NBD: Memphis (Matsumoku?) Precision copy

[Eilif]

The nut just comes off when you rotate it counter clockwise....
... I installed the washer under the nut, and when I tightened the truss rod, I was able to get a little more back bow out of it. This brought the relief down to the point where both basses are now comfortable to play.

This would be my suggestion as well. I've done this to a few old bases with maxed out truss rods and it's worked like a charm every time. Hard to beat a non-invasive trick that won't permanently modfiy your bass.

I'd also take the time to check the manufacturer's stated tension of the strings your using. "Feel" isn't always the best gauge of how much tension is being put on your neck. You might have to go to a lighter gauge.

 

[ATLbassist]

Just before Thanksgiving, I finally had a chance to take the Memphis over to my setup guy for some final massaging. The action was still a touch high; turns out that the nut needed a little bit of filing. I did a first pass myself but went too low. My tech had a concoction of super glue and bone shavings to repair the slots and get the nut height where I wanted it (a little lower than standard spec, but I don't play very hard so no worries). He was also able to get the neck a little flatter and it plays like butter now.

I picked up a wiring kit that included two Bourne pots, and orange drop cap and a Switchcraft jack. Here it is mid-surgery; the tone pot and cap were indeed toast.

Memphis bass surgery by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

And with the new guts.

Memphis bass surgery by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

I was afraid that the upper frets might need serious work to get back in line. But the low-tech solution ended up working fine: He hit the high frets a couple of times with a mallet and all is well!

The final pickguard choice was black pearl. Thanks for the suggestion, Engle! Here's the Memphis in its final form. I opted not to reinstall the pickup cover because it's a bit too wide and covers my sweet spot for plucking.

Memphis Precision Bass updated by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

Memphis Precision Bass updated by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

Memphis Precision Bass updated by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

Memphis Precision Bass updated by thaddeusthompson, on Flickr

Final verdict: This thing's great! If you can find a Japanese-made Memphis, pull the trigger.

 

[Eilif]

Great finale to this story! Glad to hear everything worked out well.

 

[RHA III]

Loved reading this and looking at all the pictures, the grain on that upper horn is beautiful. Nice job!

 

[ATLbassist]

Thanks, y'all! There is one more piece to the puzzle. The pickguard screw next to the jack pulls out whenever you unplug the cable, so I'll need to fix that. I'll go with the tried-and-true toothpick + wood glue + redrill method. Not interesting enough for pictures.

 

[RSBBass]

Nice bass. I am pretty sure it isn't a Matsumoku product though. They did make basses for Mephis but every confirmed one I have seen had a neck plate that included "Steel Reinforced Neck" with the "Made In Japan". It could be a Terada product.

 

[EdO.]

Resurrecting an old thread here. I'd never heard of Terada, just wondering how their quality/reputation etc compares to Matsumoku, Fujigen, and other now well thought of Japanese builders of the later 70's - 80's. I've looked at a couple of Memphis basses recently, just wondering if they're considered to be as well built etc as the Matsu etc were? Anyone have any hands on experience with this brand or knowledge on them they'd be willing to share? TIA for any info.

 

[ATLbassist]

Well, I really like mine! I can't speak to Matsumoku builds, but I picked up a Tokai Hard Puncher of about the same vintage last year and I'd say the build quality is really close. (In fact, they have the same 3-screw tuner type.) The neck pocket is snug and the fretwork is great, the pickguard was a perfect match for Fender and the pickups sound nice and smooth paired with the Chromes. It's been really nice to play and hopefully record with soon. I even took it to it's homeland for a couple of gigs in January.

The trick with Memphis is finding the right period. The brand has been sold multiple times, so it's been manufactured in multiple countries. If you find one from Japan, it's worth a second look - look for the script-style logo seen in this thread. But even then, the quality is all over the place. My guess is that the brand changed manufacturers multiple times during the Japan years, too. Some have solid bodies, some are plywood; some are high quality, some are firewood. Definitely a try-before-you-buy situation; I just happened to get lucky.

Check out this thread for more info:

Memphis Bass Club

 

[ATLbassist]

Zombie thread! I've since put D'Addario tapes on the bass after getting fascinated with the sound. Here are a couple of examples.

In a Joe Jackson mood:


And a little more old-school (at least that's how it sounded before the drum track changed):


The pickups sounded a little flat, though - no personality. So, for a Christmas gift to myself, I swapped in some Fender Pure Vintage '63 pickups. Now it has a little more oomph and low-end warmth. This bass just keeps getting better! I'm looking forward to using it on a friend's session in a couple of months.

 

[ATLbassist]

I thought I'd check in again on my rescue bass. This might be my favorite P-bass in the stable! My band recently released another new record, and this bass was used on some of the countryish tracks. Here it is tracked through the studio's vintage Ampeg B-15.





Since these recordings, I replaced the pickup with a Fender Vintage 63. It has a much richer bottom end, which is a great match for the tapewound strings. I used this configuration on a friend's session earlier this year, which I hope sees the light of day sometime.