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G&L Club Part 4
- Thread starter Bryan R. Tyler
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Imagine a walnut fretless M-2000 with unlined ebony fingerboard and black hardware, strung with Black Nylons...
Chef
In Memoriam
I really love GHS Precision Flats on my L2000 from time to time- it can get fairly mellow, but keeps articulation very well too. Think Jack Casady sorta tone. I tried several other flats on that bass, and something about the GHS and the MFD pickups are just a magical combo! Even with flats though, the midrange-forward character of those pickups really puts the sound up front. One thing I have noticed is that turning down the bass cut control on my L2000 also seems to cut into the mids somewhat (very noticeable if I cut below halfway on the Bass knob). You might try that and then adding lows back on your amp (though that shouldn't be necessary with the Streamliner!). Also playing with the Volume control can mellow the tone as well, especially in passive mode.
Well, the ASAT neck arrived. The duct tape gunk on the headstock came off with alcohol, but some of the glue has seeped into the rosewoo d so it's harder to get out. Still working on it. The rest of the parts are from Gelb Music in Redwood City, CA.
My luthier has a wood-finished Jazz body and he says the neck will fit it and we only need to move the Badass bridge a bit to fit the 21th fret in.
I'll probably start a build thread in the "Basses" section.
EDIT: Ski wax remover worked quite nicely on the glue stains and drenching the neck in lemon oil made it look almost as new.
My luthier has a wood-finished Jazz body and he says the neck will fit it and we only need to move the Badass bridge a bit to fit the 21th fret in.
I'll probably start a build thread in the "Basses" section.
EDIT: Ski wax remover worked quite nicely on the glue stains and drenching the neck in lemon oil made it look almost as new.
So the other neck arrived. I'd like to hear this club's verdict on the looks.
Before:
(The neck is a planed-to-fretless skijump conversion)
After:
(This neck is an eBay 1983 SB-2 that Chef says he wanted to get)
I got the setup almost there, it's still a bit high. I guess I will let it sit a while and retweak. So far so good. A former bandmate said after trying it: "This is a bass with which you shouldn't need another."
Before:
(The neck is a planed-to-fretless skijump conversion)
After:
(This neck is an eBay 1983 SB-2 that Chef says he wanted to get)
I got the setup almost there, it's still a bit high. I guess I will let it sit a while and retweak. So far so good. A former bandmate said after trying it: "This is a bass with which you shouldn't need another."
I wanted to post some thoughts about my G&L JB after owning it and playing it almost exclusively for 6 months.
Link to the photo
Overall, it is a decent bass. I prefer it over my 2006 Pedulla Thunderbass. The sound is not as full and thick as some of my other basses, but this might be related to the pickups (currently using the stock setup), as well as the configuration.
Recording: The bass is a little too thin-sounding for recording, IMO. If the repairs mentioned below are done - that might improve the results.
Feel: Comfortable. I sanded the back of the neck, and rubbed it down with gun oil. The small neck is very nice to play.
Appearance: Top shelf. The emerald blue is beautiful, and the coatings are all even and very clean. If only it had a blocked neck and a nitro coating (so I could put some wear into it. Oh well!
Repairs needed (to make it all it can be):
1. New nut / filed nut slots - it was cut WAY too high from the factory. With the nut as-is, it requires a height of 9/64" at the last fret. I can get a decent sound out of it, but lowering the action would be nice.
2. Grounding issue - this bass buzzes pretty badly when not touching the strings. I just need to spend the time solving this.
3. Truss Rod Nut Slot - it was cut too shallow in the headstock, so the normal hex wrench does not fit in. I can solve this by modifying the wrench to fit it - not a big problem, but something that needs to be done. I am wary of sending it back for warranty repair in the event it doesn't sound as good when it comes back.
Questions:
1. Does anyone have experience with Lindy Fralin pickups in one of these? I *really* like the way the Lindy Fralin sounds in my '78 PBass. What about in a Fender Jazz?
2. I obviously have a grounding problem. Would it significantly help to shield it with copper foil (as described here on TB)?
Link to the photo
Overall, it is a decent bass. I prefer it over my 2006 Pedulla Thunderbass. The sound is not as full and thick as some of my other basses, but this might be related to the pickups (currently using the stock setup), as well as the configuration.
Recording: The bass is a little too thin-sounding for recording, IMO. If the repairs mentioned below are done - that might improve the results.
Feel: Comfortable. I sanded the back of the neck, and rubbed it down with gun oil. The small neck is very nice to play.
Appearance: Top shelf. The emerald blue is beautiful, and the coatings are all even and very clean. If only it had a blocked neck and a nitro coating (so I could put some wear into it. Oh well!
Repairs needed (to make it all it can be):
1. New nut / filed nut slots - it was cut WAY too high from the factory. With the nut as-is, it requires a height of 9/64" at the last fret. I can get a decent sound out of it, but lowering the action would be nice.
2. Grounding issue - this bass buzzes pretty badly when not touching the strings. I just need to spend the time solving this.
3. Truss Rod Nut Slot - it was cut too shallow in the headstock, so the normal hex wrench does not fit in. I can solve this by modifying the wrench to fit it - not a big problem, but something that needs to be done. I am wary of sending it back for warranty repair in the event it doesn't sound as good when it comes back.
Questions:
1. Does anyone have experience with Lindy Fralin pickups in one of these? I *really* like the way the Lindy Fralin sounds in my '78 PBass. What about in a Fender Jazz?
2. I obviously have a grounding problem. Would it significantly help to shield it with copper foil (as described here on TB)?
Regarding the shielding - it's not possible to assess your problem ^^ without hearing the bass for myself. With single-coil pickups however, they tend to pick up noise even with shielding in the cavities.
Case in point is the bass I show in post #767 above - I have now been tweaking it and trying out all sounds it can produce. The noise in the single coil setting can be heard, at least the difference is there which can be heard by turning the switch to humbucking mode.
With guitars, I have found that it's most annoying with old Marshall amps, if you play close to your head, and on the power tranny side of it
Case in point is the bass I show in post #767 above - I have now been tweaking it and trying out all sounds it can produce. The noise in the single coil setting can be heard, at least the difference is there which can be heard by turning the switch to humbucking mode.
With guitars, I have found that it's most annoying with old Marshall amps, if you play close to your head, and on the power tranny side of it
Check the bridge earth first as what you describe is the classic symptom of a faulty bridge earth connection.
If you have access to a multimeter measure the resistance between the bridge and the control plate. It should be no more than a few ohms, the fewer the better.
So the other neck arrived. I'd like to hear this club's verdict on the looks.
Before:
(The neck is a planed-to-fretless skijump conversion)
After:
(This neck is an eBay 1983 SB-2 that Chef says he wanted to get)
I got the setup almost there, it's still a bit high. I guess I will let it sit a while and retweak. So far so good. A former bandmate said after trying it: "This is a bass with which you shouldn't need another."
Good looking front loaded blonde combo 2ke you have there. The pic looks great, and the G&L early 80s Nats look even so much better in person than in photos IMO.
Let us know what strings and settings you settle in on or like/don't like.
I am getting to like this bass. I have DR Nickel Lowriders on it and they are very good. I have only played thorugh a PA so far, I am bringing it home maybe in March (it's at work, and I am a bit too busy to bring it home. I can noodle on it during my micro breaks which is good.)
So, until I have it at home, I cannot comment on settings. What I do find is that the passive is all right by itself, and on the active settings I can get the L-1000 sound, a Music Man sound, a P sound, and a J sound! I genedrally prefer anything Precision-like in a band setting .We are resurrecting our band at work so the bass may see actual work very soon (come March).
BREAKING:
Raleigh bass player (me) finds great footage of local bassist Bobby Patterson rocking (jazzing?) a beat up old SB-2 in his trio "My Three Sons". This bass redefines "mojo". It can also be seen in this video for "Lovely Jane" back in the day.
One of my favorite bass players and basses.
Raleigh bass player (me) finds great footage of local bassist Bobby Patterson rocking (jazzing?) a beat up old SB-2 in his trio "My Three Sons". This bass redefines "mojo". It can also be seen in this video for "Lovely Jane" back in the day.
One of my favorite bass players and basses.
I got the ASAT-Jazz project done, see:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/asat-jazz-build-852732/#post12194362
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/asat-jazz-build-852732/#post12194362
I'm thinking about stringing my L2000 Tribute BEAD. Will a non-tapered B-string work for this? The bridge is top-loading, after all...
I have some serious GAS for a G&L L-2500. I've found some Tribute L-2500s for around $400, on GC's Used site. I think I know what my next bass will be..
After years of gas (about 3 years since I played one) I'm finally picking up an L2500 tomorrow! Its a Tribute but from what I've heard they still blow other basses out of the water. Am I welcome here? 
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