I had a Vantage fretless years ago. Not a bad bass. It actually played nicely from what I remember.
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.
Vantage Members Group?
- Thread starter Psychicpet
- Start date
I have a headless, 24-fret black Vantage, unknown model and year, but a sticker on the back says 99B. Anyone have any info on this one? I'll post some pics when someone borrows me a camera...
I have a Vantage VS600B Fretless which I purchased here in Australia back in 1982.
It's still working fine today and is my only remaining bass, although I'm looking around for a Fender Jazz Bass at the moment. I recently had the fingerboard dressed to remove the deep scoring caused by three decades of round wound strings and a full re-adjustment. It came up a treat with much lower action but I seem to get a lot more fingerboard noise from the head end of the strings now.
I've also just noticed that the alloy bridge (the same 3 post adjustable type as pictured in DangNewt's post earlier in this forum) seems to have a crack in it under the A string and I'm worried that it might give way while playing and lacerate me with a flying roundwound!
I don't suppose anyone knows where I can get a new bridge?
It's still working fine today and is my only remaining bass, although I'm looking around for a Fender Jazz Bass at the moment. I recently had the fingerboard dressed to remove the deep scoring caused by three decades of round wound strings and a full re-adjustment. It came up a treat with much lower action but I seem to get a lot more fingerboard noise from the head end of the strings now.
I've also just noticed that the alloy bridge (the same 3 post adjustable type as pictured in DangNewt's post earlier in this forum) seems to have a crack in it under the A string and I'm worried that it might give way while playing and lacerate me with a flying roundwound!
I don't suppose anyone knows where I can get a new bridge?
My first 6 string electric was exactly the same as the one on the far right in this catalogue. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] Bought in '81. Within 6 months I'd taken up bass and bought the matching Avenger bass exactly like these, except in trans blue. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] My bass teacher used to refer to it as my 'disadvantage'. Very good instruments, especially to start on. Interestingly I'm at a church that owns a pair of basses and they are both Vantages.
This one?
Link Removed
Mine cracked too so I just threw on what I had. It's a Wilkinson from their old P-Bass 5-string conversion kit.
I acquired exactly such a bass with the same problem. The standard Gibson 3 point bridge replacement drops right in.
Never had a Vantage bass but about 30 years ago I had a Vantage Les Paul guitar that was my pride and joy. It played great too. Come to think of it I think I had a Vantage acoustic 6 string for a period of time but I don't think it was as nice as the LP.
Friend of mine had a blue Vantage and it was more of a Strat style body but with sharper edges. He was a great lead-guitarist. Had some awesome licks.
Friend of mine had a blue Vantage and it was more of a Strat style body but with sharper edges. He was a great lead-guitarist. Had some awesome licks.
Found my answer over at
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f18/3...lace-bridge-convert-34-a-637710/#post10884636
Went ahead and ordered the Gibson / Epiphone bridge from Allparts. Let's hope it fits.
Thx for all the help.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f18/3...lace-bridge-convert-34-a-637710/#post10884636
Went ahead and ordered the Gibson / Epiphone bridge from Allparts. Let's hope it fits.
Thx for all the help.
Here's my Vantage VS600B (1982) SN# 2090382.
Until I fix the cracked bridge problem my temporary solution is to insert a nail through the ball end of the A string to stop it popping out through the widening gap in the bridge. I need it to hang together until at least after next Saturday's birthday party gig. Fingers crossed...
Until I fix the cracked bridge problem my temporary solution is to insert a nail through the ball end of the A string to stop it popping out through the widening gap in the bridge. I need it to hang together until at least after next Saturday's birthday party gig. Fingers crossed...
Attachments
My first bass was a Vantage VP-820B. I remember the sales guy gave my mom and I choice the brand new Vantage with 2 pickups or a ratty looking Fender P-bass which was probably an early 70's model. At 14 years old I chose the shinny new bass of course in retrospect I wish I would have chosen the Fender. Cost like $300 in about 1983. Horrible neck dive but it was made well as I recall.
I was in Adelaide, South Australia for business this week and I saw this band doing a street performance as part of the Adelaide Fringe Festival. My jaw dropped when I saw that the Bassist was playing the same fretless Vantage 600B that I have. These things aren't exactly common anymore.
It looked like it had been modified somewhat. The body had chamfered edges, probably to soften the original "slab" like design and the bridge, a copy of a Gibson EB but originally cast in cheap alloy, had obviously suffered the usual cracking problem and had been replaced with a P-Bass style bridge. When this happened to mine I simply ordered a replacement nickel plated EB bridge which fit perfectly and looks great.
It looked like it had been modified somewhat. The body had chamfered edges, probably to soften the original "slab" like design and the bridge, a copy of a Gibson EB but originally cast in cheap alloy, had obviously suffered the usual cracking problem and had been replaced with a P-Bass style bridge. When this happened to mine I simply ordered a replacement nickel plated EB bridge which fit perfectly and looks great.
Attachments
I was in the army in georgia and bought my first vantage bass out of the pawn shop for 75 bucks in 1986 i took it to germany with me and was playing it but it still needed some umph!! so I put a set of emg select pickups in it and OMG
turned that bass around completely!! add some rotosound funkmaster 90-30's and I'll put it up to anybodys bass in sound! Now I have 2!!
turned that bass around completely!! add some rotosound funkmaster 90-30's and I'll put it up to anybodys bass in sound! Now I have 2!!Attachments
I was in the army in georgia and bought my first vantage bass out of the pawn shop for 75 bucks in 1986 i took it to germany with me and was playing it but it still needed some umph!! so I put a set of emg select pickups in it and OMG
Nice. Looks like you need a fretless to round out your collection!
I had that exact bass in 1981, replaced it with a Kramer Duke. I would love to have them both back!
Here's my two Vantage basses:
A 1980 VS600B (I think). Nice guitar - was about to plunk down money on a brand new, expensive (*name deleted*) when I spotted this one. On a whim I picked it up and fell in love. It's a nice guitar! Fast neck, kind of a flat tone over the D string, though. Was going to replace the pup to see if that would help. I've already raised and lowered the pickup to try to improve it...
A few weeks later I spotted an ad for the VS695B fretless. I went and bought it and haven't put it down since. Its my first fretless, and I'm completely converted. By the serial number it seems to be a 1983.
A 1980 VS600B (I think). Nice guitar - was about to plunk down money on a brand new, expensive (*name deleted*) when I spotted this one. On a whim I picked it up and fell in love. It's a nice guitar! Fast neck, kind of a flat tone over the D string, though. Was going to replace the pup to see if that would help. I've already raised and lowered the pickup to try to improve it...
A few weeks later I spotted an ad for the VS695B fretless. I went and bought it and haven't put it down since. Its my first fretless, and I'm completely converted. By the serial number it seems to be a 1983.
Attachments
I own a secondhand Vantage fretless 4-string that's been modded at some point in it's life. EMG pickups and at some point I suspect it was a fitted with an active eq (there's a hole for a battery). As it's the only fretless I've ever played, I've nothing to compare it to, but it sounds ok to me.
