The bass Fender should have made (IMHO)

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I’m back to a sensible project ;)

I have always thought Fender should have made a mainstream thin line telecaster bass. 

So I got Graham to do one for me. Should be a fun build. It’ll be a stain finish, but haven’t chosen the colour yet.. hmmm




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Comments

  • Is there a risk of it being annoyingly neck heavy?
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • Winny_PoohWinny_Pooh Frets: 7730
    edited February 2018
    Wrong pickup  

    Defo investigate ultralight tuners for this one (Gotoh GB640 IIRC)
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    edited February 2018
    Is there a risk of it being annoyingly neck heavy?
    Wrong pickup  

    Defo investigate ultralight tuners for this one (Gotoh GB640 IIRC)
    Nope. Ultralight tuners already planned. It’s not an overly light body, and there’s enough space in the rear cavity to weight it if necessary.

    And if it’s a Lindy Fralin split coil 51P then it’s absolutely the right pickup.
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  • Is there a risk of it being annoyingly neck heavy?
    Wrong pickup  

    Defo investigate ultralight tuners for this one (Gotoh GB640 IIRC)

    And if it’s a Lindy Fralin split coil 51P then it’s absolutely the right pickup.
    Good call
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    Tele style headstock and 1.75” nut. Mmmmmm.


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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    Is there a risk of it being annoyingly neck heavy?
    Wrong pickup  

    Defo investigate ultralight tuners for this one (Gotoh GB640 IIRC)

    And if it’s a Lindy Fralin split coil 51P then it’s absolutely the right pickup.
    Good call
    :)

    Planned as part of the build 
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14320
    Nice grain. Worth leaving it visible. 

    Winny_Pooh said:
    Wrong pickup  
    Lindy Fralin split coil 51P  ... absolutely the right pickup.
    In the interests of sonic variety, a second pickup would be desirable. I'd want an EB-style mudbucker but I can imagine the OP opting for a piezo-loaded bridge and buffered pre-amp.
    Be seeing you.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    Nice grain. Worth leaving it visible. 

    Winny_Pooh said:
    Wrong pickup  
    Lindy Fralin split coil 51P  ... absolutely the right pickup.
    In the interests of sonic variety, a second pickup would be desirable. I'd want an EB-style mudbucker but I can imagine the OP opting for a piezo-loaded bridge and buffered pre-amp.
    Funnily enough, the bass I use most live is my (also Graham) home build 51P with a billy basic SD quarterpounder in it. 

    It’s all thump and not much else but fits in really well with our sound. 

    Piezo bridge is slightly tempting, but I feel the draw to making it a good old trad 51 thumper. After all, I’ve got a “posh” 64 thumper and it’s the tone I keep going back to.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    Wrong pickup  
    +1

    A WRHB is the right one for these. If you get a modern one with 4-conductor cable you can wire them in parallel, which makes them less overpowering - I did that on my recent Pawnshop Mustang Bass.

    I've played in a couple of places where a non-humbucking single pickup would make the bass almost unusable, so I would automatically avoid that now.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    ICBM said:
    Wrong pickup  
    +1

    A WRHB is the right one for these. If you get a modern one with 4-conductor cable you can wire them in parallel, which makes them less overpowering - I did that on my recent Pawnshop Mustang Bass.

    I've played in a couple of places where a non-humbucking single pickup would make the bass almost unusable, so I would automatically avoid that now.
    Yes, but my experience disagrees.

    I gig with a SC pickup and it's fine.

    I don't want a mud bucker - don't like the sound.. ;)
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    edited February 2018
    Bridgehouse said:

    Yes, but my experience disagrees.

    I gig with a SC pickup and it's fine.
    You just haven't come across the wrong venue yet. I thought the same as you about my Rick until I did...

    I don't want a mud bucker - don't like the sound..
    That's why I rewired it in parallel. Slightly less output - although not as much difference as I expected - and a much brighter,  clearer tone.

    Anyway, the WRHB just looks much better in a Tele Bass, and that's the most important thing .

    Is the Lindy Fralin a humbucker anyway though? I missed that bit earlier...

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    ICBM said:
    Bridgehouse said:

    Yes, but my experience disagrees.

    I gig with a SC pickup and it's fine.
    You just haven't come across the wrong venue yet. I thought the same as you about my Rick until I did...

    I don't want a mud bucker - don't like the sound..
    That's why I rewired it in parallel. Slightly less output - although not as much difference as I expected - and a much brighter,  clearer tone.

    Anyway, the WRHB just looks much better in a Tele Bass, and that's the most important thing .

    Is the Lindy Fralin a humbucker anyway though? I missed that bit earlier...
    Don’t forget - I use a Preamp live to dial sounds in for different venues, and yes the LF is a split humbucker so basically a normal P bass pickup but not offset 
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    BTW @ICBM - the late 60s Tele basses were SC like the original Precisions until the 70s abominations ;)

    I am staying firmly in the early 50s camp, with a humbucking cheat
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    BTW @ICBM - the late 60s Tele basses were SC like the original Precisions until the 70s abominations ;)

    I am staying firmly in the early 50s camp, with a humbucking cheat
    I prefer the abominations :). They just look much nicer - I've never liked the look of the original P-Bass (sorry Leo!), it has none of the style of the '57 revision or of the humbucker Tele Bass. I agree that the neck mudbucker is too much though, at least wired in series.

    But Suzi Quatro played one, so there! [/10-year-old self with poster on wall]

    Nerrrr!!

    https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/american-rock-musician-and-actress-suzi-quatro-performs-onstage-picture-id481030011?k=6&m=481030011&s=612x612&w=0&h=BZNG8PZBgm1ok3KuNcShVXhrluJE146Kk7vAqtWmTJ4=

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    ICBM said:
    BTW @ICBM - the late 60s Tele basses were SC like the original Precisions until the 70s abominations ;)

    I am staying firmly in the early 50s camp, with a humbucking cheat
    I prefer the abominations :). They just look much nicer - I've never liked the look of the original P-Bass (sorry Leo!), it has none of the style of the '57 revision or of the humbucker Tele Bass. I agree that the neck mudbucker is too much though, at least wired in series.

    But Suzi Quatro played one, so there! [/10-year-old self with poster on wall]

    Nerrrr!!

    https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/american-rock-musician-and-actress-suzi-quatro-performs-onstage-picture-id481030011?k=6&m=481030011&s=612x612&w=0&h=BZNG8PZBgm1ok3KuNcShVXhrluJE146Kk7vAqtWmTJ4=
    I'm saying nothing.....
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  • paulnb57paulnb57 Frets: 3044
    edited February 2018
    Jess Loueiro makes a decent split coil pick up too.........I have one in my 51 Franken thing (currently in bits for a rebuild)

    http://i.imgur.com/M2NFnt0.jpg


    http://jlguitars.eu/shop/index.php?id_product=68&controller=product&id_lang=4
    Stranger from another planet welcome to our hole - Just strap on your guitar and we'll play some rock 'n' roll

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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    paulnb57 said:
    Jess Loueiro makes a decent split coil pick up too.........I have one in my 51 Franken thing (currently in bits for a rebuild....



    http://jlguitars.eu/shop/index.php?id_product=68&controller=product&id_lang=4
    Nice - very similar to the LF - worth a look at I think.
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  • ICBM said:

    I don't want a mud bucker - don't like the sound..
    That's why I rewired it in parallel. Slightly less output - although not as much difference as I expected - and a much brighter,  clearer tone.

    That is the classic 4 string Stingray formula. Humbucker in Parallel for clarity and EQ to boost. That's why they have so much attack even on the low E. The 5's give you the option of Series/parallel/neck single on a switch which is nice when you want something smoother. 


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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14320
    Bridgehouse said:
    I don't want a mud bucker - don't like the sound.. ;)
    Try piling on enough distortion. (Jump to 3:05.)



    ICBM said:
    That's why I rewired it in parallel. Slightly less output - although not as much difference as I expected - and a much brighter,  clearer tone.
    This is what I do with the DiMarzio DP145 Will Power neck position pickup.
    Be seeing you.
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  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27342



    I like the semi concept, but - to my eyes - the ornate F hole always looks out of place on a modern instrument.

    Fine if you've got a c17th violin, but on a c20th instrument design, surely there's a better design?

    That said, I've still bought them!   
    Having trouble posting images here?  This might help.
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