The feature bass this week is a modded MTD Kingston. William Hill writes: This started as a stock MTD Kingston series artist model. I had been playing one just like it with the addition of a Bartolini MM4cbc pickup. The artist was being discontinued, and I had a chance to pick up another from the … Read more
The feature bass this week is a custom build for a player that wanted a does-it-all 5-string. Owner Eric Fortaleza writes: I sold all my five strings and decided to get one built by one of the best Australian Luthiers. The purpose of the bass was cover all my 5 string needs and cover pretty … Read more
While playing in The Jimi Hendrix experience, Noel Redding typically did turn up his bass extra-loud just to be heard better… …and we’re glad he did, because he had an amazing bass tone. While watching the video below, you will hear his “blare” loud-and-proud, even while playing slowly. You’ll also notice he favored playing up … Read more
This is a beginner-friendly way of oiling a neck. While there are several ways to do this, this particular method is suitable for anyone even if you have no prior experience. Below: Box of rags (thick paper towels, same as blue shop towels), pair of medical grade gloves (meaning not kitchen gloves), tung oil (natural … Read more
Some preamp systems allow for the use of either 9 volts or 18 volts for power. Check the specifications for your preamp to make sure that it is recommended. Some known systems that DO allow for 9 or 18V are: Aguilar OBP2, OBP3; Bartolini NTBT 918, NTMB918, Delano (all); John East (all); ACG (all); Nordstrand … Read more
Generally speaking, the term means that there is a battery in the bass. Most commonly, the battery is being used to power a preamp. The preamp uses a battery and thus the instrument is powered (active). Occasionally, the pickups are active; a bass with active pickups would, of course, also be considered active. Most pickups … Read more
Use this tip sheet if you need to figure out how to wire a long threaded barrel jack into your bass. This sheet covers the long threaded barrel jacks from Switchcraft that we sell, but may be relevant to your bass as well if it has this style of jack. Chrome and gold jacks: The … Read more
Use this tip sheet if you need to need to figure out whether your Ultralights are the version known as 3/8” or 1/2”. There are a couple methods: Remove a tuner and measure the hole that was drilled in the headstock. a 3/8” tuner will have a hole that is 9/16” in diameter a 1/2” … Read more
The following tuners; HB1, HB2, HB3, and HB7 cover several of the harder to identify vintage style tuners found on many of the world’s basses. Whether you are trying to replace the regular tuners or need to identify which detuner to get for your bass, these diagrams will be of help. Typically, just checking the … Read more
I have an older Marcus Miller Signature bass, and it used to be highly susceptible to noise picked up through the vintage single-coil pups (unless they were exactly balanced in volume, and also light buzzing (that would go away when I touched the strings). That’s all gone now. It’s absolutely silent until I thunder a … Read more
