Talk me out of (or justify) this purchase!

[nurnay]

You are quite right...I do believe Golem only suggested it for comparison but there are three things in this world you never want to see:

1. The vodka bottle is empty
2. Your next door neighbor just bought his 6 year old child a drum set to practice with in the garage
3. Me holding a tool of any kind. Ever. Seriously.

As someone who is downright frightened at the thought of doing any sort of repairs on my basses, I was pleasantly surprised how easy removing the neck was. I swapped out a fretless for a fretted a while back, and it was really easy. If you do, just be sure to keep track of where the shims are seated (if there are any).

If you're uncomfortable doing it, maybe hit up your Facebook friends to find a good luthier? Any semi-competent one can perform the work. I found a great luthier this way (and he's cheap, too!).

 

[Golem]

`

True I did not mean the swap as permanent, just to
see if the tone followed the neck, and then put the
orange neck back on the orange body. Soooo .... if
the tone follows the neck, what was I thinking ought
to be done about that ???

Quoting myself

.......
before spending $1700 and possibly parting with
what may be an exceptional bird-in-hand ......

The idea was, put the neck back and keep the whole
Orange Wonder Bass. IOW, a positive result means
the orange neck has special qualities and you will be
disappointed in its honey burst replacement, so just
maintain the status quo.

OTOH, a negative test result means there's nothing
really special about the Orange Bass [note it is not
in this result referred to as the "Wonder" bass], so
off it, and expect its replacement to be equally as
fulfilling, sonically.

Perznelly, I would have expected the positive result.
Something is causing a difference, and being as both
are FL, it SHOULD be the neck density. Acoarst, since
tools are not allowed near the basses, for all we know
just torqueing down all 12 neck bolts might render the
two basses equally growly ...

Much as I do believe in the outcome I predict, when it
comes to voodoo, I could be wrong .... and tone very
much involves voodoo ! There's a secret room at SLO
that almost noooooobody is allowed to enter ... and it
is said that spies have occasionally entered there, and
then never re-emerged .....


`

 

[ptg]

I always suspected there was a secret room of voodoo!

At this point I am leaning on the side of making the purchase and hoping for the best. Still not sure if getting an H or a HH will make any difference but since there seems to be no definitive evidence that it does make a difference, I am leaning towards the single H. (subject to change)

I seem to agonize even over the fun decisions in life...

 

[stu42]

`

for all we know
just torqueing down all 12 neck bolts might render the
two basses equally growly ...

Much as I do believe in the outcome I predict, when it
comes to voodoo, I could be wrong .... and tone very
much involves voodoo !
`

This is funny! It reminds me of a story. A friend of mine had a 4x12 Marshall speaker cabinet that he loved. One day he noticed that the screws on the cabinet handles were a big loose so he tightened them up. He discovered that the sound of the cabinet changed - the bass response tightened up too! So, he loosened those handle screws again and made it all better again.

He is also a huge proponent of swapping necks (and pickups and other stuff) between guitars to experiment with the tone of his guitars and it does make a big difference. One time I had to swap out the neck on one of my favorite guitars because the original neck became warped in a bad way. The new neck changed the response of the guitar - and not in a good way. Same thing happens with electronic parts. Swapping out an output transformer for a new one in my amp wrecked the response of it too.

So...yeah...lots of voodoo involved in tone creation!!

Sorry if this makes your decision harder. Or maybe it means you might just have to get used to the look of an Orange bass!

 

[five7]

you could get a refinish on the orange one if you really don't like the color but then that might change the voodoo

 

[ptg]

you could get a refinish on the orange one if you really don't like the color but then that might change the voodoo

I thought of that but I once did a refinish with a highly recommended firm and they totally screwed the electronics up when they reassembled the instrument.

So, yeah, never again.

 

[sanderhermans]

Taking the electronics out and putting em back in would be another home job for me but going from your previous post this aint an option in your case it seems

 

[Paco Maraca]

The bridge pu on a SR is always in the same position, whether it is a H, HH or HS. Also the electronics are the same, if the H is a 3-band and the dual pu SR is in position 1, so you get the classic SR sound. But, if you are almost not using the neck pu, why do you not consider getting a Hp? The piezo is a real value added to a fretless! Also HS might be an option, as it adds two single coil sounds that also sound awesome on a FL, with pos 2 being a jacoish bridge single coil

Gesendet von meinem D5503 mit Tapatalk

 

[Paco Maraca]

Unfortunately there's no HSp option available on a SR, only on a Bongo. That would be my favourite - but this is another discussion

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[ptg]

Hi Paco,

I have heard a lot about the piezo option but have never played one. There may be a dealer within driving range who has one and if he does I will try one out.

If not, it's the single H!!!!

Thanks for your input regarding bridge placement and electronics, etc.

Finally getting close to placing an order and starting the wait!

 

[Paco Maraca]

The piezo option only comes with the 3-band EQ, but if you are going for a single H only, you should also check the 2-band. Not having the mid pot is a limitation especially on a fretless. However the electronics work differently and you get that classic vintage tone known from Pino Palladino. My favourite would be a classic SR4 fretless, but unfortunately EBMM is not producing them - yet, still hoping ...

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[ptg]

The piezo option only comes with the 3-band EQ, but if you are going for a single H only, you should also check the 2-band. Not having the mid pot is a limitation especially on a fretless. However the electronics work differently and you get that classic vintage tone known from Pino Palladino. My favourite would be a classic SR4 fretless, but unfortunately EBMM is not producing them - yet, still hoping ...

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Well, I'm not looking for Pino's sound per se, rather I am just trying to maximize the sound that speaks to me.

I am assuming, however, that if the store has one it will have factory rounds on it and I run flats only. What do you string your piezo bass with?

 

[muggsy]

My Bongo 4HSp is strung with flats and sounds huge. I love what the piezo adds, though I have no idea how to describe it.

 

[Paco Maraca]

Flats and rounds work both. Currently I am experimenting with flats, but will most probably go back to rounds. Not for sound reasons, I like both sounds, but simply because I am used to them and prefer to have the same strings as on my fretted basses.

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[Golem]

`

You could come up to the Capitol District and see
your tax dollars pretending to be at work ... and,
with a little lucky timing, you may even witness
your legislator being led away in handcuffs ! But
all that pales compared to dropping by Golem's
Home for Wayward Basses, where you can plug
in various piezo FL MMs [see my sig] and amaze
yourself [or not].

 

[ptg]

`

You could come up to the Capitol District and see
your tax dollars pretending to be at work ... and,
with a little lucky timing, you may even witness
your legislator being led away in handcuffs ! But
all that pales compared to dropping by Golem's
Home for Wayward Basses, where you can plug
in various piezo FL MMs [see my sig] and amaze
yourself [or not].

Thanks for the invite! What's a nice guy like you doing in a place like that?

You'll be happy to know that due to your singing the piezo praises along with many others during this search and in recent years, I have done some research and after learning that the piezo feature can be blended from 100% on to 100% off (in case I don't care for it) I am going to order one with that feature and hope for the best! I like an occasional adventure and I am looking forward to seeing what this one brings.

By the way, I always wanted to go to DC to check it out, so you never know...

Thanks again for all of your help with this one, Golem!

 

[ptg]

Done!

Okay...The bass has been ordered! Honeyburst SR4 single H unlined with tort guard and, yes, piezo!

The wait begins! Tick tock tick tock......

 

[Golem]

Uhhmmnn DC ? I did mention "tax" and "legislators"
but did not mean Washington DC. I did say "Capitol
District" which, when not dyslexified, would be "CD"
rather than "DC". IOW, I was speaking as one NY'er
to another. IIRC you are on Long Island. I am in the
NYS Capitol District, in Troy. I can see the capital of
NY State from my front porch ... prolly more clearly
than Ms. Palin can see Russia from her front porch.

Legislators are far more likely to be handcuffed in
Albany than in Washington, for reasons that are not
entirely clear, at least as seen from my front porch.

But, you have wisely ordered a piezo FL MM without
benefit of premarital relations. I expect you will love
it so well that you will extend the same courtesy as I
was offering you, that other Long Islanders who can't
find a piezo in a local shop might come play yours as
your way of proselytizing the wonders of piezo FL

And BTW, the chrome banana looks soooo coool with
5 chrome knobs crowded onto it. Welcome, Pilgrim !


`

 

[Paco Maraca]

Okay...The bass has been ordered! Honeyburst SR4 single H unlined with tort guard and, yes, piezo!

The wait begins! Tick tock tick tock......

Nice choice, keep us posted about your experience once it arrived

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[ptg]

Of course, Golem! I completely forget that you are in Troy! The bad thing about being old is forgetting things but the good thing is that I won't remember this mistake tomorrow! And yes, of course, once I receive the bass my door is open to anyone who wishes to take it for a spin.

Paco, I definitely will post a review upon delivery!

Just think, by the time I have this instrument maybe, just maybe, there will not be any snow on the ground...