black & blond P makeover (etc)

[JIO]

Perhaps because it has a Fender logo on it?

one of many readily available

 

[JIO]

Well, if one waits long enough… so I just secured one of the hard to find chrome TEB-101 (70's style) RI Telecaster bass hum-buckers that alluded me last June - and NOS to boot. So my Fiesta red J w/a maple P neck will be a 3 pu bass soon. I really like how it sounds - very J and on the bright side. This addition will help put some low-end in the mix. I recently had Hipshot convert the 80's Ibanez heart-shaped E tuner for their drop-D mechanism thanks to Jason at bassstringsonline, our go-to guy for all things strings. Amazingly enough HS does a pre-made version of that tuner but it's not exactly the same. (it uses their proprietary 'block' worm-gear posts - it's what I don't like about their late 60's RI lollypops also) This way everything's in synch and copacetic. Stay tuned for the further adventures of GEO'S MOD-SQUAD!

oh.., and while I'm at it - I will need to add another V knob for the 101. As I've matched pu's with knobs (colour) I will most likely add a chrome knob, and add it across from the center of the pu on the right. (to keep it out of the way of my right hand when playing) So the logical style would be a top-hat knob. I found a plain chromed metal one which would work. Also found chrome-plated plastic ones like the others.., but will pass as they look cheesy/cheap. Any other option will need to be as low a profile, so possibly a shorty or mini-dome or some such thing. (nothing from China) Ideas are welcomed!

excuse the blurry pic, I didn't feel like setting up a tripod…

 

[JIO]

Something like this - a low profile knob which I could also forstner-bit recess into the thick pg.

 

[Will_White]

Something like this - a low profile knob which I could also forstner-bit recess into the thick pg.

I love how this bass looks like it's a hodgepodge but it still has a coherent theme. I think a chrome top hat or bell knob would look good, for something a little out of left field there's the chrome shotshell knobs that are really low profile. Chrome 12 Gauge Shotgun Shell Knob | Allparts.com

edited for coherence

 

[JIO]

I love how this bass looks like it's a hodgepodge but it is still looks like a coherent theme. I think a chrome top hat or bell knob would look good, for something a little out of left field there's the chrome shotshell knobs that are really low profile. Chrome 12 Gauge Shotgun Shell Knob | Allparts.com

Thanks - yah, it will be a hodgepodge which intrigues me and turns me off a bit at the same time, but being it's a parts bass and I have a few dedicated J's of different varieties… I figure why not. I'm on the fence about a chrome top-hat knob but it could work, especially if I sink it into the pg a bit. May just go ahead and order one. The shotgun knob… ah, no - no gun fetish/references for Geo.

 

[Will_White]

Thanks - yah, it will be a hodgepodge which intrigues me and turns me off a bit at the same time, but being it's a parts bass and I have a few dedicated J's of different varieties… I figure why not. I'm on the fence about a chrome top-hat knob but it could work, especially if I sink it into the pg a bit. May just go ahead and order one. The shotgun knob… ah, no - no gun fetish/references for Geo.

Yeah it's definitely not for everyone/every build, I personally wouldn't use it but not for the same reasons. I saw it when I was scrolling through the all parts knob section, which I might add is kind of boring, and noticed it was about as low profile as you can get without modifying the pot.

 

[JIO]

Yeah it's definitely not for everyone/every build, I personally wouldn't use it but not for the same reasons. I saw it when I was scrolling through the all parts knob section, which I might add is kind of boring, and noticed it was about as low profile as you can get without modifying the pot.

yes - on eBay, unless you narrow the search to "white plastic guitar knobs" (over a thousand listed there alone) you will go blind searching for the perfect knob!

 

[JIO]

The Fender TEB-101 pu should be here this week - I started a thread in 'Pickups & Electronics' to get advice on how I can wire it. So far I'm leaning toward as simple as possible with an added V knob for it and everything else the same as it is as it sounds really good now. So once wired hopefuly I can dial in only the neck-bucker by itself (which would give me a tone option currently not available) or drop it out of the mix for its current configuration. Blending the 3 pu's could be cool but splitting coils etc gets too complicated for my needs. Also, I ordered a chrome metal top-hat knob and will see if it makes the cut.

My headstock 'name' begs the response; "I've never seen a REDER bass before" to which my reply will be; "I haven't either - this one's about as red as you get!"

 

[JIO]

I think it's a keeper - and with a 1/16" recess it will be perfect. Design continuity has been achieved.

 

[JIO]

Ok - so I received the NOS plastic film still in place Fender-bucker… it is quite the chunk of metal, wire and magnets. (12oz!) With nearly a pound of added weight it's going to push this already 'not light' 9lb/10oz bass into my weight-limit red zone. (suitable only in the respect of how RED it is) I took it to rehearsal last week and although it generally sounded good I did feel it lacked a little in the bottom/punch dept. This beast of a pu would certainly remedy that deficiency. Where it's sitting in the 1st pic is where it rests best, about mid way between the neck & Fender Super 55 pu. Another consideration is replacing the Dimarzio Model J with it (maintaining the 2 pu configuration) or replacing the Super 55 in the P position. Either way it would definitely provide the added girth w/o getting all triple-pu on it - a consideration for sure in the simplicity dept. If doing this, I could do some forstner-bit chambering under the pg to lighten it a bit - at least to compensate for the added 12oz. Looks like it will further develop 'next year'…

 

[mapleglo]

You may want to just hook up that pickup to an amp, have someone hold the pickup above the strings while you play, and hear if it'll provide the sound you're looking for, before you start cutting routs in the bass.

Just a thought.

 

[JIO]

You may want to just hook up that pickup to an amp, have someone hold the pickup above the strings while you play, and hear if it'll provide the sound you're looking for, before you start cutting routs in the bass.

Just a thought.

Well, one idea I had was to do as much wood removal under the pg as possible to lighten it so if I routed out for the big bucker from the neck pocket to the bottom of the pg I could move it up or down to locate the optimal position. Another pg to cut would be in order once that is determined. So first I'll do that before thinking about routing in the bridge position.

 

[JIO]

So here we go on project 2 for the new year, continued from last year. The goals; to lighten and create routs for pu location options.

Marked off and ready to drill

First chamber - It's so much fun drilling into a shiny red guitar!

1.5" deep (1-3/4" body)

Ok, at this stage the bass (w/pg) weighs 9lbs/6oz, so it's lost 4oz. The pu weighs 12oz so another 8oz removed need to happen just to break even. (my #1 goal)

Two position routs - one near the neck for a 3 pu option, and one at the J neck pu rout which would be for replacing the J for a two pu option. The lower position is near the classic P position, a little further north. The bar between will be for stabilizing the pg as both pu routes will be 'swimming pool' routes, both at 1.5" deep. This should get me those 8oz I hope.

 

[Will_White]

So here we go on project 2 for the new year, continued from last year. The goals; to lighten and create routs for pu location options.

Marked off and ready to drill

First chamber - It's so much fun drilling into a shiny red guitar!

1.5" deep (1-3/4" body)

Ok, at this stage the bass (w/pg) weighs 9lbs/6oz, so it's lost 4oz. The pu weighs 12oz so another 8oz removed need to happen just to break even. (my #1 goal)

Two position routs - one near the neck for a 3 pu option, and one at the J neck pu rout which would be for replacing the J for a two pu option. The lower position is near the classic P position, a little further north. The bar between will be for stabilizing the pg as both pu routes will be 'swimming pool' routes, both at 1.5" deep. This should get me those 8oz I hope.

Looks like you have options for the third volume pot placement too

 

[JIO]

9lbs/2oz (lost another 4oz) … so one more same size route where the J pu is and we'll be at my target weight with a total weight loss of 12oz - exactly what the Fender bucker weighs. So either I can install it in place of the J pu and deduct that pu's 3oz weight, or add it in the upper position and be at the same weight as I started with, adding a very minimal additional weight from the pot/knob. (less than an ounce)

 

[JIO]

8lbs/14oz (w/J pu) - mission accomplished. I will now position & wire up the bucker in both cavities to hear how it sounds (w/o the neck J pu). If it rocks in the P position (neck bucker/bridge J mix) - that will work. If it sounds best in the neck-hugger position - the door will be open for adding the J to the mix.

 

[wraub]

Oh my...

 

[BusyFingers]

8lbs/14oz (w/J pu) - mission accomplished. I will now position & wire up the bucker in both cavities to hear how it sounds (w/o the neck J pu). If it rocks in the P position (neck bucker/bridge J mix) - that will work. If it sounds best in the neck-hugger position - the door will be open for adding the J to the mix.

Interesting. So you're going to put two of those big fender jobbers in?

 

[JIO]

Interesting. So you're going to put two of those big fender jobbers in?

No, just one in one of the two (rout) positions. I wanted a situation where I could test the optimal position for the big bucker. The bass w/2 J's sounded good but lacked a bit in the low end punch dept. Considering how heavy the Fender bucker is (heavy magnets) it alone should deliver more beef in either position, and out of the two it would be optimally low-end at the neck-hugger position. 70's Tele basses (like Gibson EB-0's) were know for their 'muddy tone. With the hot bridge J (Dimarzio Model J) hopes are it will round the mud out and provide some 'scoop' and treble.

 

[BusyFingers]

No, just one in one of the two (rout) positions. I wanted a situation where I could test the optimal position for the big bucker. The bass w/2 J's sounded good but lacked a bit in the low end punch dept. Considering how heavy the Fender bucker is (heavy magnets) it alone should deliver more beef in either position, and out of the two it would be optimally low-end at the neck-hugger position. 70's Tele basses (like Gibson EB-0's) were know for their 'muddy tone. With the hot bridge J (Dimarzio Model J) hopes are it will round the mud out and provide some 'scoop' and treble.

nice