• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Just picked up my first Bass!!!!!

Dano59

Dano59

Jan 14, 2009
1,120
33
67
Charleston Illinois
#1
Just got back from church where I picked up my first bass from the church bands bass player and even though I don't really know what I am looking at I love this thing.
It is a medium honey colored stain high gloss finish body with a natural finish neck and ebony fretboard (I am gessing at ebony, whatever they use, rosewood?).
All black hardware which I love and a pair of EMG-HZ pickups.
The black finish is a bit worn on the volume control and tunning keys but I guess I will call that carater.
I don't know anything so I guess I will learn about the active pickups with time.
Oh yes, it's a ESP LTD B-205 5 string witout a nick or scratch on it just the worn finish on the tunning keys and volume knob.
I do need to drill and set a slightly bigger set of screws on the battery cover (3 screws hardly hold) but I have worked with wood for years and see this as no big deal.
I do need to clean the fretboard real good, any sujestions as to what to use would be great.
The strings are obviosly well used/dirty and there is a new set in the hard case that came with it so I guess I will change them out.
Did I read somewhere that removing all the strings at once is a bad thing? Doing that would make cleaning the fretboard easy but would I be causing a problem?
It has ESP Med Boomers on it, are they ok for now?
I have to wait till my SWR LA 12 gets here that I got from the classifieds on this site to hear the bass other than when the praise band was playing. I will have to find a way to hear the bass without an amp so I can take it on the road with me to accelarate the learning process.

Thanks to all for any input and sujestions. :D
 
#3
Well the 5 string was just the way it ended up as the player from the church praise band I got it from just got a new bass and will be leaving in 6-8 months so I will be hitting it hard to be ready when he leaves and he sold it to me for $125. withn the hard case and free instruction since I will be doing it for church.
I figured that's a deal I couldn't pass up.
 
#4
If you want to make the strings last as long as they can I suggest Taking a pot of water and get it to the boiling point then take the string wined them up and throw them in the pot of water for 15 minutes. Then take them out and dry them with a rag or towel. (don't use paper towels because the left overs may catch fire in the next step). Take the string and put them in a package made of tin Foil (aluminum foil) make holes in the foil with a fork. then take them and throw them in the oven at 220 degrees F for 15mins. take them out then string them up. Doing this cleans and degreases them extremely well. my strings sounded better then when i got them after this. Its a very easy method to make your string last.
 
#5
Nothing wrong with starting on a 5 string. My first bass was a 5er as well. Right now, i'm really into playing 4 strings, but if I can go back to a 5 string easily since I already am used to playing one.

To clean the fretboard (if its rosewood), i'd use lemon oil. You can pick it up at a guitarshop, local hardware store, or Walmart.

I wouldn't advice taking all the strings off of the bass at once. The strings help hold the tension on the neck, you can clean it without taking the strings off. If you do take them off, clean the fretboard quickly and restring it, the wood may go right back into place, or it may need to be adjusted. Also, if you buy heavier or lighter gauge strings you will have to adjust it accordingly, so you may want to take them off clean the board good and put some different gauge strings on.

Hope this helps and play the mess outta that thing!
 
#6
Don't drill the electronics cover screw holes out... cut a small piece of toothpick and put it in each hole. Put the screws back... fixed.

And your pickups are not active. They're passive pickups that are wired to an active preamp on the bass.


If you do not leave all the strings off at the same time for days your neck will be fine. Just keep in mind that most often when putting new strings on all at the same time they will buzz until all are on and tightened up to correct pitch. One at a time is easier simply to get the new string to pitch, etc for newer users.


.
 
#8
stflbn said:
If you do not leave all the strings off at the same time for days your neck will be fine. Just keep in mind that most often when putting new strings on all at the same time they will buzz until all are on and tightened up to correct pitch. One at a time is easier simply to get the new string to pitch, etc for newer users.


.
Click to expand...

Cool, I can do the boil procedure and clean up the rosewood and put her back together.

I wish I could here this thing, sent payment for the amp yesterday so maybe when I get back at the end of the week it will be here.

Any ideas how I could make use of my down time on the road and practice. I own a simi truck and gone during the week but have room to practice but bringing an amp in not practicle. I have 110 volt in truck for flat screen, microwave and fridge but space is starting to get to be a premium.

Thanks
 
#10
#14
here are a couple pics before pulling strings. Strings in the oven.
 

Attachments

  • ESP5.jpg
    ESP5.jpg
    42.9 KB · Views: 49
  • ESP4.jpg
    ESP4.jpg
    28.6 KB · Views: 36
#17
Strings look like new but of course sound I have no idea.
lemon oil worked great.
only thing keeping from looking like new in hardware but hey I will live with that.
The headstock LTD logo looks diff than some I found looking around.
 

Attachments

  • ESP1.jpg
    ESP1.jpg
    41.6 KB · Views: 42
#19
Dano59 said:
Strings look like new but of course sound I have no idea.
lemon oil worked great.
only thing keeping from looking like new in hardware but hey I will live with that.
The headstock LTD logo looks diff than some I found looking around.
Click to expand...

One thing to keep in mind... many people go out of their way for their hardware and basses overall to NOT look new.

Don't sweat imperfect knobs.

And personally, I wouldn't worry about the strings until you can hear them. Bright and pinky bass strings will tone down quickly after new.


.
 
#20
Well I have her all cleaned up, put back together, tunned up and looking good.
I will do the cover screws after I get a new set of screws next weekend. Snowing outside and don't feel like going to the hardware stor to get the missing screws right now.
It's amazing how things work out some times, my first choice is wood finish rather than painted and everything fell together better than things usualy do.
I hope that LA 12 was a good move as far as a practice amp goes. Now to get a tunner (my clip on mandolin tunner works but has a hard time with the B and E strings. I made an offer on a Korg DT-10 but havn't heard back yet. Looks like an EQ pedal might be a good move also but don't feel like I will need much else other than some good fingure caluses and lots of time with fingure on them strings.
Thanks for all the input.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back