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The official "Show your basses" thread part 19!
- Thread starter smperry
- Start date
1994 Warwick Fortress Masterman (Nirvana Black Satin)
1995 Warwick Fortress Masterman (Antique Tobacco Satin)
1995 Warwick Fortress Masterman (Antique Tobacco Satin)
Behold, my new old bass !
For the story:
A few years ago, I decided I wanted a P bass. I ended up buying this Squier Classic Vibe 70s. It's great.
It was originally black (still is) with a black plastic pickguard.
I immediately did some mods to it :
-I installed Fender Pure Vintage '63 pickups (very bassy),
-an Obsidian Wire control system,
-a Fender bridge cover for aesthetics
-and J bass knobs because I like them better.
Recently, I started getting annoyed by background noise with the bass: humming, hissing and static. (My place is very bad for electricity.) It wasn't overbearing normally, but would be amplified dramatically by any OD pedal.
So, I decided to shield the cavity. At the same time, I ordered a black anodized aluminum pickguard.
I shielded the cavity with copper tape, sanded down the back of the pickguard to the aluminum around the pickups and the pots.
I mounted the new pickguard and... The bass is DEAD silent now ! Even when the volume is fully up and running through different effects, if I don't touch it, I don't hear it.
Plus, I think the black aluminum pickguard looks absolutely gorgeous, especially with silver screws marking the contour.
So fun to give new life to an instrument !!! 
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Oh my!!! They are BEAUTIFUL!!!! I'm a big fan of the Fortress body shape. I have a RB Fortress and it's great, but one day I want to get something like these.
I’m currently having a love affair with brightly colored multi scale basses. Mayones Ori and Kiesel A2
Cheapest 5 string ever...
Light as a feather, just under 3 kilo's.
I was afraid it would have a massive thick neck, but that is not the case.
Sure, it's cheap and has not the best quality components, but it works and the sound is even decent.
No sharp frets, neck feels smooth, pickups are okay, so to me it is fine.
I will be modding this to fit a low F# string, so it'll be F#BEAD.
And when I'm doing that I'll probably check the grounding too, since there is a small audible light hum when the strings are untouched.
Oh well, all in all, €80 well spent.
Light as a feather, just under 3 kilo's.
I was afraid it would have a massive thick neck, but that is not the case.
Sure, it's cheap and has not the best quality components, but it works and the sound is even decent.
No sharp frets, neck feels smooth, pickups are okay, so to me it is fine.
I will be modding this to fit a low F# string, so it'll be F#BEAD.
And when I'm doing that I'll probably check the grounding too, since there is a small audible light hum when the strings are untouched.
Oh well, all in all, €80 well spent.
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Fenders of mine (just got the fold up stand). In order left to right: white American Performer Precision PJ, red USA mod shop PJ stacked knob, white American Pro II Jazz, ‘burst American Pro II Precision, gold USA mod shop Jazz, white Precision Bass Lyte made in Japan
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I put a PV 63 in My CV 70's P -Bass and man does it sound good!Behold, my new old bass !For the story:A few years ago, I decided I wanted a P bass. I ended up buying this Squier Classic Vibe 70s. It's great.It was originally black (still is) with a black plastic pickguard.I immediately did some mods to it :-I installed Fender Pure Vintage '63 pickups (very bassy),-an Obsidian Wire control system,-a Fender bridge cover for aesthetics-and J bass knobs because I like them better.Recently, I started getting annoyed by background noise with the bass: humming, hissing and static. (My place is very bad for electricity.) It wasn't overbearing normally, but would be amplified dramatically by any OD pedal.So, I decided to shield the cavity. At the same time, I ordered a black anodized aluminum pickguard.I shielded the cavity with copper tape, sanded down the back of the pickguard to the aluminum around the pickups and the pots.I mounted the new pickguard and... The bass is DEAD silent now ! Even when the volume is fully up and running through different effects, if I don't touch it, I don't hear it.Plus, I think the black aluminum pickguard looks absolutely gorgeous, especially with silver screws marking the contour.So fun to give new life to an instrument !!!
Thanks! I put EMG GZR PJ pickups in the American Performer , added a drop tuner and it’s my main player. The rest get love but those EMGs really suit my taste.
Yep the Fortress are the best shape in my opinion. If you look for one, try Ebay Germany. There's always at least 2 or 3 to choose from
Here's my brood.
MTD Lynn Keller 532-24. Alder body, maple top, flamed and roasted maple neck, roasted bird's-eye maple board. It was just completed this August.
Warmoth medium scale. Alder body, wenge neck, ebony board. Nordstrand pickups, ACG Dual Filter preamp. Rattle can finish.
Sterling by Music Man short scale 'Ray, with TI flats and custom thumb rest.
Reverend Wattplower MKii. New addition as of yesterday.
Tobias Growler unlined fretless. The oldest of the bunch, as I've had it since '96 or so.
MTD Lynn Keller 532-24. Alder body, maple top, flamed and roasted maple neck, roasted bird's-eye maple board. It was just completed this August.
Warmoth medium scale. Alder body, wenge neck, ebony board. Nordstrand pickups, ACG Dual Filter preamp. Rattle can finish.
Sterling by Music Man short scale 'Ray, with TI flats and custom thumb rest.
Reverend Wattplower MKii. New addition as of yesterday.
Tobias Growler unlined fretless. The oldest of the bunch, as I've had it since '96 or so.
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How do you even pick up any of the others when you have that MTD
That unlined fretless tho...
They all feel and sound so different! Different strings help with that.How do you even pick up any of the others when you have that MTD
That unlined fretless tho...
The fretless is setup BEAD with TI flats. It's a lot of fun.
Favourite score of the last few years: 1974 with 73 pots, all soldering intact, black bobbin pickups undated, and a Jazz width neck at the nut. Just over 8lb 8 oz. And the ubiquitous broken pickguard at the screw behind the jack...
My current stable...
Rob Allen MB-2 fretless, Fender Gold Foil Jazz bass w/ Curtis Novak H22 pickup, Fender MIM Precision bass, Fender Flea Signature Jazz bass, Music Man USA SUB Stingray, Revsound 1x12 cabinet, Ampeg RB112 combo amp, Straight Ahead power amp, pedalboard (Polytune tuner, Boss CEB-3 chorus, Boss OC-5 octave, EHX Oceans 11 reverb, MXR a/b box, Fishman Platinum Pro preamp/DI (for the Rob Allen), Ampeg SGT-DI (for everything else).
Rob Allen MB-2 fretless, Fender Gold Foil Jazz bass w/ Curtis Novak H22 pickup, Fender MIM Precision bass, Fender Flea Signature Jazz bass, Music Man USA SUB Stingray, Revsound 1x12 cabinet, Ampeg RB112 combo amp, Straight Ahead power amp, pedalboard (Polytune tuner, Boss CEB-3 chorus, Boss OC-5 octave, EHX Oceans 11 reverb, MXR a/b box, Fishman Platinum Pro preamp/DI (for the Rob Allen), Ampeg SGT-DI (for everything else).
