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Belvedere or Jack Casady?

#61
1stnamebassist said:
I got the bass through GC so I can return it within 30 days. Got it set up pretty good and tried it out last night. Everybody liked the look of it and one guy played it and liked it. Sounds great. Not sure yet what i'll do. Playing it at church tonight. I found the neck a little chunkier than i'm used to and also neck heavy to the point it was really digging into the web of my palm after awhile. One other thing when I turned the volume all the way down the bass could still be heard through the amp at low volume. Never seen that before. I wonder if that is fixable or do I need to replace the pot? I hate the strings it came with! I will put elixers on it if I decide to keep it. Not really a big fan of flats. I like a little more feedback from my strings. Flats are a little dead although when I put some on my rick it sounded great!
Click to expand...

If you can still hear the bass through your amp when the volume is all the way down, it's probably just a bad pot, which can be replaced.

As for strings, I also could not stand the strings that came stock on my Jackbass. I quickly put a set of Blue Steels on it, and it made all the difference in the world. Vast improvement!

I have also had Rotosound 77 flats on my bass, and liked the sound very much. Woody, and very upright-sounding.

I once put a set of Labella 1954 James Jamerson flats on, but they were on for three days only; the tension felt so high I thought they were going to pull the bridge off the bass. Plus they had very little high end compared with the other sets. I didn't like them at all.

The latest set that I had on were Fender Super Bass roundwounds. These had the most bottom of all the sets I've had on my Jackbass.

You sound like you're sitting on the fence as to whether or not you should return your bass.

If I may offer my opinion, I would say get the few bugs your bass has ironed out. If you do, I think you will really like this bass.

Good luck.

Mike ;)
 
#63
Well so far I still have it. If I decide to keep it I know some of the changes I need to make. Have to get new pots eventually so I will probably get a new input jack at the same time. Maybe at some point a hipshot bridge and possibly lightweight tuners. Straplocks will be installed, possibly moving the neck one up a bit and to the right. It would be a small amount but it may help a bit with neck dive and also the bass wanting to lean forward away from the body. Also a wider leather strap. I'm loving the sound! What a difference when switching from pick to fingers! More so than any other bass that I can think of. Its like two different instruments. I just ordered up a used Dano Longhorn today also. Can't wait to get my hands on that!
 
#64
Well my Dipinto was TOP NOTCH right out of the box nothing to do to it. LOVE LOVE LOVE this tone and the way it plays no neck dive at all 24 fret and everyone comments how awesome it is.. if you ever see one try it out you will not be disapointed
 
#69
1stnamebassist said:
Also if anyone has replaced the pots or input jacks, do you have any recommendations? I've never had to do that with any bass I have owned in the past so i'm open to suggestions. I'm leaving the variotone as is.
Click to expand...

It's hard to do a search on this: If you search for "casady and jack" you won't find what you're looking for!

Here's an old thread that contains lots of useful information about jacks, pots, and setup:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/epi-jack-casady-pots-496455/

BTW, not to nitpick, but it's an output jack, not an input jack!
 
#70
Yeah, but I plug in my cable so I have always called it an input jack! I stand corrected! Thanks for the info it is greatly appreciated. I still have the bass and enjoying it more and more as I play it. Still have the same pots for now and bought a wide leather strap which helped the dive issue a bit. Will post pics eventually along with my new used Dano Longhorn. Waiting on my Carvin micro bass amp too!
 
#71
A few thoughts on the neck-dive issue: (1) As you already know, another option is to switch out the tuning machines for Ultralites; that definitely helps. (2) I'd be reluctant to move the strap button, or install a straplock in a different place, without doing some careful research first. It might be that there is a good reason why they didn't put it where you think it should be. There might not be, but I'd sure want to be certain before I started drilling. (3) Do some experimenting with your strap at different lengths. You might find that carrying the JC a little lower or a little higher than you ordinarily carry your other basses helps with the neck dive and/or is more comfortable.

One more thought: I don't know if Evan is still making these things, but I got one a long time ago and like it. I'm not sure that the extra weight is enough to noticeably affect the neck-dive (though it might), or whether it actually increases sustain as he claims (which it might), but it definitely is helpful for certain kinds of strings which require a greater distance between the end of the string and the saddle:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f221/webbteca-musical-industries-presents-mod-bar-725246/
 
#73
Yes I have been considering the mod bar. The extra weight may help a bit. Also the intonation by getting the silk wraps off the saddle. I put a set of clear tone strings on because they don't have any wrap and they made intonating the bass much easier. I was having trouble with the G string on the set it came with. The wrap was resting on the saddle. No matter how much I moved the saddle it would not correct. The Cleartone strings sound pretty sweet also. As far as moving the strap button, someone had posted pictures where they moved the one behind the neck to the right a bit to help with the forward lean of the bass. It moves it off the centerline a bit which may help some. I was thinking the same and slightly toward the neck to balance it a bit. I had to do that with a thunderbird before and had no issues and it helped a lot. But I may just leave it as is. I'm starting to get used to it especially with the wider strap.
 
#78
Here is my DIPINTO .... when I get some good shots done at gigs I will post them as well:bassist:
 

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#79
Lobster11 said:
A few thoughts on the neck-dive issue: (1) As you already know, another option is to switch out the tuning machines for Ultralites; that definitely helps. (2) I'd be reluctant to move the strap button, or install a straplock in a different place, without doing some careful research first. It might be that there is a good reason why they didn't put it where you think it should be. There might not be, but I'd sure want to be certain before I started drilling. (3) Do some experimenting with your strap at different lengths. You might find that carrying the JC a little lower or a little higher than you ordinarily carry your other basses helps with the neck dive and/or is more comfortable.

One more thought: I don't know if Evan is still making these things, but I got one a long time ago and like it. I'm not sure that the extra weight is enough to noticeably affect the neck-dive (though it might), or whether it actually increases sustain as he claims (which it might), but it definitely is helpful for certain kinds of strings which require a greater distance between the end of the string and the saddle:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f221/webbteca-musical-industries-presents-mod-bar-725246/
Click to expand...

I love my JC bass! It is very sensitive to rt hand placement and technique which can yield a variety of attack/tones. Because the basic tone was so good I decided to address the ergonomics.
First off, i got a high quality strap and have the bass ride a good bit lower than my Fenders. This put my right hand comfortably near the neck. Added Hipshot ultralight tuners. Then the best part, which completed the work, was the steel bar discussed above. Totally balanced the instrument and really "opened up" the tone. Best, and lowest cost, mod I have ever done. the bridge does need to be setup properly, so I took it to Mouradian for my annual setup. He dug the bar-mod as well.
I have tried Blue Steels, Fender pure nickel and some other rounds, but keep coming back to flat. Used Chromes for a few years, but on this bass they were kind of stiff. Got TI Jazz Flats on it now and while they are too soft on my other basses, they feel perfect on the JC.
Subbed on a roots gig last week. Took the JC and my PF500/115. Set the tone switch in the mid position. The tone was sublime! Just fat and clear with mid growl for days. Three bass players happened to be there and all were crowding around during the break!

Best of luck with it!
=JR=
 

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