NBD --- the Glarry Bass Club! ha!

TLDR: cool, cheap, fretless bass!




the read:

this experience is not a GAS event, per se, but rather my continued 'crusade' to extol the virtues of buying cheap, investing in mods/'upgrades', and then playing great instruments for less money.

all of my instruments are unlined fretless PJs with the exception of one jazz style ax. i've never liked Ps. i'm not crazy about the J. i like PJs: they have to be fretless, unlined. i prefer them lightweight, J-necked, and these days, passive.

i was looking for a cheap body to mate with a cheap, fretless maple neck i just bought from the chinese --- and after perusing the internet for bodies i thought: might as well look at a cheap glarry (if only for the body) because:
- cheap
- lightweight
- already 'finished'
- more chinese stuff
- cheap
- i could sell the neck to someone unsuspecting
- i could donate the parts i don't use in the modifications i'll be making
- cheap
- doesn't cost much



when i went to the glarry site: i discovered that they had two fretless versions! also: the glarry description included the following (my emphasis in red):

"will be your constant companion....pursue your own musical dreams....Buy a guitar and we will send a rich gift package....for experienced Bass Players....specially prepared for experienced stage players....it is a fine-toned instrument....has side board to taste point....Comfortable maple neck makes it easy to fly up and down the rosewood fingerboard with ease....The tremolo lets you have tons of whammy bar fun....Package Includes: 1 x Bass, 1 x Power Wire, 2 x Tools."

what's not to like! after some hem-hawing and several sleepless nights, i ordered a glarry fretless bass without any hesitation whatsoever! it was delivered on the weekend when i was out of town so it sat on the porch for at least one whole day. the outside temperature was 68 degrees so i let it acclimate to the inside temperature (70 degrees) for a full 24 hours before un-boxing. the pics:

the box: free shipping --- it was at my place in cincinnati in 3 days --- from NJ, and obviously not brutalized by the shippers.


the open box: wrapped nicely --- enough styrofoam to protect such a lightweight piece. i didn't expect such attention to detail --- i'll definitely treasure the box.


the ax: (copied from the glarry site: Glarry Fretless Electric Bass Guitar Full Size 4 String for experienced Bass Players Burlywood Sunset - Glarrymusic )

Brand：Glarry
Style:Fretless GP Bass
Orientation:Right handed
Color:Sunset; Burlywood
Nut width:1.656 in. (42 mm)
Scale length:34"
Number of strings(Roundwound):4
Pick-up Style：Split Single-Coil Pickup
Guitar Bridge System:Fixed
Controls:1 x Volume, 1 x Tone
Body Material:Basswood
Neck Material:Maple
Fingerboard Material:Rosewood
Dimensions:(46.2 x 12.6)"(L x W )
Weight:6.72lb / 3.05kg

price: $89.99 + tax. about $92 and some change

the glarry-ing boo-boos:

there are at least two cosmetic imperfections: one looks to be an 'honest' part of a tree --- a small dark streak on the neck. the other is a dark patch on the back of the body below the neck joint --- it looks like it could be a 'burn' from machining but it might be real. the patch on the body has been 'finshed over' and so it will always be there. here are my choices as i see it:
1. send it back with an anonymous nasty letter stating that i feel ripped-off.
2. start another whining thread on TB proclaiming that no one deserves to be disrespected this way...and ask for TB support.
3. drink some beer.
4. keep it.
5. consider the patches as 'identifying characteristics' for the police investigators when the ax is stolen.

i chose to combine 3. and 4., and man, i am not sorry i did!


FWIW: i did get the "power wire" and the "2 x tools." the strings are at least an inch off of the fingerboard (might be an exaggeration) so i'll either lower the strings or raise the FB...*

* not a thing

...my current plan:
- a setup with the original parts --- just to 'see' what it's like to play a chunky P-bass neck for a minute
- replace the "rosewood" p-bass neck with a maple J-bass neck
- change out the hardware: i already have a schaller 3D bridge, i'd like light-weight tuning machines to help counter the neck dive potential, cool-looking knobs, replace the pickguard --- i'm thinking anodized pink, new strings, etc.
- another setup with the new stuff
- mexican lager
- start a whining thread if things don't go my way and i don't get what i want
- change the V/T control to two blend knobs


here's the neck i plan to use. it cost $60:


i'll use this thread to document the mods and/or 'upgrades' as i go. i'm in no hurry but i'd like to get it done, pictorialized, and gigged out before something bad happens. also: i'd like some advice/experience from other glarry bass club members on certain aspects of my effort/choices re: parts. thanks in advance! more pics of my glarry-ingly stunning, cheap-a$$ bass instrument:



i'd like to thank all of the glarry bass owners who unselfishly gave of their egos and self-respect to share their experiences with the snobs and nay-sayers before i was willing to do the same! i love you guys and i owe each of you my gratitude...but not too much, obviously.

 

i've 'thinned' a few (front to back) --- always with great results! i had one p-bass neck 'narrowed' (top to bottom --- by a luthier --- $80) to a j-bass neck (1.5" at the nut). money well spent! it resulted in a main player. no regrets. if you feel squeamish about it = see a luthier. good luck with your neck customization!

 

update:

i finally got around to fiddling with the piece:
- the bridge is fine, but not enough travel distance to lower the strings enough to play well
- i re-slotted the nut to lower the string action in the first few positions, but the neck will need to be shimmed to reduce the string angle more to my liking.
- glarry installed a shim! just not enough: i used a biz card, 3-4 thicknesses = very good!
- the heavier gauge rounds + the beefy neck = yuck!, but i intend to make it playable with the original neck before i think about installing the maple neck. who knows? --- i may come to like these beefier than necks.

i was impressed that the neck fit was so tight when i had to remove it. you can see that in the OP pics, i think.

maybe i'll take some pics of the 'new' setup.

 

my original post was a bit of tongue in cheek on several counts, but my desire to have a well-playing "#1" style ax is deadly serious. i've been lucky with some 'platform' pieces and i'm hoping this will be the same. i already know i may miss the PJ arrangement (i also know that i'm not currently ambitious enough to route the glarry body for a second pu!). i'll play it as a fretless P...at least for now.

i'm thinking it is, but it's a guess based on = cheaper to make if they are!

if/when you do: please share the experience. i'm assuming (from the TB threads and posts) that a few are goofy, some are lucky --- out of the box, but that most are serviceable. i would put the one i got as being in the "serviceable" group.


per the OP: more updates/observations:
- side dots are not in the "fretted positions" but they are not in the correct position either...not really a problem as 'i dot my own', anyway. since the neck will eventually be removed, i may not make any new dots --- someone else may want the neck, as is.
- the pickups and the preamp are ok --- i could gig it. i don't think i'll change them out until i get around to the maple neck install.
- although the website called these fingerboards "rosewood" this one looks like a composite material. it looks 'too good' to be this cheap. yay!

 

i'm trying to picture: do you mean rosewood strips between frets? thanks.

yes, and i'll post those expenses here.

as i have done this from-cheap-to-great thing before: i'm personally not interested in resale value. i'm only interested in having a parts bass which is 'customized' (modified, upgraded?) to my liking. my 1990's custom-built ($3000, then) is a great ax but it weighs too much and some of the design/features are no longer valued by me....and its resale value is negligible. so my thinking/question has been: what is the least amount of money (no matter how much) do i have to spend to get what i want? my previous cheapie + parts builds/mods have consistently put me in the $300-$400 range (including the cost of the original cheap ax).

but i'm not just slapping decent/great parts on a cheapie to make it play better: it has to conform to my current playing expectations = feel! for me the test is "can this be my #1?"

 

pickguard update:

so i ordered two, regular, p-bass pickguards and one of them arrived before i discovered in another glarry thread that it wouldn't work --- the glarry pickguard is not exactly the same shape/fit. i recieved a black gloss and a clear is apparently on its way even though i won't be able to use either. ha!

so now i'm reading TB threads on pickguard "dyeing" and "painting." looks promising...i guess.

also: though i've filed the nut down, some, for the strings which came on it i'm going to lower it more: the shim i installed + a proper nut-job ( ) should get the original neck into a playing ballpark.

i'm also looking at some pickups: maybe these:
DiMarzio - Pickups - DP127 Split P Black - Best Bass Gear

and a pre, maybe this one:
Richter PB-VT Preamp - Best Bass Gear

 

B-Mac and EatS1stBassist , good to know! thanks.

i already ordered the pickups and the pre i identified in the previous post: both from best bass gear. but i won't know how that works out until they're installed...

update:
...i haven't been able to work on the ax much (gigs over the weekend and family stuff this week!). i did get a partial setup going but i'll have to work more on the nut. the action is very close, but no cigar.

 

ok, so i haven't attended to this project for a few days, except this:
as was my plan, i intend to make this glarry "rosewood" piece play before installing the cheap maple neck later.
- shim
- truss adjustment
- bridge adjustment
- nut job on the plastic nut

while playing with the interplay of the above i was able to get the action much more in line with my preferences, although still no cigar, yet: needs more nut filing to get there. i did this work several days ago and have noticed no neck stability issues since shimming/truss-adjustment. yay!

phone pic (compare to pic in OP):


different angle (apologies for thumbnail dirt):

 

also: the instrument has some neck dive (not as much as some). it hangs ok given my playing posture/pose, but i'm not sure whether lightweight tuning machines are worth the expense --- i won't know the difference in weight between the two necks until this one is removed and i'm not ready to do that yet (i forgot to weigh it when i installed the shim! .)

if i go with lightweights = probably gotoh res-o-lites. black. 'vintage' clovers.


edit: just got the pre and pickups from best bass gear --- i'll install this weekend.

 

an excruciatingly fun pic of the guts while still strung: note the beautiful "burlywood" and the tiny gap between the body and neck, which the pickguard covered before removal (not a biggie! just thought i'd point it out).

a thumbnail:


- i'm still on the fence about the tuners
- i may paint or dye the pickguard.

re: the fat P neck: i really hate it. i may jump the gun and just put the maple neck on.

 

it may be difficult to tell from the last pic, but: whatever it is, the burlywood is solid from top to bottom...it's not faux! surprised me --- it's so light.

plenty of "mwah" after a half-a$$ed setup. but i've removed the "rosewood" fb and i'm waiting for some other parts to install the maple neck/fb...i wonder if it, too, will need shimmed?

i'm with you on that: i'm not sure how i want to proceed with the pickguard. i can trace the thing and get a custom, or color the glarry pg myself --- or as you suggest, shape one, differently --- just not sure, right now. but the ax has to play (feel right) for me for the looks to matter. so, even though i'm trying to make it 'look cool' in some way, i'd be satisfied with a new #1 re: playability. how would you deal with (what could you accept?) the pg-screw holes left by an altered pg? asking for a friend.

update:
- the maple neck doesn't fit the body's pocket with the same curve, and the pickguard follows the glarry body, so: there will be gaps (small ones). what price for a gap?
- i removed the glarry bridge to size-up the schaller fit: one hole (of three on the schaller) might work. i may have to fill some of the glarry holes for 'integrity' purposes.