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Pat Wilkins refinished my Buzz fingerboard this month I am NOT happy with the result. If I had a second Buzz, I would not send it to him.
I am glad Danielle’s result was different, maybe we should compare notes.
My bass came back with number of imperfections that I would expect from a less-experienced person. Before I sent it off, Pat said to me “I’ve done a lot of them” (fingerboards). I had heard has 25 years of experience refinishing guitars (correct?) and a great reputation.
If anyone wants to see before and after photos, I can post some.
My bass is not ruined or unplayable, but since the board was not peeling or worn through, the only improvement is cosmetic… as long as you don’t look too closely. And even if it had been worn though, I'd still be disappointed but less so.
At the job-end, when I’m giving him my credit card over the phone, there was no communication of any problems and not a word about the ¼’’ of finish that got pulled off the front-face of the bass.
Since Michael Pedulla did not pass on the knowledge of how to care for all of his hard work, the task of finding someone who will put in the care required is up to us. I’ve heard people mention Marty Bell and Mike Lull as possibilities.
I am glad Danielle’s result was different, maybe we should compare notes.
My bass came back with number of imperfections that I would expect from a less-experienced person. Before I sent it off, Pat said to me “I’ve done a lot of them” (fingerboards). I had heard has 25 years of experience refinishing guitars (correct?) and a great reputation.
If anyone wants to see before and after photos, I can post some.
My bass is not ruined or unplayable, but since the board was not peeling or worn through, the only improvement is cosmetic… as long as you don’t look too closely. And even if it had been worn though, I'd still be disappointed but less so.
At the job-end, when I’m giving him my credit card over the phone, there was no communication of any problems and not a word about the ¼’’ of finish that got pulled off the front-face of the bass.
Since Michael Pedulla did not pass on the knowledge of how to care for all of his hard work, the task of finding someone who will put in the care required is up to us. I’ve heard people mention Marty Bell and Mike Lull as possibilities.
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Who has had an active bypass installed on their Pentabuzz? The electronics are regular Bartolini, I am guessing I could have the volume pot switched out and a push pull bypass installed. That battery died during a lesson and putting in a battery is chore. This is even more important because my Pedulla sounds so good it is my number one bass now.
Currently, I am using Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats. They are smooth, which is important since I don’t want to pay for refinishing the fingerboard anytime soon, but they are also pretty bright, even giving me a usable slap tone:
Hi boys & girls
I haven't updated my inventory on TB in a long time, but I recently purchased a '91 PentaBuzz (now christened Aura Lea) and I had to share. The fingerboard was in rough shape - worn finish, digs in the side made by a previous owner with a pen - and I needed more contrast between the lines & markers and the maple board (very poor vision).
After excellent correspondence with Christine, I shipped her to Michael for TLC: new pickups & electronics, dark lines & markers, repair of the damage, and complete refinish. Michael also buffed the bridge & machines; I added the Q-Parts knobs & Dunlop Straploks. and that's his signature on the back of the headstock.
I think she looks amazing and I'm thrilled with the sound and playability. Christine & Michael are The Best!!!
I took some pictures this afternoon - try not to drool on your keyboard.
That looks incredible!
Thanks! I was lucky enough to have Michael refurbish 2 basses + refinish another fretless fingerboard in the 14 months before his retirement.
They're here in this thread, including before & after shots of my newly-purple PentaBuzz, "Mr. B"; maybe not the ThunderBuzz ("Violet"), however. I have to go to work now... <sigh>I'd like to see pictures, rhs1856!
I'm sorry to hear that. Since I had the whole bass refinished there wasn't much to go wrong. Pat was really cool and I would send another bass in if I needed to.
Pics saved from Mike's website; she was a demo for ~10 years, I think. Now she's got his signature on the back of the headstock + Q-Parts mini-dome knobs w/matching abalone caps... & a newly-coated fingerboard, of course.
Attachments
Pedulla knew he knew how to make a finish pop!
It’s likely that that can’t be done. The electronics on my 2005 Cocobolo Thunderbass needed some work done on the electronics, and my luthier discovered that the entire system is custom made for Pedulla by Bartonin and is proprietary. You can’t mix other Bart pickups with the pre-amp, and vice-versa, because the pickups have unusual wiring. Not sure if the same applies to the MVP and buzz, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it does.
After an embarrassing moment, I now keep a spare battery in my case along with the tools to change it.
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
Pedulla Club #45 Unique Arrangements of Hymns, P&W Standards, and Original Tunes
Administrator, Tobias Club #133
Administrator, Fretless Club #943
Big Cabs Club #23
My Basses
Pedulla Club #45
Tobias Club #133
Regarding the thread on strings for a 'buzz, which of the brands you've considered has the exposed core at the bridge like the Pedulla strings?
All the brands I'm familiar with have the wrap all the way down.
Switching between the two kinds requires some adjustment to the bridge saddles. Not rocket science, but a PITA for those of us with limited experience.
Thanks
All the brands I'm familiar with have the wrap all the way down.
Switching between the two kinds requires some adjustment to the bridge saddles. Not rocket science, but a PITA for those of us with limited experience.
Thanks
He sure did, and his website photography was great too. He knew how to present a premium product in a very flattering way. I've always been a bit surprised to see some top luthiers with dodgy photos or low resolution hosting on their websites. I love Alembic but their website photography is rubbish and seems to still be done with the same colourless digital camera they were using in 2005.
On the subject of the Bartolini electronics I suspected the whole thing would be proprietary. Indeed, I recall reading something from Mike from years ago where he said basses with electrical issues would have to be shipped back to him and any fault would likely necessitate complete replacement of the electronics. I know Mike liked to do a thorough job with his repairs and always seemed to go for the nuclear option of 'replace at any cost' over attempting a fix. That method does have it's benefits for customer satisfaction if not frugality. But it also led me to conclude that he either couldn't or wouldn't work on the electronics and to that end, I suspected they were entirely proprietary.
Now I gather in recent years that it has been harder and harder to speak directly to the pickup and preamp builders at Bartolini USA and that they do not have the capacity to do one-off custom jobs. I concluded then that it was likely that Mike probably bought sets of electronics in batches, ordered to his design, and that holding that stock was probably one of the drivers behind his insistence on complete replacement when a bass was sent in with an issue.
What you're looking for is called "tapered" strings. (Sorry, I can't help with non-Pedulla brands). Tapered strings require less force to get the string vibrating (and they likely have more sustain). Great for Low B and C strings. I suppose the intonation on tapered strings is more precise too.
Lots of manufacturers, including DR, Dunlop, Ernie Ball, Dean Markley, GHS, LaBella, Sadowsky, et al, make tapered strings - B-strings especially. Often they're denoted with a "T" in their catalogs. Mike's essays / descriptions are still up on the website ([Invalid or Expired Link Removed] & [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]) & make interesting reading.
