Nothing a little bit of white glue can't fix.As of yesterday the pristine 35 year old finish on my SB-1 is no longer pristine.View attachment 5349702 View attachment 5349703
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Sad, but it's a sign of the bass's experience and character. A couple years ago, I pulled the neck off my 2018 USA Kiloton in order to put a shim under it. The neck fit very tightly, and as I pulled the neck out, I had a bigger chip than that come flying off from the "treble side" right next to the neck saddle as I pulled the neck out. Like your chip, it went right down to the wood. It's emerald green metallic, so I bought a bottle of metallic green nail polish and used it to touch up the spot. I had to use several coats as the finish is thick in that location, and it wasn't a perfect match, but it's pretty darned good. I don't even notice it's there any more. There are doubtless more thorough and in-depth (and expensive) fixes out there, but this was quick & easy, and the color variety of nail polishes is endless.As of yesterday the pristine 35 year old finish on my SB-1 is no longer pristine.
View attachment 5349702 View attachment 5349703
As of yesterday the pristine 35 year old finish on my SB-1 is no longer pristine.
I had a similar chip on my JB5 (kid nocked a music stand over into it). Stew Mac Black Super Glue is a surprisingly good match for the finish. Not a perfect fix, but quick, cheap, and had decent results.
Somewhat related note... Manhasset music stands have a weight accessory that attaches to the bottom to keep them from falling over. My music stands now have that accessory installed.
As of yesterday the pristine 35 year old finish on my SB-1 is no longer pristine.
View attachment 5349702 View attachment 5349703
Similar to @jglunt my LB-100 suffered a chip from removing the neck. It came off in a single piece and I was able to glue it back in with little effort. I'm sure that you could glue that chunk back on and then use a little black nail polish or something to hide any imperfections, at least from a few feet away.
While we're on the subject of SB-2s (We are on the subject of SB-2s, aren't we? No?!? Well, here's some info anyway.): In case you haven't heard it or seen the promotional video, the new SB-2 is being manufactured standard with a tone control. So the 2024 USA SB-2 is now V-V-T. Here's some up-to-the-minute clarification that I got from a reliable source, who says it's from "someone at G&L."
"The SB-2, both BTO and FD, are volume volume tone. If a customer wants volume volume still then that is for custom shop. Tribute for now is VV as we are still using an older price list and have not worked with cort on making a new SB2. Most likely that will change later this year, but for now that remains."
"The SB-2, both BTO and FD, are volume volume tone. If a customer wants volume volume still then that is for custom shop. Tribute for now is VV as we are still using an older price list and have not worked with cort on making a new SB2. Most likely that will change later this year, but for now that remains."
Thanks for the comments gang. Im not upset or anything about my new SB1 mojo, just going to roll with it as is. Because while damage is not cool, player wear is. 
Xcept when half of the chip is missing...Nothing a little bit of white glue can't fix.
So it seems. I have to wonder why they charge more for a bass that has less. One less hole in the body for the different jack, one less pot, less wire, no cap, a less expensive jack--small expenses, but still less. If they're looking for a way to eradicate the original SB-2 (version 2), then I believe they've found it.
I don't know if it will eradicate it, but at the very least there will be a lot less orders for the VV.
I wonder how much the VVT changes up the sound. I am interested in a SB-2 for recording purposes but I am not a big PJ guy. I wonder if VVT makes a big difference versus the old VV.
Anything in the signal chain will alter the sound. The question is, how much? Probably not much in this case. Possibly not even noticeably, and almost certainly not noticeable in a mix, even to the most discriminaing listener. But even with tone wide open, there is usually some difference from going without a tone control. They've actually been making the SB-2T for about six years that I've seen, but it was BTO and/or CS only. So it must be doing OK or they wouldn't have made it standard.
I have a BTO SB-2T. I had an SB-2 in the past that I modded to include a tone control, so it was something that I knew I wanted when I ordered the BTO. Initially when I ordered it, I was thinking of putting in a "no load" tone pot or a push-pull pot to bypass the tone, but I really haven't felt the need since getting it. There's a coolness to the VV only setup, but the practicality of having the tone control outweighs it IMO.
When I was in product design (Machinery, now retired) it frequently cost more to produce something with less components - if the model with less components was produced at lower quantities than the model with more components but higher production quantities. It was disruptive to the manufacturing/assembly process just to do something different. At the same production quantities there was obviously less labor cost and component cost to produce the product with less features/components. Also sending out the higher production quantity model to the dealers/end-users was easier. If someone wanted the lesser production quantity model it created non-uniform procedures to get it to them. I'm just kind of talking off-the-cuff here - I'm sure our products had a different order-fulfillment model than something like bass guitars - but just throwing in some thoughts - based on that experience.
It's ironic that before, an SB-2 with a factory-installed tone control was a G&L special order. The tables have turned evidently.
I think it's a good move on G&L's part. The added tone pot should broaden the SB-2's appeal to a whole buncha players who've previously stayed away. In a way, it reminds me of when G&L finally abandoned the 3-bolt necks, altogether. IMO, the 3-bolt necks were a marketing mistake from Day 1, considering the horrid rep they got during the Fender 3-bolt era. (duh, right?)
Going forward, if G&L were to re-spec the SB-2 bridge pickup to be more than just an adjunct to the splitter, they could have a major hit with a "new" SB-2.
Or maybe introduce an "SB-3" model by substituting a full-size MFD at the bridge, with full coil selection options. Too much horsepower?...you could def argue that, but imagine what a monster bass it could be.
I think it's a good move on G&L's part. The added tone pot should broaden the SB-2's appeal to a whole buncha players who've previously stayed away. In a way, it reminds me of when G&L finally abandoned the 3-bolt necks, altogether. IMO, the 3-bolt necks were a marketing mistake from Day 1, considering the horrid rep they got during the Fender 3-bolt era. (duh, right?)
Going forward, if G&L were to re-spec the SB-2 bridge pickup to be more than just an adjunct to the splitter, they could have a major hit with a "new" SB-2.
Or maybe introduce an "SB-3" model by substituting a full-size MFD at the bridge, with full coil selection options. Too much horsepower?...you could def argue that, but imagine what a monster bass it could be.
Not directly related - but I saw, from NAMM news, that Sire released a Stingray like bass in two versions. One has a big humbucker in the bridge position and the more expensive model has that humbucker and a non-humbucker in the neck position.It's ironic that before, an SB-2 with a factory-installed tone control was a G&L special order. The tables have turned evidently.
I think it's a good move on G&L's part. The added tone pot should broaden the SB-2's appeal to a whole buncha players who've previously stayed away. In a way, it reminds me of when G&L finally abandoned the 3-bolt necks, altogether. IMO, the 3-bolt necks were a marketing mistake from Day 1, considering the horrid rep they got during the Fender 3-bolt era. (duh, right?)
Going forward, if G&L were to re-spec the SB-2 bridge pickup to be more than just an adjunct to the splitter, they could have a major hit with a "new" SB-2.
Or maybe introduce an "SB-3" model by substituting a full-size MFD at the bridge, with full coil selection options. Too much horsepower?...you could def argue that, but imagine what a monster bass it could be.
You have eagle eyes! The rest of the chip evaporated on impact.
I'm also in the "tone pot makes no sonic difference to an SB-2" camp. At one point long ago I had several SB-2's in the herd, including one with an added tone pot. With all things being equal (strings, signal chain, etc), and with that tone pot wide open, I couldn't detect any difference, despite having been pre-convinced that there must be some difference. After all, how could altering the circuit not change the signal in an audible way? I suspect that MFD's are strong enough to simply overpower tiny circuit alterations. YMMV
Yeah it's not a novel concept at all, there are lots of P/MM-esque basses around. But in the context of an SB-2, with MFD's the result would be more impressive IMO.
Or put a split mfd in the bridge!!It's ironic that before, an SB-2 with a factory-installed tone control was a G&L special order. The tables have turned evidently.
I think it's a good move on G&L's part. The added tone pot should broaden the SB-2's appeal to a whole buncha players who've previously stayed away. In a way, it reminds me of when G&L finally abandoned the 3-bolt necks, altogether. IMO, the 3-bolt necks were a marketing mistake from Day 1, considering the horrid rep they got during the Fender 3-bolt era. (duh, right?)
Going forward, if G&L were to re-spec the SB-2 bridge pickup to be more than just an adjunct to the splitter, they could have a major hit with a "new" SB-2.
Or maybe introduce an "SB-3" model by substituting a full-size MFD at the bridge, with full coil selection options. Too much horsepower?...you could def argue that, but imagine what a monster bass it could be.
