JS-II project

mmmalmberg

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My understanding of analog electronics is not nearly as good as I think it is, but your description of the circuit is correct. If you need pics or hand-drawn diagrams from my JS II, let me know. With all the photo hosting issues the are not online at the moment.

That said, I would not consider implementing it for a neck Bisonic.

p.s. Yeah I remembered you had those images up and saw that they were no longer available. I would love to have that drawing for reference but no hurry as I'm not planning on changing it right away if at all.

Is it worth updating the tone caps? They look like film caps so might be fine?
 

mmmalmberg

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p.s. Yeah I remembered you had those images up and saw that they were no longer available. I would love to have that drawing for reference but no hurry as I'm not planning on changing it right away if at all.

Is it worth updating the tone caps? They look like film caps so might be fine?

I mean I usually have the tone control all the way up so I'm not really using the caps much anyway I guess...
 

mmmalmberg

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The original polyurethane re-paint was done without removing any hardware - the headstock was masked off and left original, everything else, almost, was taped off. Pickup surrounds were sprayed right over, screws and all, as was the electronics cover. I fabbed new pickup spacer for the bisonic and a new back cover. Have not figured out why the pickup holes were enlarged. One set of holes lined up perfectly for the Bisonic, making me think perhaps this bass originally had the Hagstrom pickups which got stripped and sold, not really sure. Don't know if the Guild humbuckers could require a bigger hole than the bisonics.
 

fronobulax

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To the extent that Guild did things in a rational chronological order, I would expect that there is a serial number and every JS II after that number shipped with humbuckers. I furthermore would expect that serial number to date to 1971. So it is quite possible that your bass originally had Hagstroms. I don't recall people reporting they had to do a lot of woodwork when switching between Bisonics and humbuckers but I don't think it is a case of taking one out and dropping the other in.

I'll re-post my JS II circuitry things as soon as I remember to grab them from the other computer and re-host.
 

mmmalmberg

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To the extent that Guild did things in a rational chronological order, I would expect that there is a serial number and every JS II after that number shipped with humbuckers. I furthermore would expect that serial number to date to 1971. So it is quite possible that your bass originally had Hagstroms. I don't recall people reporting they had to do a lot of woodwork when switching between Bisonics and humbuckers but I don't think it is a case of taking one out and dropping the other in.

I'll re-post my JS II circuitry things as soon as I remember to grab them from the other computer and re-host.

Thanks very much. There were two distinct sets of holes so it's a pretty fair assumption that the bass has had different pickups in it previously, whatever they were. The fact that they perfectly fit the bisonic seems a pretty strong lead:) What I don't know is why it has the bass boost switch, unless someone added that when they put in the humbuckers. Or, it originally had humbuckers, someone put bisonics in it and then later reverted it, perhaps to sell while keeping the bisonics.
 

mavuser

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that bass would have come originally with 2 Guild humbuckers, with that "deep hard switch" (*not* the "suck switch," which was more of a suck "button," and is associated with the Hagstrom Bisonics).

I always thought the Guild humbucker and Hagstrom Bisonic/Hammon Dark Star etc. were all drop in replacements for each other. pretty sure they are. one of your holes may have been enlarged for a Gibson pickup or something else.

Where did you get the Bisonic? your "before" pictures look like 2 humbuckers.
 

fronobulax

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that bass would have come originally with 2 Guild humbuckers

Dude. I'm supposed to be the one who forgets stuff, not you. The very first instruments that we now call a JS II had the JS body, two Bisonics, and no deep hard (or suck since they are Bisonoics) switch and sometimes were called Jet Star by Guild. The standardization to the two humbuckers and deep/hard switch occurred in early in 1971, certainly before my bass was made :)

Here's a 1970 with one bisonic...

Main.jpg


from here.

And here is a sample from a catalog that calls the leftmost bass a 1970 instrument.

JSBasses.jpg


from http://www.vintageguitarandbass.com/guild/bass/JS.php

Note the two humbucker with no deep/hard switch.

Perhaps you missed the beginning of the thread where the bass under discussion was dated to 1970?
 
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mavuser

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i have never seen a humbucker equipped JS bass without a deep-hard switch. If that exists i did not forget about it, just never knew. Just because it is in the catalog, does not mean it was ever actually sold that way. also the one from the catolog you posted is fretless, fwiw. Have you ever actually seen one with humbuckers and no DH switch? i think they added the switch because the humbucker was too hot. Also, the OP bass *does* have a deep-hard switch, so again it would appear to have definitely come stock with the humbuckers.

yes I was aware some have no switch at all when a Bisonic is involved (I own 2 of the example you posted w the mini hum).

there may a few early M-85s w humbuckers and no DH switch, but they probably have a master volume at least. and there are not many.
 

fronobulax

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i have never seen a humbucker equipped JS bass without a deep-hard switch. If that exists i did not forget about it, just never knew. Just because it is in the catalog, does not mean it was ever actually sold that way. also the one from the catolog you posted is fretless, fwiw. Have you ever actually seen one with humbuckers and no DH switch? i think they added the switch because the humbucker was too hot. Also, the OP bass *does* have a deep-hard switch, so again it would appear to have definitely come stock with the humbuckers.

yes I was aware some have no switch at all when a Bisonic is involved (I own 2 of the example you posted w the mini hum).

there may a few early M-85s w humbuckers and no DH switch, but they probably have a master volume at least. and there are not many.

I get it. My reading comprehension and your occasional lack of clarity are a toxic combination.

You started with the deep/hard switch. You said (because it came with the switch) "that bass would have come originally with 2 Guild humbuckers".

I started with the owner's hypothesis that it came with a Bisonic. I then speculated on ways that could have happened. You then chime in with your comment implicitly shifting the focus back to the switch while I am talking about the Bisonic. Chaos ensues.

We are back in agreement.

Every example of the JS we know of that has the deep/hard switch left the factory with humbuckers.
Every example we know without the deep/hard switch also lacked humbuckers. Specifically we know of the ~1970 with two Bisonics and with 1 Bisonic and a Hagstrom and the circa 1977 with B30x pickups and circuitry.
Just because it was listed in a catalog does not mean it was built.
Just because it was built and we have seen it does not mean it was ever in a catalog.

Occam's razor suggests it is more likely that this bass had the humbucker swapped out and then back in as compared to a post factory deep/hard installation.
 

mavuser

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either way that bass is awesome, OP did a KILLER job rehabing it and the bridge humbucker does not really need the DH heat control the way the original neck humbucker would have.

the Bisonic looks brand new. my guess is it is a NS or Novack. any of that would sound crazy good in the neck of a solid body JS bass. usually they are mahogany though. ooh id love to hear your maple monster! congrats again, great job. A+

and yes that is an early one! 1970 is just the coolest year for Guild (and for the Grateful Dead!)

actually looks like the bass under discussion is stamped early 1971 but with the 3-line Chesty and that irregular shaped control cavity cover its basically the same "superstructure" as 1970
 
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Happy Face

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My word. Much quibbling about minor matters. Try TI Jazz ROUNDS on it.

I finally gave into Mgod:s wisdom and he was once again proven right.
 
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Happy Face

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it's called being a nerd. pretty much the whole point of this forum!
unlike yourself, who is an actual musician.

I am a proud poser!

Please note correction. I meant to write ROUNDS!


Writing from Japan.

On another note, I trolled a good number of Tokyo guitar stores but saw no Guilds. What did intrigue me was a 1964? Gibson Barney Kessel guitar. Not to buy since I am a HOPELESS guitar player. But what caught my eye was that it had a carved one piece wooden saddle. I wd hv thought that such a high-end guitar wd hv had individual saddles.
 
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mmmalmberg

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that bass would have come originally with 2 Guild humbuckers, with that "deep hard switch" (*not* the "suck switch," which was more of a suck "button," and is associated with the Hagstrom Bisonics).

I always thought the Guild humbucker and Hagstrom Bisonic/Hammon Dark Star etc. were all drop in replacements for each other. pretty sure they are. one of your holes may have been enlarged for a Gibson pickup or something else.

Where did you get the Bisonic? your "before" pictures look like 2 humbuckers.

The bisonic is from Curtis Novak. Yes the before is two humbuckers I presume Guild. I just replaced the neck pickup.
 

mmmalmberg

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My word. Much quibbling about minor matters. Try TI Jazz ROUNDS on it.

I finally gave into Mgod:s wisdom and he was once again proven right.

Maybe someday but I've got enough sunk into it with the TI flatwounds (and they sound good:)
 

mmmalmberg

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I'm completely with the consensus it came with the humbuckers which were probably swapped out at some point for bisonics and reversed before I received it. Makes the most sense. Thanks all:)
 
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