Special Edition Build Off - Ampeg AEB lookalike

[Englishman]

This is a little weightier than I thought it would be.

 

[ctmullins]

Yeah, those big tuners are boat anchors. Some are lighter than others, but all are bulkier than necessary.

 

[Englishman]

Figured walnut for the win! Well, 49th place at least.

 

[dwizum]

Put some tone holes in that headstock and it'll get a lot lighter. I put a tone hole in one of the horns of my buildoff bass and it balances perfectly. Yeah, that's right, I did that on purpose, for balance.

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Yeah, I hollow out my headstocks.

 

[Englishman]

Yeah, I hollow out my headstocks.

View attachment 3820603

I saw that and did the same.

 

[Englishman]

Well that was the easiest wiring job ever.
I think it’s at least recognizable for what I was going for. I have a chrome bridge cover also.

 

[Englishman]

Had to get strings on.

 

[Englishman]

OK, gonna leave it under tension and check intonation and relief tomorrow.

 

[Englishman]

So I've been going back and forth with Bartolini.. the pickup sounds distorted, like there's cheap fuzz box in line. I got hold of Bartolini and they wanted me to pull the pickup out and try connecting directly, which I did with the same results. I told them and they have been silent now for two weeks. I put a cheap Chinese toaster in and it sounds OK (well, not really but it's clear). I hate to bite the bullet and buy another Bart and hope for the best, I have to think this is unusual. Not much else will fit here without surgery, I don't like the look of the chrome SD version.

 

[dwizum]

What's the string height over the pickups? Can you go lower? I've had cases where pickups getting too close to the strings caused a weird sort of distorted chorus-y tone.

 

[Englishman]

The first attempt was too low as I put springs on the screws. Second was too high without the screws ( of course). Same result.

 

[Reedt2000]

I prefer the look of the toaster. Its got black in it but the chrome matches the accents on top of the knobs, and it reads vintage more than the Bart (though if it sounds bad none of that matters ).

 

[Englishman]

The problem with the toaster (and the hi gain) is that it’s designed to work with a thin pickguard. I can’t get enough height from the stock pickup surround with the top loaded screws and stuff that Ric does for no apparent reason.

 

[Jon Clegg]

FWIW, I've solved that problem in the past by cutting the springs in half.

 

[Englishman]

FWIW, I've solved that problem in the past by cutting the springs in half.

Yeah, I was actually using Strat springs that are pretty short to start with lol.

 

[Reedt2000]

The problem with the toaster (and the hi gain) is that it’s designed to work with a thin pickguard. I can’t get enough height from the stock pickup surround with the top loaded screws and stuff that Ric does for no apparent reason.

Just make a gasket the shape of your pickguard and shim the pickguard, that would raise your pickup

 

[Englishman]

Just make a gasket the shape of your pickguatd and shim the pickguard, that would raise your pickup

The walnut pickguard is about 3/8 thick, I have recessed the back as thin as I dare for the pickup. I just ordered another Bart and will return the one I have, it's the easiest solution.

 

[Reedt2000]

The walnut pickguard is about 3/8 thick, I have recessed the back as thin as I dare for the pickup. I just ordered another Bart and will return the one I have, it's the easiest solution.

I get that, I was suggesting raising the entire pickguard (with my tongue planted firmly in my cheek )

 

[Englishman]

Ah.. ok lol