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Renaissance/Turner Basses Club
- Thread starter EdwardofHuncote
- Start date
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- club
- Aug 21, 2013
- 6,668
- 2
- 16,469
- Disclosures
- I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
I think Rick has been doing the two-tones for a while...here’s mine buried under laminates from the 70s.
Sneaked one in there, didn't you RV!
Every now and then, a Turner will show up with a multi-layered headstock, hiding the scarf joint. It's sharp.
- Aug 21, 2013
- 6,668
- 2
- 16,469
- Disclosures
- I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
Been sitting here playing my fretted Renaissance 5 this evening... first time I've had a guitar strap over my shoulder in a couple months. Not supposed to now, but the 5 lb. weight limit almost covers the Rens. and I feel like I can handle them. Plus, durnit, I want to play!
Rick Turner fans...take a look at this gorgeous Electroline 5 string that just listed on eBay: drool drool drool
Rick Turner Electroline Bass 5-String Flame Koa / Mahogany Gold Hardware, Case | eBay
Rick Turner Electroline Bass 5-String Flame Koa / Mahogany Gold Hardware, Case | eBay
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- Aug 21, 2013
- 6,668
- 2
- 16,469
- Disclosures
- I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
That is a pretty rare custom. He did one like that for McVie too. Nice eye!
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I'd be afraid to take that one out of my house, but what a beauty.
- Aug 21, 2013
- 6,668
- 2
- 16,469
- Disclosures
- I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
Had to go looking for a better picture of it, 'cause McVie is notoriously camera-shy, but here's the custom Electroline 4.
I also think it's a lined fretless, but not sure. It may have been fretted at one time.
Here's a zoomed view where you can see the pinstripe layer and the symmetrical horns that set this one apart from his more standard ash body Electroline. In some pictures it seems to have a red LED visible, but could be a reflection of stage lighting.
I've often wondered if it was built with some characteristics of John's early Alembic (#73-27) in mind...?
If @Rick Turner ever checks back in on us, maybe he'll be able to tell us more about this one.
I also think it's a lined fretless, but not sure. It may have been fretted at one time.
Here's a zoomed view where you can see the pinstripe layer and the symmetrical horns that set this one apart from his more standard ash body Electroline. In some pictures it seems to have a red LED visible, but could be a reflection of stage lighting.
I've often wondered if it was built with some characteristics of John's early Alembic (#73-27) in mind...?
If @Rick Turner ever checks back in on us, maybe he'll be able to tell us more about this one.
I currently have TI Jazz flats on my RB5 and I’m getting a nasty buzz at the saddle when I play notes at the first fret for all strings. Any suggestion on how to adjust to eliminate the buzz? I have a new set of acousticores I was thinking of putting on the bass to see if that eliminates the buzzing, but I really like flatwound strings. Thanks!
@RVBASS Is it the original nut? Did you just install the TIJFs or have they been on there for a while without the buzzing? If they've been on there for a while, did the buzzing just start with the change of seasons? (I have had TIJFs on a number of basses, including one of my Rens and currently have them on two Electrolines.) I suspect you may just need to adjust the truss rod slightly, but let us know answers to my questions first please.
@porterbass, thanks for the reply. The nut is original, and they are new strings that I put on last month and adjusted the neck at that time. There were previously acousticores on there. I have a very good luthier that adjusts my other basses, I will bring down to him tomorrow to have it properly set up for these strings. I’ll let you know what he says. Thanks.
@RVBASS I suspect it just needs a minor truss rod adjustment due to the new strings along with the change of seasons. Please note that when adjusting the truss rod on these, we're supposed to loosen the strings. It is also recommended to put a slight amount of back pressure on the neck when tightening... @Jeff Scott has a post above referring to this. I hold the bass vertically when adjusting the truss rod so that I can hold the body with my feet and knees, then put a slight back pressure on the neck with one hand and adjust the truss rod with the other. I honestly haven't had to do it once the neck is set for the specific strings, but my basses stay indoors and never venture into the wild.
You'll have to loosen the truss rod slightly so you won't have to do this, unless it gets loosened too much.
I hope I've explained this properly. Others will jump in here with any recommendations, etc.
By the way, I've never had to do any adjustments to the nut on any Rens when changing from Acousticores to TIJFs.
You'll have to loosen the truss rod slightly so you won't have to do this, unless it gets loosened too much.
I hope I've explained this properly. Others will jump in here with any recommendations, etc.
By the way, I've never had to do any adjustments to the nut on any Rens when changing from Acousticores to TIJFs.
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I don't own a Turner instrument though I'd love to.
I use another musical instrument forum, nothing to do with the bass, where Rick Turner and his son used to contribute quite a lot. I looked forward to their posts which were always very informative and knowledgeable. Rick shared freely his experience of instrument building and the music business, but I always felt people weren't aware of the source of his knowledge or the importance of the contribution he'd made to music.
Eventually Rick and his son stopped contributing. I imagine they got fed up with the internet forum experts who knew better than they did. I did pm him at the time expressing my appreciation. Rick, if you read this, thanks again - you're still missed.
A lesson for all of us - treat people on internet forums with respect. They may possibly know as much as they appear to!
I use another musical instrument forum, nothing to do with the bass, where Rick Turner and his son used to contribute quite a lot. I looked forward to their posts which were always very informative and knowledgeable. Rick shared freely his experience of instrument building and the music business, but I always felt people weren't aware of the source of his knowledge or the importance of the contribution he'd made to music.
Eventually Rick and his son stopped contributing. I imagine they got fed up with the internet forum experts who knew better than they did. I did pm him at the time expressing my appreciation. Rick, if you read this, thanks again - you're still missed.
A lesson for all of us - treat people on internet forums with respect. They may possibly know as much as they appear to!
- Aug 21, 2013
- 6,668
- 2
- 16,469
- Disclosures
- I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
At the bridge saddle? Or is that just where the buzz seems to be emanating from? Rens are funny how they even act like true acoustics... one of mine is so resonant that I have to keep a little tension on the rod just to keep it from rattling. With the truss rod complety slack, any E note caused the truss rod to ring too, setting off something like a wolf note. It was weird as hell. I've heard this on cellos and upright basses. Didn't expect it on a piezo-equipped bass guitar!
@porterbass already tagged it, but this is almost certainly going to be a truss rod adjustment. It sounds to me like plain old geometry - it's a bit too flat up there in the first position, meaning you need to loosen it up a fraction of a turn, letting the string tension put some relief back in the neck. That ought to cure it.
One other thing I'll say about T-I Jazz Flats, and this is coming from a guy who plays them almost exclusively and swears by the feel and sound... due to being hand-wound, they are notoriously inconsistent in roundness. I've had a few of them that just would not work on a fretless, especially with low action. Again - geometry... a flatwound string against a flat fingerboard is a very low margin for error in trueness. A couple thousandths is all it takes to buzzzzzz...
Just a couple extra, unsolicited thoughts from a grumpy old upright bass repair guy.
- Aug 21, 2013
- 6,668
- 2
- 16,469
- Disclosures
- I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
Thanks for the feedback, guys. I tried losening up the rod a little to create a little relief, but I’ll bring it down to a pro and have it set up properly. It should be easy for him and I’ll let you know what he says.
OK, I brought it down today. I had the neck set up correctly. It turns out there is a slight bump at the first fretline marker that’s causing the buzz (my brain was fooled as to where the sound was coming from). The buzz was actually emanating from there not the bridge. So he will smooth it out and buzz be gone! Easy minor fix.
That is something I noted on both of the Rens I had. I take it it is due to the different expansion/contraction rates between the fingerboard and the inlaid material for the lines.
