Hello all. I'm glad to join the ranks of Guild bass owners. I'd been keeping my eye out for a mahogany short scale set neck bass, and a beat up '73 JS II came up on Talkbass. I didn't make up my mind to go for it until the seller decided to part it out. So I don't have the humbuckers (maybe not so much of a loss), tuners, or the Badass bridge (harp was long gone), but at least I've got a body I like, a neck shape I love, and a good bit of mojo in the beat-up, checked finish. Neck issues were disclosed, and now that I have it I'm happy to report that the truss rod is working fine, and without too much effort I was able to get a slight back-bow in the neck (no strings) with the truss rod alone. I think I'm good there.
I plan to mod it to my taste, but not cut it up. The original pickup routes are huge, so I think I can fit about anything I want in there. Harp bridges are scarce, so I don't mind using a Fender style with a low profile.
What I'd like to ask you about is my pickup choice. I want a classic passive tone with good definition that will sound great overdriving on the neck pickup and with a good treble bark on the bridge pickup. Like a Ric but with a little more wool. I'm considering TV Jones Gretsch-style pickups as I think they'll have that bite, maybe the ThunderTron in the neck and one of the others at the bridge. Has anyone any experience with these, or recommendations on alternative pickups for this bass? I'm aware of the Novaks, trying to keep the spend around $120ish per pickup!
Thanks in advance, and glad to be here!
Dennis
I plan to mod it to my taste, but not cut it up. The original pickup routes are huge, so I think I can fit about anything I want in there. Harp bridges are scarce, so I don't mind using a Fender style with a low profile.
What I'd like to ask you about is my pickup choice. I want a classic passive tone with good definition that will sound great overdriving on the neck pickup and with a good treble bark on the bridge pickup. Like a Ric but with a little more wool. I'm considering TV Jones Gretsch-style pickups as I think they'll have that bite, maybe the ThunderTron in the neck and one of the others at the bridge. Has anyone any experience with these, or recommendations on alternative pickups for this bass? I'm aware of the Novaks, trying to keep the spend around $120ish per pickup!
Thanks in advance, and glad to be here!
Dennis