Radian Bass

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ash
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Radian Bass

Post by ash »

I want to add a standard bass to the Radian line-up. Just one with wide appeal.

The original idea was to make it a hybrid or Jazz/Precision/Jazzmaster - Jazz body shape shrunk down to Precision size (so that it will fit in a standard case and use normal sized body blanks) and a Jazzmaster style pickguard (no chrome bits, not as huge as a P-bass pickguard) - but after making templates, I'm not so sure.

So, bass fiends... if you could have just one bass, what would you have? Use your imagination, it doesn't have to be a straight p-bass clone.

Examples:

P-bass clone
J-bass clone
Stingray-ish
P-bass with P/J pickups
Shrunk J-bass with P/J pickups
P-Bass with Double-J or MM humbucker and no pickguard
Telecaster bodied bass with P or J/J pickups

etc, etc...

I favour the smaller body shapes (case options) and either one P or a pair of J pickups (widest range of pickup choices).

Give me your thoughts and suggestions and I'll poll it up later.
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Re: Radian Bass

Post by rickenbackerkid »

your plan, smaller J bass sounds great. I think I'd like a single humbucker, and for the love of God, passive.

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Re: Radian Bass

Post by jimi »

yerr... gotta be Jazz neck shape, not really fussed on body shape, tho smaller Jazz sounds like a good idea. Reckon single humbucker in neck position - so P-Bass pickup.

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Re: Radian Bass

Post by ash »

Whatever happens, the choice of P (wide) or J (narrow) necks and maple, rosewood or ebony fretboards would be there. Even fretless!
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Re: Radian Bass

Post by Kristie »

Hmmmm if I could have just one bass... I'd probably go for a P-bass shape.

(I'd secretly want an iceman or a tear drop shape, or maybe a flying v, but in the end, I'd go for something nicely balanced when playing standing up, and practical to play sitting down.)

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Re: Radian Bass

Post by Vince »

About "wide appeal"...

PJ basses get a bad rap for some reason.

From the times that I've actually looked at electrics, I think most boutique basses seem to have J bass pups of some sort?
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Re: Radian Bass

Post by TmcB »

I'd go a Jazz shape with an MM bridge and a J neck with coil switching options.
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Re: Radian Bass

Post by Polar Bear »

I've always been a fan of p bass in the neck and jazz in the bridge, I really like the middle position of those two together.
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Re: Radian Bass

Post by xCaptainx »

This is a great idea Ash. My vote is for a J bass.

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Re: Radian Bass

Post by Kloppsta »

i reckon you should make a Radian "Thunderbird" .... completely white, and call it the Radian "MAJ" :wink: :lol:
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Re: Radian Bass

Post by snitchez »

TmcB wrote:I'd go a Jazz shape with an MM bridge and a J neck with coil switching options.

Adrian, this will win. I am thinking of routing the body you made for me for a humbucker, and actually trying to calculate if it could make it a 5 string bass, Actually I lie, I would hv done p/mm

And after experimenting with some necks, a maple p neck with korina rocks, has the feel for grooving and rocking out all there.

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Re: Radian Bass

Post by snitchez »

ash wrote: Telecaster bodied bass with P or J/J pickups

.

Left that in for me didnt you :D I'll find a picture of mine and out it up, still loving it to bits, tho I am getting a new bridge for it soon, and getting it strung through

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Re: Radian Bass

Post by snitchez »

Adding another option for a headache, jaguar body with p or jj or pj. Im sure the template won't differ too much?

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Re: Radian Bass

Post by bender »

Sorry to post a picture of a Peavey :shock: but I have one of these:

Image

It's a bit smaller than a P-bass and, while not particularly sexy, is actually really comfortable. For years I've wished it was offset like a J-bass. I think it should have a pickuguard and slightly more substantial horns but the smaller J-bass idea is a winner I reckon. I don't really get why the P-J combo gets a bad rap- all three pickup combinations sound good to me. This one has separate volumes for each pickup too so you can seriously mix and match. It's been my only bass for over 10 years and has never let me down in terms of tone.

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Re: Radian Bass

Post by ash »

How do people feel about pickguards, then?

I suspect most will insist on them....

The problem in this case is that they complicate the pickup options. One reason I wasn't sure about the small Jazz concept is the way the pickguard edges clash with pickup placement if you use anything but Jazz pickups. No pickguard is easier and cheaper, but the look is not for everyone.
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