Project Vista Sonic (rut row, JIO's at it again!)

[JimmyM]

I will have to listen to this later, as I have no sound on my computer at work (not even system beeps!). But yeah, it gets me off the hook.

I once started figuring out how many possible combinations of three split pickups there are, and I think it was more than 24. To waste one position of a four-position switch on Wild Dog showed a bit of negligence, I think.

Honestly, I think every position except Contra Bass showed negligence. At least Wild Dog is semi-useful. Treble and Bass were yuck!

 

[JimmyM]

From listening to the vid, the turn-off for me is the output drop of the Treble, Bass and Wild Dog settings. Or if you look at it differently, the over-boost of output at the Contra Bass setting. If each setting was meant to be useable while performing, they should all have equal output and vary only considering their tone setting. So, Wild Dog = odd phase tone, Bass = lower, Treble = brighter, and Contra Bass = darker/woodier? The Contra Bass setting could be considered a "bass boost" but if you had the gain set for the other 3, a switch to Contra Bass mid-song could blow the speaker.

As much as I love Phil Kubicki's Ex-Factor preamp - I never use the passive settings because of the major output drop from the 2 active settings. He even has mention of it in his pamphlet on the bass - in it he cautions against mid-song switching from passive to active for that same reason. (surge of output/damaging speakers) I compare it to another of my favorite active/passive pre-amps, the G&L L2000. All setting are consistently gauged in output, with only a slight rise engaging the 'boost' setting. Active to passive stays at a similar output/volume - just alters the tone accordingly. I've switched between active to passive, and active to boost on the fly with no major output surge problems.

Well it's not the first bass to have an output drop at different settings and it won't be the last. Honestly, if I got one of those things, I'd be looking to wire the switch for different combos out of it than any of that crap except contra bass. At least experimentally. Of course you'd want to put it back to stock if you sell it.

 

[Reedt2000]

Very cool project

I see there's been much discussion about wiring, but have you narrowed in on a finish? I think the burst really says vintage Burns, and I really like this pic:

The character in the wood under the amber trans finish is really cool. What about a gilded burst? Silver leaf under amber, with the solid black edge?

 

[JIO]

Well it's not the first bass to have an output drop at different settings and it won't be the last. Honestly, if I got one of those things, I'd be looking to wire the switch for different combos out of it than any of that crap except contra bass. At least experimentally. Of course you'd want to put it back to stock if you sell it.

We'll see once I get to that phase of the project...

Very cool project

I see there's been much discussion about wiring, but have you narrowed in on a finish? I think the burst really says vintage Burns, and I really like this pic:

View attachment 3714987
The character in the wood under the amber trans finish is really cool. What about a gilded burst? Silver leaf under amber, with the solid black edge?

...speaking of which - yes, the finish will be a top concern and I agree that a burst is very Burns-esk. As I've gravitated toward restoring these quirky-cool vintage basses, I'm tending to shy away from gilding them. I've done bursts over gilding which look cool and all - but these designs speak to me more about era/brand-specific colours/finishes which I really like. The example pic above is cool because of the woodgrain 'flashing' which happens a lot on maple. Once it arrives I'll see what the sycamore grain pattern has to offer. So far I like the green-burst and with sycamore being a light color to begin with - it is a good candidate.

 

[JimmyM]

We'll see once I get to that phase of the project...

...speaking of which - yes, the finish will be a top concern and I agree that a burst is very Burns-esk. As I've gravitated toward restoring these quirky-cool vintage basses, I'm tending to shy away from gilding them. I've done bursts over gilding which look cool and all - but these designs speak to me more about era/brand-specific colours/finishes which I really like. The example pic above is cool because of the woodgrain 'flashing' which happens a lot on maple. Once it arrives I'll see what the sycamore grain pattern has to offer. So far I like the green-burst and with sycamore being a light color to begin with - it is a good candidate.

Being a man who studies color, I'm sure you know this, but please allow me to point out the danger of painting a bass green to the uninitiated:

Seafoam green, right? Brilliant color...until your BL shows up with the most putrid looking green T shirts on St. Patrick's Day 2010 and forces you to wear them. Yet another reason I don't miss this band at all. But I did learn a valuable lesson...you have to be very careful what color clothing you wear with a green bass as different shades of green and blue can clash bigtime.

 

[JIO]

Being a man who studies color, I'm sure you know this, but please allow me to point out the danger of painting a bass green to the uninitiated:

View attachment 3715095

Seafoam green, right? Brilliant color...until your BL shows up with the most putrid looking green T shirts on St. Patrick's Day 2010 and forces you to wear them. Yet another reason I don't miss this band at all. But I did learn a valuable lesson...you have to be very careful what color clothing you wear with a green bass as different shades of green and blue can clash bigtime.

I was briefly in a band that 'required' me to wear a sleeveless black T with the band name/image on it to perform. Last time I saw them.

 

[JimmyM]

I was briefly in a band that 'required' me to wear a sleeveless black T with the band name/image on it to perform. Last time I saw them.

You were smart. I stayed with this band for 20 years. I have some good memories and met a whole lot of my musical heroes through it, but mostly it was bad. I remember that night well. It was especially bad and especially nasty. The shirt ended up being the least of it. But still, a lesson to be learned. Actually two...I stayed in this band because I thought I could parlay it eventually into an actual good income, and I did...for the bandleader.

 

[JIO]

I'm kinda digging this camel brown-burst. I looks great with the black scratch-plate, which being so predominate is a factor. As much as I like the green-burst, a color like this is more subtly cool on the bandstand.

 

[JIO]

You were smart. I stayed with this band for 20 years. I have some good memories and met a whole lot of my musical heroes through it, but mostly it was bad. I remember that night well. It was especially bad and especially nasty. The shirt ended up being the least of it. But still, a lesson to be learned. Actually two...I stayed in this band because I thought I could parlay it eventually into an actual good income, and I did...for the bandleader.

Being in bands is like being in relationships - all kinda reasons why we put up with it... some good, some not so good. Life is a crap game most of the time so you just gotta enjoy the ride when you can.

 

[Beej]

Being in bands is like being in relationships - all kinda reasons why we put up with it... some good, some not so good. Life is a crap game most of the time so you just gotta enjoy the ride when you can.

Totally. My band just got "signed", and with that comes everything that such things come with nowadays - mostly requirements to post and repost social media. We were tasked with making a "meet the band" video, which we tried to do tonight. We're going to try again in three weeks.

 

[JIO]

Totally. My band just got "signed", and with that comes everything that such things come with nowadays - mostly requirements to post and repost social media. We were tasked with making a "meet the band" video, which we tried to do tonight. We're going to try again in three weeks.

Well that's cool! Congrats Beej! All that stuff is pretty important. I'm the one in my band who does all the PR/exposer work, at least as much as I can. We're having a 'band portrait' shot in a couple weeks by a UK expat named Steve Rapport who's shot pics of Bowie, Bono, Kate Bush, Annie Lenox, Springsteen and a bunch of others. He lives in our coastal community - I met him through a friend and was delighted when he agreed to do that for us. I've been looking at famous band pics to find a style I liked. So far I like this one of the Doors - black & white, no "location shot" - simple and classic. No, we're not anywhere in the league of anyone he's shot before - but I'm confident that someone with his eye will take a nice portrait of us.

 

[Dynacord]

Seafoam green, right? Brilliant color...until your BL shows up with the most putrid looking green T shirts on St. Patrick's Day 2010 and forces you to wear them.

Just a clarification on greens - if talking the Fender ones - as they are often mixed up; original Surf Green (sort of toothpaste green and easily confused with Sonic Blue) on the Left and Foam Green on the right:

 

[JimmyM]

Just a clarification on greens - if talking the Fender ones - as they are often mixed up; original Surf Green (sort of toothpaste green and easily confused with Sonic Blue) on the Left and Foam Green on the right:

View attachment 3715220

But I like calling my color "seafoam green" better

 

[Dynacord]

But I like calling my color "seafoam green" better

Whatever makes you happy

 

[JIO]

Just a clarification on greens - if talking the Fender ones - as they are often mixed up; original Surf Green (sort of toothpaste green and easily confused with Sonic Blue) on the Left and Foam Green on the right:

View attachment 3715220

But I like calling my color "seafoam green" better

Classic Fender colours & the cars that they were derived from - PIC HEAVY :)

 

[JIO]

The missing output jack on your bass was a Cliff brand nylon bodied, with a chrome nut. It's similar to the Re'an units.

I just ordered the "British Style" Cliff output jack from Stew Mac. That's cool that they stock them - thanks for that info. I'm contacting any parts resources/sellers to see if they have any of the other missing parts - saddle, bridge cover, knobs and engraved neck plate. I'll make do in the time being and maybe someday I'll find them if I continue searching.

 

[farace]

I just ordered the "British Style" Cliff output jack from Stew Mac. That's cool that they stock them - thanks for that info. I'm contacting any parts resources/sellers to see if they have any of the other missing parts - saddle, bridge cover, knobs and engraved neck plate. I'll make do in the time being and maybe someday I'll find them if I continue searching.

Re the engraved neckplate, watch on the Facebook Burns groups for posts by Bill Lovegrove. He deals directly with Eddie Cross, who worked in his dad's engraving shop (if I have the story right) who did all the original plates and pickguards for Burns. Eddie still has all the original templates. Getting one from him, in a sense, is the same as getting a brand-new original. I've been meaning to look into getting a replacement pickguard, since mine has several repaired breaks, but finances have been tight lately.

 

[JIO]

Re the engraved neckplate, watch on the Facebook Burns groups for posts by Bill Lovegrove. He deals directly with Eddie Cross, who worked in his dad's engraving shop (if I have the story right) who did all the original plates and pickguards for Burns. Eddie still has all the original templates. Getting one from him, in a sense, is the same as getting a brand-new original. I've been meaning to look into getting a replacement pickguard, since mine has several repaired breaks, but finances have been tight lately.

Yah, I saw his name there. Is it cool to ask him if I could have one made by Eddie Cross? That would be awesome!

 

[farace]

Yah, I saw his name there. Is it cool to ask him if I could have one made by Eddie Cross? That would be awesome!

I don't know; I've seen him asking in the past if anyone needed something to be made. I don't know if it's an open-ended thing.

 

[JIO]

I don't know; I've seen him asking in the past if anyone needed something to be made. I don't know if it's an open-ended thing.

I sent a request to join the group and once it's accepted I'll ask.