Fender Blacktop Club

[ET777]

Here's a question for the club, specifically for those who bought their's brand-new;

What year was your Blacktop manufactured and when did you buy it?

For example, I bought mine brand-new in 2013, but it was dated 2011 (MZ11******), which if I remember correctly, was the year they debuted. So, even if the series was being sold from 2011 to 2015, what years they were actually being manufactured?

Mine is MX13445048 so thats a 2013? It was new on the wall at Sam Ash but on closeout at $399. Just bought it last week.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Took the pickguard off mine today to see if I could figure out what was causing all that buzzing.

It is definitely not routed for dropping a Precision pickup in.

 

[emdsd]

Here's a question for the club, specifically for those who bought their's brand-new;

What year was your Blacktop manufactured and when did you buy it?

For example, I bought mine brand-new in 2013, but it was dated 2011 (MZ11******), which if I remember correctly, was the year they debuted. So, even if the series was being sold from 2011 to 2015, what years they were actually being manufactured?

Blacktop Jazz MX11105600 bought new in October 2011. I always like Lee Sklar's frankenbass and after
playing the Blacktop jazz just a couple minutes in the store I (and it) was sold!!
It's been my main player even since then!!!

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Here is a link to the Precision Blacktop service manual:

https://fmic1.zendesk.com/attachmen...148500XXX+Service+Manual+REV+A+02-05-2014.pdf

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I was thinking of doing a shielding job on my Blacktop, but it looks like it might already have graphite coating in the cavity. Does anyone know if it is, or a way to find out?

 

[Malak the Mad]

I was thinking of doing a shielding job on my Blacktop, but it looks like it might already have graphite coating in the cavity. Does anyone know if it is, or a way to find out?

I wouldn't be surprised if it's some kind of conductive shielding paint. I think most, if not all, MIM basses get a layer or two of it. Case in point; the MIM Jazz bodies you can buy directly from Fender have a little painted on.

Invalid Link Removed

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Hmm, I checked before & it's not conductive.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Hmm, I checked before & it's not conductive.

Huh…that's damn peculiar. Why would they go to the trouble of painting the cavities if not for a bit of shielding?

Could it be that the intent was to add some shielding, but they didn't lay down enough to be properly conductive? I remember my local tech telling me I should put down three layers to get it right.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Hmm, I just tried measuring again with my analog multimeter & the coating is conductive. The shielding has been done.

I begin to wonder what the hell is wrong with my digital multimeter.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Hmm, I just tried measuring again with my analog multimeter & the coating is conductive. The shielding has been done.

I begin to wonder what the hell is wrong with my digital multimeter.

Meh…maybe the coating is just too thin to do the job properly. Y'know, like a "good enough for government work" standard? Maybe another coating will give it the boost it needs.

I forget, which Blacktop do you have? I recently hauled my BT-Jazz out of it's case for an evening of practice and I couldn't help but notice how it's one of the most quiet basses I own (on the background noise-front, that is).

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Mine is a Precision, the one in the photo above.

I'm going to line the neck pickup cavity with aluminum foil tomorrow & see if it helps. If it does, then I will order some copper tape.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Mine is a Precision, the one in the photo above.

D'oh!! Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop reading detective novels!

 

[jbassbrown]

I did not know that there was a Blacktop club! Can I have a number? Here's mine!

And the cake version of said bass I got for my 31st birthday!

 

[gfen]

Any of you people who've previously gutted yours or built from parts bodies ever meter the stock "Blacktop Precision Pickups" to get a value from them?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I could have done this recently when I had mine apart, but didn't think of it.

 

[gfen]

I could have done this recently when I had mine apart, but didn't think of it.

I expect that's a pretty common occurance.
I emailed Fender support, but I don't expect an answer.

 

[Malak the Mad]

It's a new month and there've been some fresh Blacktop recipients, so it's time for an update to the Master List!

Hello Everyone. Two nights ago, I purchased a new Blacktop Precision, in white from Sam Ash which was on closeout. It came with flatwounds and a very nice setup. The quality of the setup and hardware was much better than the other Mexican basses there, and was fairly close to a US PBass, so I was hooked.

Number 75 goes to ET777! Welcome aboard, Sir. I'm glad to hear you got a smokin' hot deal on a great bass, even if you did have to use "The Touch" to get it working properly.

All I can say about my Fender Blacktop Precision Bass is..........
BIG BALLS!!!!

Number 76 now belongs to Nolabassist! Sorry, but I'm not going to give numbers to your individual "BIG BALLS".

I did not know that there was a Blacktop club! Can I have a number? Here's mine!

And the cake version of said bass I got for my 31st birthday!

jbassbrown is now the Keeper of Number 77! Please tell whomever baked that awesome, and hopefully "delicious" cake they get an honorary Number 77.5 for their efforts. Well done!

Dammit…now I want cake. drool I'll be right back.

#1 StrangerDanger
#2 ShadowVampyre
#3 Fair Warning
#4 unclebass
#5 StephenDaRacket
#6 Johnnywad
#7 hillerup
#8 Auspex
#9 Paradog
#10 VoodooMagicBoas
#11 emdsd
#12 Mmoore2490
#13 Malak the Mad
#14 Rich McCoy
#15 Fernandino
#16 Plectrum72
#17 Aetheriac
#18 Tom-Phil
#19 TimboZ
#20 Rabidrasbora
#21 Karkfum
#22 TheOnlyJuan
#23 Jookbox
#24 Tbone76
#25 gfen (formerly held by oysteivi)
#26 stavros911 (him and his "Aegis"!)
#27 kingofbogarts
#28 ExaltBass
#29 mizzou541 (plastic film and all)
#30 dodokns
#31 Graeme D
#32 BlueTalon
#33 Wallygator
#33.5 AbstractLunatic (So what if it's a Tele…it's still a Blacktop! Here's your honorary number with my compliments!)
#34 pastorjamesc
#35 Petesurvival
#36 MikeyV
#37 Huge
#38 BlkMt
#39 Neil2094
#40 ivorytower
#41 mmukav
#42 Chains
#43 javi_bassist
#44 Fernando Costa
#45 Big Mikey
#46 SCOMan
#47 Princedead
#48 AlarmClock314
#49 xrockstrongox
#50 Top Timmy
#51 EriktheRed
#52 Scungilli
#53 stelles75
#54 fastvee
#55 ynotnv
#56 Sleeq
#57 aksteve
#58 T. Brookins
#59 jg42
#60 bassandkeys42
#61 alfoders
#62 stgabhas
#63 Squittolo
#64 funkometer
#65 bassstrangler
#66 Broham
#67 bdwgml
#68 comatosedragon
#69 slugger
#70 Chris Fitzgerald
#71 Benko
#72 ux4484
#73 Jalan
#74 Paul Corrosion
#75 ET777
#76 Nolabassist
#77 jbassbrown
#77.5 "The Blacktop Baker"


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[subgrave]

Hello, can I play on this club?
I love my blacktop, it is a sexy Jazz that sound more punchy than a P-Bass, look at him:

 

[funkometer]

Has anyone upgraded the precision pups on their Blacktop jazz?

 

[gfen]

I've got to order a 5 hole plate and then I'm replacing the pickups and wiring in mine.