I did look into that!
But I could not find an uncomplicated solution.
For the fretted basses I use the ABM 6240 … and am totally happy! It’s brass, so the zero fret does not sound totally different from the other frets. And I can easily change the string action height, so I can go lower and lower. And if I am too low it’s just a matter of turning the screw…
For the fretless I will use a Graph Tech TUSQ XL PT-3834-00 Bass Nut 4, for the time being.
For fretless, the 0 fret concept makes no sense anyway, as you finger on wood for non-0 frets anyway. A metal fret would sound different, hence the Graph Tech.
You’re obviously right regarding fretless, forgot this key parameter
Congrats for your project , looks fun and insightful - I like the tech side of things and being able to understand how it works … for sure will heavily mod a bass in the future
It’s really fun to mod a bass!
Not everybody agrees (read the whole thread, if you are in for some torture ^^), and some find it absolute nonsense, especially modding a Harley Benton.
So, if you want to be loved: don’t do it like me … get a proper 2nd hand Fender.
Otherwise, Harley Benton is absolutely perfect for those kind of projects!
I am so happy with this particular Harley Benton ( Harley Benton MV-4MSB), that I got three of them now … and mod them to anything I like!
One of them will become a double Humbucker one day…
PS When I started I knew nothing about anything. It really is learning by doing!
That’s good to know! What’s your reasoning behind this choice?
As you might have read above, it’s pure coincidence that the fretless got the EMG GZR.
It’s just a leftover, but I feel a little bad about it, cause this was my “punk” PU … cause of the raw tone, compared to the DP126 … so it’s the opposite of a fretless use case…
I find the EMG GZR’s tone quite “raw”, compared to the fuller and more sophisticated tone of the DP126.
And I have them both on exactly the same bass model…
Both are cool, but for the “dirty” park playing I prefer the GZR. On the sofa, I play the DP126 by candle light
That’s not my impression at all. To me, the model P is a very hot and punchy ceramic P pickup, strong in the mids and more rich overall, exactly what you want for punk.
The GZRs are nice sounding but are comparatively more traditional, rounded AlNiCo sound. I wouldn’t describe them as raw. They sound more vintage/traditional than the DiMarzios to me.
But you’re right that I can’t tell what they would like on your hacked Bentons
FWIW both sound awesome to me but I prefer the DiMarzios for their punchiness.
Not play but heard, yes. I had the Model P on a Fender P-bass and I have heard the Geezer on one as well. But you’re right that I have only heard them second hand and never owned one.
No need, in my opinion. I like the GZR very much, but if I would buy (a passive PU) again, I would go for the DiMarzio. It was not love at first sight, but than it really got me!
All my (non stock) PUs sound fine, but I realized that I like active PUs better.
But … those choices are really 1st world problems in the end!
It’s really different, when you cycle through those PUs by playing it, I guess. The songs and the circumstances find the right PU somehow…
(Also it might be very different with a pick!?)
The best news is they are both great - can’t go wrong with either EMG or the Model P.
I’m currently just too in love with the SBV pickups though; they manage to be both really rich and yet gnarly-capable. At some point I need to find a SBV-J2.
