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Custom singlecut 4 string fretless for Luther

#121
jordan_frerichs said:
nice!. hey, i am curious of the sound of your pickups. they have always looked sweet, i have a curiousity of things like, if you mixed this and that in a pickup, would it be like this. would i be able to buy pickups you make? if so, could i have them made custom?
Click to expand...

First of all, note that this bass will have a custom bill lawrence pickup supplied by the customer. Because I make pickups 100% by hand I am limited as to what I can offer in an efficient and cost effective manner, but PM me if you're interested. This same hand-made limitation is what allows me to do custom configs.

As for the sound, that's a very subjective subject, but if you go through the builds on my website or search for the build threads I've started here you'll find I always post a sound clip (be it with off the shelf brand name pickups or custom made by me). That should give you a pretty good idea since almost always the pickups I make are wound for a specific sound the customer may be looking for.
 
#122
done.

clips.
first one is a regular groove. second one is my jaco-esque impression of 'feeling alright' played with a more latin bass groove.
http://www.archive.org/details/LutherPennsBass1

pics.
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#126
eude said:
Absolutely gorgeous!
Sounds amazing too.

How's the tension on the strings with the shorter scales length?

Cheers,
Eude
Click to expand...

Thanks! Luther was already using ultra heavy gauge strings, so they actually feel incredibly tight, even more than medium gauge on a 35" scale. They are .50-.110! DR lo-riders.

PS. crap! listening back to the clip now I was really rushing that first one and really lost my groove on the second one a few times, too!
 
#127
Nice one, I'm really interested in exploring shorter scale instruments.
I'm currently playing a 33" 6er, but thinking about maybe going shorter...

Don't worry about the playing, it was hella impressive on a fretless instrument with no lines and a scale you ain't used to!

Top bass and top playing!

Eude

wilser said:
Thanks! Luther was already using ultra heavy gauge strings, so they actually feel incredibly tight, even more than medium gauge on a 35" scale. They are .50-.110! DR lo-riders.

PS. crap! listening back to the clip now I was really rushing that first one and really lost my groove on the second one a few times, too!
Click to expand...
 
#130
RLK said:
Another unique (and sweet sounding) beauty!
Once more, Bravo, Wilser.

Any shots of the finished string/battery cavity open?

The ash and maple appears more "golden" than previous builds.
Is that the lighting, or did you do something different with the finishing?
Click to expand...

hey uncle-bob, thanks!

the battery/string cavity looks basically the same, I didn't do anything to it but install a battery holder and the triple lockdown through bolts.

As far as the finish goes, you've got a good eye. The lacquer is tinted with honey amber dye to give it a bit of a vintage nitro kinda look. It went in a bit more yellow than I would have liked. I should have probably done half tinted, half clear to achieve the exact look I was going for, but I guess it's not too bad.

I gotta say that I really like that Bill Lawrence pickup! it's a lot hotter than I expected and pairs excellent with the audere 3ZB.
 
#131
scottyd said:
Looks great! Not only are you a fine builder you've got some killer chops!
Click to expand...

Thanks Scott! I wish I had more patience to record better tracks. I usually just record the first or second take and don't bother much with mistakes, etc. You can tell that the Joe Cocker tune is a first take deal ...luckily it's a simple 2 chord progression. I wish I had more time to practice :(
 
#132
Looks great, wil, and it sounds great, too.

Is that layer of birdseye buried in there to serve a specific tonal purpose? :eek:
;) :)
Seriously, that bass almost makes me like purple heart. I like the slightly grayish look to the fingerboard.

So, do I understand correctly that that is a custom Bill Lawrence pup, but is a second copy of a previously done custom design? And, you're comfortable talking about it, was the cost at all notable in either the cheap or expensive direction?
 
#133
pilotjones said:
Looks great, wil, and it sounds great, too.

Is that layer of birdseye buried in there to serve a specific tonal purpose? :eek:
;) :)
Seriously, that bass almost makes me like purple heart. I like the slightly grayish look to the fingerboard.

So, do I understand correctly that that is a custom Bill Lawrence pup, but is a second copy of a previously done custom design? And, you're comfortable talking about it, was the cost at all notable in either the cheap or expensive direction?
Click to expand...

yeah, the tonal reason for the birdseye is that 'airy' quality (get it? birdseye, bird, fly, air? c'mon!). Yeah, right :D

The purpleheart fingerboard is a Gallery Hardwoods acrylized job, so I didn't coat it or oil it or anything. It is much lighter in color from the rest of the purpleheart used in the bass, but even those were darkened some by the tinted finish.

As for the pickup, Luther has a custom bass that's about 20 years old and it has a BL pickup. He called Bill and he said he's not making that model anymore. He nagged and nagged even to Bill's wife until they finally gave in and he ordered 3 of them, one of those is this one. The other 2 may be used for future projects. He's pretty much set on his sound and this pickup being part of it. I have no idea what they cost him and no idea what the specs are or how they are different from a standard BL, but I do think Luther mentioned it's based on a guitar humbucker, if I remember correctly.
 
#134
wilser said:
Thanks Scott! I wish I had more patience to record better tracks. I usually just record the first or second take and don't bother much with mistakes, etc. You can tell that the Joe Cocker tune is a first take deal ...luckily it's a simple 2 chord progression. I wish I had more time to practice :(
Click to expand...

Believe me,I know what you mean. It seems like the only time I have to play is when I'm recording the soundclips and then I rush through them out of frustration with my playing. That aside it's still easy to tell that you're a very talented player even if the mistakes are there, which to me a real groove should have it's fair share of.;)
 
#135
another jaw dropping bass wil... and your chops are obvious man! you're just being humble as usual. I like the vintage look of the finish though... the honeyed amber looks just right I think. i'm looking forward to luther posting some clips of it when he gets it in his hands.

peace
 

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