Maybe only after you either built the finish up enough to fill the grain, or used grain filler and then maybe use tung oil, but I would get a wipe on poly from Home Depot or Lowes.
Even Stew Mac has this:
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Xaviere "Slick" SLPB Basses
- Thread starter Dradder
- Start date
Maybe only after you either built the finish up enough to fill the grain, or used grain filler and then maybe use tung oil, but I would get a wipe on poly from Home Depot or Lowes.
Even Stew Mac has this:
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Wow, this is pretty compelling stuff. I've already got some P-basses, but this is really tempting. The brown is the only one that appeals to me, but it really does. I just noticed that the tuners are basically 2-tone brassy ears and chrome pegs. I had previously been turned off by the chrome metal bridge, but the 2-tone tuners does make the chrome bridge with brass saddles look a bit better.
The rusty pickup still looks dumb to me, but I could live with that or remedy it in three minutes with some steel wool.
I'd really like to see some customer pics.
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I would agree with wipe on poly as well. I've used it to good effect on my frankenbass body (after grain filler and stain) and on a few necks. This body got 9 coats of what I think was just hardware store bought "Formby's" satin wipe-on poly.
My new T-40/Wal/Decade'ish Frankenbass
It's super easy to use (as easy as tung oil) and you can layer it as much as you want. It's not as strong as a 2-part catalyzing finish or a really thick layer of sprayed auto-body style poly, but it's FAR sturdier than oil. I've done an oil finish on a body once and it was a dent magnet. It's fine for some necks, but I'll never do a tung oil body again.
If you like the "raw wood" feel, you can probably just wipe the poly on right over the existing finish. Otherwise I'd sand it back a bit and then fill the grain and then poly.
Thanks!That is one hell of a Frankenbass you've made right there!drool
I made a few greenhorn mistakes in bridge placement and such, but I just got it back from being tweaked (bridge moved, etc) from my luthier and it absolutely sings and plays like a dream.
I'm a little tempted to get one of these :
The control cavity looks large enough it could fit some nice upgrades :
What I'm really in the market for is a budget PJ for gigging (that I'm not afraid to lose) so I'd be buying with the intent of adding a bridge pickup. For 250 and the cost of routing a pickup it's more than a Squier Jaguar though so I'd have to consider if the body material and other "upgrades" are worth it.
The control cavity looks large enough it could fit some nice upgrades :
What I'm really in the market for is a budget PJ for gigging (that I'm not afraid to lose) so I'd be buying with the intent of adding a bridge pickup. For 250 and the cost of routing a pickup it's more than a Squier Jaguar though so I'd have to consider if the body material and other "upgrades" are worth it.
The Slick looks great for a solid P with a good pup, but if a gig-able P/J is your aim, I'd strongly recommend looking an LTD Vintage 214 (have we had this conversation before..?). New at $380 or used around $250 or so and it smokes the squire in build quality. Solid hardware and the stock pups are pretty good too. I've got the fretless version (admittedly upgraded to Geezers) and I absolutely love it.
If I got a Slick, the most I'd do to it would be to maybe add a tone knob. If you really love the worn-ish look, then it might be worth upgrading, but any kind of major upgrading or routing and there are far easier (and possibly cheaper in the end) options that are as good or better in terms of quality.
I didn't know about the LTD, that's neat! It looks like it has the non-70s J pickup location too. I was also considering Geezers for the pickups. I was thinking I'd put just a little money in the PJ I pick to get something that sounds better but not so much I am afraid to lose the instrument.
I don't know exactly what the different locations are, but I think you're right that it's not in the closer-to-the-bridge position. I think the 214 is one of the real unsung quality bass bargains out there.
As for pups the stock set is fine and better than most cheap P/J's , but I'm very impressed with the tone and the dead-simple solder-less install of the EMG's Geezers. I got a bad bridge pickup (a bit of buzz when it's supposed to be noiseless) and all I had to do was unscrew the pup and loosen my strings to take it out. Their customer service is great too. It's on the way to EMG now for a no-hassle exchange.
I have a slick strat. Nice instrument. But that automotive paint takes some time to air out. Was feeling mysteriously nauseous one day and noticed it got worse the closer I stepped to the guitar. And I never liked the smell of that paint. But, it's fine now. I'd get the black one, if it were a five string, because I hate to see two totally different wood grains sandwiched together (like that brown P bass, like my slick strat).
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the reliced stuff but I wanted to see what all the brass was about.
I hate finish work so I'm far from being an expert on it. But, the Slick promo material says they use one coat of spray on automotive paint in one pass because it does not penetrate the body, just clings to the surface. The theme is deteriorating cosmetics. So, I would guess that putting a finish on to would lead to it eventually falling off. A good refinish would probably involve stripping and prepping for a new one.
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the reliced stuff but I wanted to see what all the brass was about.
I hate finish work so I'm far from being an expert on it. But, the Slick promo material says they use one coat of spray on automotive paint in one pass because it does not penetrate the body, just clings to the surface. The theme is deteriorating cosmetics. So, I would guess that putting a finish on to would lead to it eventually falling off. A good refinish would probably involve stripping and prepping for a new one.
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Most PJs I'm aware of use the 70s bridge J pickup location, which is about 3/8" closer to the bridge than a Jazz bass normally has it. I'm not sure why they do it but maybe for aesthetics? Perhaps it also helps balance the tone or something since on a fretted PJ normally we would blend in the J and favor the P.
The only reason I knew about it was because I saw a TB thread one time comparing pickup locations on Jazz basses and PJ basses from various manufacturers. Someone wanted a standard Jazz bridge pickup location for whatever reason. I think the consensus was the Sadowsky PJ in that thread used the normal bridge J pickup location but most PJs from Fender and others didn't. That LTD I think looks the same as the Sadowsky in terms of pickup location.
Anyway, that LTD bass is pretty cool. Lots of nice features! I'll have to see if I can try one out somewhere. I think you're right about the Slick bass. It's going to cost more than buying a PJ just to make it one. I already have a decent P for if I need it. Maybe I'd get a Slick further down the road to serve as it's backup/gig-instrument.
Not sure if it's tone or aesthetics (maybe a little of both), but it is a bit closer to the P than some others. I have noticed that alot of P/J's have modified the positions from the traditional P and J spots. Sometimes others seem to bump the J down and sometimes they even bump the P toward the neck.
At least based on pics, the LTD does seem to have them in the "regular" positions. The P looked a smidge closer to the neck, but I think it's just because the 21st fret overhang of the fingerboard.
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So I got mine earlier. Ordered it when they had the NAMM discounts. Its simple and i like it. The neck is very nice. No twists and also no uneven frets. A couple of minutes adjusting the saddle and it is almost there in terms of my preferred action (very low). I might end up adding a shim, or maybe not. The tuners and bridge are solid. The pickup sounds good as stated by a previous poster. No humming at all and sounds really well on bedroom levels ( carvin mb15). I will change the strings to my preferred dunlop super bright nickels on the weekend and use it in practice to see how it sounds loud. The finish is nice too. I like the relic job on it. Not too much in my opinion. As for the negatives, the pot for the volume is stiff. I also have not opened it up to see the controls. I will be changing it to a push pull so that will be remidied. The relic on the pickup covers does not make sense to me. Also the hideous slick logo and the neck plate I will have to deal with. Some black acrylic paint and a new neck plate should deal with it. Also the smell really bothers me. I am airing it outdoors now. So for my first impression i really like it. No need to change pickups yet and my only complaint is the headstock logo and neck plate. And its light btw.
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I see Xaviere has some J bass models now. I wonder whether they'd put a J neck on a Slick for me...it's all the same company, yes?
It wouldnt hurt to email them, but I doubt it. I used some wipe on poly on mine and I like the feel now better, specially the neck. Also added tone control. So far I am liking it. I have been using it in the living room and in practice. I dont see myself replacing the pickups as they are good as is, so is the hardware. The only mods I would be doing is adding a Jaguar mute (I love that sound of muted strings) and maybe trying half rounds on this. A good buy IMO.
So I added the Jaguar mute and finished the Poly coat. I like that the finish did not come out perfect. So far The pick ups are nice. I am still thinking if I should replace it with my spare Aguilar pickup. Added a Tone knob too.
Coldeye looks good. Can you give us a real weight please. One other poster said his was something like 10 lbs if I remember correctly. That was my only concern really as I can't abide a bass that weighs more than 9lbs. And 10 is simply out of the question with my "issues" haha
