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Vantage Owners Club

#121
Bassguy61 said:
Okay. so I got my new (old) bass home today. I have a few questions hopefully someone can help answer. There are some things about this that are different than the pictures you normally see. First is the headstock...
View attachment 5075725

This is the first one I recall with the script running that way and with out the big "V" on it.

Next is the neckplate:
View attachment 5075726

Again, most I have seen have the "V" somewhere on it.
I guess the question is, do I have a legit Vantage? I can't imagine there having been copies of them. They are great little basses, but not exactly high dollar collectibles. Shy of the bridge needing replaced, it plays and sounds good.
One other question... What should the scale be? I was thinking 32", but when I measure from the nut to the saddles, I get 33 inches. If I go 32", it comes to just past the front bridge post.

Thanks so much. I hope someone can help clear up my mystery!
Click to expand...
It's probably just an early one, likely 1979/80 era, and they did not use the stylized neck plate yet; you can tell by the tuners if they have rectangle enclosures.

Here is a serial number guide here to help with date of manufacture: Dating by serialnumber

And headstock examples based on year of manufacture as well: Headpiece

As for the scale, measure from the nut to the 12th fret. If it's 17" then the scale is 34", if it is 16" the scale is 32" (etc.)
 
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#122
Thanks so much for the info. So based on the serial, it looks like it should be a 79. That is actually very cool to, as my other bas is a 79 Ibanez Studio. Also, I graduated High School in 79 so it makes for a pretty cool set. Oh, here's a body shot. It's in really good shape for it's age (better than me!) I need to get knobs that at least as closed to original...
upload_2023-5-27_16-4-16.jpeg
 
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#124
Bassguy61 said:
Thanks so much for the info. So based on the serial, it looks like it should be a 79. That is actually very cool to, as my other bas is a 79 Ibanez Studio. Also, I graduated High School in 79 so it makes for a pretty cool set. Oh, here's a body shot. It's in really good shape for it's age (better than me!) I need to get knobs that at least as closed to original...
View attachment 5075810
Click to expand...
I saw some on Amazon the other day that has the grooves like the one on the Vantage basses. The numbers are in white though. There are black knobs too in the same shape.
 

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#125
Hi all, I have a set of Gotoh Res-O-Lite 350 tuners for my VS650B to reduce head dive, but they seem to have a larger diameter shaft than the Vantage tuners. For those of you who have replaced tuners, do I need to drill out the existing holes for the swap? I don't see a variant of any lightweight tuners that have a smaller diameter shaft, all seem to be 9/16" / 14mm like the Gotohs.
 
#126
kineticdg said:
Hi all, I have a set of Gotoh Res-O-Lite 350 tuners for my VS650B to reduce head dive, but they seem to have a larger diameter shaft than the Vantage tuners. For those of you who have replaced tuners, do I need to drill out the existing holes for the swap? I don't see a variant of any lightweight tuners that have a smaller diameter shaft, all seem to be 9/16" / 14mm like the Gotohs.
Click to expand...
IME, yes, when I installed the "3/8 uhipshot ultralites for mine I had to widen the holes for the bushings to fit. I've yet to find a true drop in replacement that doesn't need the headstock holes enlarged unfortunately.
 
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#128
kineticdg said:
How did you widen the holes? I’ve found some info on the repairs forum but there are so many opinions. Thanks for the info!
Click to expand...
The general way to it is to get a drill with a sighty larger bit than the hole and put a block in the other side of the hole when enlarging it in reverse to minimize the chances of tearaway, for guitars you can use a handheld tapered reamer but bass holes are slightly bigger
 
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#129
Hi. I picked this up a few days ago for $200 Aussie bucks. The quality of the buid is terrific. Love the all maple neck/fretboard ( although preferentially I like a darker fretboards.) The seller was up front that there was a slight rise between 17th and last fret. I've read the contrary opinions about the cause being a shim and the other view that forces at the 12th fret cause the 'ski jump' issue. Seller did say it had a shim that he removed. Anyhow, it only effected the A string at the 18th fret with a buzz.
I did the work around of setting the action from the 12th and above till no buzz on any strings, and then adjusting the relief. Can't recall where I read it on TB. I posted in the thread concerned that I was thinking of buying this bass.
Looking fwd to putting flats on when I get a delivery of XL Chromes I have ordered. I tune in D standard and that is a good thing tension wise for not worsening a ski jump thingie. Apparently.
The Atak 1B is mostly original. The seller upgraded the pots with 250k CTS. The knobs are the originals from online pics (scarce) I have seen. Shielded as well with a new output socket. When I change the strings I will de rust the the intontation screws and springs. The pickguard screws and pickup screws were a bit rusty on the heads, so I did my usual just covered the heads with some nail polish. Black in this case. I also put on new strap buttons. Nothing else to do.
Know little about the bass, other than Matsumoku connection and A5..
on neck plate which I take to be January 1985. I believe these Quest had a connection to Vantage. I believe Electra morphed into Vantage. Is that right?
Anyhow, happy chappy. Great score. Love the beefy saddles..

IMG20230821120229.jpg
IMG20230820181417.jpg

IMG20230821120318.jpg
 
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#131
kineticdg said:
How did you widen the holes? I’ve found some info on the repairs forum but there are so many opinions. Thanks for the info!
Click to expand...
Okay, tuners installed. I used a circular file, mixed with 100 grit sandpaper wrapped around a 1/2" dowel. Worked great although it was very slow and not something I would want to do every day. But it worked! No neck dive, after 40 years (or at least not enough for me to notice with the suede back strap):

IMG_3552.jpeg
 
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#132
I picked up this 5-string Vantage 945BA from a pawn shop years ago. I think it was less than $300. It's a great playing and sounding bass but it doesn't get much use since I don't get much call for a 5-string. Neck-thru with active electronics.
Vantage945BA_body.jpg
Vantage945BA.jpg
 
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#134
A couple of questions for those of you with more Vantage experience than me...

On my bass I notice a distinct difference in the sound of the E and A to the D and G strings. Anything on the E/A is very wooly sounding. Everything on the D/G in distinctly brighter and clearer. It's almost like I have the tone rolled off on the E/A, but cranked on the D/G. The tone control has little impact on the difference. Have any of you run into a situation like that?

Because of this, I've been debating swapping out the electronics. As I was looking under the pickup, I noticed that the foam is mounted to a metal plate that sits under the pick up. What does that do? Is it a form of shielding, or what else might it be for?

Thanks again for any help!
 
#135
Bassguy61 said:
A couple of questions for those of you with more Vantage experience than me...

On my bass I notice a distinct difference in the sound of the E and A to the D and G strings. Anything on the E/A is very wooly sounding. Everything on the D/G in distinctly brighter and clearer. It's almost like I have the tone rolled off on the E/A, but cranked on the D/G. The tone control has little impact on the difference. Have any of you run into a situation like that?

Because of this, I've been debating swapping out the electronics. As I was looking under the pickup, I noticed that the foam is mounted to a metal plate that sits under the pick up. What does that do? Is it a form of shielding, or what else might it be for?

Thanks again for any help!
Click to expand...
Did you restring it or are these old strings?
And the foam under the pickup keeps the pickup in place.
 
#136
subdude67 said:
Did you restring it or are these old strings?
And the foam under the pickup keeps the pickup in place.
Click to expand...

The strings were put on new, LaBella flats. I knew about the foam, I've seen that on other basses. Usually I've seen it with the foam just mounted straight to the body cavity. What's throwing me is the metal plate. I'm just trying to determine if it's still going to be needed if I switch pickups.
 
#139
Prodigus Filius said:
Hi,
Wondering why I keep seeing conflicting info on the scale length of the VS600B. E.g I read 34.25" here Vantage VS-600B – ‘Witch bass’ and then you read post #9 here https://www.talkbass.com/threads/ma...-medium-scale-p-killer.1184424/#post-17998922 saying they are actually medium scale at 32.25". So which is it? Or was there a long scale and a medium scale variant? Confusing
Click to expand...
This series has a weird scale length, the vs695 I used to have had a 33.75 scale length, although mine had a fender style bridge, it could be different for the models that have a Gibson 3 point. The scale lengths tend to be longer than they should due to the neck being set to the edge of the body
 
#140
MisterUbu said:
This series has a weird scale length, the vs695 I used to have had a 33.75 scale length, although mine had a fender style bridge, it could be different for the models that have a Gibson 3 point. The scale lengths tend to be longer than they should due to the neck being set to the edge of the body
Click to expand...
Huh. It doesn't matter what the bridge is or where the saddles are. Measure the distance from front of nut to middle of 12th fret and double it gives the scale length. Greco and probably others used to give the scale length specs in their catalogues as distance from nut to 12th
 

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