I used to tour a lot and have since developed a serious aversion to lugging gear around, #beentheredonethat. I've got my beloved Fender Jazz and a heavy combo amp in my attic, and am now playing with a group where we can rehearse in my attic or the drummer's basement. Found a Fender combo amp to leave at the drummer's spot, and someone gave him a Grand Prix P-type 4-string, which looks like a $50 pawnshop special. Very similar to an 80's Kramer Striker: banana headstock, maple neck, plywood body, Grover tuners, hi-mass bridge, 1 P pick-up [pics to come].
It played fine as is, with roundwound strings, but I took it home to give it some love, slap on some Rotosound Steve Harris flatwounds I had lying around, tighten all the screws, etc. The higher tension strings required installing some makeshift string trees due to the extreme angle of the pointy headstock, and a serious tightening of the truss rod, but I'm really excited to start playing this thing, it's got a pretty solid sound and feel. Might even screw on a generic Jazz bass chrome bridge cover to give it some bling.
Just goes to show that, with a little set up work and the right strings, the sound is ultimately in your hands and you can make good music on just about anything. I'll post pics tonight.
It played fine as is, with roundwound strings, but I took it home to give it some love, slap on some Rotosound Steve Harris flatwounds I had lying around, tighten all the screws, etc. The higher tension strings required installing some makeshift string trees due to the extreme angle of the pointy headstock, and a serious tightening of the truss rod, but I'm really excited to start playing this thing, it's got a pretty solid sound and feel. Might even screw on a generic Jazz bass chrome bridge cover to give it some bling.
Just goes to show that, with a little set up work and the right strings, the sound is ultimately in your hands and you can make good music on just about anything. I'll post pics tonight.
