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Hammersmith K4 - TalkBass Special Model
- Thread starter MarkoYYZ
- Start date
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- hammersmith model special talkbass
Yeah. To me, 33-34.5" is regular long scale, ~32" is medium scale, and 30-31" is short scale.
Regarding the scale... I ran a poll on here about the 33.25 Ricky scale. The result was basically that we could win over many more people that found the 33.25 preferable, than we might lose by not being 34". I had intended to go 34", but as it became more clear how appealling the K was to Ric fans, I figured it would be stupid to have the scale be a turnoff. Most people who play Rics (and most regular scale basses in general) do so because of how it sounds and how it looks. A lot of people don't even notice the 0.75" difference, as the more noticable difference is that the neck is a touch narrower towards the heel than a Fender spec neck.
As for being accommodating, I try, but it has backfired on me several times already. I may be running a custom thing on my end, but our OEM is not and several times I agreed to do something outside the norm it has backfired. Some things have been OK, but even if once a month something has to be cancelled or someone ends up displeased, it's way too much. Just today I had to give a refund on a bass that because of a special neck, the very patient customer had to be let down (additional to our 5string delays as it was). I made promised that at the time were doable, but because we don't do the actual woodwork I don't have full control over how well the special requests will be done and I hate that. So as things go on, we'll be as accommodating and flexible as we can within the various set options, but I need to day no a little more. A missed order is better than an unhappy customer.
As for being accommodating, I try, but it has backfired on me several times already. I may be running a custom thing on my end, but our OEM is not and several times I agreed to do something outside the norm it has backfired. Some things have been OK, but even if once a month something has to be cancelled or someone ends up displeased, it's way too much. Just today I had to give a refund on a bass that because of a special neck, the very patient customer had to be let down (additional to our 5string delays as it was). I made promised that at the time were doable, but because we don't do the actual woodwork I don't have full control over how well the special requests will be done and I hate that. So as things go on, we'll be as accommodating and flexible as we can within the various set options, but I need to day no a little more. A missed order is better than an unhappy customer.
@MarkoYYZ
Hey Marko, I was just curious if you considered neck joints like on an old Travis Bean, Washburn MB-40, or even a Yamaha Attitude?
They all seem to offer great upper fret access as well as allow the use of standard pickups with them.
I'm not suggesting you change anything, I'm just wondering if this was something you explored when designing the K model.
Washburn:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Travis Bean:
Invalid Link Removed
Yamaha:
https://www.talkbass.com/attachments/05112007329-jpg.72686/
Hey Marko, I was just curious if you considered neck joints like on an old Travis Bean, Washburn MB-40, or even a Yamaha Attitude?
They all seem to offer great upper fret access as well as allow the use of standard pickups with them.
I'm not suggesting you change anything, I'm just wondering if this was something you explored when designing the K model.
Washburn:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Travis Bean:
Invalid Link Removed
Yamaha:
https://www.talkbass.com/attachments/05112007329-jpg.72686/
I really appreciate those suggestions, thank you.
Running the neck on the underside of the body like that gets even weirder, though. With a body that is 40mm thick, and wanting about 10mm clear over the top of the body, you'd need close to 2" of wood total including the fingerboard. I think I prefer the idea of using the same 4/4 maple that is used on other necks rather than some custom glue-up like that, or needing to use aluminum or something.
We're technically still working out the neck mechanicals. What we planned was a 5pc multilam with two walnut stringers in there for added stiffness. I'm not worried about the straight part of the neck, moreso that point at the heel where it goes from full thickness to the bolt-on extension. They've suggested using a single piece of maple with a truss rod that routes in from the top and is covered by the fingerboard, and then channeling out from the back of the neck for graphite rods which would be filled in with Walnut skunk stripes that go fully to the end of the heel under the guard. I think this is probably the way we'll go, and they're working up a mock up for us now.
it still doesn't allow the neck wood to be routed for a 2nd "standard" pickup, but I'm OK with that. I think we're more likely to get asked for a 2nd bridge pickup on full scales than the neck pickup, and even when doing the neck pickup, I'm ok with the uniqueness of either the humbucker sized Alumitone we use now, or a thinner Jazz sized Alumitone. It would continue to set the insrtument apart from all others.
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I REALLY like the look of the aluma tones in this bass. A lot. I'd guess you're right about most players wanting an additional pickup at the bridge.
I did my own crappy mockup to see what the basses might look like with different aluma tone setups. I also did one in blue for myself. I can't wait to get my hands on one of these.
I did my own crappy mockup to see what the basses might look like with different aluma tone setups. I also did one in blue for myself. I can't wait to get my hands on one of these.
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wintremute
mediocrity at its finest
- Oct 16, 2014
- 6,942
- 29,551
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Langstrom Carrot Farms
Well, as long as we're posting crappy mockups...here's what I'm partial to. A 33.25" scale Red K with white trim. I don't know how to make it look like it has binding, though. A nice white binding would finish it off.
It just occurred to me, how did nobody ever bring up the possibility of the talkbass special edition being carrot orange?
It was discussed in the original thread on the Basses forum that was subsequently deleted. It was a poll option, but I think a lot of people - who never intended to have any skin in the game - thought it would be funny to have a carrots bass made. We will eventually do them in orange, like we'll eventually get to a lot of cool colors, but not to make it a carrot bass.
wintremute
mediocrity at its finest
- Oct 16, 2014
- 6,942
- 29,551
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Langstrom Carrot Farms
Aaaah but WHICH Lambo orange?....
I'm tending toward the Arancio Diablo myself.....
wintremute
mediocrity at its finest
- Oct 16, 2014
- 6,942
- 29,551
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Langstrom Carrot Farms
Borealis is our choice also.
We're putting this one together with a maple blocked neck and black hardware for photos, and then re-assembling with a rosewood blocked neck and chrome hardware for the customer (with Big Splits). We have to use every opportunity we can to take photos of various model configurations, especially when we do customs colors.
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We're putting this one together with a maple blocked neck and black hardware for photos, and then re-assembling with a rosewood blocked neck and chrome hardware for the customer (with Big Splits). We have to use every opportunity we can to take photos of various model configurations, especially when we do customs colors.
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I saw that on Facebook (and commented) yesterday! I think that'd look sweet with a maple neck/fingerboard, pearl(oid) inlays, and a white pearl pickguard.
Black blocks and hardware would also probably look really sharp though too.
That's an M model, which will have no pickguard. Going forward, we're actually rear routing those and can have them even without the wave control plate, just knobs on the front. Not sure if we should give that option another model name or not.
I'm actually thinking that if the K takes off for us, and we move enough C and M models, that we can stop doing Ps and J and stand entirely on our own models. We do so much with those that Fender doesn't though, so I don't know if/when we'll come to that decision.
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That dude could make any bass sound funky. Jeez, I am alway impressed with what he comes up with.
I don't mean to imply anything about the bass. Just an observation. He picks up a bass and funk streams out of it.
