What does a 1972 Fender Precision Bass sound like with flatwound strings?

Pretty darned good, as you’ll hear from the video below. A quick 101 on flatwound strings Tight Flats, unless specifically stated otherwise, have tighter tension at pitch compared to roundwound. An example of a flat that isn’t tight is the La Bella Low Tension string. However, some would argue a flat that isn’t tight doesn’t … Read more

How to build a bass guitar – Neck pocket template fabrication part 1

Fabricating a template is arguably the most difficult part of the process, as the template must be correct the first time. If not correct, the neck will never fit correctly in the pocket. Tip: Make your template out of 1/4-inch hardboard. The advantage is that this is a “voidless” material. For example, plywood is inconsistent … Read more

Spector USA NS-4 Bass

A brand often described as a “modern bass” (as the presenter will state in the video below,) the Spector NS-4 has a body that’s smaller and a shape designed to be comfortable. The pickups loaded in are EMG 35DC, touted as having ultra-low-noise (which they do.) But in the end, do you feel it’s worth … Read more

Vigier Excess Original II (video)

From Vigier comes this 24-fret skinny-necked beauty, the Excess II. Vigier states that the finish is a varnish that “dries for 5 weeks minimum,” uses Schaller custom machine heads, uses a quick release bridge, and has active electronics that feature a hum-canceling circuit, among other things. Cool or not? You decide. Check out the video … Read more