A while back someone posted about placing an mfd humbucker in an sb-2, bridge position. I think there was some question of whether to stick with the original V/V wiring or ad a tone pot. Maybe the viability of the whole idea was in question, too. Does anyone know what came of this? I cannot seem to find the thread.
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I bought a Fullerton Deluxe JB from Sweetwater, and it came from G&L missing an intonation spring. I called Sweetwater about it and they sent me a new spring immediately. I showed them the pictures taken at their place and it clearly showed that the spring was missing. They will make it right for you, I definitely vouch for them on that.
I do miss going to stores and trying before I buy, but in these days of online trade sending stuff back and forth seems to be the way it's done. I know some have the luxury of running down to the music store and playing a bunch of different instruments and leaving with something they like, but many of us would have to drive great distances to do that. Not complaining, it's just evolved that way. Good luck with your instrument!
Thanks. It's a late-1993, so one of the first with the LB-100 badge. The body is actually marked for "Leg" (Legacy Bass) in the cavity. Shows some good honest wear up close - definitely been played a lot. I prefer the white pickguard. The original aged pearl is just too yellow for me.
Sweetwater is a good outfit to deal with, they have no problem issuing returns/refunds when things go sideways (same with MF).
But can anyone take seriously SW's 55 point inspection claim? I call BS on that.
But can anyone take seriously SW's 55 point inspection claim? I call BS on that.
So, I've only had them on one bass, which is a short scale, but I'd recommend trying out a set of GHS balanced nickels on it.Having a dilemma with my LB-100. I've had it for about 10 years, and the only complaint I have is that I'm lukewarm on the color. But it's fallen down the list of basses that are getting my attention.
I really want a nicer fretless, so part of me is thinking of selling/trading for a fretless.
Part of me wants to try rounds on it.
And when I pull it out, part of me thinks I'm an idiot for even thinking of getting rid of it or changing the strings.
Their highs feel more subdued compared to the Boomers I'm used to, but they have a nice, full, clear tone to them, and solid feel under the fingers.
I cannot speak to how well they do it, but they definitely do the inspections. I met one of the guys who does the inspections a few years back. With the quantity they move, I am not surprised that some things get through.
The two I have seen in this thread are intonation screw spring and fingerboard crack. The intonation spring is easy to miss in a quick inspection (buyer clearly missed it in photos when they ordered it). The fingerboard one looks like it should have been caught based on photos in this thread. However, it does not look nearly as bad in the NBD post for that same bass.
Looks nice in this ^^ pic. Belair is one of those paints, like Seafoam Green, that looks great in certain light or looks like puke in other lighting. My solution with those type colors was to switch to a black guard, over-powers the paint that way. YMMV
Seafoam..
Belair...
Fender Seafoam Pearl...
Peavey's version, whatever they called it...
Yep they are making it right. New bass is on the way even before old one is Sent back. That way I can use the box to send it back. Also doing their better setup/inspection for free.
I still have a great local music store. That's where I get my fenders at, including an amazing American pro ii jazz v just last year.
I remember conversation about putting a jazz mfd - like a sb-2 bridge pickup - in the neck position on a Kiloton.
Maybe that's what you're remembering?
These are two of the reasons I'm calling BS. The marketing idea behind the 55 point inspection hype is meant for buyers to believe there is a meticulous inspection process guaranteeing delivery of problem-free instrument. If the "quick" inspection process can overlook missing parts, cracked wood, (insert choice of the myriad issues that have slipped by) etc., then it is by default not what they're representing.
With that, a huge grain of salt is recommended vis a vis these types of unrealistic claims. Call a spade a spade, I say.
I was thinking about that but was talked out of it by a couple guys with more knowledge about that pickup than I have. So I never bought the Kiloton nor the single coil pickup. So if anyone is wondering how that went, it didn't.
Are you aware of more examples beyond the 2 in this thread? I frequent a few forums and do not recall others. I am sure they exist, but it does not seem to be at a high rate. Sweetwater has done over a billion in revenue the past three years. They sell quite a few products but there will be a bunch of guitars in those numbers. 2 out of a large number is a small failure rate for their inspection process.
Noting that the inspection is definitely part of their marketing and is designed to give buyers confidence in the product. The inspection does not make me buy from/trust Sweetwater more than any other dealer, but I do not see misrepresentation in a small failure rate.
Buyers both missed the same issues in photos. G&L QC missed the same issues as well (assuming fingerboard issue did not develop over time). Ultimately Sweetwater made things right in both cases. If they did not, then I expect G&L's warranty would have.
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In my case, neither issue would have shown up in pictures. The tuners on mine felt like they had sand in them, and the pickups were adjusted way to low with no way to raise them. Both of those items are listed as items in the 55 point inspection. I just took care of both items myself, but I did call it to my rep's attention and they compensated me. I have no complaint and would gladly buy from them again with no qualms.
What was the main argument against?
I guess it can't just act like a j neck pickup then.
I was told that it was basically designed to be used as a complement to the split coil humbucker. I might have misunderstood that because the original SB-2 used a pair of those instead of the PJ setup. But as such, it was thought that it would just be overpowered by the MFD humbucker in the Kiloton. Maybe if @Nedmundo reads this he could explain better. He's very knowledgeable and is the first one who recommended I not try that.
I don't have a gen 2 SB-2 atm to compare the s/c pickups used in both generations. But if memory serves, the gen 2 rear pickup is not the same wind as either of the gen 1 pickups, nor meant to serve the same purpose, even though they look alike. Both pups on the gen 1 SB-2 have big output signals, the gen 2 rear pup, not so much. What I don't recall is whether the gen 2 has resistors in the circuit to reduce its output. Never rewired one or paid any attention, but I'm leaning towards "different windings" between gen 1's and gen 2's. Surely there's a diagram somewhere to look at?
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Below is a link to a wiring diagram of the 2nd gen SB-2 hand drawn by Paul Gagon. No resistor shows up, so I have to assume the single coil pickup is perhaps underwound compared to the original in the 1st gen. That doesn't make much sense. Why not just use the pickup wound the same way? It does have a volume control on it, and by being so close to the bridge, the volume output of it is going to be naturally lower due to there being less energy in the strings where they pass over it. I have no idea how many winds are in either SB-2 pickup, but per Paul Gagon, the MFD humbucker on the Kiloton has 5,000 turns per bobbin of 42ga wire. That might be significantly more than either pickup on the SB-2 2nd gen.
https://www.bassesbyleo.com/paul/g&l_bbe_wiring_diagrams/basses/sb2_wiring_diagram.jpg
https://www.bassesbyleo.com/paul/g&l_bbe_wiring_diagrams/basses/sb2_wiring_diagram.jpg
Do you mean just with G&L's?...or with any brands? Apart from the Embassy Pro I returned to SW with a bad neck a few months ago...I'd have to scour the archive of TB posts to cite specific examples of "missed issues" from SW. Or someone else can...but as you say, there are definitely others. I doubt anyone around here believes there have only ever been 2.
Re "other brands"...have a look at some other TB threads about Fender's new Foil Jazz, or Epiphone's new little Newport bass. Some will argue that because these poor QC issues originated at the factories, somehow SW (or other sellers) get a pass on shipping out junk to customers. Some of these issues are so blatant that no one doing even the most cursory inspection could miss them, and yet they get shipped out in that condition.
At what point does the 55 point inspection become ineffective? "55 points"...that's a lot of things to at least look at. Logic dictates that either the full inspection isn't always (seldom?..mostly?) completed, or it is and issues are spotted, then known defective items get shipped out anyway. The end result would seem to be the same either way. I guess a partially successful inspection is better than none at all, but I can't see how SW's process is the prophylactic they'd have us believe. YMMV
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