Renaissance/Turner Basses Club

[johnp352]

Absolutely - by any and all means post it here.

ok, thanks. due to brevity, this is a short profile, I didn't go into my session work which includes Dave Sanborn, Fareed Haque and Art Davis..a handful of great chicago blues men..etc. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

*updated.

Well, they dorked me for another day, and instead of doing what the computer said, they did what I asked them to do in the first place... now, if only they had done it when I asked, instead of a day later. Troy, (or whatever alias he's using today) it turns out, has no clout. I called back, and had a long, but pointed discussion with Jason (it might have been Troy again...) about customer service and following instructions, and the value of my time, and how it was directly related to the level of my frustration. To be clear, I am never, ever rude to folks on the phone. It is very seldom ever their fault when I have an issue. Unless they are sassy, at which point my redneck genes can't be held responsible for any poorly constructed criticisms. I just told Jason, "Dude, I can't be chasin' a Brown Truck around Roanoke tomorrow... when the clock strikes 10, I'll be at that counter. Please make sure I don't have to call you back." We're cool, if that happens. If I get another one of those "Out For Delivery" deals, there may be some involved.

Oh well, the Model One will have to sit in a cage tonight.

 

[johnp352]

*updated.

Well, they dorked me for another day, and instead of doing what the computer said, they did what I asked them to do in the first place... now, if only they had done it when I asked, instead of a day later. Troy, (or whatever alias he's using today) it turns out, has no clout. I called back, and had a long, but pointed discussion with Jason (it might have been Troy again...) about customer service and following instructions, and the value of my time, and how it was directly related to the level of my frustration. To be clear, I am never, ever rude to folks on the phone. It is very seldom ever their fault when I have an issue. Unless they are sassy, at which point my redneck genes can't be held responsible for any poorly constructed criticisms. I just told Jason, "Dude, I can't be chasin' a Brown Truck around Roanoke tomorrow... when the clock strikes 10, I'll be at that counter. Please make sure I don't have to call you back." We're cool, if that happens. If I get another one of those "Out For Delivery" deals, there may be some involved.

Oh well, the Model One will have to sit in a cage tonight.

AH...I see it comin'..comin round the bend..it ain't seen no sunshine...since
Troy don't remember when..etcetc

 

[CryingBass]

*updated.

Well, they dorked me for another day, and instead of doing what the computer said, they did what I asked them to do in the first place... now, if only they had done it when I asked, instead of a day later. Troy, (or whatever alias he's using today) it turns out, has no clout. I called back, and had a long, but pointed discussion with Jason (it might have been Troy again...) about customer service and following instructions, and the value of my time, and how it was directly related to the level of my frustration. To be clear, I am never, ever rude to folks on the phone. It is very seldom ever their fault when I have an issue. Unless they are sassy, at which point my redneck genes can't be held responsible for any poorly constructed criticisms. I just told Jason, "Dude, I can't be chasin' a Brown Truck around Roanoke tomorrow... when the clock strikes 10, I'll be at that counter. Please make sure I don't have to call you back." We're cool, if that happens. If I get another one of those "Out For Delivery" deals, there may be some involved.

Oh well, the Model One will have to sit in a cage tonight.

I know that song: "Like Pushing a Jello Boulder up a Mountain"

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

ok, thanks. due to brevity, this is a short profile, I didn't go into my session work which includes Dave Sanborn, Fareed Haque and Art Davis..a handful of great chicago blues men..etc. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

That is a NICE WRITE-UP.

I didn't see you post, or I would have held off on my silliness.

 

[RVBASS]

That was a nice write up, John. I'd like to learn more about your
compositions of bass and electronic instrumentals. I have a bass modified with midi output and I've been trying to figure out ways to use it.

EofH, frustrating for sure! I had a similar experience recently with UPS, remain calm and persistent and your bass will magically appear! Hope it goes well tomorrow

 

[porterbass]

ok, thanks. due to brevity, this is a short profile, I didn't go into my session work which includes Dave Sanborn, Fareed Haque and Art Davis..a handful of great chicago blues men..etc. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

John, that was an awesome profile/write-up! Loved it! Kudos!!! Some of that really takes me back, including when I was in a band back in the day down in 80's Champaign-Urbana which included several Off Broadway covers in our sets. You've had a very diverse career which says a lot about your talent! Thank you for sharing.

 

[johnp352]

John, that was an awesome profile/write-up! Loved it! Kudos!!! Some of that really takes me back, including when I was in a band back in the day down in 80's Champaign-Urbana which included several Off Broadway covers in our sets. You've had a very diverse career which says a lot about your talent! Thank you for sharing.

ha, thanks. what band were you with in Champaign? OB is still going w/ all 5 org members, we started that back up in 2018. It is sorta my"day job" of doing 8-10 shows a year, theaters, outdoor muni events, the occasional club. Due to the unreal power of nostalgia (we only play the 1st album and some of the 2nd), the paycheck astounded me, as well as 1 hour set, backline, usually done by 9 pm, roadies..I mean everything playing my art music is not. Except the art music was where I was headed fulltime when this began, and has slightly overwhelmed it.

it's cool you are in Chicago and play Turners..I think we are the only two. I almost bought a Model One in 1980, a friend was in an LA based band and he played a model one guitar. Never did it though, as i had a MusicMan endorsalment and my then manager was carping about WHY do you need all this stuff? a little while later, he took me to BC Rich where the owner was trying to shuffle off a giant pre metal metal bass. could not lift it though!

 

[johnp352]

That was a nice write up, John. I'd like to learn more about your
compositions of bass and electronic instrumentals. I have a bass modified with midi output and I've been trying to figure out ways to use it.

EofH, frustrating for sure! I had a similar experience recently with UPS, remain calm and persistent and your bass will magically appear! Hope it goes well tomorrow

I can pm you with some of my stuff, which is heavily altered pedal-based stuff. AFA midi bass...sigh. I TRIED I really did, as I was a 1984 early adapter to MIDI. I had a roland midi bass/synth, the spaceship looking silver thing. nope. I had a Peavey "Midi Bass". I tried the RNC stuff, was thinking of that as Rick seemed to like it. nope. Since I also play keyboards though, i stayed with that, though most of my synth work involves synths i use as sound generators and not organs or bass pedals etc, I like the original purpose of the word.

 

[johnp352]

Absolutely - by any and all means post it here.

I just want to thank you for allowing this in, I mostly don't like things like this in TB (unless I do them of course ;(. ) I have found this little corner of TB one of the best to hang at, more substance, less bs.

 

[RVBASS]

Thanks, John. I have the RMC saddle pickups in a restored bass with a midi five pin connector. I bought a Moog Sirin hoping I could trigger it from the bass to add some synth sounds now and then. It works, but I can't isolate it from my bass sound yet. Otherwise I picked up a used Yamaha Motif Rack XS. That works well, but I have to learn how to program patches and how to switch between them. Unfortunately I have a pretty intense day job so time for learning how to program a synth is limited right now. Eventually what I would like to do is be able to trigger sound pallets behind my bass notes like Robert Fripp does on his guitar...I'll keep dreaming for now.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

I just want to thank you for allowing this in, I mostly don't like things like this in TB (unless I do them of course ;(. ) I have found this little corner of TB one of the best to hang at, more substance, less bs.

Shoot, it's half the reason I started this thread waaaay back, a chance to see and hear what other Turner/Renaissance players were doing. These things are kinda' niche' anyway, but if they do what that thing is you do... you know? Nice going with the write-up and the acknowledgment from HQ.

I feel pretty stupid having to say this, after waiting flippin' years for a bucket-list bass like this - but I've had the Model One for 24 hours and I have yet to plug it in and play a tune on it. I was a babbling idiot by the time I got in last night, and I left for work before daylight this morning, still ain't got home. I can say, it arrived safe, was even close to being in tune right outta' the box. It came with Pyramid Gold Flats installed, new enough to still have that god-awful black greasy preservative on them. The action felt nice, a little low for me actually. Looking it over, there was nary a scratch that I could find. The case even smells new. I don't think anyone played it, ever. That is about to change.

I FINALLY have a couple days off coming... so more to follow.

 

[johnp352]

Shoot, it's half the reason I started this thread waaaay back, a chance to see and hear what other Turner/Renaissance players were doing. These things are kinda' niche' anyway, but if they do what that thing is you do... you know? Nice going with the write-up and the acknowledgment from HQ.

I feel pretty stupid having to say this, after waiting flippin' years for a bucket-list bass like this - but I've had the Model One for 24 hours and I have yet to plug it in and play a tune on it. I was a babbling idiot by the time I got in last night, and I left for work before daylight this morning, still ain't got home. I can say, it arrived safe, was even close to being in tune right outta' the box. It came with Pyramid Gold Flats installed, new enough to still have that god-awful black greasy preservative on them. The action felt nice, a little low for me actually. Looking it over, there was nary a scratch that I could find. The case even smells new. I don't think anyone played it, ever. That is about to change.

I FINALLY have a couple days off coming... so more to follow.

So Ed..DON'T play it. Do the same thing the previous owner did. said John never. AFA 'what we do with the tools" I agree 100%. The only way to really appreciate something as nice as a Tuner is to play the snot out of it. and you'll be amazed at how your appreciation of it grows commensurately with how much time you put into it. it's like magic! Except we know better. Rick honestly appreciates people making new music with his instruments. SO..my dear sportsfans, get to work!

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

With a couple other 'relatives'... Distant Cuzzins.

 

[RVBASS]

Looks great! Glad it arrived safely, sounds like you found a real beauty!! Looking forward to your reviews and comments.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I'll be right down!

 

[CryingBass]

With a couple other 'relatives'... Distant Cuzzins.
View attachment 3890581

Well - that's really hard on the eyes!

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Looks great! Glad it arrived safely, sounds like you found a real beauty!! Looking forward to your reviews and comments.

I spent about an hour and a half doing a string change and setup, then I played for another three hours. I think I understand the electronics now. It's complicated, but not prohibitively so... the mistake (as I'm sure you have already realized...) is to try and curve offa' how we know Series electronics work... and it just isn't like that. I'm probably not going to describe it correctly, but I figured out within an hour how to dial in what I wanted. It's some kind of parametric equalizer, but not really. I'll try my best to describe what it does, or maybe just post a YouTube of it. The handiest thing... you can just cut that part off... bypassing is as simple as flipping a ball-bat switch. And of course, it didn't take a genius to figure out, you can set this up so you have two completely different tone shapes available, and [wait for it] SWITCHABLE!

I'll be right down!

C'mon man... and bring your M.K. Elfin witcha'. And a 4004. And that super-sweet double cutaway custom Martin OM. And... that sexy little Japanese number too, iffn' you got room.

Well - that's really hard on the eyes!

I didn't caption them, 'cause I was dog-tired, but the Hyak scroll-body fretless in the front there has a kinda'-sorta' indirect Turner link. Brian Smith was a former Alembic employee who had apprenticed with Rick in the shop there in the very early days. He later set up shop in Bellevue, Washington and began building his own line of graphite-reinforced neck-through basses and guitars. My understanding is production only lasted from 1976-79. Mine is a 1978, and while totally playable, it's a restoration project in progress. (I had specifically been watching for one of these, and picked this one up recently) I may end up installing some electronics from RT in it... that's a feasibility conversation I'll have to have with The Bossman sometime. Right now, it only has a passive tone circuit, but retains its original pickups. The original electronics ran on an almost unbelievable 36v power supply or four 9v batteries. There were very few people on Planet Earth back then who had a clue how to work on them, so not many of the remaining Hyak instruments have their original parts. Anyway. That's that thing... it's a really sweet old bass, very resonant, feels alive in your hands. It's just a bit anemic without anything much driving those old pickups. But I know a couple folks...

The other photo-bomb is a 1980 Series I Alembic, soon headed home to California to be outfitted with an upgraded preamp card, some modern RF noise-canceling doo-dads, and while it's on The Wizard's Workbench for this 40-year tune-up, it'll get Series II CVQ's, and a little TLC from the Ladies before coming back to Virginia.

Just a twinge of irony... the Turner Model One might be the antithesis of a Series bass, and might never have existed had that final split not happened. This one in particular was built just as RT was cranking out his first-run batch of 1980 Model Ones. For all the bad blood, I always hope one day the old partners can bury the hatchet... they did so many great things together, and apart.

"Peacemaker take your time, wait for the dark of night, soon all the suns will rise..." ~L. Buckingham

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Without further ado, here 'tis... Turner Model One Bass, #18-5108... a combination of Standard and Deluxe features, with full electronics, including a piezo-equipped bridge and blend function. She was made for display at the Winter 2018 NAMM Show in Anaheim.

Now, back to annoying my neighbors, and all the woodland creatures, while ignoring the yardwork that's two... uhhh... three weeks behind!

 

[CryingBass]

I spent about an hour and a half doing a string change and setup, then I played for another three hours. I think I understand the electronics now. It's complicated, but not prohibitively so... the mistake (as I'm sure you have already realized...) is to try and curve offa' how we know Series electronics work... and it just isn't like that. I'm probably not going to describe it correctly, but I figured out within an hour how to dial in what I wanted. It's some kind of parametric equalizer, but not really. I'll try my best to describe what it does, or maybe just post a YouTube of it. The handiest thing... you can just cut that part off... bypassing is as simple as flipping a ball-bat switch. And of course, it didn't take a genius to figure out, you can set this up so you have two completely different tone shapes available, and [wait for it] SWITCHABLE!



C'mon man... and bring your M.K. Elfin witcha'. And a 4004. And that super-sweet double cutaway custom Martin OM. And... that sexy little Japanese number too, iffn' you got room.



I didn't caption them, 'cause I was dog-tired, but the Hyak scroll-body fretless in the front there has a kinda'-sorta' indirect Turner link. Brian Smith was a former Alembic employee who had apprenticed with Rick in the shop there in the very early days. He later set up shop in Bellevue, Washington and began building his own line of graphite-reinforced neck-through basses and guitars. My understanding is production only lasted from 1976-79. Mine is a 1978, and while totally playable, it's a restoration project in progress. (I had specifically been watching for one of these, and picked this one up recently) I may end up installing some electronics from RT in it... that's a feasibility conversation I'll have to have with The Bossman sometime. Right now, it only has a passive tone circuit, but retains its original pickups. The original electronics ran on an almost unbelievable 36v power supply or four 9v batteries. There were very few people on Planet Earth back then who had a clue how to work on them, so not many of the remaining Hyak instruments have their original parts. Anyway. That's that thing... it's a really sweet old bass, very resonant, feels alive in your hands. It's just a bit anemic without anything much driving those old pickups. But I know a couple folks...

View attachment 3891381

The other photo-bomb is a 1980 Series I Alembic, soon headed home to California to be outfitted with an upgraded preamp card, some modern RF noise-canceling doo-dads, and while it's on The Wizard's Workbench for this 40-year tune-up, it'll get Series II CVQ's, and a little TLC from the Ladies before coming back to Virginia.

View attachment 3891388

Just a twinge of irony... the Turner Model One might be the antithesis of a Series bass, and might never have existed had that final split not happened. This one in particular was built just as RT was cranking out his first-run batch of 1980 Model Ones. For all the bad blood, I always hope one day the old partners can bury the hatchet... they did so many great things together, and apart.

"Peacemaker take your time, wait for the dark of night, soon all the suns will rise..." ~L. Buckingham

That is some beautiful gear you got there Eddie!