Renaissance/Turner Basses Club

[EdwardofHuncote]

Bringing this zombie thread up.

RB4-FL here.

Thanks for bumping the thread Jeff. Listening back to Rare Blend in my shop this morning... that fretless Renaissance was a good call on that record.

I haven't had much to report on since retirement from public service last year. After 33 years (and change) in the local water utility, I turned in my truck, handed over the keys, took my shingle down and went home. I left some really sharp kids in charge.

I'm doing repair and setup work for a couple local music stores, plus whatever walks in my shop now, just like a part-time job.

...I did take my fretless Electroline along to a hurricane/disaster relief concert a couple weeks back, but ended up just playing my old Starfire. Even though indoors, it was really cold. They had originally planned on us playing two sets but instead we just did one long one.

The middle of Winter in Virginia might seem like a weird time and place to host a benefit concert, and it is... but the point here was raising money for a makeshift RV park in rural Western North Carolina. There's a buncha' folks down there still outdoors, so they've taken donated campers and RV's in any condition, fixed them up to a livable condition, delivered them to a site that can support water and electricity for them. All that of course costs money, but it's working out.

Hope you all are finding some plug-in-and-play time. ~Ed of H.

 

[tsarter]

Some of you may have seen this in the classifieds. I’m selling my Turner Model 1:

https://www.talkbass.com/classifieds/2018-rick-turner-model-1-custom-video-demo-added.1657805/

Decided to keep my fretless Rennaisamce through.

 

[pfschim]

this thread floated to the top of the New Posts category in the Forums. So, it motivated me to post a question I've had for a while.

My (fairly early model, '97, that has the T head stock marker instead of the later stylized Lion head) Turner Renaissance fretless 4 has had TI Acoustic Cores on it since I bought it many years ago. I like the strings fine, although they definitely have a pretty specific voice, and I have wondered what other strings other Ren players are using ?? I feel like the combination of my older style Turner piezo pickup and the TI Acoustic Cores can tend towards a bit of a "quacky" tone. Over the years I have figured out how to tame this tendency, but I also feel like a different string choice might be worth checking out.

let me know what stings you are using besides the TI's

 

[tsarter]

this thread floated to the top of the New Posts category in the Forums. So, it motivated me to post a question I've had for a while.

My (fairly early model, '97, that has the T head stock marker instead of the later stylized Lion head) Turner Renaissance fretless 4 has had TI Acoustic Cores on it since I bought it many years ago. I like the strings fine, although they definitely have a pretty specific voice, and I have wondered what other strings other Ren players are using ?? I feel like the combination of my older style Turner piezo pickup and the TI Acoustic Cores can tend towards a bit of a "quacky" tone. Over the years I have figured out how to tame this tendency, but I also feel like a different string choice might be worth checking out.

let me know what stings you are using besides the TI's

That’s a great question. I’ve wondered the same thing myself several times. Having said that I’ve had the same set of TI Acouicore strings on my fretless Ren for the better part of a decade and I love how they have broken in

 

[pfschim]

That’s a great question. I’ve wondered the same thing myself several times. Having said that I’ve had the same set of TI Acousticore strings on my fretless Ren for the better part of a decade and I love how they have broken in

yeah, mine have been on since 2011. I worked overseas in 2010 for a year or so and gave an old set to a multi-instrumentalist friend of mine. He has that set on his Ovation fretless bass and they have to be about 16 years old and still sound great.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

this thread floated to the top of the New Posts category in the Forums. So, it motivated me to post a question I've had for a while.

My (fairly early model, '97, that has the T head stock marker instead of the later stylized Lion head) Turner Renaissance fretless 4 has had TI Acoustic Cores on it since I bought it many years ago. I like the strings fine, although they definitely have a pretty specific voice, and I have wondered what other strings other Ren players are using ?? I feel like the combination of my older style Turner piezo pickup and the TI Acoustic Cores can tend towards a bit of a "quacky" tone. Over the years I have figured out how to tame this tendency, but I also feel like a different string choice might be worth checking out.

let me know what stings you are using besides the TI's

Hey, welcome in pfschim... if I ever knew you had a Turner Renaissance it slipped my mind or I'd have invited you to our quiet little club long ago.

Waaaaay on back in the early pages of the thread, there are a few random discussions about alternate strings, usually to escape the ultra-floppy feel of the AcoustiCores. They are a definitely a different thing... I describe them as giant classical guitar strings.

You can set a Renaissance up with just about anything. Yours sounds like the earlier model so it may not have graphite stiffening rods, but it'll still have an adjustable truss-rod. Go with something not ridiculously hard tension. (I think @RVBASS liked LaBella low tension flats on his.)

One little hack I got straight from @Rick Turner himself, was to burnish the windings of the AcoustiCores with a loop of some 600-grit sandpaper. It sort of made them play/feel like half-rounds. They still feel very loose.

Post us a couple pics of that vintage Turner sometime.

 

[Jeff Scott]

... AcoustiCores. [...] I describe them as giant classical guitar strings.

That's how I see it, too.

One little hack I got straight from @Rick Turner himself, was to burnish the windings of the AcoustiCores with a loop of some 600-grit sandpaper. It sort of made them play/feel like half-rounds. They still feel very loose.

From what I recall from phone conversations with Rick way back, the idea is to burnish the underside of the strings to minimize abrasions of the fingerboard. I never did get around to doing so.

 

[pfschim]

Hey, welcome in pfschim... if I ever knew you had a Turner Renaissance it slipped my mind or I'd have invited you to our quiet little club long ago.

Post us a couple pics of that vintage Turner sometime.

thanks!, here ya go. I'm the second owner. I bought the bass locally (SF Bay Area) around 2004-ish and have used it pretty regularly for certain kinds of gigs and sessions. It's got that distinctive Ren Fretless sound which is useful, but kind of narrowly so, at least IMO/IME. It doesn't work for everything, but when it works, it works great. I like it enough to have kept it while I certainly rotated through quite a few other basses. After I bought it, I also had the chance to speak with Rick (RIP) about the bass and he was very gracious in talking with me. When I told him the serial# he said he remembered it ("oh yeah, I remember that one") but he did not elaborate. Anyway, here are some pics.

 

[oreillyreally]

I have a question: I am looking at several Turner basses for purchase. My go to fretless bass guitar is a Warwick Thumb 4, with a bit wider neck than a Fender P. What is the neck like on the Turners? I don't care for Fender jazz profile (too skiny!). I love the Warwick feel, but the slight neck dive, coupled with the weight (back issues exacerbated) has me looking toward something along the lines of a Turner...

 

[tsarter]

I have a question: I am looking at several Turner basses for purchase. My go to fretless bass guitar is a Warwick Thumb 4, with a bit wider neck than a Fender P. What is the neck like on the Turners? I don't care for Fender jazz profile (too skiny!). I love the Warwick feel, but the slight neck dive, coupled with the weight (back issues exacerbated) has me looking toward something along the lines of a Turner...

 

[tsarter]

 

[tsarter]

I have a question: I am looking at several Turner basses for purchase. My go to fretless bass guitar is a Warwick Thumb 4, with a bit wider neck than a Fender P. What is the neck like on the Turners? I don't care for Fender jazz profile (too skiny!). I love the Warwick feel, but the slight neck dive, coupled with the weight (back issues exacerbated) has me looking toward something along the lines of a Turner...

Hope those pics help. I LOVE the neck on mine. I recently considered selling it, but then I keep changing my mind.
https://www.talkbass.com/classifieds/2003-turner-fretless-4-string-renaissance-bass.1571301/

 

[oreillyreally]

Thank you. The weight may play a bigger factor than the neck profile for me. The one I was most interested in (Turner) was stated to be 5.5lb, which would be a god send. Wow... only $1200 for that beauty? All I am seeing are the ones on Reverb for well over that. If you do change your mind...again, thanks for posting those up.

 

[tsarter]

Thank you. The weight may play a bigger factor than the neck profile for me. The one I was most interested in (Turner) was stated to be 5.5lb, which would be a god send. Wow... only $1200 for that beauty? All I am seeing are the ones on Reverb for well over that. If you do change your mind...again, thanks for posting those up.

I ended lowering the price quite a bit due to the repair it has. Still that was a really good price, IMO. Kind of why I decided to keep it - rather have it than only $1200 for it.

 

[pfschim]

hey Turner-Ren owners, I recently posted my own "vintage" Turner Ren 4 fretless in this post above

• #1,468

My '97 Ren has the original style pickup/preamp and I think there is a newer version. From looking at the Turner Guitars website I see that the new system is powered by 2 AA batteries vs the 9volt powered original. I'm wondering if there are any other differences that would be meaningful enough for me to consider updating my older one to the newer system.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

hey Turner-Ren owners, I recently posted my own "vintage" Turner Ren 4 fretless in this post above

• #1,468

My '97 Ren has the original style pickup/preamp and I think there is a newer version. From looking at the Turner Guitars website I see that the new system is powered by 2 AA batteries vs the 9volt powered original. I'm wondering if there are any other differences that would be meaningful enough for me to consider updating my older one to the newer system.

Functionality is the same, but access to the trimpots is easier on the earlier models like yours. I don't that there's any advantages to earlier 'Timberline' systems. Not 100% sure when newer ones were phased-in, but my 2010 was rear-mounted.

*I seem to remember at one point (years ago) @Jeff Scott posted he didn't love the side-mount tray was secured... with a wood screw or something. I can't remember. It's waaaaay back in here somewhere.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Functionality is the same, but access to the trimpots is easier on the earlier models like yours. I don't that there's any advantages to earlier 'Timberline' systems. Not 100% sure when newer ones were phased-in, but my 2010 was rear-mounted.

*I seem to remember at one point (years ago) @Jeff Scott posted he didn't love the side-mount tray was secured... with a wood screw or something. I can't remember. It's waaaaay back in here somewhere.

Getting old, are we?

The tray was screwed in to the body with machines screws into threaded inserts (IIRC, I'm getting old, too ). What I didn't care for (IIRC, I'm still getting old, too ) was the fragility of the exposed wires coming from the inner sanctum, er, body, when pulling the tray out.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Getting old, are we?

The tray was screwed in to the body with machines screws into threaded inserts (IIRC, I'm getting old, too ). What I didn't care for (IIRC, I'm still getting old, too ) was the fragility of the exposed wires coming from the inner sanctum, er, body, when pulling the tray out.

Thanks Jeff!

 

[Jeff Scott]

Thanks Jeff!

Don't worry, you'll never be as old as your true love.

 

[pfschim]

Getting old, are we?

The tray was screwed in to the body with machines screws into threaded inserts (IIRC, I'm getting old, too ). What I didn't care for (IIRC, I'm still getting old, too ) was the fragility of the exposed wires coming from the inner sanctum, er, body, when pulling the tray out.

yes, this is how mine is setup. Preamp is on a plastic tray/frame and is inserted in the bottom/side of the body and secured with 2 hex head machine screws into threaded inserts. Taking it out to replace the 9v battery is not a huge issue, but sliding it back in can be tricky with the loose wires.

I have never seen any trim pots on mine, but in fairness I have not really looked.