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Willcox Bass Club (Lightwave)

#82
warwickhunt said:
Just picked up a LW Sabre (solid black in colour) here in the UK and I'm VERY impressed!



Unsure as to the model as it has a chambered body (with slash hole), Ice-tone, which made me think VL but it has a rosewood fingerboard which is SL...? Can anyone assist as I can't find a potted history of the range?
Click to expand...


If it is chambered it is a VL. Contact Chris at Lightwave and he can tell you the specifics. There may be different fretboard woods ofer time. 4 or 5 string?

Want a number?

Kirk
 
#83
kirkdickinson said:
If it is chambered it is a VL. Contact Chris at Lightwave and he can tell you the specifics. There may be different fretboard woods ofer time. 4 or 5 string?

Want a number?

Kirk
Click to expand...

4 string and a number would be good! ;)

I assumed that it was a VL and reasonably early as it is dated, hand signed etc. internally inc the battery pack (2003). Aside from the clever optical/piezo gubbins it is actually a very nice bass to play, which couldn't be said of the Line 6 Variaxe bass that I once owned which was an OK system installed on a very cheap Fender clone body! :D
 
#87
Nobody has posted here is a while.

I have a problem with my SL Saber. Saturday I took it to practice. We practice at 4:30, then play at 6:30 for our Saturday evening service at church.

I knew that the battery was low so when I set up, I ran the power chord and plugged it in to charge. It was plugged in for about 30 minutes before practice. When we started practicing, I noticed that my B string was not sounding as good as the others and I decided I needed to adjust the sensor. That wasn't it. A little bit later I noticed that all the strings sounded crappy and it was then that I realized that I had a nearly dead battery. I turned the bass over that green light that is usually on inside when it is charging wasn't on.

I have a bad charger, chord, plug or something. :(

Kirk
 
#88
kirkdickinson said:
Nobody has posted here is a while.

I have a problem with my SL Saber. Saturday I took it to practice. We practice at 4:30, then play at 6:30 for our Saturday evening service at church.

I knew that the battery was low so when I set up, I ran the power chord and plugged it in to charge. It was plugged in for about 30 minutes before practice. When we started practicing, I noticed that my B string was not sounding as good as the others and I decided I needed to adjust the sensor. That wasn't it. A little bit later I noticed that all the strings sounded crappy and it was then that I realized that I had a nearly dead battery. I turned the bass over that green light that is usually on inside when it is charging wasn't on.

I have a bad charger, chord, plug or something. :(

Kirk
Click to expand...

Could be time to replace the battery. You can get them direct Invalid Link Removed. When I first got mine the battery wouldn't last very long. I contacted them and they were very helpful and sent me a replacement one. It comes with the double-sided tape so just peel the old one out, put the new one in, plug it in and go.
 
#89
joenoone said:
Could be time to replace the battery. You can get them direct Invalid Link Removed. When I first got mine the battery wouldn't last very long. I contacted them and they were very helpful and sent me a replacement one. It comes with the double-sided tape so just peel the old one out, put the new one in, plug it in and go.
Click to expand...

Gonna put the charger on my electric meter tonight to see if it is outputting anything. I may end up ordering both battery and charger. Tried to email Chris Wilcox, but both my emails for him bounced. Hope he is doing ok.
 
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#92
Kirk yes I'm near positive he pointed out the spelling with two "I"s. I needed to email him some stuff last night but got distracted with a sick child. Hope to email him today. He did point out, having just arrived back from NAMM, that they would be a bit busy getting things up to speed for s few days.
 
#93
Chris kind of hinted that they are doing a bit of R&D and exploration with possible new models and variations of current stuff. I bet they are even looking into some new Tech. So, I started thinking...what if...?

What model, variation or enhancements would you like to see on a new Lightwave bass? Share below!

Personally, I want some very premium Hybrid models. My dream might be a hybrid with that new SIMS pickup from the UK. Also, I'd like to see a significant upgrade or ease of availability of more high end tops AND translucent tops over figured wood for the hybrid (and all models really..). I'd also like to see some neck options like some cool stringers, maybe even a graphite neck. And personally I really do need an LED type option for some of the bands I tour with. Dark stages are hard on my old eyes. So how about you?
 
#94
Hey, I got an idea. How about a quick change battery pack? Like those old Makita drills that has a long stick of batteries that just plugged in.

How about an option for a longer scale neck for a more powerful B string? Or since Novak's patent is expired, a fan fret 37-34 scale. Fan fret would be no problem at all with Lightwave pickups. No special pickup required. :)

How about an option to have the neck extend 4-5 inches over the body like a cello does? Kind of like a Portamento bass from Ibanez. Longer neck could function as a ramp and also add frets above the 24.

Unlined fretless. :)

Built in Wi-fi wireless. :)
 
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#95
kirkdickinson said:
Hey, I got an idea. How about a quick change battery pack? Like those old Makita drills that has a long stick of batteries that just plugged in.
Click to expand...
Yea, I suggested that back when I first got my bass, also suggested maybe a charge indicator in back (like the meters that go in Invalid Link Removed) or maybe an optional additional pack you can plug into the charging port when it gets low. Or a USB charger adapter. Would also like to see a MIDI option too.

Your other suggestions are cool too. The one thing I didn't like about the bass that could be improved is weight distribution. Since so much of the body is carved out it's head-heavy.
 
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#96
My battery charger is dead. Tested it yesterday and am ordering a new charger and battery from Lightwave today.

Actually talked to Chris on the phone last night about the battery/charger situation. Told him my idea for fanned fret lightwave and he told me he had talked to Sheldon Dingwall about just such a bass. The Lightwave system being perfect for multiscale instruments, no special pickup is needed. My thoughts exactly! :)
 
#97
Hello Guys,

I bought a Lightwave system off of TB which I am using in a bass build. The Bastard goes high tech. | TalkBass.com The system was wired in a custom bass that was set up as Vol/Piezo/and a passive style tone control. The daughter board that controls the EQ was never wired. I wired it according to a few difficult to see photos I found online, but I must have gotten something wrong, because connecting the EQ board to the main board kills the volume to where it is barely audible. It works fine without the EQ section hooked up.

I would appreciate it if someone would pop the cover off of their Lightwave and take a couple detailed photos of how the EQ section is wired, so I can figure out what I did wrong. Also I used 50k pots like would be common on your average active system, it would be great to confirm that these are of the right value or not.

Thanks in advance
Paul
 
#99
kirkdickinson said:
I am not home where my bass is right now. Did you call Chris Wilcox. He is a pretty helpful fellow.
Click to expand...

Hey, thanks for the reply.

Another TB'er sent me some PDF files about the system that got everything straightened out. It turns out I just didn't have the dip switch that activates the daughter board turned on.
 

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