NBD

AustrianJohn

I've been playing bass more often and I only have one , so it was time to buy a backup. As I plan to build a bass next year I didn't want to spend loads of money. This Harley Benton cost only €129 from Thomann, with free shipping. Wow!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6028sbfui5fimqu/HB Bass.jpg?raw=1

OK, so under the sunburst photo finish it's probably a multi-piece basswood body, and the humbucker pickup is a bit noisy in single coil mode. But setup out the box was good, as are the fret ends, and it plays well.

Musicman20

That is insanely cheap! Looks pretty decent as well! 

Funkfingers

AustrianJohn said:

under the sunburst photo finish it's probably a multi-piece basswood body

Is it a really photo or a waffur theeen veneer? The usual giveaway is a rear comfort contour that is entirely finished in the dark solid colour of the 'burst.

AustrianJohn said:
the humbucker pickup is a bit noisy in single coil mode. 

Presumably, this is engaged via a push-pull pot? IMHO, without the third coil of the real thing, series/parallel switching might prove more useful. Parallel is the normal sound. Series is slightly louder and considerably thicker - to the extent that you may consider it dull and barely usable.

AustrianJohn said:

This Harley Benton cost only €129 from Thomann, with free shipping. Wow!

Stunning value! That figure would not buy an American-made replacement pickup. 

AustrianJohn

@Funkfingers Yes, the back is all dark. 

No push-pull. There are two volumes (one for each half of the humbucker) and one tone pot.

Funkfingers

AustrianJohn said:

No push-pull. There are two volumes (one for each half of the humbucker) and one tone pot.

That is how the old OLP 'Ray basses were wired. It was never the most practical control arrangement. Hence, plenty of scope for upgrading.

Wiring mod/upgrade suggestions, in order of difficulty and expense;

1. Master Vol., variable coil split, treble roll off.
2. Master Vol., coil balance panpot, treble roll off.
3. Master Vol., pickup mode switch*, treble roll off
4. Master Vol., treble cut/boost, bass cut/boost.

* Two-way = Parallel mode / partial coil split. Three-way = Series/Split/Parallel.

ICBM

Funkfingers said:

AustrianJohn said:

No push-pull. There are two volumes (one for each half of the humbucker) and one tone pot.

That is how the old OLP 'Ray basses were wired. It was never the most practical control arrangement.

AKA a complete waste of time designed by someone who had no idea of what would be useful and just wanted to have three knobs so it looks cosmetically like a Musicman...

Funkfingers said:

Wiring mod/upgrade suggestions, in order of difficulty and expense;

1. Master Vol., variable coil split, treble roll off.
2. Master Vol., coil balance panpot, treble roll off.
3. Master Vol., pickup mode switch*, treble roll off
4. Master Vol., treble cut/boost, bass cut/boost.

You're forgetting -

0. Master vol, passive bass cut, standard tone control - by far the easiest, and most useful apart from a full active preamp. All you need is one little capacitor - .0047uF, not .047uF which is the standard tone cap value.

Funkfingers

Agreed. Bass cut would create a brighter tone without losing any hum-cancellation.