NBD - Gretsch Streamliner Jet Club

[Solipsistik]

I've only had a bit of time being able to play this bass, because I've been away. I'm having some trouble with it cutting through a mix, in particular it has more of a low/mid focus that I'm having trouble making "my" sound step out. I"m using a SansAmp to try and get the mix better and it has definitely helped, though it's a big swing from my other basses in terms of the EQ. Setting the volume on the two pickups below "full throttle" is imperative to get a good tone so far. I love playing it, the short scale just fits into my hand so well...

Oh, and thankfully my Bergantino has a mute button, because with the pickup volumes as specific as they are for tone, it'd suck having to turn them both off to silence the instrument all the time.

 

[TheDuff]

I've only had a bit of time being able to play this bass, because I've been away. I'm having some trouble with it cutting through a mix, in particular it has more of a low/mid focus that I'm having trouble making "my" sound step out. I"m using a SansAmp to try and get the mix better and it has definitely helped, though it's a big swing from my other basses in terms of the EQ. Setting the volume on the two pickups below "full throttle" is imperative to get a good tone so far. I love playing it, the short scale just fits into my hand so well...

Oh, and thankfully my Bergantino has a mute button, because with the pickup volumes as specific as they are for tone, it'd suck having to turn them both off to silence the instrument all the time.

Great. I would probably just get used to the 2 volume controls. Same thing as a J bass. Get used to using it and add pedals, as necessary, to further add beef to the sound. Tube screamer or spark booster. Maybe a distortion pedal with eq.

I am also a fan of the physical mute button. I recently purchased a Jhs mute button foot pedal for a rig that doesn’t have the mute button. It works great and doesn’t require power or battery. The mute button should be standard on all amps.

I saw that one of the only pickups that will fit in this without more modification is the TV Jones blade style humbucker. The Tv Jones Supertron blade rail pickup available in neck and bridge.

Expensive. Good because there are zero pole pieces to not line up, as in the competitors cheap pickups that fit such as the very inexpensive Artec pickup of this type. The cheap ones fit but the pickup pole pieces don’t line up with the strings. Caution.

The Supertrons are supposed to work great.

Amazon.com: TV Jones Supertron Bridge Pickup Universal Mount Chrome : Musical Instruments

Buy TV Jones Supertron Bridge Pickup Universal Mount Chrome: Pickups & Pickup Covers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

 

[JohnMalay]

I had one when they first came out and was just given a new one. Not a great set-up job. My previous experience was that it critically responded to pickup height. Otherwise it could sound weak and "soft", no punch. The tone knob on my first one was super sensitive with a lot of range, but you sacrificed volume. That may be typical of single-coils.

Frustrating that there are no mainstream brand replacement pickups for it. Those little single-coils are an odd size. Good to know the Supertrons fit, although they are an expensive upgrade for bass like this.

 

[TheDuff]

I had one when they first came out and was just given a new one. Not a great set-up job. My previous experience was that it critically responded to pickup height. Otherwise it could sound weak and "soft", no punch. The tone knob on my first one was super sensitive with a lot of range, but you sacrificed volume. That may be typical of single-coils.

Frustrating that there are no mainstream brand replacement pickups for it. Those little single-coils are an odd size. Good to know the Supertrons fit, although they are an expensive upgrade for bass like this.

They fit but the screw pattern is different and will probably need the rings.

The supertrons work because they don’t have ‘pole pieces’. They have blades instead like any rail humbucker. The magnetic field does not display the same properties and the blade has a consistent magnetic field whereas the stock pickups have magnetic fields centered on the individual pole pieces that on this guitar do not sit directly under the strings with the available replacement humbuckers, but the work well reportedly. Just don’t sit under the strings in correct alignment. This is pronounced with the replacement pickups.

The blade pickups solve this problem.

The Artec bass pickups have pole pieces that don’t line up right with all the strings. Reportedly these Artec pickups work good.

I would check more into the affordable artec pickups bevsuse they have the right screw locations for the stock pickups rings. The posts don't line up right. It might not have that much negative effect.

 

[JohnMalay]

Bought some TV Jones' Thundertron rails. Installed one so far to see what problems might arise. Short answer: very few.

Yes, the pickup ring needed a minute or two with the Dremel sander in order for the p'up to have clearance. The Universal mount on the TVJs is far too fiddly, but it works. The sound is noticeably improved, at least to me. More focused and rich, but of course that's subjective.

I'll be hooking up the other p'up 5tomorrow, or whenever the teps go below 90° in myt un-ari conditioned shop. Thinking of also upgrading the bridge and may installing a zero fret.

 

[TheDuff]

Bought some TV Jones' Thundertron rails. Installed one so far to see what problems might arise. Short answer: very few.

Yes, the pickup ring needed a minute or two with the Dremel sander in order for the p'up to have clearance. The Universal mount on the TVJs is far too fiddly, but it works. The sound is noticeably improved, at least to me. More focused and rich, but of course that's subjective.

I'll be hooking up the other p'up 5tomorrow, or whenever the teps go below 90° in myt un-ari conditioned shop. Thinking of also upgrading the bridge and may installing a zero fret.

Great to hear this from a person that actually did the modification. Nice job.

Were the pots or wiring upgraded or are they stock?

The stock pots on mine are not a problem at this time.

Thundertrons sounds more like what I was thinking of. I’m not an expert in this area, only a hobbyist. I heard of the Thundertrons before.

I think the Thundertrons are a high class upgrade. They definitely bring a certain upgraded enhancement to the guitar. The Artec humbuckers with incorrect pole piece string spacing would not make the same impression independent of how they may sound.

Interesting pickup upgrade for sure.

 

[JohnMalay]

Great to hear this from a person that actually did the modification. Nice job.

Were the pots or wiring upgraded or are they stock?

The stock pots on mine are not a problem at this time.

Thundertrons sounds more like what I was thinking of. I’m not an expert in this area, only a hobbyist. I heard of the Thundertrons before.

I think the Thundertrons are a high class upgrade. They definitely bring a certain upgraded enhancement to the guitar. The Artec humbuckers with incorrect pole piece string spacing would not make the same impression independent of how they may sound.

Interesting pickup upgrade for sure.

One could debate spending more on the pickups then on the entire guitar, but it plays well, has good weight balance and is a good mod platform. I have not upgraded the electrics... yet. Not sure just how smooth the gradient is on these. I have some better bridges in the parts bin and all sorts of 250k and 500k pots. There are other things to do first. I have some cosmetic things I want to do as well, as we are coming up on outdoor gig season.

 

[TheDuff]

One could debate spending more on the pickups then on the entire guitar, but it plays well, has good weight balance and is a good mod platform. I have not upgraded the electrics... yet. Not sure just how smooth the gradient is on these. I have some better bridges in the parts bin and all sorts of 250k and 500k pots. There are other things to do first. I have some cosmetic things I want to do as well, as we are coming up on outdoor gig season.

At louder than home volume is the Thundertron performing better than the stock single coils?

How about single coil noise? Do you hear noise with the stock single coils at stage volume?

Are the Thundertrons less noisy at stage volume or do they produce their own hum? What is your evaluation of the noise differences between the 2 pickup types.

Are the Thundertrons showing any specific performance advantages so far? Any clearly noticeable differences or advantages?

 

[JohnMalay]

At louder than home volume is the Thundertron performing better than the stock single coils?

How about single coil noise? Do you hear noise with the stock single coils at stage volume?

Are the Thundertrons less noisy at stage volume or do they produce their own hum? What is your evaluation of the noise differences between the 2 pickup types.

Are the Thundertrons showing any specific performance advantages so far? Any clearly noticeable differences or advantages?

I believe they are Gretsch-style humbuckers, so no noise. Only played at volume at one rehearsal so far, very defined sound, so I can back off a bit on volume. (It's an acoustic band, so important.)

 

[TheDuff]

I believe they are Gretsch-style humbuckers, so no noise. Only played at volume at one rehearsal so far, very defined sound, so I can back off a bit on volume. (It's an acoustic band, so important.)

Great.

I like that they have defined sound. I like to have a lot of clarity and crispness to the sound. No sluggishness or mud.

I like to add ambience and overdrive , etc., with pedals. Delay. Fuzz. Overdrive or distortion, reverb. Many great tones are available easily with a good amp and pedals to sculpt the sound.

I have some Zoom Multistomp single pedal sized multieffect processors. I power them with usb-c cables. They have data connection also. These Zoom pedals have some good options available. Single effects. Things like that.

I have been playing a lot lately thru good headphones. I am hearing a lot of thimgs I didn’t notice before. And clarity is important.

I can start with clarity and good tone, and add reverb or fuzz or overdrive, chorus, delay, innumerable other options with pedals.

But it is most important to me to have clarity with the amp to begin with. I don’t mind warmth. Clear sounding warmth and overdrive.

Everything adds up.

I agree that clarity and quietness are important in an acoustic band. A big part of playing is all about clarity and quietness. I want to get just the notes or fuzz or whatever across without extraneous pic noise, static, amp buzzing, pickup buzzing, string noise, or blunders, etc.

 

[JohnMalay]

Gretsch Streamliner Jet mods complete (except maybe still a zero fret). TV Jones bass rail pickups, new knobs, veneer laminates on guard and headstock, electronics upgrades. It's a player!

 

[doctone]

I've only had a bit of time being able to play this bass, because I've been away. I'm having some trouble with it cutting through a mix, in particular it has more of a low/mid focus that I'm having trouble making "my" sound step out. I"m using a SansAmp to try and get the mix better and it has definitely helped, though it's a big swing from my other basses in terms of the EQ. Setting the volume on the two pickups below "full throttle" is imperative to get a good tone so far. I love playing it, the short scale just fits into my hand so well...

Oh, and thankfully my Bergantino has a mute button, because with the pickup volumes as specific as they are for tone, it'd suck having to turn them both off to silence the instrument all the time.

Yes, same with my passive (Sire V5) Jazz Bass... both PUs full throttle sound just meh, so I dial in and always look for a mute option. Even thought about a kill switch on my bass. Most guys seem to do it with a tuner pedal, I'm using a Neutrik silent plug for now.

 

[Solipsistik]

I took the Streamliner for her first gig last night. It was a very active crowd and my work with tone controls both on the bass and the SansAmp paid off. I left the Warwick alone all night, but took it just in case I needed more thump.