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active preamp

New custom Alembic bridge :: 1999 DeArmond Starfire Bass [9.7 lbs]

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New custom Alembic bridge :: 1999 DeArmond Starfire Bass [9.7 lbs]

A 1999 DeArmond Starfire bass in for a custom Alembic-style bridge and tailpiece installation.

The tricky part of this installation requires routing the tone block of the bridge into the arched top.  The photo above shows my custom saddle slotting jig modified with guides sized to rout the mating pocket in the top.

You can see the original DeArmond factory routs extending outside of the new bridge.  The player and I considered various cosmetic options to hide them.  In the end we decided to just let them show as they are not that much of an eyesore and fit the vibe of this player-grade workhorse. 

This bass is decked out with a crazy amount of wiring ala Phil Lesh.  The pickups are Fred Hammon "Dark Star" pickups that are based on the Hagstrom BiSonics.  These pickups are recreations of the originals that were popularized by Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane) and Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead) in the late '60s.  Note if you are interested in these pickups, check out Curtis Novak as Fred has stopped producing them.

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1985 Philip Kubicki X Factor [8.6 lbs] :: setup

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1985 Philip Kubicki X Factor [8.6 lbs] :: setup

A wild Kubicki bass in for a setup.  A few high frets up the neck needed to be tapped back down and the output jack rewired to improve the connections.

How about this bridge?  It's not the best for fine tuning the action as you can olnly rotate the saddles in 180° increments.  But the "water wheel" tuners are pretty unique.  I always have to think a little harder when the tuners aren't up on the headstock.

Oh and check out the built in drop D capo!  #slickness

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No battery, no pickup :: Mitchell MX400 QAB NAT [4.4 lbs]

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No battery, no pickup :: Mitchell MX400 QAB NAT [4.4 lbs]

A very quilted-figure Mitchell acoustic in for a dead pickup.  The first thing I always check with acoustic pickup issues is the battery.  As the voltage drops, so does the headroom of the onboard preamp eventually fading away to silence.  This happened to be missing a battery all together so a fresh 9V brought the pickup back to life.  The player was surprised that it was just the battery as he had tried replacing it himself.  I've had other pickup fixes in the shop solved by a new battery so maybe I just get lucky sometimes. 

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Short circuit & loose frets :: Ibanez BTB775PB [9.8 lbs]

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Short circuit & loose frets :: Ibanez BTB775PB [9.8 lbs]

A beastly Ibanez 5 string bass in for an intermittent short circuit and fret buzz.  I traced the output issue to a bad 25k volume pot that needed to be replaced (see video below for the replacement).  As for the fret buzz, treble side fret ends 12-20 were playing it high and loose.  The inexpensive fix was to glue and clamp them back down.  Doing a fret level after they were locked back down would have further improved clean playing up the neck.

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2001 Modulus Quantum 5 [10.5 lbs] :: setup

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2001 Modulus Quantum 5 [10.5 lbs] :: setup

The run of basses coming through the shop rolls on with this super clean Modulus five string!  It was set up with a set of Ken Smith Slick Rounds medium stainless (44-62-84-106-130).  The carbon fiber neck and Aguilar 18V OBP-1 preamp deliver the punchy signature sound that Modulus is known for.

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