Steel roundwounds will produce wear over time, and depending on your playing style it may not take long. I use tapewounds and have very little wear
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Hello, may I join the Pedulla Club as well with my Pedulla Series II? I am the first owner of that great bass. It has an absolute distinct growl, especially on the H string.
Attachments
Last edited:
Not sure I've posted them before, these Raptures are my 2 overall favorites in 37 years of playing. They are only basses I've played that sound equally great with any type of string (round, flat, light, heavy, un/tapered, steel, nickel) and with the 5 string especially there is literally no knob setting that sounds bad.
The blue J-2000-5 is one of the few wide (19mm) 5s I've played that is just as comfy as a 4, and since I got it my F-Bass BN5 has spent most of its time in its gig bag. The red RB-4 is 8.2#, and has IMO the best Jazz-profile neck ever. Super-sleek yet still substantial.
A funny story about getting it, the first time I came to the SF Bay Area to look for apartments in 2006 I drove by a Guitar Center. I was close to broke and already had the blue 5. Before going in I said to to myself, "The only purchase I will allow myself to make is if they have a used Rapture with soapbar or P-J pickups." What are the odds, right? And what did I see hanging there? I asked to play it. Phenomenal feel and sound, but some scratchiness in the pots. Between that and the fact that the paint was starting to peel in a few places around the bridge and neck plate, I got them to reduce the price by 1/3. The guy said "Ya know, we have a Pedulla case in back. Didn't come with this but we want to make space, you can have it." OK then, Travis! At that point, I think every GC in NorCal had a very stoned, helpful guy named Travis.
A couple shots of De-Oxit at home fixed the scratches, and the paint hasn't moved in 16 years. Almost every other solid-finish Rapture I've seen gets the same kind of rash.
The blue J-2000-5 is one of the few wide (19mm) 5s I've played that is just as comfy as a 4, and since I got it my F-Bass BN5 has spent most of its time in its gig bag. The red RB-4 is 8.2#, and has IMO the best Jazz-profile neck ever. Super-sleek yet still substantial.
A funny story about getting it, the first time I came to the SF Bay Area to look for apartments in 2006 I drove by a Guitar Center. I was close to broke and already had the blue 5. Before going in I said to to myself, "The only purchase I will allow myself to make is if they have a used Rapture with soapbar or P-J pickups." What are the odds, right? And what did I see hanging there? I asked to play it. Phenomenal feel and sound, but some scratchiness in the pots. Between that and the fact that the paint was starting to peel in a few places around the bridge and neck plate, I got them to reduce the price by 1/3. The guy said "Ya know, we have a Pedulla case in back. Didn't come with this but we want to make space, you can have it." OK then, Travis! At that point, I think every GC in NorCal had a very stoned, helpful guy named Travis.
A couple shots of De-Oxit at home fixed the scratches, and the paint hasn't moved in 16 years. Almost every other solid-finish Rapture I've seen gets the same kind of rash.
Last edited:
Thanks for the info. My rapture went dead but after reading this decided to give it another try. Now it’s working. There are a few battery boxes on the website. Do you remember the part number you purchased?
There is a double neck Pedulla on Reverb. They are calling it a "Mark Egan" but it sure looks like a DN version of a Series II.
Link RemovedLink Removed
Link RemovedLink Removed
Link Removed
The “internal screws” one EP-2928-023 worked on my Rapture.
You might be able to bend the contacts in more effectively from the outside. I didn’t realize that might be possible before going all in on replacement. It’s nice to have the friction mounting & swivel parts all tight & new but the battery connection is obviously what’s really vital.
My first Pedulla was a black 4 string Series II. It was an absolutely amazing bass and I wish I still had it!
Anybody know how much a Thunderbolt 5 cost new in 1998? I'm not looking for a current suggested selling price; just curious how much mine was (roughly) when new. Also, what was the hierarchy of Pedulla basses? We're the MVPs the most expensive, followed by the Thunders, then the Raptures?
For Massachusetts people: when Pedulla was located in Rockland was he in the same office park as Zildjian?
Thanks!
For Massachusetts people: when Pedulla was located in Rockland was he in the same office park as Zildjian?
Thanks!
Bought my Rapture 5 in 1997.
Pedulla price list from June 1998: M. V. PEDULLA, PRICE LIST
Thunderbolt 5 US list price from $2195 - $2495, options extra. The above list above should clarify matters.
Pedulla price list from June 1998: M. V. PEDULLA, PRICE LIST
Thunderbolt 5 US list price from $2195 - $2495, options extra. The above list above should clarify matters.
Zildjian has always been in Norwell, MA, the next town over - about 5 miles away.
Well, the Nordy is installed (Big Single)and it fit better than I'd hoped. Just a slight gap all around the route, but not noticeable from more that 6 ft way.
Sound wise, I am really pleased with the results. Gone is the low mid darkness of the Barts, replaced by a much more open and even sound across the bass. It's like someone took the blanket off my cab open. I'm actually finding more growl, in a pleasing way then the bass ever had. I have my first post covid rehearsal in the next couple of weeks and that will tell me positively whether it will cut the mix.
So far, quite pleased....
Fishheadjoe
Betting it will work well in the mix with the new pickup, and probably cut a little better. The original Bartolini C humbucker in my Rapture 5 had a nice low-mid voice that sat pretty well, but I found it somewhat lacking in terms of definition, requiring a healthy treble boost from the preamp. Put another way, the oringinal Bart sort of sat "under" the other instruments and sounded pretty smooth/refined, but lacked clarity. Before installing the Q-tuner I briefly installed a Lane Poor wide aperture and it instantly sounded like the bass had new strings, the difference in openness was that pronounced. Looking forward to hearing how it works with the band. Might require a bit different approach on the EQ...
Mike Pedulla seemed to like pretty dark/mellow sounding pickups in his basses. Not sure why....
Possibly because that was the tone he liked. I know I do. I never paid attention to Pedulla until I heard one.
Do MVP’s work without a battery?
I have had the same battery in my bass for a year and a half. I’ve accidentally left it plugged in a couple times in that span and used it on average at least 10 hours a week. I feel like it should be long dead so am I playing passive or have I just gotten incredibly long life out of a 9v?
I have had the same battery in my bass for a year and a half. I’ve accidentally left it plugged in a couple times in that span and used it on average at least 10 hours a week. I feel like it should be long dead so am I playing passive or have I just gotten incredibly long life out of a 9v?
