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Renaissance/Turner Basses Club

#221
Alright, another simple question. I'm assuming that, in order to get to the battery compartment in the older versions that don't have a back plate, you unscrew the two screws on the side panel (that holds the input jack and the holes for the two internal trimpots)? I did that - even unscrewed the input jack - and can't get the plastic plate to budge. Any ideas?
 
#223
Jeff Scott said:
It may be tight but the whole tray will slide out. Do not unscrew the jack from the plate. Only the two screws at the ends of the plate.
Click to expand...

Sounds good, thanks. I figured it was probably a tight squeeze; just wanted to make sure that was correct before doing anything with it.
 
#226
Anybody like knobs? ;)

RB4-FL-Knobs-800_0289.jpg
 
#228
Greetings HotelX. Anxious to hear a review. Pics and Clips welcome here too.

I'm holding out for the 5-string, and I know of two more bass guys in Tennessee who'd like one as well.
 
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#229
It is very well made and sounds really nice. I have never seen another RT bass in person so I don't have that frame of reference. I believe it has the same electronics as the US basses. It came strung with D'addario XL Nickel wound strings which are a bit brighter than I am used to. But rolling off the tone control solves that problem.

The construction quality is very good but not perfect.

I wish it had the strap dingus as I none of my straps will fit the front button. It is quite large. Also I may add a thumb rest.

But so far so good. Just got it today so still in the honeymoon phase.
 
#231
So I finally had a chance to play a couple gigs with the Renaissance, backing up two singers/guitarists (a lady and her husband). Ran the bass through a PJB Double Four amp for rehearsals, and it was great. Good, woody feel to the tone and the playability was great (still have an old set of Acousticores on it). Played it Sunday at church with the group, at which point I was run direct. Used a compressor in my chain (the new Seymour Duncan Studio Bass Compressor, which is AWESOME) and again, the bass really sang. I get it now, and am a big fan.

Only issue I have with mine is after taking it to a luthier friend, he noticed the top has a slight seam split. However, he said it's an easy fix for him (he usually does restoration work on early Martins and Gibsons, so this is definitely in his wheelhouse).
 
#232
Jon Moody said:
So I finally had a chance to play a couple gigs with the Renaissance... <snip> ...I get it now, and am a big fan.

...Only issue I have with mine is after taking it to a luthier friend, he noticed the top has a slight seam split. However, he said it's an easy fix for him (he usually does restoration work on early Martins and Gibsons, so this is definitely in his wheelhouse).
Click to expand...

I figured you would. It doesn't take long to find the tone you're looking for with these.

Your luthier knows this too I'm sure, but try aggressively humidifying the bass to swell that seam closed before glueing. (IIRC, yours is a cedar top?) Wrap the body up in a trash bag with a humidifier.

I use homemade humidifiers in all my cases, just an el-cheapo simple dishwasher sponge inside a plastic box with 1/2" holes... works like a charm.
 
#233
EdwardofHuncote said:
Your luthier knows this too I'm sure, but try aggressively humidifying the bass to swell that seam closed before glueing. (IIRC, yours is a cedar top?) Wrap the body up in a trash bag with a humidifier.
Click to expand...

No, I have a walnut top.

Funny, that's exactly what he said he'd do. I took it in on Friday; he's been wanting to see it, so he was really happy to see me coming with the gigbag. I'll take your advise on the humidifier, as this winter has been brutal in terms of cold. We're also in a new house, so the area where I keep my basses is unfamiliar to me in terms of how the humidity/temperature stays.
 
#234
Jon Moody said:
No, I have a walnut top.

Funny, that's exactly what he said he'd do. I took it in on Friday; he's been wanting to see it, so he was really happy to see me coming with the gigbag. I'll take your advise on the humidifier, as this winter has been brutal in terms of cold. We're also in a new house, so the area where I keep my basses is unfamiliar to me in terms of how the humidity/temperature stays.
Click to expand...

I work on instruments too, especially upright basses, as a hobby/extra money. This time of year we get a lot of that. The good news is, it's an easy fix, the bad news is, it's hard to hide. I just did a 1967 Martin D-18 last week. Took five days to swell it shut, and 5 minutes to fit and glue a cleat in. Try-try-try to keep minimum of 40% humidity. This is much easier when they are cased. Get a couple cheap hygrometers... usually a couple bucks at the hardware, to monitor.

Congratulations & Compliments on that walnut Ren 5. I think I remember it now... had that unusual mahogany neck.
 
#235
EdwardofHuncote said:
I work on instruments too, especially upright basses, as a hobby/extra money. This time of year we get a lot of that. The good news is, it's an easy fix, the bad news is, it's hard to hide. I just did a 1967 Martin D-18 last week. Took five days to swell it shut, and 5 minutes to fit and glue a cleat in. Try-try-try to keep minimum of 40% humidity. This is much easier when they are cased. Get a couple cheap hygrometers... usually a couple bucks at the hardware, to monitor.

Congratulations & Compliments on that walnut Ren 5. I think I remember it now... had that unusual mahogany neck.
Click to expand...

I have it safely in my Levy's leather gigbag right now, which is keeping it nice and cozy. But yeah, I'll toss a makeshift humidifier in tonight for a little extra.

Yep, that's the one. I was getting some killer Bakithi Kumalo-esque tones while playing some sliding octaves the other day.
 
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#238
20150228_182903.jpg
Pre-gig shot of the Renaissance basses. I'm at the Buchanan Theatre tonight, for a reunion concert (of sorts) with Acoustic Endeavors. Tonight's show also highlights the release of our 20-year anthology - "Ole' 22-1/2".
 
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#240
Wasn't that the one you got last year someone had de-fretted? Looks great saltymonkey... extremely cool bass. I think this must be the oldest Turner pictured here.

I've always thought the Model 1's distinctive pattern was a bit of a hat-tip to Rick's early designs at Alembic. Look at a picture of an early "peanut" guitar and you start seeing the evolutionary process.
 

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