that I feel the added cost is substantiated especially since the p-basses are ending up wonderfully affordable on these builds which makes me very happy. Cost-wise, one less boutique pickup really makes a difference. (jazz basses and p/j basses need 2)
I have split my batch into 2 groups. These 4 instruments + whatever I can get done in the next couple of days are going into PLEK ASAP. The machine is down right now though because a new cutter blade is in-bound from Germany, so I will probably not get to it prior to my East Coast trip on the 8th. If machine time opens up, I'm going in.
Yes, it is a solid pickup. . . I think it is still possible for a very inexpensive pickup to be made that really sounds phenomenal, but from what I'm hearing so far, you get what you pay for. Meaning, I haven't found it yet. I'm sticking to Nordies especially with the custom voiced ones I'm now running.
Other companies I'm sure can also make a great pickup (Fralin, Duncan, Aero, Bartolini, etc.) But, I remember well the people who go out of their way to help me out, and Nordstrand has been outstanding on all levels. As long as they can provide me with a superior product. . . which I think they are, I will stick with them.
A friend of mine Mike Domingo is helping with some headstock design. . . his information can be found here:
Link Removed
He does some excellent work, and I'm super relieved he agreed to assist with headstock and possibly web design work because it gives me some breathing room to work on other logistics. We're starting in on preliminary drafts of the headstock design since that needs to be nailed down for my initial batch order from the factory in China. This is a huge favor because Mike knows full well this whole thing can totally tank and I do not have any money to pay him up front for his work on this project. On the back-end, I will try my best to reimburse, but a logo, a website, and possibly other publicity materials is a lot of work. Anyways, if this ship sinks, at least we'll all have fun watching it go down in slow motion.
Please remember. . . 1st pass stuff. We're just throwing some things out at this point. I just figure people might be interested in the process.
I don't know if I had mentioned it earlier, but I'm leaning towards going to 2 distinct product classes:
Chunger MODIFIED - shipped to me from the factory stripped (no electronics and frets not leveled) to be built up like I'm doing now (the original "basses for newbies" concept). These basses will then be "graded" into premium, professional, and standard grades, recorded and then sold with tiered pricing depending on grade.
Chunger STANDARD - much lower cost instrument shipped in finished condition from the factory and sold directly without me opening the box. Since I am pleased with the factory setup of the sample instrument, I feel confident this will be a good budget instrument right out of the box, or a great base for someone who would like to tweak and mod something solid.
So, I'm working on 2 different headstock logo designs for "standard" and "modified".
Link Removed
He does some excellent work, and I'm super relieved he agreed to assist with headstock and possibly web design work because it gives me some breathing room to work on other logistics. We're starting in on preliminary drafts of the headstock design since that needs to be nailed down for my initial batch order from the factory in China. This is a huge favor because Mike knows full well this whole thing can totally tank and I do not have any money to pay him up front for his work on this project. On the back-end, I will try my best to reimburse, but a logo, a website, and possibly other publicity materials is a lot of work. Anyways, if this ship sinks, at least we'll all have fun watching it go down in slow motion.
Please remember. . . 1st pass stuff. We're just throwing some things out at this point. I just figure people might be interested in the process.
I don't know if I had mentioned it earlier, but I'm leaning towards going to 2 distinct product classes:
Chunger MODIFIED - shipped to me from the factory stripped (no electronics and frets not leveled) to be built up like I'm doing now (the original "basses for newbies" concept). These basses will then be "graded" into premium, professional, and standard grades, recorded and then sold with tiered pricing depending on grade.
Chunger STANDARD - much lower cost instrument shipped in finished condition from the factory and sold directly without me opening the box. Since I am pleased with the factory setup of the sample instrument, I feel confident this will be a good budget instrument right out of the box, or a great base for someone who would like to tweak and mod something solid.
So, I'm working on 2 different headstock logo designs for "standard" and "modified".
I Like the positioning of the 1's the best. It's unique as far as I know and easily readable from any position. The C font is my favorite (the A seems a bit too old timey).
1B. but I am afraid the bottom point is too sharp on all of these. As far as log, anything clean but drop the chinese character, reminds me of slow cars with Japanese stickers, and cheapens the headstock. BTW I am half Chinese (hakka)
I like the Fender-ish font (1A) best, but in any case like the vertical "Chunger" logo (horizontal when played, obviously).
And I second the motion towards discarding the Chinese character, unless it is integral to you personally or your mission.
And I second the motion towards discarding the Chinese character, unless it is integral to you personally or your mission.
Rick Auricchio
Registered Bass Offender
Both points on the headstock look too sharp, but that may just be the way the computer graphics drew them.
A sharp edge doesn't hold finish well, and it can cut your hand. A 1/16" radius would retain the point's appearance while breaking the sharp corner.
1C or 3C for me, with or without the Chinese character. 1C is harder to print close to the tuner. No parentheses on 3C.
A sharp edge doesn't hold finish well, and it can cut your hand. A 1/16" radius would retain the point's appearance while breaking the sharp corner.
1C or 3C for me, with or without the Chinese character. 1C is harder to print close to the tuner. No parentheses on 3C.
The logo's been with me for a long, long time:
[/QUOTE]
Just the "chung" character in my name penned by my grandmother who was an accomplished calligrapher. We are, after all building "cheap Chinese basses" here. If it gives the workers at the factory another point of pride to up the quality a few notches, I'm all for it.
Character is "middle" same character as China "middle country".. . . and I like my midrange snarley and agressive
Just the "chung" character in my name penned by my grandmother who was an accomplished calligrapher. We are, after all building "cheap Chinese basses" here. If it gives the workers at the factory another point of pride to up the quality a few notches, I'm all for it.
Character is "middle" same character as China "middle country".. . . and I like my midrange snarley and agressive
I personally like this one:
But i'd change two things!
1) The string tree... i'd use a 4 string tree.. and then the 'Chunger' letters would be parallel with it (i have OCD when it comes to alignments)
2) The logo on the right.. i'd put it vertically on the same place OR vertically to the right of the G string tuner.. but i'd have to see that on draws.. i don't know how to photoshop it.. so.. hehe..
This is not a change but a variation (since you're going with Modified and Standard)
Instead of using (std) on Standard.. you could use the whole word to maintain the same pattern on the basses, hopefully you'll understand what i'm trying to say!
But IMO, they all look amazing.. i just happen to like this particular one
keep it up, Chung!
But i'd change two things!
1) The string tree... i'd use a 4 string tree.. and then the 'Chunger' letters would be parallel with it (i have OCD when it comes to alignments)
2) The logo on the right.. i'd put it vertically on the same place OR vertically to the right of the G string tuner.. but i'd have to see that on draws.. i don't know how to photoshop it.. so.. hehe..
This is not a change but a variation (since you're going with Modified and Standard)
Instead of using (std) on Standard.. you could use the whole word to maintain the same pattern on the basses, hopefully you'll understand what i'm trying to say!
But IMO, they all look amazing.. i just happen to like this particular one
keep it up, Chung!
I personally like this one:
But i'd change two things!
1) The string tree... i'd use a 4 string tree.. and then the 'Chunger' letters would be parallel with it (i have OCD when it comes to alignments)
2) The logo on the right.. i'd put it vertically on the same place OR vertically to the right of the G string tuner.. but i'd have to see that on draws.. i don't know how to photoshop it.. so.. hehe..
This is not a change but a variation (since you're going with Modified and Standard)
Instead of using (std) on Standard.. you could use the whole word to maintain the same pattern on the basses, hopefully you'll understand what i'm trying to say!
But IMO, they all look amazing.. i just happen to like this particular one
+1
I like the headstock design, though. Looks good.
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