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Brubaker Brute Club, Part 2

#981
I plan on doing a vid after the fact. In fact my bass was a prototype so I doubt if the pups and pre in that bass were as good as what's being offered in the current Brutes. I am going to run some new strings I just got to try out. D'Orazio Stainless Steel from Italy. So basically we'll have a freshly painted SC, with Bart Upgrade and new D'Orazio strings. I slap and I know without the install this bass is going to sound nice once done. I'm expecting a nice low mid fingerstyle with a hi-fi slap tone as well. The MM will be split series/paralle/south coil. Front pup and south coil will come close to a JB slap tone. I did the smae with my black brute MJX-5 but it has Reed James Neo Bars (J/MM) set with the Bart NTMB 4.6 AP pre.
 
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#982
What I don't understand is why you guys are doing electronics swaps... are the Barts really that much better than the stock pups? Cuz I do really like the tone I get from my JJX5 as it sits. All great except for the dead treble pot, ahah.
Would also love to hear it when you're done Phillybass!
 
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#984
Walt, you're gonna love the three way switching setup with those new electronics - just did a similar install on my new bass with the Bart DCs and there is some amazing flexibility in there. The ultimate in versatility. Looking forward to hearing how you like it on yours.

Lonnybass
 
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#985
Just took the plunge and bought one of these bad boys... Paid a little extra to get the Satin Tobacco Sunburst... Will post pics when it gets here next week. Almost NBD for me!

s-l1600.jpg
 
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#987
IT'S HERE! Gimme a club number!!

Tuned it up, played it for a minute. Very comfortable, good intonation, low action, but the B buzzes a bit on notes below E. going to let it "settle" a bit since it was tuned a little low and who knows what temperatures it endured during shipping. Might need a tiny bit of neck relief if being brought up to tune doesn't do it. Might also need some shielding. It hums a bit with both pickups on an the bridge in humbucker mode. I'll play it at rehearsal tonight and give a more full impression.


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#988
Calling all Brubaker experts!

I really want a Brute MJXsc, but I want it to come in five strings and UNLINED fretless. I emailed Brubaker and they basically told me that they'd rip the frets out for me if I wanted, but I'd have live with lined.

I don't want lined, so now I'm considering buying one stock and having a luthier replace the fingerboard and convert to unlined fretless.

1. Is that a terrible idea? Are there complications I'm not foreseeing? Is it just inefficient?

2. I'm guessing it would cost me $400-500 to convert? Am I about right?

3. Does the Brute MJXsc lend itself to fretless play? Has anyone else made a conversion?

Thanks!
 
#989
Eminor3rd said:
Calling all Brubaker experts!

I really want a Brute MJXsc, but I want it to come in five strings and UNLINED fretless. I emailed Brubaker and they basically told me that they'd rip the frets out for me if I wanted, but I'd have live with lined.

I don't want lined, so now I'm considering buying one stock and having a luthier replace the fingerboard and convert to unlined fretless.

1. Is that a terrible idea? Are there complications I'm not foreseeing? Is it just inefficient?

2. I'm guessing it would cost me $400-500 to convert? Am I about right?

3. Does the Brute MJXsc lend itself to fretless play? Has anyone else made a conversion?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

DO NOT have the fretboard removed. A lot of cost for pretty something that can be done on the cheap. You're not thinking about this in an efficient, cost-saving manner.

All the Brubaker brutes I've ever seen have come with a maple board.
Maple veneer is super common. Very easy to find. I bought 8 yards x 1.5 feet of the stuff for like... 15$, and it was even figured.
If we put 2 and 2 together, we get a lined fretless with nearly invisible fretlines.
That, and it won't cost you nearly as much.

As far as fretless play... well since they didn't come in a fretless (AFAIK) you're unlikely to get an answer.
 
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#990
BioWeapon said:
DO NOT have the fretboard removed. A lot of cost for pretty something that can be done on the cheap. You're not thinking about this in an efficient, cost-saving manner.

All the Brubaker brutes I've ever seen have come with a maple board.
Maple veneer is super common. Very easy to find. I bought 8 yards x 1.5 feet of the stuff for like... 15$, and it was even figured.
If we put 2 and 2 together, we get a lined fretless with nearly invisible fretlines.
That, and it won't cost you nearly as much.

As far as fretless play... well since they didn't come in a fretless (AFAIK) you're unlikely to get an answer.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply!

Ok, so please excuse my complete ignorance with woodworking stuff: Are you saying I should try to cover the lines with a maple veneer? So (1) pull the frets out myself, (2) find a veneer with a depth that matches the depth of the fret slots, and (3) cut the veneer into tiny pieces to fill the slots?
 
#991
Eminor3rd said:
Thanks for the reply!

Ok, so please excuse my complete ignorance with woodworking stuff: Are you saying I should try to cover the lines with a maple veneer? So (1) pull the frets out myself, (2) find a veneer with a depth that matches the depth of the fret slots, and (3) cut the veneer into tiny pieces to fill the slots?
Click to expand...

Yes, that is exactly correct! :)
When you pull the frets out you'll notice the tang (piece that sinks into the wood) is about the same width as standard veneer. Also, since the fingerboard is maple which is rather soft for a fretless board, you could definitely benefit from a hard coating/finish on the top of the fingerboard to minimize string wear.
 
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#994
And I said:
IT'S HERE! Gimme a club number!!

Tuned it up, played it for a minute. Very comfortable, good intonation, low action, but the B buzzes a bit on notes below E. going to let it "settle" a bit since it was tuned a little low and who knows what temperatures it endured during shipping. Might need a tiny bit of neck relief if being brought up to tune doesn't do it. Might also need some shielding. It hums a bit with both pickups on an the bridge in humbucker mode. I'll play it at rehearsal tonight and give a more full impression.


Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...
I experienced some hum with my Brute 5 string too when I first got it, along with some fret buzz up around 12/13 on the E and A strings. I took it a local guy, and after checking it out he needed to level two frets. We also figured out that the pickup switch and instrument jack, weren't connected very well. Once we Reconnected everything, the hum was greatly reduced. It's to the point that I sometimes get it in my house (which has horrible power and does it to other basses, and plays havoc on amps, and monitors) but never hear it anywhere else I've plugged in.

I was a little bummed to have to do that work, but now it plays like butter and has become my main bass. I would love to get the chance to play one of his higher end basses sometime.
 
#996
Learned a few things at rehearsal.

1. I need to re-learn how to play 5-string. ;) I was mostly just playing my 4-string lines, but a few times got lost even just doing that.

2. The Brute plays great and the neck is super comfortable. I love the smooth feel and it's exactly the right thickness for its width. The tone with stock pickups and preamp is exactly what I was after. The bridge pickup soloed is MEAN. Totally has the gritty Music-Man thing down, but... with more brutishness... It's aptly named. I do think some Barts will go in there eventually, but the stock pups will do nicely until I re-learn how to properly use the 5. It sounds clear and defined, with plenty of attitude and versatility just with the pickup blend and coil tap.

3. Intonation is great. It stays in tune.

4. It's not "light" but it's lighter than my Warmoth 4-string PJ. My back sucks, so this is good.
 
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