What would you do with a Lightwave?

[Reedt2000]

Which is exactly why I was considering the magnetic pickup conversion. I don't have enough wall space for decorative basses that don't work, lol.


Money input vs. Resale value may dictate the way forward. I can do mag pickups easily enough, probably don't need synth stuff. Any reason you suggested brass frets? I would think they would wear super fast.

Plus my sister might be annoyed if I sold it

Bell brass (or I guess bronze is more accurate) frets are a Warwick thing. My main player has em and after 13 years of regular playing they are still in great shape. I don't know if they make a huge difference in tone or not (but they look cool ).

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The point I was making (or trying to ) is that this will never be a bass that it's sacrilegious to mod. It's not like you're routing holes in a Carl Thompson, or a Ritter.

I don't think the $ you'll put into it will ever come back to you if you sell it. It would be a player's project for sure.

 

[WardEarth]

The headstock flame & fretboard checker are nice. If it were mine it’s a tough choice but I’d probably keep it for way longer than I should and if the stars aligned I would finish it.

 

[Jazz Ad]

If you want to fret it (I wouldn't, I like what it looks like now) and think about heavy modding, the shape would work well for a multi scale design.

 

[cnltb]

What would you do with a Lightwave?
I'd sell it.

 

[Ras Keita]

I dunno about the Lightwave, what about the motorcycle?

 

[Beej]

No offense to any owners of these, but the whole thing is kinda blah. I'd probably put some inexpensive parts on it, reshape the body a little (plus contour it a lot), maybe do a PG and then practice fretless.

 

[Rody]

Why not put on a piezo bridge, save yourself a lot of work adapting it for magnetic pickups?

 

[ctmullins]

That looks pretty nice actually. You have a thoughtful sister. I’d put a soapbar in the sweet spot and a two-band preamp, then play the snot out of it! I do love fretless...

 

[RBS_Johnson]

Bell brass (or I guess bronze is more accurate) frets are a Warwick thing. My main player has em and after 13 years of regular playing they are still in great shape. I don't know if they make a huge difference in tone or not (but they look cool ).

Invalid Link Removed

The point I was making (or trying to ) is that this will never be a bass that it's sacrilegious to mod. It's not like you're routing holes in a Carl Thompson, or a Ritter.

I don't think the $ you'll put into it will ever come back to you if you sell it. It would be a player's project for sure.

I was just curious about the frets, I'll have to look into those. I realize it's not worth too much, isn't exactly a "sacred bass" like some are to some people. And the number one with rule with modding is that it adds very little value generally

The headstock flame & fretboard checker are nice. If it were mine it’s a tough choice but I’d probably keep it for way longer than I should and if the stars aligned I would finish it.

Sounds a lot like my plan

If you want to fret it (I wouldn't, I like what it looks like now) and think about heavy modding, the shape would work well for a multi scale design.

You know, I was just thinking yesterday along the same lines...

What would you do with a Lightwave?
I'd sell it.

That's a very valid and probably more sane opinion.

I dunno about the Lightwave, what about the motorcycle?

It's kinda banged up. It's probably going to be going up for sale once I can ride and check it out(I hit a deer, and there are so many deer around the new house that I don't know if I could feel safe. Especially after dark when 50% of my riding time is).

No offense to any owners of these, but the whole thing is kinda blah. I'd probably put some inexpensive parts on it, reshape the body a little (plus contour it a lot), maybe do a PG and then practice fretless.

I almost dig the shape itself but you're right, it seems like it could do with some contouring. I'll have to play around with pickguard shapes, I've seen it mentioned a couple times and now I'm curious.

I do have a fretless converted P neck thats lined if I wanted to throw it on a bass to help practice....

Why not put on a piezo bridge, save yourself a lot of work adapting it for magnetic pickups?

I don't really care for piezo only. It could be an option, but I would want it with another pickup.

That looks pretty nice actually. You have a thoughtful sister. I’d put a soapbar in the sweet spot and a two-band preamp, then play the snot out of it! I do love fretless...

She has her moments
Fretless is still up in the air for me, but the rest of your plan sounds good!

 

[40Hz]

I would, at leas, check on the chances of getting replacement parts for it.
It might be a very good fretless.

If you can restore it to factory spec it’s an excellent fretless IMO. Lightweight, blisteringly fast neck. And for some reason I find it noticeably easier to get good intonation on it than any other fretless I’ve ever played. My Saber VL4 (optical + piezo pickup version) has booted my fretless Godin L.R. Baggs Acoustibass and Aria Pro II TSB-350 completely out of rotation.

You’d probably need to go through Willcox to get the parts though. There’s a lot of electronics plus a robust rechargeable battery under the hood.

(FWIW they’re running a sale on their Lightwave Saber basses right now.)

 

[RBS_Johnson]

It would seem that the fates have smiled on this bass. Happened onto a line for the parts I need for cheap, without really trying. Looks like it's going back to factory electronics. Just need to decide what to do with the neck.

@40Hz, is yours lined or unlined?

-Jake

 

[ctmullins]

Oh man, that is awesome!

 

[RBS_Johnson]

Oh man, that is awesome!

Would recommend lined or trying unlined for someone new to fretless? I did play the trombone in school, which is basically an unlined fretless euphonium

 

[ctmullins]

I firmly believe that bassists should not look at the face of the fingerboard while playing. Side dots should be sufficient. That means that lined vs unlined is moot.

 

[RBS_Johnson]

I firmly believe that bassists should not look at the face of the fingerboard while playing. Side dots should be sufficient. That means that lined vs unlined is moot.

On my fretted basses I only use the side markers. This one has the normal markers where the actual frets would be, but I wonder about marking them all on the side? I need to do some research.

 

[Jisch]

On all my fretless basses I put fret markers on the side of the fingerboard, not across the fretboard. I did fretlines on my first fretless and realized that when playing I was only looking at the side of the fretboard. I like the way a blank board looks versus having the lines going all the way across the board.

 

[RBS_Johnson]

Evidently the USPS has been speeding Got my parts in. They seem to be a little different from what would have originally been there, but it shouldn't be hard to get around that. Gets a little tight in that giant cavity.

Also found out that the neck isn't original to this body. Only one screw hole actually lines up

 

[ctmullins]

Yesss!

 

[Jisch]

That's really weird that the neck isn't original, with a tang like that it would only fit that specific bass.

 

[RBS_Johnson]

That's really weird that the neck isn't original, with a tang like that it would only fit that specific bass.

It's definitely from another lightwave, apparently a different year or something? How many of these things are floating around out there stripped of their electronics and hardware?