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.
The bridge is not physically attached to the body, it’s just held in place by the downward force of the strings. So loosen the strings a tad and tap the side of the bridge forwards or backwards as needed for intonation. It’s not an exceptionally precise intonation method but it’s common on a lot of string instruments and gets accurate enough to not be an issue. With the strings I have on right now I’m perfectly intonated at the 12th fret, I didn’t check the 24th fret but I play down there so little I’m not worried about it.
IIRC the first run of VP basses used a synthetic composite wood for the fretboard, it was nearly black (ebonol?) the later models switched to actual wood which was not rosewood (laurel?). Going by a fastly fading memory, so take that with a grain of salt.
Need to bone up on some ZZTop songs. Now if I could just find a strap with a 360 degree swivel on it so I could spin the bass between fills it would be great.
I haven’t weighed it yet or put it on a strap, but it’s light, maybe around 8 pounds. It’s a semi hollow body so in my lap it feels a bit neck heavy, but because of the 30” scale I suspect it’ll be ok with a grippy strap. With the retro look it would be a neat Bond bass. I need to play with the TV Jones pups tomorrow to see how responsive they are to string gap and how effective the individual coil screws are at string by string volume control. I did find that the individual volume controls drastically impact the tone of the bass as they reach max volume, much brighter at full volume regardless of tone knobs setting.
I’ve only had about 15 minutes with it so far, but your observations are spot on - I’m reaching almost as far with my left arm as I would on a full scale bass, but when I go to fret the frets are spaced noticeably closer to each other so relying on muscle memory results in a few miss fretted notes here and there. I’m actually kind of surprised about that considering fanned fret basses didn’t have that effect on me.
Laurel is what I remember
Good point, I have a few 24 fret basses and never considered checking intonation at the 24th fret.
I'm curious what cap & pu ratings - funny thinking about a "Bond bass", which of course I considered when I joined the band 10yrs ago. Although I've used a few different basses w/BG live over the years, right from the start my Oly Wht early '66 dot & bound J for me fit the bill. It just looks pro.., show biz, and needless to say - it walks the walk.
They used to be a consistent , affordable place. Sorta like a comfortable pair of jeans. We went to the one in Flagstaff all the time during the years our son lived there. They finally opened some in Cali. There was a convenient one in Santa Maria that she closed without any prior notice a couple years ago.
Ah. But can it do the other intonation trifecta? Open, fretted 12th, and harmonics 12th?
The Fender Rascal bass did that. They only made a few of them.
Winters needs to be more selective about who they allow in the place.
Thanks! I figured you were joking but felt like answering so …
My Hagstrom guitar’s original bridge was like that.
That’s a pretty sketchy Looking character there! I bet he goes by some generic name like Dave or Bob, I wouldn’t let him out of sight with that bass.
I apparently got lost in the thread and thought Dave was talking about that abused VP not your bass. My apologies! No hammer needed for that nice bass. The trauma of seeing that VP must have really left it's impression.
They need a show where someone dressed in gold, playing a gold bass, rushes on stage and takes the bass line in an ominous direction. Dueling basses until the villain is musically chased off stage and Geo’s bass takes the song triumphantly to its end.That’s a pretty sketchy Looking character there! I bet he goes by some generic name like Dave or Bob, I wouldn’t let him out of sight with that bass.
I do love that ‘66, it’s retained a lot of its whiteness, my ‘68 Oly has faded to more of a French Vanilla look. And you’re right, when I think of Bond for some reason I think of the 1960’s around the Goldfinger era, so a white P Bass (along with a black suit, white shirt and black bow tie) would absolutely be the definition of professional sophistication you’d expect to see on stage at a ritzy casino or resort in that era. The Gretch Thunderbird on the other hand would fit better in an Our Man Flint setting where Flint was a little less polished and sophisticated than Bond and a bit more of an edgy and trendy hipster of that time.
