Hello! I don't know anything about shielding. Or hum.
I do have a bass that has less hum if I touch neck or strings. Does that mean that there is a problem with the ground leads? How does one check that?
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Hello! I don't know anything about shielding. Or hum.
I do have a bass that has less hum if I touch neck or strings. Does that mean that there is a problem with the ground leads? How does one check that?
Take a look at the post from laristotle, a few posts previous to yours on this page. The pictures and weblink that he posted are excellent and should help you out. Good luck!
Did G&L end of life Empress as an option? I don't see it listed anymore and now there's something called Okoume.
Empress is still available! It's always been an "off the menu" option as far as I recall.
The only trick with Empress is that they are sometimes unable to find what they consider to be "instrument grade" Empress. That can delay a special order 2-3 months if they're out of it and have to search for more. That's pretty rare, but it does happen.
FWIW - Empress is a $143 MSRP upcharge, which turns into $100 in the advertised price of an instrument.
IMO - Empress is the best deal going with G&L assuming you want 8.5 or lower weights.
(some exceptions but not a lot). The CAR metallic finish is dead mint perfect so they can get it right.
U.S. JB and hum - Mine is s 2020 and has the normal single coil hum at my house.
Just recently started playing at my sisters house where the bass is nearly dead quiet with one pup rolled off.
Not sure why and haven't turned a screw to check shielding.
I will say any of my single coil basses scream with 60 Hz. hum if a light dimmer is used even remotely close to the amp.
It's even on a different circuit but the RF from a brand new Decora dimmer is reasonably high.
(some exceptions but not a lot). The CAR metallic finish is dead mint perfect so they can get it right.
U.S. JB and hum - Mine is s 2020 and has the normal single coil hum at my house.
Just recently started playing at my sisters house where the bass is nearly dead quiet with one pup rolled off.
Not sure why and haven't turned a screw to check shielding.
I will say any of my single coil basses scream with 60 Hz. hum if a light dimmer is used even remotely close to the amp.
It's even on a different circuit but the RF from a brand new Decora dimmer is reasonably high.
Count me as an empress believer. I managed to score a 7.8lb American JB two years ago, intending to put spare aftermarket pickups in it. Of course, one should always play the instrument in stock condition, before performing surgery. My instrument remains stock; 1964 "holy grail" tone. One does not mess with perfection. I now covet a 5-string version, and am considering the liquidation of my Warwick limited edition to obtain one.
Is empress generally lighter than basswood on G&L basses? Has anybody ever compared the two in terms of weight and tone?
My understanding is that basswood shows dings easily because it is considered soft. Is this the case for empress too?
Thanks!
My understanding is that basswood shows dings easily because it is considered soft. Is this the case for empress too?
Thanks!
I bought my US JB2 used. It weighs 8 lbs,3 oz. I suspect it may be an empress body, the grain is very tight/small.
And i concur that the GL Jazz bass pickups are fantastic sounding. I previously owned a US Fender J with the Custom shop pickups which sounded great,but the jb2 sounds even better to me.
Here's a pic of the JB2 highlighting the grain,
I don't have a ton of experience with basswood, but I'm pretty confident in saying that Empress is (more often than not) lighter than basswood. Empress will usually shave a pound or more vs. Ash and Alder. The basswood basses I've seen from G&L were not as dramatic a weight loss.
I think Empress sounds great. It's got the best properties of Ash and Alder. A nice, round low end (like Alder) with a bit of aggressiveness (like Ash). I'm not sure what to say about basswood, I haven't played enough through an amp to have an opinion.
a basswood body with a poly finish will have no more "dink" ability than any other bass finished with POLY.
I played a basswood EBMM Bongo for a few years. Never had an issue with dinks (other than the pointy headstock/cymbal magnet).
if it was nitro, it might, but I've never heard of a nitro basswood combo.
I played a basswood EBMM Bongo for a few years. Never had an issue with dinks (other than the pointy headstock/cymbal magnet).
if it was nitro, it might, but I've never heard of a nitro basswood combo.
Hi, Greg. @RocketMusic
Since we have your attention at the moment, and since you seem to be among the most knowledgeable people when it come to what G&L can/will do, would you mind clarifying a couple G&L questions I've had rattling around in my head lately?
Since we have your attention at the moment, and since you seem to be among the most knowledgeable people when it come to what G&L can/will do, would you mind clarifying a couple G&L questions I've had rattling around in my head lately?
- Are nitro finishes specific to custom shop orders, or is that a possibility with Option Order instruments?
- Regarding Custom Shop electronics, how custom are they willing to go? I see that they'll do stuff like hand-wound pickups. Do you have any experience ordering one instrument, but with another instruments electronics? Like, say, a Kiloton but with the L-1000 circuit, or an L-1000 with an active preamp. Stuff like that.
Just picked this up. Feels and sounds great!
Thank you Greg. Much appreciated! I can understand why so many people consider you the best G&L dealer. Your breadth of knowledge is impressive.
Sure thing!
Nitro finishes are currently only available on Custom Shop instruments. It's a $572 MSRP upcharge which turns into $400 added to the advertised price of an instrument. Both the body and the neck finish are included in that one charge.
If you'd asked me a few weeks ago how crazy they would be willing to get with electronics in the Custom Shop, I'd have said "not very". However, in the past two weeks I've had someone ask if they could do a JB with the 70's bridge pickup location. G&L said yes, and it's a small upcharge. Then someone else asked if they'd make a JB with L-2000 pickups in the L-2000 locations but wired like a JB (so passive vol/vol/tone). I was gobsmacked when G&L also agreed to do that, and for the same small upcharge.
It probably still needs to be handled on a case by case basis, but I've learned that it doesn't hurt to ask!
I don't know about all that, but I appreciate the sentiment! Ya do enough special orders, you run across a lot of questions that need answers. I try to stockpile the answers as best I can.
@RocketMusic Hi Greg,
Since you're 'visiting' the thread, I saw in the G&L thread in your sponsor forum that someone once asked regarding rear mounted controls/pickguard delete via the custom shop, and there was no follow up.
Do you happen to know if going the RMC route on basses which otherwise feature pickguards (specifically, the SB-1
) is something they'd be willing to do or not?
Mostly asking to have it as a long term "am I anal enough?" question, but I'd appreciate any information on the matter.
Since you're 'visiting' the thread, I saw in the G&L thread in your sponsor forum that someone once asked regarding rear mounted controls/pickguard delete via the custom shop, and there was no follow up.
Do you happen to know if going the RMC route on basses which otherwise feature pickguards (specifically, the SB-1
) is something they'd be willing to do or not? Mostly asking to have it as a long term "am I anal enough?" question, but I'd appreciate any information on the matter.
@RocketMusic Hi Greg,
Since you're 'visiting' the thread, I saw in the G&L thread in your sponsor forum that someone once asked regarding rear mounted controls/pickguard delete via the custom shop, and there was no follow up.
Do you happen to know if going the RMC route on basses which otherwise feature pickguards (specifically, the SB-1
Mostly asking to have it as a long term "am I anal enough?" question, but I'd appreciate any information on the matter.
Howdy!
I think that's the kind of thing they might balk at as it would require a totally different routing of the cavities in the body. Not that they can't do it, but they'd have to spend the time to program the CNC machine to do it, and that sort of expense often is the difference between a yes and a no. That said, I should ask and let them answer!
@RocketMusic Hi Greg,
Since you're 'visiting' the thread, I saw in the G&L thread in your sponsor forum that someone once asked regarding rear mounted controls/pickguard delete via the custom shop, and there was no follow up.
Do you happen to know if going the RMC route on basses which otherwise feature pickguards (specifically, the SB-1
Mostly asking to have it as a long term "am I anal enough?" question, but I'd appreciate any information on the matter.
Well, it sounds like a tentative yes on the SB-1 with the "Pickguard Delete" option through the Custom Shop. He quoted me a price (a small upcharge), but I need to make sure I understand what he quoted me before I share it.
