Fender Blacktop Club

[hillerup]

anyone here know where to look for black hardware for the tuners? or even a black pickup cover? just curious. thanks.

I replaced the tuners on my Blacktop P with Hipshot HB7 black chrome tuners, which are a direct replacement.

I bought mine on Ebay from this guy:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-BLACK-H...548?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item460c4da7d4

If you check out his store, you may find lots of genuine Fender part including several pickup/bridge covers - although none in black.

 

[hillerup]

Hey, guys,
My bridge is buzzing and I'm thinking of replacing it. I'm thinking of a Gotoh 201. Anyone put one of these on their Blacktop Jazz?
Is it a better bridge than the stock?
I'm hoping to fix a problem and make an upgrade at the same time.

I put a Gotoh 201B on my Blacktop P...

It's almost identical in size to the stock bridge, although not quite as heavy. The end part where the strings go through on the Gotoh is actually hollow, which doesn't show on pictures - I guess that explains the bridge being lighter than the stock bridge.

Soundwise, I haven't noticed any real difference - I only changed the bridge due to me wanting black hardware instead of chrome.

 

[voodoomagicboas]

I put a Gotoh 201B on my Blacktop P...

It's almost identical in size to the stock bridge, although not quite as heavy. The end part where the strings go through on the Gotoh is actually hollow, which doesn't show on pictures - I guess that explains the bridge being lighter than the stock bridge.

Soundwise, I haven't noticed any real difference - I only changed the bridge due to me wanting black hardware instead of chrome.

Thank you.

I was thinking that and Hipshot ultralites for the tuners.
Then either the 2 Seymour Duncan QPs or 1 SD QP and a Fender Original 62 in the neck position.

Do I need to replace the electronics and the nut?

 

[voodoomagicboas]

I bought my body and bridge separate. I am just using a Fender vintage style bridge. Works good for me.

Thank you, Rich!

 

[hillerup]

Thank you.

I was thinking that and Hipshot ultralites for the tuners.
Then either the 2 Seymour Duncan QPs or 1 SD QP and a Fender Original 62 in the neck position.

Do I need to replace the electronics and the nut?

I can definitely recommend the Hipshot HB7 tuners, which don't require any additional drilling of holes and have a higher ratio than the stock tuners.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Well, it finally came in, and yes, I wrote a needlessly long and boring post about it. Now I can live up to having good ol' Number Thirteen.

 

[Kukulkan61]

I dont know where else to go with this but here goes:I want a jazz bass to add to my collection but everyone I play sounds weak and tinny no oomph which is what I am used to since I am a P bass guy,I love the necks on jazz basses and the looks of it but the sound steers me away,Is there a jazz bass that has the oomph and sound of a p bass?I know about the blacktop and the modern player but which one fits what I'm wanting and which one is better? any advice would be appreciated thanks fellow bassists...

 

[Rich McCoy]

I dont know where else to go with this but here goes:I want a jazz bass to add to my collection but everyone I play sounds weak and tinny no oomph which is what I am used to since I am a P bass guy,I love the necks on jazz basses and the looks of it but the sound steers me away,Is there a jazz bass that has the oomph and sound of a p bass?I know about the blacktop and the modern player but which one fits what I'm wanting and which one is better? any advice would be appreciated thanks fellow bassists...

Get yourself a Blacktop Jazz and put some flatwounds on it.
I did!
It had rounds on it at one time, which sounded weak and tinny even on this bass.
Flats gave it balls! Big hairy balls!

 

[Malak the Mad]

I dont know where else to go with this but here goes:I want a jazz bass to add to my collection but everyone I play sounds weak and tinny no oomph which is what I am used to since I am a P bass guy,I love the necks on jazz basses and the looks of it but the sound steers me away,Is there a jazz bass that has the oomph and sound of a p bass?I know about the blacktop and the modern player but which one fits what I'm wanting and which one is better? any advice would be appreciated thanks fellow bassists...

Take a look at the post just above yours. I linked it to my NBD-post reporting on my new Blacktop Jazz and it's performance right out of the box. See if that fits your bill.

Get yourself a Blacktop Jazz and put some flatwounds on it.
I did!
It had rounds on it at one time, which sounded weak and tinny even on this bass.
Flats gave it balls! Big hairy balls!

I second the motion, but like I said in my NBD-post, I thought the stock strings sounded just fine, despite the kink in the E-string. However…

1. We all have our preferences for strings and the sounds we get out of them. There's no "right" or "wrong", just reflections of our existentially flawed perceptions.
   
2. I ended up switching out the strings to my personal preference anyway; Ernie Ball Cobalt (45-100's)…cuz I loves me that "bite" they give so well!

But yeah, Rich is right. Try out a Blacktop Jazz if you can find one and see if it's what you're looking for. After all, basically it's a Jazz bass with a pair of P-bass pickups instead of Jazzes. That's it! Sonically speaking, the neck pickup alone will give you that P-bass sound. The bridge pickup adds a whole new dimension if you want to play a bit outside the P-box.

Oh, by the way Rich, "Big hairy balls"? Eww, Man. Just…eww.

 

[Kukulkan61]

ok...thanks guys,appreciate the info,I just wonder how everyone is gonna take it when i walk out on stage with BIG HAIRY BALLS hanging off by bass...

 

[Malak the Mad]

Depends…how much AC/DC can you play?

 

[Rich McCoy]

ok...thanks guys,appreciate the info,I just wonder how everyone is gonna take it when i walk out on stage with BIG HAIRY BALLS hanging off by bass...

The women will probably love it, and the guys will probably be jealous.

But seriously, as far as flats go I am rather biased. But I am not saying one is better than the other for you.
In my experience tho, flats just go with a split-p.
You'll just have to experiment a little.
I would try a .100 - .050 flats set first if you decide to try.

 

[Kukulkan61]

Thanks guys, and if l do get one I will put chromes on it cause that's what all my basses have on them anyways, just switched to flats this year and absolutely love them..

 

[Malak the Mad]

I made some mods to my new Blacktop Jazz and added an entry onto the NBD thread I started. Rather than linking all over the place, I'm just gonna copy/paste it below.

Ciao, y'all!


Modifications Round 1: Cosmetic

I said I'd do some mods, but I decided to start off with some small, cosmetic changes. Nothing too radical nor expensive. First up was changing the pickguard screws from chrome to black. I figured it'd better compliment the Step Two.

Step Two was to attack the pickguard with a Sharpie marker to make it look like a Warmoth black/red/black guard. That alone probably saved me $35+shipping minimum, not to mention time spent waiting for it to arrive AND hoping that the new one fits at all. So, I saved some bucks and got the same result. Easy peasy!

I'll post more pics if there's anything else worth documenting.

P.S.: Is it just me or does this little bit o' cosmetic work make it look a bit like the 1960's Batmobile? I think that's kinda cool, right?

Hmmm…Danah Danah Danah Danah BASSMAN!

 

[Angel Switch]

So, I saw the Photoshopped pictures at the beginning of the thread, but has anyone actually tried/succeeded in putting pickup covers on the Blacktop Precision?

 

[hillerup]

I said I'd do some mods, but I decided to start off with some small, cosmetic changes. Nothing too radical nor expensive. First up was changing the pickguard screws from chrome to black. I figured it'd better compliment the Step Two.

Step Two was to attack the pickguard with a Sharpie marker to make it look like a Warmoth black/red/black guard. That alone probably saved me $35+shipping minimum, not to mention time spent waiting for it to arrive AND hoping that the new one fits at all. So, I saved some bucks and got the same result. Easy peasy!

I'll post more pics if there's anything else worth documenting.

P.S.: Is it just me or does this little bit o' cosmetic work make it look a bit like the 1960's Batmobile? I think that's kinda cool, right?

Love the red colour on the pickguard!!!

 

[Rich McCoy]

I made some mods to my new Blacktop Jazz and added an entry onto the NBD thread I started. Rather than linking all over the place, I'm just gonna copy/paste it below.

Ciao, y'all!


Modifications Round 1: Cosmetic

I said I'd do some mods, but I decided to start off with some small, cosmetic changes. Nothing too radical nor expensive. First up was changing the pickguard screws from chrome to black. I figured it'd better compliment the Step Two.

Step Two was to attack the pickguard with a Sharpie marker to make it look like a Warmoth black/red/black guard. That alone probably saved me $35+shipping minimum, not to mention time spent waiting for it to arrive AND hoping that the new one fits at all. So, I saved some bucks and got the same result. Easy peasy!

I'll post more pics if there's anything else worth documenting.

P.S.: Is it just me or does this little bit o' cosmetic work make it look a bit like the 1960's Batmobile? I think that's kinda cool, right?

Hmmm…Danah Danah Danah Danah BASSMAN!

Holy Pickguard Batman!!!

 

[Malak the Mad]

Holy Pickguard Batman!!!

Careful, Old Chum! We don't want to fall into the insidious clutches of…The Fiddler!

 

[Auspex]

2nd Blacktop P rolled into today. Liked my black one so much, I started scouring the 'netz for a used one in white chrome pearl.

It's soooo good looking. Put some CircleK's (.124s, drop tuned, 34"scale) on it and it sounds awesome.

I had thought about replacing the chrome hardware with black then saw Hiller's post. Holy ****, that is absolutely the direction I"m going. LOL. Good to know when an idea turns out to be good!

250K pots will be switched in both soon.

Pics of both up soon.

 

[Rich McCoy]

2nd Blacktop P rolled into today. Liked my black one so much, I started scouring the 'netz for a used one in white chrome pearl.

It's soooo good looking. Put some CircleK's (.124s, drop tuned, 34"scale) on it and it sounds awesome.

I had thought about replacing the chrome hardware with black then saw Hiller's post. Holy ****, that is absolutely the direction I"m going. LOL. Good to know when an idea turns out to be good!

250K pots will be switched in both soon.

Pics of both up soon.

My only mod was to swap the cap to a .022uF. Can't remember where I read it, but some Fender rep wrote that this would have been his choice.
I like it, it keeps the top end up there.
Two 250k pots will take away from your upper end output also. Two 500k pots in parallel leaves you with a 250k overall load, the same as a normal P-bass with one pickup. Two 250k pots leaves you with an average of 125k which will take away a lot of the that split p bite.
O waitaminut, you have the Precision blacktop. I have the Jazz...
Nevermind.