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The Bass Company
- Thread starter rontalsaurus
- Start date
Nice of ya to drag it out and take pics! I don't have those issues with the preamps on mine, but I have had to replace a couple of pots on mine in the past.
I've decided I need to start rotating my troops more often. 
Well, at least until I've actually found and played everything at least once.
Well, at least until I've actually found and played everything at least once. 
Changed the premp out with a Tone Monster active passive pre. Replaced the bridge P/U with a Bartolini MM style. Seymour Duncan Quarter pound at the neck. Sounds sweet. The Quarter pound kills the Bart. Need to get a bart for the neck position and give it a whirl. Sound killer now. I may even drop in a Bartolini pre with adjustable volume. I lined the entire control cavity with copper conductive tape. Also did up the cover. Whisper quiet now!
I like the reddish brown color of your "pickguard" more than my black one, though it's nice up close.Changed the premp out with a Tone Monster active passive pre. Replaced the bridge P/U with a Bartolini MM style. Seymour Duncan Quarter pound at the neck. Sounds sweet. The Quarter pound kills the Bart. Need to get a bart for the neck position and give it a whirl. Sound killer now. I may even drop in a Bartolini pre with adjustable volume. I lined the entire control cavity with copper conductive tape. Also did up the cover. Whisper quiet now!
I like the reddish color also. I do like yours with the ''J'' style pickups. They are a breed all their own.
Yes, it's a very light, well balanced, and ergonomic shape. I really wish they'd been a success.
SSSSSH! Keep it under your hat! More TBC's for us if the "others" don't catch on
Thanks for the pics Bholder.
Looks very nice. I was very close to buying one of the red PG versions back when they were being closed out at what I recall were stupidly cheap prices. Red stained wood is a nice alternative to tort IMHO. Tell me more about the Tone Monster pre...
Looks very nice. I was very close to buying one of the red PG versions back when they were being closed out at what I recall were stupidly cheap prices. Red stained wood is a nice alternative to tort IMHO. Tell me more about the Tone Monster pre...
I was kind of sad earlier this year seeing some of the remains being auctioned off on ebay as kits. Almost bought one, but too many half done projects, gotta finish a bunch.SSSSSH! Keep it under your hat! More TBC's for us if the "others" don't catch on
I am just playing around with different configurations at this point. The Tone Monster preamp had some good reviews. No coloration of the basses tone and quiet. Wish it had an output attenuator. I have the active passive with stacked bass/treble, volume push pull for act/pass, stacked mid boost cut with sweep, passive tone knob. $59.00. Comes pre wired harness and only soldered ground and pickup leads. Very clean install.
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Hmmm, that looks worth checking out! Thanks. Well rated seller as well. Onto the watch list it goes.
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Wow, I had no idea there were still parts being dug out. IIRC it was a few years back that they were selling off the "last" of them.
Thanks for the info on those!
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In case anyone is looking for one.... 5 string on Ebay:
5 String TBC JT500-SS E Bass black cherry pick guard Pau Ferro finger board
5 String TBC JT500-SS E Bass black cherry pick guard Pau Ferro finger board
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Alright, I'm gonna take a quick crack at this zombie thread - apologies for the resurrection... but:
I've had one of these things for years (ca. 2009, new in NYC without an electric, I fell for an overpriced used TBC JT500-SS at Ludlow guitars and dropped... I think 750 bucks on it - ouch!) and the active electronics have been a headache ever since - It's real nice to see that others are happy with their mods on these things, since the woodwork and ergonomics really are top-flight and the bass is totally light on the shoulder...
Just last year, the circuit on mine finally gave up the ghost - now, I'm keeping the original pickups in (good to know they're tough to swap out) and replacing the electronics with an after-market active/passive onboard preamp with sweepable parametric mids from Klaus Noll (the German Michael Pope). On account of the thick wooden pickguard, it's gonna take some woodworking at the Luthier's from within the electronics cavity to accomodate the Noll, but I'm thinking it'll be worthwhile (156 € purchase price with shipping to Berlin for the Noll).
I was so fed up by the whole experience that I turned to a cheap passive precision with flats last year for solace (it's been an eye opener to get back to the roots of the bass guitar), but I've been convinced that an active 5-string has something else to offer me ever since I discovered Janek Gwizdala's (first-call L.A. guy) chordal, classical guitar inspired approach to the E-A-D-G-C-strung five string. All those singing chords and harmonic possibilities are remeniscent of the resonance I'm familiar with from my training as a violinist, violist & upright bassist: The string under the bow and the air of the resonant body have always been missing for me when it comes to electric instruments, but I'm slowly learning to appreciate the expanded possibilities of extending a magnetic pickup signal with preamps, hi-fi amplification and effects pedals to emulate that feeling and take it even further into outer space. Enough thinking out loud for now - thanks for reading!
I've had one of these things for years (ca. 2009, new in NYC without an electric, I fell for an overpriced used TBC JT500-SS at Ludlow guitars and dropped... I think 750 bucks on it - ouch!) and the active electronics have been a headache ever since - It's real nice to see that others are happy with their mods on these things, since the woodwork and ergonomics really are top-flight and the bass is totally light on the shoulder...
Just last year, the circuit on mine finally gave up the ghost - now, I'm keeping the original pickups in (good to know they're tough to swap out) and replacing the electronics with an after-market active/passive onboard preamp with sweepable parametric mids from Klaus Noll (the German Michael Pope). On account of the thick wooden pickguard, it's gonna take some woodworking at the Luthier's from within the electronics cavity to accomodate the Noll, but I'm thinking it'll be worthwhile (156 € purchase price with shipping to Berlin for the Noll).
I was so fed up by the whole experience that I turned to a cheap passive precision with flats last year for solace (it's been an eye opener to get back to the roots of the bass guitar), but I've been convinced that an active 5-string has something else to offer me ever since I discovered Janek Gwizdala's (first-call L.A. guy) chordal, classical guitar inspired approach to the E-A-D-G-C-strung five string. All those singing chords and harmonic possibilities are remeniscent of the resonance I'm familiar with from my training as a violinist, violist & upright bassist: The string under the bow and the air of the resonant body have always been missing for me when it comes to electric instruments, but I'm slowly learning to appreciate the expanded possibilities of extending a magnetic pickup signal with preamps, hi-fi amplification and effects pedals to emulate that feeling and take it even further into outer space. Enough thinking out loud for now - thanks for reading!
