replacement tuners for vintage p bass

The Schaller BML Lights dont rock the clover leaf... the Hipshot BM2s should be a bit lighter

 

Don't turn loose of those tuners - they're worth $$ and the bass is worth more with them installed.

 

Make sure the tuners you buy use the same holes already drilled. New holes will decrease the value.

 

You could also get a different strap or relocate the strap button.

 

Vintage police wouldnt like that very much.

 

Leave everything alone and get you a wide leather strap with the rough bottom side, and unless you're wearing like a silk shirt, the dive should be mostly eliminated. Even a refin is better left original.

 

Get a comfort strap,don't mess with the bass,leave it original!

 

J-NYC,

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT change those tuners!!!

A '67 p bass is worth a hefty chunk of change.

If its O-R-I-G-I-N-A-L.

My '70 doesn't exhibit any neck dive.

lowdowndad

 

I'm really surprised that the bass neck dives. My '63 is nicely balanced, and it's a light body. The body on that one must be incredibly light...because P-basses usually balance very well.

 

You should be able to find lightweight tuners that use the same holes. No new holes = no harm = no foul. Just make sure and store the original tuners with some dessicant, or coat them with some light oil, so they don't get all rusty.

Or you could think creatively - velcro somewhere on the lower body edge and on the leg of your jeans, perhaps? A huge magnet in your shorts that would attract the bridge? Oh yeah! "Is that a magnet in your shorts or are you really attracted to me?"

 

Here's another thought - if the body is that light, you can probably add some weight to it and not create a problem with the overall weight.

If you mount a bridge cover on it (and they don't get in the way for most people), you can add adhesive tire weights under the cover - or on its underside - and probably re-balance the bass for $20 for the cover and a couple of bucks for weights. That's a LOT cheaper than lightweight tuners.

Of course, I happen to really like the look of covers on P-basses, so to me this enhances the look of the instrument as well as balancing it. "It's not a bug, it's a feature!"

I used this tactic to balance out a Turser '54 P copy, and it worked great. Here are pix of the weights I added under the strings at the bridge, and the underside of the bridge cover. And I added a LOT of weight - 11.4 ounces. You probably wouldn't need nearly that much.

 

Wondering....Your neck dive is only when you play sitting?

 

Missed that.

If it doesn't neck-dive when standing, then the problem isn't balance - it's technique. You need to change the way you hold the bass while seated. Tuners won't solve anything.

Jeremy, it would help if you'd fill out your profile so we can tell something about your experience. I'm betting you're a young player who is somewhat new to bass...and you just need to learn a different posture for holding the bass while seated.

 

Just wanted to bump this - anyone have any idea what the difference in weight between the Hipshot HB2 and an original late 60's tuner is? Worth the switch if neck is diving? I assume the Hipshot would also need new holes drilled

 

A long time ago, I developed the habit of anchoring my forearm to the body's contour. I have no idea whether I did that to counteract neck dive, or to learn to pick by pivoting at the elbow and not the wrist, but it works when sitting. I still don't like "divey" basses when standing, but the use of a very grabby Neotech neoprene strap goes a long way to preventing slow dive. Most basses are only a little unbalanced, so they dive slowly. If you have fast dive, I don't know what to tell you, except to maybe tape a fishing sinker inside the southernmost end of your control rout. And congratulations on ending up with a light one. I love the way they sound.