Thunder Jet bass

More of a feeler than a definite want at the moment (I seem to remember saying that to myself a few times in the past ) but interested to know if anyone has one surplus to requirements?

Ta.

your wish has come true.
all you have to do is win it!!!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Westone-Thunder-Jet-Bass-Guitar-/220807983297?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item33692e70c1

Hmm - interesting. Collection only, and I am about 3hrs away. Still, if he waits in for a buyer to collect I am sure he can wait in for a courier - as long as he can box it. I'll ask.

I asked him two questions - a/ could he please weight it and b/ would he be prepared to stick it in a box and get it collected by a courier if I arranged it. A quick reply - he doesn't know how much it weighs and will do collection only. Nice and helpful. Let's see how much it goes for - if it is cheap enough it might be worth the drive.

PaulS wrote:I asked him two questions - a/ could he please weight it and b/ would he be prepared to stick it in a box and get it collected by a courier if I arranged it. A quick reply - he doesn't know how much it weighs and will do collection only. Nice and helpful. Let's see how much it goes for - if it is cheap enough it might be worth the drive.

Holy smokes Paul, go for it. 3 hours is a leisurely jaunt down to the pub for a quick pint compared to that 13 hour marathon I participated in 2 weeks ago for my last find.

S'ok for you Amurkans .... this here is a SMALL country and we just aren't used to it.

Anyone live near Andover?

PaulS wrote:S'ok for you Amurkans .... this here is a SMALL country and we just aren't used to it.

Anyone live near Andover?

I drive right thru Andover twice daily commuting to and from work. What's the address?

THAT was funny!



I did a check and it is actually a lot nearer - just over 2hrs away - so I am more interested now.

I was out last night when the auction finished so I Sniped it and, well, I won! £77, too - a very good price and a little less than I was prepared to go. Just need to sort out picking it up. Happy chap here - hopefully it isn't a dog but, frankly, for £77 I can't go too wrong.

That's good news, a good price too......nice one.

Picked it up today. Quite excited, really. It is a mess - not seen a duster for maybe 20 yrs, the neck is bowed, the bridge saddles were lying flat on the body and to compensate the neck plate had been loosened to stop the buzzing, volume knob missing. But, apart from a few dings, nicks and scrapes, plus the inevitable buckle rash, it isn't that bad. In fact a diamond in the rough, I reckon. I can sort out the weight question myself - one of these weighs in at a shade under 8 and a half pounds and it feels quite comfy on.

Decided I am going to pimp it a bit, rather than keep it original, with a high mass bridge, stick a pre-amp into it, probably a Kent Armstrong pickup (or a Seymour Duncan if I can find one secondhand). Looking forward to it and *really* pleased to have a Westone bass back again.

Good for you Paul. Hope it all comes together for you during the refit.

A very quick update on this, in case anyone is remotely interested Purists look away as I have fitted, gasp, non-Westone parts....

I took it completely to bits, gave it a good clean and polish and have to say it has come out pretty well. As you would expect, the neck is pretty damned good. More to the point, it weighs less than I first thought at almost bang on 8lbs so pretty lightweight and very comfortable. Must have been all that dirt!

Meanwhile, I used my previously pimped Washburn Scavenger (11lbs +) for rehearsal last week and as expected found it too heavy to wear for long now that I have a dodgy back. This afternoon I did the transplant - removed the Kent Armstrong pickup and John East P-Retro pre-amp from the Scavenger and put them into the Thunder Jet. I was extremely nervous as I have never done anything like that before but was tempted by the solder-free transfer afforded by the East gear. Anyway, a little judicious use of the chisel allowed room to fit it all in the little existing cutaway, all secured and charged up, added a Gotoh-a-like high mass bridge and some new strings, set it all up as best I could and plugged it. All I need to do now is to fit the black stacked knobs (on their way).

Anyway, just 'Wow'. I can hardly believe how great it sounds - it is immense at practice levels. Just huge, with a variety of tones you would never expect. Well, I wouldn't anyway. I had a Thunder 1A and thought that sounded good with the extra oomph from the active circuit but using a quality bit of kit like the John East unit has articulated the voice of this bass beyond my wildest expectations. As we all know Westone made superb instruments, the electrics on this model were always thought to let the side down - problem solved. And great to have another lightweight bass option with it's own identity - a quality instrument for not a lot of money (bass cost £77 on eBay, P-Retro £120 secondhand a while back, bridge £18, knobs £20).

Happy chappy here - once the knobs are on, I'll take a couple of pics.

Good lad!! Are you gonna gig the beast? Because if it's a gigging instrument then you must certainly do what you must for your own comfort; no-one here's about to throw any rocks.... maybe!!

That's my aim. I did gig my previous Thunder Jet a couple of times but found the tone a bit 'thin'. Not a problem with this beast! I'll see how it goes but it may well usurp the Fenders I use as main gigging basses.

Ahem.............. pictures then??

Currently knobless - I will once they have arrived and I get them on. Hopefully tomorrow.

Here it is. Or she, I have called her 'Rosie' as in 'Whole Lotta Rosie'... to misquote -
'She ain't exactly pretty
Ain't exactly small
with an onboard preamp and high mass bridge
You could say she's got it all!

A wolf in sheeps clothing - the pre-amp is a seriously good bit of kit, designed for retro fitting into a Fender P-bass that is completely reversible - the smart bit is a rechargeable little battery unit so there is no need to rout for a battery compartment. The only tell-tale signs there is anything unusual going on in this tatty old girl are the stacked knobs, bridge and, round the back, a small LED in the middle of the control panel cover that lets you know the state of charging. New Kent Armstrong pickup is hiding under the original covers






Rehearsal tonight - can't wait to put her through her paces.

May I just say, as a guitar player....Mmmmmmm!! Makes ya want to cross over to the 4 string club. :albino:
Nice grab!