LeftyBassist.com

The online home for southpaw bassists.
It is currently March 28th, 2024, 5:31 am




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: New Old Bass Day!
PostPosted: February 19th, 2021, 3:20 pm 
Offline

Joined: January 31st, 2021, 1:01 am
Posts: 19
While not technically 'new' or even 'new to me', I rediscovered my old bass.

Originally I bought it in Guitar Center in Boston for $150 in late 1998 or '99. I just moved there and I wanted a bass and wasn't picky since I assumed at the time shipping my bass would have been almost as expensive. I eventually got another bass and this one ended up getting loaned to a friend who strung it righty then loaned to another friend and so on. Several years ago after I moved to Japan, some friends visited me and brought it with them. I knew the nut was busted so I just kept saying "I'll get it fixed later."

After years of kind of forgetting about it, I finally decided to pull it out, and despite obvious problems, it plays way better than I remembered.

Image

It's a Charvel bass and I am pretty sure those strings are old enough to go to college.

It plays super smooth and despite the problems, it works pretty well. The biggest problem is at some point, the nut got filed down so it could be strung righty. That piece of paper there keeps the string from popping out and without it, it touches the first fret. I'm also pretty sure it's not supposed to be strung like that, but any other way and the nut comes off, it's not glued in anymore.

Image

Also one of the screws somehow disappeared off the bridge at some point. Instead of getting a new one, I just fixed it for one penny.

Image


I was impressed at my teenage self for fixing these problems with no real knowledge.

But the kicker and reason I can never sell this bass is I got it signed by Dick Dale and his bassist Ron Eglit.

Image

After a show, Dick Dale said he'd sign anything and was very generous with his time. I just happened to have this in my trunk so I pulled it out. He asked me if I made it myself and sadly I said no.

I plugged it in and it sounds great actually! The bridge pickup has this nasty buzz that's probably loose wiring (when I turn it 45 degrees, it goes away) but the neck pickup is great, sounds quite punchy and heavy.


But there it is, my newly re-discovered bass. I want to get it fixed for real this time but I'm enjoying playing it as the mess it is.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: New Old Bass Day!
PostPosted: February 19th, 2021, 3:33 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: December 9th, 2014, 5:27 pm
Posts: 3489
Location: Beantown
Wow besides being a great bass it's signed by Dick! And his bassist.
Congrats! This is an awesome piece for sure!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: New Old Bass Day!
PostPosted: February 19th, 2021, 4:11 pm 
Offline

Joined: October 8th, 2009, 3:19 am
Posts: 860
Wow! Dick Dale - amazing :)


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: New Old Bass Day!
PostPosted: February 19th, 2021, 4:12 pm 
Offline

Joined: February 22nd, 2017, 5:58 pm
Posts: 403
Very cool story and bass.

_________________
Chicken House Willie on SoundCloud. That’s me.

https://on.soundcloud.com/VajA4QW4p88JPBed6


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: New Old Bass Day!
PostPosted: February 19th, 2021, 4:33 pm 
Offline

Joined: August 7th, 2019, 3:36 pm
Posts: 132
Excellent bass! AND signed by the Dick Dale!? Too cool man.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: New Old Bass Day!
PostPosted: February 20th, 2021, 9:42 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 14th, 2008, 10:57 am
Posts: 2865
Great bass and story! If it were me, I wouldn't change anything except for maybe stabilizing the nut.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: New Old Bass Day!
PostPosted: February 21st, 2021, 12:18 am 
Offline

Joined: January 31st, 2021, 1:01 am
Posts: 19
I was thinking about doing a lot of work to this, but yeah I should probably just stabilize the nut, fix the bridge pickup hum, and get new strings, those old ones are just gross.

The penny stays though.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: New Old Bass Day!
PostPosted: February 23rd, 2021, 7:19 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: November 26th, 2008, 6:14 am
Posts: 3619
Location: Oahu, Hawaii
This Bass has Mojo! And signed by Dick Dale? - fagedaboutit... change the nut, and leave the rest as it is... and keep the penny! :lol:

_________________
R&B Stretch Bass, Walter Woods 1000w Green-Light Stereo Amp, AccuGroove El Whappo and TR112, assorted axes, amps, cabs...
http://www.myspace.com/thestrangershawaii


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: New Old Bass Day!
PostPosted: February 23rd, 2021, 6:27 pm 
Offline

Joined: May 12th, 2008, 5:55 pm
Posts: 254
Was it white at one time and top sanded down? Also - love that old school Schecter sticker!

_________________
"Still trying to find some wine-tasting-style way to describe the almost-Jaco tone the bass player had going on."


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: New Old Bass Day!
PostPosted: February 28th, 2021, 5:18 am 
Offline

Joined: January 31st, 2021, 1:01 am
Posts: 19
I took the peek inside to see if I could figure out why the bridge pickup was humming, and realized it was originally red! Whoever had it before me must have stripped the red and stained it yellow with this weird thin white paint.

When I first bought it, I hated the color but now I kinda like it. I called it the "pee bass" for a while.

But beyond the color, whoever had it before me made some weird decisions. It also has Gibson speed knobs which are numbered backwards for a lefty, and the middle knob is the pickup selector, so the numbers make even less sense.

But I like the feel of the knobs, so maybe the person before thought the same thing.

Oh and the hum went away! I didn't do anything except tap on the cables a little bit.


The Schecter sticker is on my pedal board box I got for practically free. I wish I could take credit for putting it there, but i was on when I bought it. I do like it though.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: New Old Bass Day!
PostPosted: February 28th, 2021, 3:58 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: November 26th, 2008, 6:14 am
Posts: 3619
Location: Oahu, Hawaii
skipphead wrote:
It also has Gibson speed knobs which are numbered backwards for a lefty, and the middle knob is the pickup selector, so the numbers make even less sense.


So instead of going to Ten(11?), this bass goes to Zero... A lefty Spinal Tap moment...

_________________
R&B Stretch Bass, Walter Woods 1000w Green-Light Stereo Amp, AccuGroove El Whappo and TR112, assorted axes, amps, cabs...
http://www.myspace.com/thestrangershawaii


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 19 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group  
Design By Poker Bandits