Admission - I know next to nothing about pickups and the electronics associated with them, but have done a LOT of soldering, amp and speaker repair, etc., and have a nodding acquaintance with schematics, DMM, oscilloscopes, etc.
Ok.. the questions re/ the bass in the thread title, new to me as of a month or so ago...
1. Truss rod - I've made some adjustments, and the neck feels pretty good now, but the adjustment nut (a hex) is dangerously closed to having the hex socket stripped and I'd like to replace it. I'm pretty sure I read that the truss rod in this bass is a "dual action," and that the nuts are "captive" and can't be removed. I'm hoping that isn't true. I have full sets of good quality SAE and metric hex wrenches from the various bench and garage work I do; it's not a question of having the correct size. No matter what I try, it's either too big or there's a slight amount of play and the wrench slips if I'm not REALLY careful. Any advice? CAN the nut be replaced and, if so, how, and what is the correct replacement specs for the nut?
2. Electronics - I like the way the neck feels, and I have the action set nice and low, buzz-free along the entire neck. BUT.. the bass just sounds like it has a head-cold. Kind of stuffy, no life, just kind of blah. Again, based upon reading, the pickups seem to be regarded as the weak link on this bass. Interested in learning, and have read a few of the upgrade threads on this forum and elsewhere, but still have questions about the conversions...
A) When going from the existing passive pickups to active pickups, is a separate onboard preamp required, or does that usually come with the pickup itself? When one purchases pickups, new or used, is there anything else necessary in order to install and use them?
B) The varieties of pickups available, and control schemes, is dizzying. How's a guy make the first decision? I see EMG40 pickups being recommended in various threads for this bass... but which one?!? I like the control layout on my Alembic Epic5 (vol/blend/bass/treble), not crazy about the current re-wired-by-PO layout on the Grind5 (vol/tone/blend). I've seen vol/blend/bass/treble/mid-with-push/pull switching for frequency point and a switch or push-pull for active/passive as a control scheme, and that appeals to me, but is it overkill?
C) The bass currently has four pots. I haven't opened it up to take a look. I do have a router and a Dremel, and am not concerned with altering the bass; I picked it up cheap, mostly to learn how to play frets, but now want to use it to learn more about electronic modifications, too. Worth doing, or stick with the four original holes, leave well enough alone, and forget about active (or is there room to go active without extensive body modification)?
3. Hardware - The tuners are lame. They don't turn real smoothly, and make it difficult to get the tuning dead on since they kind of "chatter/stick" as you try and nail the pitch. Kind of like poorly fitted violin/viola/cello pegs. What size/spec tuners would I need to get for this bass? Same comments on the bridge - the string height adjustment is bottomed out on a few of the strings, and I'd like to go a little lower yet (and it's not a question of the truss rod adjustment.. that's set pretty well now). It's a through-body string design, but the PO has the strings mounted on the bridge. I'd like to replace the bridge with a better, more easily-and-widely-adjustable design, and retain the through-body stringing feature of the bass. Again, recommendations?
This is my backup/learn-new-skills el cheapo bass, and I don't really want to sink mega bucks into it. Would love to pick up some appropriate used stuff to tinker with that would result in significant improvements. Recommendations for what to keep my eyes out for, as well as offers from anyone who has stuff lying around they want to sell that would work well, are all very welcomed, as is any help with the truss rod nut issue.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts or help!
Ok.. the questions re/ the bass in the thread title, new to me as of a month or so ago...
1. Truss rod - I've made some adjustments, and the neck feels pretty good now, but the adjustment nut (a hex) is dangerously closed to having the hex socket stripped and I'd like to replace it. I'm pretty sure I read that the truss rod in this bass is a "dual action," and that the nuts are "captive" and can't be removed. I'm hoping that isn't true. I have full sets of good quality SAE and metric hex wrenches from the various bench and garage work I do; it's not a question of having the correct size. No matter what I try, it's either too big or there's a slight amount of play and the wrench slips if I'm not REALLY careful. Any advice? CAN the nut be replaced and, if so, how, and what is the correct replacement specs for the nut?
2. Electronics - I like the way the neck feels, and I have the action set nice and low, buzz-free along the entire neck. BUT.. the bass just sounds like it has a head-cold. Kind of stuffy, no life, just kind of blah. Again, based upon reading, the pickups seem to be regarded as the weak link on this bass. Interested in learning, and have read a few of the upgrade threads on this forum and elsewhere, but still have questions about the conversions...
A) When going from the existing passive pickups to active pickups, is a separate onboard preamp required, or does that usually come with the pickup itself? When one purchases pickups, new or used, is there anything else necessary in order to install and use them?
B) The varieties of pickups available, and control schemes, is dizzying. How's a guy make the first decision? I see EMG40 pickups being recommended in various threads for this bass... but which one?!? I like the control layout on my Alembic Epic5 (vol/blend/bass/treble), not crazy about the current re-wired-by-PO layout on the Grind5 (vol/tone/blend). I've seen vol/blend/bass/treble/mid-with-push/pull switching for frequency point and a switch or push-pull for active/passive as a control scheme, and that appeals to me, but is it overkill?
C) The bass currently has four pots. I haven't opened it up to take a look. I do have a router and a Dremel, and am not concerned with altering the bass; I picked it up cheap, mostly to learn how to play frets, but now want to use it to learn more about electronic modifications, too. Worth doing, or stick with the four original holes, leave well enough alone, and forget about active (or is there room to go active without extensive body modification)?
3. Hardware - The tuners are lame. They don't turn real smoothly, and make it difficult to get the tuning dead on since they kind of "chatter/stick" as you try and nail the pitch. Kind of like poorly fitted violin/viola/cello pegs. What size/spec tuners would I need to get for this bass? Same comments on the bridge - the string height adjustment is bottomed out on a few of the strings, and I'd like to go a little lower yet (and it's not a question of the truss rod adjustment.. that's set pretty well now). It's a through-body string design, but the PO has the strings mounted on the bridge. I'd like to replace the bridge with a better, more easily-and-widely-adjustable design, and retain the through-body stringing feature of the bass. Again, recommendations?
This is my backup/learn-new-skills el cheapo bass, and I don't really want to sink mega bucks into it. Would love to pick up some appropriate used stuff to tinker with that would result in significant improvements. Recommendations for what to keep my eyes out for, as well as offers from anyone who has stuff lying around they want to sell that would work well, are all very welcomed, as is any help with the truss rod nut issue.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts or help!
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With hindsight I'd have bought empty soapbar shells from eBay and loaded those with the Warmans instead
Being quite old now, Gotoh revamped the GB-7 and it's now the GB707. If you find Gotoh too rich for your blood, Wilkinson WJB-750 also fit 
