Official TUNE Club

[Chad Michael]

 

[Holroyd]

Out of curiosity what was the original preamp on the Somnus? I don't think they used the standard 3 band, right?

The original preamp is Volume, Blend, Tone. It's on a circuit board with the pots attached to the board. It is powered by two 9V batteries.
It also had small internal pots.
Neck Volume, Bridge volume, Bass, Low mid, High Mid, Treble.
The last 4 can be accessed via small holes in the back cover.

 

[Holroyd]

I'm surprised to hear someone changing the electronics in a Japanese Tune Zi. I was in love with the stock Tune pickups and controls in my previous two Zi-IIs. I've read it before on TB and I feel it's accurate to say that the early Tune pickups are as close to Lane Poor pickups in clarity, noiseless-ness, and tone I've ever heard. That being said, do you plan on keeping the original pickups and preamp?? If so, can I call dibs?!?

Well as much as I love the neck and the overall feel of my Tune, i thought the sound was a little muddy and dark. There was also some background noise when i pushed the internal EQ a little too high. Changing the preamp made a huge difference.
The change from the pickups was a little more subtle, with a more noticeable effect on the neck side.

As for the old electronics, I am keeping them for now, but if i ever decide to get rid of them i will shoot you a message.

 

[Stephan Matthys]

Hi,
I‘m a BassManiac fan since over 25 years
Here are two of my three Japanese ladies from early/mid ‘80s

 

[kodiakblair]

Hi,
I‘m a BassManiac fan since over 25 years
Here are two of my three Japanese ladies from early/mid ‘80s

Very nice. This fretless Maniac started my Tune interest 35 years ago.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Well as much as I love the neck and the overall feel of my Tune, i thought the sound was a little muddy and dark.........

Did you try adjusting the trim pots on the pre before you changed it out?

 

[Stephan Matthys]

Very nice. This fretless Maniac started my Tune interest 35 years ago.
View attachment 3297335

You can believe me that I‘m sort of jealous seeing this TB-043...
This bass is the one I‘ve been dreaming of since I‘ve seen it in the catalogue coming along with my fretless lady back in ‘93... (even though I actually wouldn‘t know exactly what to do with the third octave... :-D )
Please take care of her 3>

Your other Maniac looks like a Korean one, right?

 

[kodiakblair]

You can believe me that I‘m sort of jealous seeing this TB-043...
This bass is the one I‘ve been dreaming of since I‘ve seen it in the catalogue coming along with my fretless lady back in ‘93... (even though I actually wouldn‘t know exactly what to do with the third octave... :-D )
Please take care of her 3>

Your other Maniac looks like a Korean one, right?

These extended board fretless models are like hen's teeth. I doubt many were made,in 35 years I've only tracked down 4 other owners. Never reached for the 3rd octave,not even for fun

The other Maniac is Japanese too,it dates from the period when Tune were importing Korean parts. The TWB4-Z is Korean,it's a wonderful bass.

 

[Stephan Matthys]

Thanks for the update. I also think that there weren‘t many of these.

I didn‘t know that the Japanese Tunes were built from Korean parts at a certain time; I always thought that the Japanese ones could be distinguished by the rounded fingerboard end, the nicer bridge (especially the Piezo type) & the standard security locks, but apparently I was wrong on that...

 

[kodiakblair]

Stephan

At the start they were all Japanese,then as business grew parts and hardware were imported. Towards the end assembly was handled completely by Korea.

My guess is they were struggling with the Levinson Blades and their own lines. Levinson job being money in bank .
The story goes that Korea was handling builds and distribution when someone in Japan disappeared with the money.

Korea had orders to fill and costs to cover so just kept going.

 

[scubaduba]

Who else thinks the TWB's sound a lot like Ken Smith basses.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Who else thinks the TWB's sound a lot like Ken Smith basses.

I'd like to be able to do a side by side comparison.

 

[kodiakblair]

Folks say the Peavey Cirrus sounds like a Ken Smith. Now I've never played a Ken Smith so can't comment on that.
However I've both Cirrus and a Tune TWB 4Z here. It's after midnight so there'll be no A/B tonight

 

[VSN_Guitars]

Just purchased 8 beautiful TUNE custom finish basses from NAMM. will be available for shipping next week.

Burl Poplar, Buckeye burl, AAAAA flame maple, Spalt Maple..

 

[Watchootognbout]

View attachment 3299157 View attachment 3299159 View attachment 3299157

Just purchased 8 beautiful TUNE custom finish basses from NAMM. will be available for shipping next week.

Burl Poplar, Buckeye burl, AAAAA flame maple, Spalt Maple..

Single cut Tune???

 

[VSN_Guitars]

Single cut Tune???

Yes

 

[kodiakblair]

@gebass6

THR5-SM

https://www.tuneguitars.com/thr5-sm-spec

 

[Yames]

Hi All, - A story: I was in an antique shop with my wife when I sat in a comfy chair. The sales lady said "that's a $20,000 chair". I said "A $20,000 chair"??? She said "It's a very important chair". I said "What the #&*% is an important chair"?? She said "After that chair, everybody changed the way they made chairs. From a furniture design standpoint, it changed everything". I said "Oh".

From what I read in bass-geek books and online, I think Hatsen's Tune Bass Maniacs are "important" basses; they changed the way a lot of manufacturers made their basses. In the age of Fender (and Leo's descendent) basses, he pioneered the small bodied, thin-necked bolt-on bass with the innovative recessed neck heel that has been copied far and wide. He had other innovations too: crammed the controls together and pushed them to the far corner to clear the decks for slapping. Smallest possible headstock to combat neck dive. Stainless bridge and frets, brass nut for attack and sustain. My '92 Japanese Maniac fiver has a phenolic resin fingerboard, from the days when Alembic and Modulus were the few makers offering them.

I love my Bass Maniac 5 string. I got it for $300 a few years ago in ragged condition, abused by previous owners that probably thought it was a copy of an Ibby. They didn't realize how "important" it was. Killer tone, zero neck dive, easy to play, light on my shoulder, just a great bass. Maniacs sold new for $1700 in the early '90s, more than many Custom Shop Fenders. The reason I'm posting this is I just put mine down from playing it. I'm totally stoked on Tunes.

Lastly, my Lazy Man's knob tip, from dealing with the knobs whose caps fell off and I don't want to look at the exposed bolts.
15 minutes with scissors cutting little circles out of pedal board Velcro solved the issue for me. Stick the Velcro circles into the top of the knob to cover the bolt, and the bass is no longer unsightly. Not perfect, but the knobs look so normal, someone else would never notice them.

Thanks for indulging my rant, - Yames

 

[Holroyd]

Did you try adjusting the trim pots on the pre before you changed it out?

Yes of course I tried to adjust the pots but I wasn't getting a sound I was happy with. Also, as soon as i pushed the volume pots ot the EQ pots too high there was a lot of background noise.
Anyway, too late now! I replaced the preamp and pickups, and i'm much happier with the sound.

 

[scubaduba]

I'm curious how you all have your internal pots set?