Squier Paranormal Rascal Bass Mod Project

[@threedaymonk]

That's such a useful tip to poke a tiny hole in the Tru-Oil bottle foil. I always peel it all the way off, and it always dries out and gums up. Now I know what I'm doing with … The Next Bottle.

[@theNextProject]

Monk, thanks for watching! The small hole should help, but won't completely stop the Tru Oil from gumming up. It just happens. I've also tried putting a piece of tape over the small hole, but the tape adhesive seems to know it's "oil" and doesn't really like to stick to the silver seal. Tried some plastic wrap, no luck. So, a small hole, clean the top of the bottle and threads, snug the cap, and hope for the best. If you find a better solution, please share it with the rest of us. We all suffer the gummy Tru Oil blues. Good luck with your projects, be safe and take care!

[@oldmanzen6682]

Nice job with the wiring. That's a damn clean job. I just finished modifying a Squier anniversary P bass in December with my daughter. We stripped the finish and gave it a burst somewhere between a sunburst and root beer burst. They're fantastic basses. Not just for the money. They're just great.

[@theNextProject]

oldmanzen, good to hear from you again and thanks for watching! Great to hear of the P bass you shared with your daughter, that's really cool to have that time and a project together. I am really pleased and surprised by how clean and neatly assembled this bass is. I've worked on higher end brands that weren't as clean. I do appreciate the attention to detail when routed cavites are smooth and clean. It's like someone cares. I care, guessin' you do too. Hope all is well for you, be safe and take care!

[@Hans_914]

Finally some Bass love!!!❤ Another great video. Thank you.

[@theNextProject]

I'm trying to get up to speed in the bass community. I've got a 5 string, 35" build on my schedule, hope to get it underway in '24. Hope all is well for you, take care my friend!

[@stealingtomorrowband]

I think the reason their aren't many bass repair videos out in the world is because bassists respect their gear!!!! Looking forward to seeing your build vid

[@Carlos_Marlos]

This was a great project! I've been curious about the rascal and the blend pot for a while and seeing you work on it and explain your reasoning has been very informative and entertaining! Thanks and keep up the great work!

[@theNextProject]

Carlos, thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed the project! This was the first Squire Rascal I've seen in person, and I'm really impressed by the clean assembly of this guitar. I don't know if all Squires are this lucky, I do hope that is the case. The blend pot was new to me as well. A few hurdles to overcome, but in the end it works as I expected it should. I don't know if the blend pot will be for everyone, some people may prefer a switch, idk. This was a fun project, even with a few chanllenges, all good. Be safe and take care!

[@omgiTzkitteh]

@@theNextProjectI just did this mod exactly as shown in the diagram of option 3, the volume drops slightly in the center position. Is that normal? The blend knob is a 250k CTS Linear pot with center detent

[@theNextProject]

Kitteh, thanks for watching! I can't tell how much drop you are getting, but in general - No, it should not be what you are after. I had to go through a few options to find what eliminated most, if not all volume drop at the center. The blend pot needs to be a "blend" pot, and a MN taper blend pot at that. If I recall, it was a 500K MN taper blend pot, 250K vol, and 500k tone, .047cap. This rewire was a bit tricky, took a few tries, which kinda sucks. Good luck with your project!

[@steveroberts]

Nice job again

[@theNextProject]

Hey Steve, thanks for watching, and thanks. Take care my friend!

[@jdoucetteguitar]

hell yeah! the bass is now a studio killer

[@theNextProject]

John, thanks for watching! This was a fun little project...accept for the wiring, that was just interesting. Hope all is well, be safe and take care!

[@hueffel987]

Hello John, we have three Squier Strats (HSS, SSS and HH). None of them was perfect. But You can make really good guitars out of them. And I really love the sound of the cheap single coils, the humbuckers not so much. Thank You for sanding 😁 Take care, my friend Jens

[@theNextProject]

Jens!, thanks for watching! I'm seeing the attraction a lot of people have for Squires. I think this is the first "new" squire I've worked on, but it is great. A really well made machine! As for the humbuckers, I'm not really sure what to have expected from this bass. I know the sound sample I added won't do it proper justice, but I'm not set up for bass play-through, nor to I have any bass talent. At least it works, and the owner is happy with it = All good! Hope you are doing well, take care my friend!

[@bb_lz9790]

Great video! The Green and Black versions are currently on sale from GC (and probably others) for $100 off, so $349.99. Plus, they'll give you another 10% discount when you either create an account or already have one and the bass ships free. Makes it $310ish plus tax. Ironically, on GC's used site, used Rascals end up being about $60 more as you have to pay for shipping! Mine arrived yesterday. It's a fun bass. I'm considering doing Volume, Volume, Tone like a Jazz Bass instead of having the toggle or a blend. We'll see!

[@theNextProject]

Thanks for watching! Sounds like you found a really great deal. Enjoy your new bass, be safe and take care!

[@bobvador]

Hey there ! everything still looks pretty easy when you do it :) have a nice day !

[@theNextProject]

Hey Bob, good to hear from you, and thanks for watching! Part of this project went well, then wiring happened. Always something going backwards when I wire stuff, LOL. I hope you are doing well, be safe and take care my friend!

[@JulesNoir820]

Hey again! I went ahead and swapped out the electronics and noticed an immediate difference, thanks for the help! I am looking to go ahead and replace the tuners now, I don't suppose you could recommend a set that would drop straight on this bass? Thanks ☮️

[@theNextProject]

Jules, glad your wiring swap went well! As for the tuners, I believe the are considered "vintage style". I don't have hole measurements from the Squier bass, so I don't want to mislead you. Check out page link below, then click on the "Dimensions" text link. g-gotoh.com/product/gb640/?lang=en A dimensioned drawing will pop-up, and give you an idea what dimensions to verify and look for. Measure your bass mounting screw spacing as carefully as you can... then search. I do like Gotoh brand tuners, but I don't know which tuners you may need. Sorry I can't give you more info. Good luck with you bass, be safe and have fun!

[@davidmarkham4391]

That is the cleanest wiring 🤙

[@theNextProject]

David, thanks for watching! Since the rest of the guitar was so clean and orderly, I tried to make the wiring look like it belonged. Turned out pretty good. Be safe and take care!

[@Markleford]

It's time for... THE NEXT SANDING PROJECT! What did you use for your quick-connect to the output jack? I rewire so often, I should look into that!

[@Markleford]

Also, I gotta say that the sound of this bass after mods is FAR better than I'd heard it on any demo. Really shows how you can bring muddy pickups to life by using an appropriate pot value!

[@theNextProject]

Hey Mark, thanks for watching! For the ground line I used a 22 AWG JST Plug Connector 2 Pin Male/Female Plug set. I just wired both the red and black of either side of the plug to the ground line, so it's go redundant contact built in. I've also wired a QD for an output jack on a previous project. For that I used an RC servo lead connector...but I'm guessing the plug used for this project would do the same thing. Give it a go!

[@theNextProject]

That's great to hear, I really didn't have a baseline to judge how this sounds. So, thanks for letting me know. The owner is happy, so I felt the project went in the right direction, but it's good to get your feedback too, thanks!

[@frankmusiol6871]

Sauber gemacht👍👍

[@theNextProject]

Vielen Dank fürs Zuschauen! Es ist großartig geworden. Seien Sie sicher und passen Sie auf sich auf! --- thanks to google translate -- Danke an Google übersetzer -- Thank you for watching! It turned out great. Be safe and take care of yourself!

[@JLindebergful]

Hi, great video! You've inspired me to do the exact same wiring mod! Can you tell me what value pot you used for the blender pot?

[@theNextProject]

Thanks for watching! This bass got a 250K vol, 500K tone and a 500K MN blend pot. Be sure to get an "MN" type blend pot. There are a bunch of forum discussions on whether to use a 250K, or 500K blend pot, but the owner of the bass supplied the 500K, so that's what we used. Also, plan to use a 0.022uf - 0.047uf capacity to suit your sonic flavor. The owner supplied the 047...so there we are, but I ended up switching the supplied tone pot to the 500K, which brightened up the bass nicely. In the end, this bass was wired largely like typical 2 humbucker guitar, but with a blend pot rather than a switch. I had to do a lot of trial-and-error to find the sound that worked best. So, don't fret if it doesn't work the first time around. Learn from it, and try again. Good luck with your project!

[@Asmuk]

Good to see a well-routed neck socket in a Squier. I've purchased only one 2nd hand Squier - a CV 60s Mustang, with a socket so badly routed it has 3 different planes on it and teardown from a blunt chisel which tried to fix it and made it worse. It took me a while to discover why it was so hard to set up the bass properly. I had to re-route it and got only a partial refund since I had already removed the glossy finish from the neck. In the end, I've got so disappointed and angry with the brand (after I found a lot of horror stories about Squier sockets) that I did a complete redo, stripped the paint, the veneer, and did an oil-wax finish in the eastern mahogany body. It looks gorgeous and classy now but I still have some work to do with a new bridge after so many attempts to adjust the ax.

[@theNextProject]

Asmuk, thanks for watching! WOW, sorry to hear of the messed up Squire you had to deal with, sounds pretty bad. I'm hoping that they have remedied their productions problems since your guitar was born. I was really surprised and impressed by this bass guitar. It was possibly the cleanest "new" guitar that I can remember looking inside of, perhaps it was just luck. Sounds like you've turned your guitar in to a great instrument, after a great deal of work, hope the bridge issue can be sorted out too. Thanks for the rundown on your project, it's interesting to me hearing what others are doing. Be safe and take care!

[@Jonathan_Doe_]

Never had this kind of issue with a Squier… If you’d not scuffed the gloss off I’m sure an exchange or refund would’ve been given without issue too. I have played one or two very definite duds in a shop though. The Cort (ICS serials) and the Samick (ISS serials). Are usually great fit and finish wise, maybe some minor setup or bits of fret dressing here and there, but woods bound to react and move slightly when it’s travelling all the way from Indonesia.

[@carlmontney7916]

Great job on this. Where did you get the wiring diagrams? I'd like to do this to mine? Thanks

[@theNextProject]

Carl, thanks for watching! The bass owner gave me the original wiring diagram (which didn't work), then I just winged it a bit to find basically a 2 humbucker guitar diagram with a "twist". You should be able to screen capture the final diagram to work from. Let me know if you need something else. Be safe and take care!

[@wjewell63]

Right on......👍

[@theNextProject]

wjewell, good to hear from you again and thanks for watching! Hope all is well, be safe and take care!

[@rockandrollisyourmom]

Solid

[@theNextProject]

Rock and Roll, thanks for watching. Be safe and take care!

[@ranman58635]

Awesome to see you by the way. I think i need a friend. Lol😅 hope you r well. I juat finished a Jimmy Hendrix tribute guitar.

[@theNextProject]

Ranman, you are a busy fellow this morning! Good to hear from you again, LOL and you've go a freind in me.... you've got a friend in me... Toy Story just popped into my mind. Jimi tribuite guitar, sounds cool, which Hendrix style git did you build?

[@ranman58635]

@@theNextProject , lol, thanks. It's a lefty Stratocaster turned for a righty. Standard Squier stratocaster from 2000's very good base fpr this project.

[@MuseumsBloke]

Job well done with the hurdles nicely explained. Have to confess that your bass playing is still way better than my soldering skills and wiring diagram comprehension. But it’s all a journey, right?

[@theNextProject]

LOL, that made me spit my coffee just a little. I may borrow that next time my bass playing ability is in question.... "you suck at bass... yeah, but my bass playing is better than your soldering" That should catch'em off guard. Hahaha, too funny! It seems every project has some little issue to get over or around. I kinda like the MacGyver aspect of it all. Thanks for watching and riding along with me during these projects. Be safe and take care!

[@MuseumsBloke]

Happy to lend, & sorry about the coffee… The Gods of KZbin and channels like yours have, on a variety of topics, helped and encouraged me to expand my mediocre skills set. Spent this afternoon learning how to remove the rear bumper from my car in order to solve a water leak. Supplemental consideration was given to whether I should even attempt the job. Reckon I’ll have to give it a go … What could possibly go wrong???

[@theNextProject]

All good, I can brew more coffee as needed. Automotive wrestling. I'd guess you'll find some things that make you wonder "WTH?", and other things that may be "oh, now that's clever". I really don't like working on newer vehicles. Too many plastic snap-together/break-apart - parts. But, that's the way it goes. I wish you good luck with your endeavor, I'm sure you'll get it fixed. Be safe, good luck and take care!

[@lemoine00]

Hi, first thanks a lot for both videos on this bass, it help a lot. I have a question maybe you have the answer. Do you think it's possible to adapt other bridge on this model? less voluminous ,more basic to help shaking the right hand or having a better posture for slapping? Thank you again. Best regards

[@theNextProject]

Thanks for watching! I don't know of an exact replacement bridge for this bass guitar, however other bridges could be mounted and be functional. The "fit" would be the issue, as this bass has a large bridge flange, and many replacement options may have a different footprint. So, if you don't mind the pickguard not fitting close to a new bridge it can be done. Sorry I don't have any suggestions as to which bridges would be good candidates. Good luck with your project!

[@nieko3038]

Soldering. The times I followed a diagram and things not working. Resoldering when it’s al put neat together 😅 Watching Squier content while waiting for the delivery guy for a Squier Bronco bass mod project.

[@theNextProject]

Nieko, thanks for watching! I know right, I follow diagrams all the time, and re-soldering seems to be part of the diagrams intent. Then there are the times I have the diagram upside-down, or just randomly solder the wrong things together. I really should find a different hobby, LOL. So, a Squier Bronco bass mod project, sounds fun! Good luck, be safe and take care!

[@jasondorsey7110]

Bronco basses are a really fun project, I modded an affinity series bronco 5 years ago, then about six months ago I suped up one of these new sonic broncos and this one's definitely a keeper, much better than the affinity, good luck with yours

[@nieko3038]

@@jasondorsey7110 Thank you. Played it for a few days now. It is fun to play and the neck feels great. No sharp frets. Always loved the Mustang body shape and it works great for a bass.

[@comehomeshane]

Just bought one of these! Would love to hear a before and after comparison! You might have another customer for the same project 😊

[@theNextProject]

Thanks for watching! Sorry I can offer a before/after, I didn't have the bass for long, just had to get the mods done. Personally, I saw the biggest sound improvement by changing the pots. Hope you enjoy your new bass. Be safe and take care!

[@comehomeshane]

@@theNextProject Where are you located? How can I contact you privately?

[@theNextProject]

You can send me a message at the following: [e-mail] This is a "filter" email, keeps my main email from getting spammed. I'll get back to you and share a more direct email address at that time. Talk soon!

[@tdepiera1]

Question about the wiring, is everything but the blend pot how it came from the factory? Mine is wired a bit different and i'm getting some hum, but it doesnt seem to be a ground issue from what I can tell.

[@theNextProject]

Thanks for watching! Sorry, but there really isn't anything factory in the wiring. I'm trying to remember how it was originally, but I'm drawing a blank. Assuming you've tried different cable and possibly a different guitar to eliminate the hum being something other than the bass guitar. Humbuckers "shouldn't" hum, or at least have very, little hum. Is the hum always there, no matter which pickup is selected, or if the volume and tone are up or down? If you happen to have just purchased the guitar, you may want to take it back to the store to have them check it out. Sorry I can't help on this. Good luck to you, hope you find the answer.

[@tdepiera1]

@@theNextProject Thanks for the reply. Yeah ive plugged 3 different instruments into the same setup including my stingray and a jazz bass. the jazz bass is actually quieter when both pickups are on then this bass is for me. I checked continuity of the ground and everything seems grounded and I just shielded the cavity and threw some extra copper on the pickguard for good measure. it's better but still not silent, which just doesnt seem right because they;re humbuckers! Im thinking about returning it, I ordered it online though so shipping and all thhat is a hassle. id rather just rewire it if I knew what it was

[@theNextProject]

Ah, sounds like you've been busy with it. Sorry to hear it's been such a problem for you. Good luck with however you move forward with this guitar. Take care!

[@neilstaehle2546]

Do you know if there are any after market bridges for this bass. I’m thinking about buying one but I’d replace the bridge and some other things. Just wasn’t sure if the bridge was made specifically for this model.

[@theNextProject]

Neil, thanks for watching! I'm sorry but I don't know what aftermarket bridge would fit this bass. I only had it for a couple days to do some work on it, and it went back to the owner. Sorry I can't help. Be safe and take care!

[@DadPlaysBass]

I bought the green version of that bass. I like the bass and now I feel like modding it too. I don’t like the neck pickup at all! But I love the bridge pickup. I wonder if I could just leave the bridge pickup and cover the hole from the neck pickup. Whenever I wanna slap that pickup is right on the way and I simply hate it. The bass overall is really good but the neck pickup and subsequently the pickup switch are rendered useless to me. I wonder what can I put in that little switch’s place, a blend knob? What would that do? I actually never seen it in a bass, I have a blend knob on my preamp pedal

[@theNextProject]

Hey Dad, thanks for watching! Interesting. Yep, you could pull the neck pickup ( and probably never miss it ). I wonder if there is a single pup pickguard available for this bass, hmm. You could pull the pickup and swap a pickguard perhaps... Maybe make one, or have one made for you! I should have traced the pickguard when I had it out of the bass... I could have made one one and sent it your way... Sorry, I wasn't planning ahead at all. Ha, that sounds like me. You probably won't need a blend if you go with the single humbucker, no need for the switch... what to do. Hmm. Here's an ebay seller ( I have no knowledege of other than searching for pickguards ). www.ebay.com/str/earlpilanz?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=_pj1oDotRNG&sssrc=3418065&ssuid=61Q7iHdKSNW&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY Maybe send a message and inquire about a pickguard for you Rascal. Enjoy your Bass, be safe, have fun, take care!

[@JulesNoir820]

Cool video dude!! I recently got this bass myself and am really impressed with the quality. My only gripe so far is the fact it's quite a dark sounding bass. What pots did you use here? Thanks ☮️

[@theNextProject]

Thanks for watchin! Agreed, this bass was a bit dark initially. Ended up putting a 500K tone pot in, that did help. If I recall, the vol was a 250K. Also added a different cap... Here's a peek at the wiring: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m57NaWOka9yDpdUsi=Cmz8PMQOT34-pPK3&t=425 Good luck with your bass, take care!

[@StoneHands25]

I just got one of these from guitar center did say excellent condition, but when it arrived the saddles and the tuners are like cloudy almost like corroded little. Do you by chance know what tuners would fit the space? I've tried looking and can't find anything on it

[@theNextProject]

Stone, thanks for watching and congrats on the new (to you) Rascal Bass!!! I don't actually know what tuners would be a direct drop-in replacement. I'd need to measure the mounting hole spacing on the back of the headstock, and also the tuning shaft hole in the headstock. I'm sure there are a lot of options available, but you will need to know those dimensions to get the perfect drop-in fit. Sorry I can't help, but the Rascal I worked on went back to the owner right after I wrapped it up. He's loving it. Enjoy you new guitar, be safe and take care!

[@Emrys345_Guitar]

Another good video! Question. Any tips on removing poly finish from the body? Most I've read up say heat gun, but I don't have one and not wanting to buy one for 1-2 uses.

[@theNextProject]

Emrys, thanks for watching! Poly removal... there are 3 basic choices that come to mind. Sanding, Chemical Striping, or Heat gun. Can't say any are enjoyable. I used a heat gun recently on the HB telecaster project. Used a Harbor Freight gun and it took a fair amount of time, and a lot of heat. The heat removed the top urethane color, but didn't really do much to the underlaying polyester sealer coat. I still had to sand that stuff off. So on the cheap, without a gun, you've got sanding or stripping. Chemical stripping (Clean Strip, Lowes/Home Depot) will likely to the job, but it stinks and it's messy. You'll still have clean-up sanding to do afterwards. AND, you need to be sure to get all the stripper off the body, can't leave residue behind. If you have an orbital sander, and a few hours... there is sanding, everybody loves sanding. Oh, is it a flat strat or similar body, or a curvy LP type thing. A few added challenges getting around and over carved top shapes. Sorry, no easy button that I can think of.

[@Emrys345_Guitar]

@@theNextProject No no that's fine! Thank you for all the tips and info! It's an SG kit guitar I put together and my Squire Tele. I have the sander. I guess, I'll be doing that then.

[@sgtrutters5892]

Was that just heat shrink you put on the pickup winding?

[@theNextProject]

Sgt Rutters, I used some shrink tubing to hold groups of the wiring harness together under the pick guard. I'm guessing you were referring to the control wiring, if so, yep shrink tubing. I didn't do any work on the pickup windings though. Be safe and

[@sgtrutters5892]

@@theNextProject yeah, sorry meant the wiring, not winding. 😂

[@achimdg6335]

Well, this time I got a criticism. The truth of the tone pot does not lie in the fully open, or the fully closed position, it lies in all of the positions in-between. Can you tell a 10 from a 7.5 from a 5 and a 2.5 from a 0?

[@theNextProject]

Achim, thanks for watching and good point. Hurt the one feeling I had left :_ ( , sniff, sob, LOL. What I was hoping to show in the ultra-brief sound sample is that there is now a difference when the tone is rolled. I don't think my camera was picking up the bass sound too well anyway, nor the little amp I was plugged into. More hurdles to navigate. When the bass had the 250K pot, it didn't matter where the knob was rotated, it all sounded the same, dark, muffled and a bit underwater. The 500K allowed some highs to remain, and seemed to clean up the sound, at least to me, but I get what your sayin. Thanks for the comment/criticism, take care my friend!

[@ranman58635]

Fyi, yellow Mallory caps are awesome!

[@theNextProject]

I don't think I've ever tried the Mallory caps, mostly I have the Orange, and chicklet green caps within reach. The owner supplied all the parts for this, so I just went with what he handed me, aside from the 500K tone pot. That did come from my parts bin. I need to get organized and sorted out. A shoebox full of pots and such really isn't very convenient, lol.

[@ranman58635]

@@theNextProject , lol, I hear ya. I dont have a 1 Meg either but I heard that it'll solve that tone problem. Yeah, if you be fixing up guitar's... bin it up!

[@santoclemenzi]

yes, YES, Y.E.S. 🔥

[@theNextProject]

LOL, I thought I might get that reaction from you! Hey Santo, thanks for watching, and I hope you are doing well. I have a Bass Build project planned for '24... wait, didn't I say that last year too? As I've said before, I may pick your brain for a few ideas. Be safe and take care my friend!

[@joserP2009]

could you just sand down the gloss on the neck to satin, instead of removing the finish?

[@theNextProject]

Joser, thanks for watching! Yes, you can just take the shine off in any number of ways. Fine-grit sandpaper, Steel wool, or a Scotchbrite pad. Any "fine" cut abrasive will dull the finish, just be careful not to use anything too coarse. The owner of this guitar wanted the urethane removed completely, and originally wanted it to be raw exposed maple. I mentioned that the maple will get dirty pretty quick, and a light coat of oil (tru-oil in this case) would help offer "some" protection. As I was removing the factory finish, it became apparent that the neck wasn't as smooth as it could be. So I actually sanded the neck to a more consistent shape during the process. It's up to you what finish, or lack of finish you want. It's all good. Be safe and take care!

[@toddmenard2330]

You wouldn’t happen to do this to my Rascal, if I sent you just the pickguard and electronics? How much would you charge?

[@theNextProject]

Todd, thanks for watching! I guess that would work, but I'm overbooked at the moment. Send me and email at: [e-mail] We'll swap some messages. Take care, talk soon!

[@ranman58635]

Seems like many are doing these types of things. Tru oil os my favorite when done right. You can seal with a good coat of wax protection. I didnt know you r taking on job's?

[@theNextProject]

Ranman, I really like Tru Oil for neck finish, not entirely on board for it on a body, but some folks love that too. I've been doing side work for a long time. Kinda comes and goes. Most of the projects I'm getting recently are funneled through a co-worker who is in 4 different bands... and works a 40 job. So, he's got a wide variety of people that he sees regularly, and is kind enough to spread the word. I've worked on one of his guitars, and he states others will follow as soon as he can get them out of rotation. Seems he uses different guitars for each of the different bands, some are tuned down, some are "cover band" specific... I find it rather entertaining to hear of it all. I've had some offers to work on remote projects, but round-trip shipping kills. So, mainly local stuff, which is just fine as I also have my own projects, laundry, vacuuming, dishes and such to do. Hope you are doing well, take care my friend!

[@ranman58635]

@@theNextProject , good deal. I had a few like that too. They send you stuff to do. The home work never ends. I live on a farm now so I know. Left the city life. No guitar building here though, they don't seem to think it'll fit here. (No room) now my focus is on the Bible and next year I'll take music lessons so I can feel more comfortable playing.

[@perecaramba3319]

Nice job, hairy man

[@theNextProject]

LOL, thanks for watching, take care!

[@perecaramba3319]

Nice explenations (and bulge)

[@perecaramba3319]

mmmm...

[@Chris.Wiley.]

I'm surprised the blend pot works with the two lugs not grounded.

[@theNextProject]

Hey Chris, thanks for watching! AH, the blend pot... What an interesting little device, and yes - surprised it works without the two lugs grounded. Originally, the two ground lugs were grounded and had a jumper. The output had a dip in the middle at the detent area, not an even hand-of from one pickup to the other. A lot of internet searching offered the non-grounded, and non-jumpered option. Out came the jumper and grounds and surprisingly it worked way better than the original plan. There was still the flat tone response, but I chalk that up to the original tone pot being a 250K with an 047 cap, all the highs were dumped. The 500K tone pot made a big difference, and still using the 047cap. I'm sure there are a bunch of other tweaks that could be worked in, but for now the owner is happy, so I'm happy. A fun project, and educational for me too! Hope all is well for you, be safe and take care!

[@Chris.Wiley.]

@@theNextProjectThat's really interesting how it dipped in the center detent position. It almost sounds like the pickups were out-of-phase or something. I'll have to try the non-grounded circuit the next time I'm working with a blend pot - you learn something new every day!!

[@warburgaby]

I was hoping you would move the bridge to make it a 34" 😭😭😭

[@theNextProject]

Warburgaby, thanks for watching! Sorry, I'm a bit slow and never thought about "Rascal" being a short, short scale...Hmm, I should pay more attention. Sounds like you want a big rascal. Take care!

[@hoilst265]

Ah, he's not changing the pickups. _lowers gun_

[@theNextProject]

Hoilst, thanks for watchin! No pickup swap (yet). The owner had only played it a few minutes before having these mods done. I think he's pretty happy with the guitar as-is - so far. Take care! _putting hands down now_

[@hoilst265]

@@theNextProject I swear, those Rascal pups are gonna become cult favourite like goldfoils are in guitar. If there's a youtube in thirty, forty years, there's gonna be a video, about how, back "in 2023 Fender made an unusual, unique little bass humbucker, based on their Wide Range design, that you probably haven't heard of - but they weren't for any Fender bass. They were for an inexpensive little short-scale, the sort of thing you'd buy if you were a kid starting, or a guitarist who maybe wanted to cross over to the dark side..." I can see some artist's tone getting famous for wedging a pair of these in some exotic future bass.

[@patmoulds]

Getting ready to swap pots to 1 meg, can’t wait. Have you seen Cadfael’s pdf of pretty much every bass’s wiring schematic? Worth a Google search.

[@trappenweisseguy27]

That oil is not going to be providing much protection from moisture going in and out. That’s why Warmoth won’t guarantee unless you put a hard coat over top.

[@theNextProject]

Trap, thanks for watching. The tru-oil finish in this case isn't really to prevent moisture transfer. I mainly put it on to reduce the amount of dirt and finger gunk from getting ground in. I know Warmoth considers oil coatings a soft finish, and a hard finish is needed for warranty. Glad this isn't a Warmoth neck.. The owner of this base wanted a naked natural neck. I suggested the couple coats of tru-oil to reduce dirt accumulation and slow staining. All good.

[@elfiligrano5010]

Better make it longscale. :-)

[@theNextProject]

LOL, this was a small project, not a big one. Thanks for watching, be safe and take care!

[@ranman58635]

After watching more, 1 meg pot would have done it i think.

[@theNextProject]

ranman, now you've got me wondering if I have a 1meg pot in my pile of parts. Hmm.

[@AHoundOnAHonda]

Believe it or not... it's spelled SQUIER. It's a handsome bass, although short-scale isn't for me. 🙁

[@theNextProject]

Bahaha, I don't know how to spell what is right on the headstock. Thanks for pointing that out. I'm sure I misspelled that throughout the video as well, too late for those changes (yikes!) I hear ya, the shorter scale isn't for everyone is the word in the street. The owner of this guitar mentioned that as well, saying he learns song on short scales, then plays live with long scale bass. I know my hands would be in the wrong place. LOL, I'm a mess. Be safe and take care!

[@AHoundOnAHonda]

@@theNextProject It certainly sounds great though. I must look into that no-ground blend pot thing - I've read about it before and (I think) tried it without noticing much difference - but perhaps the rest of the wiring needed tweaking too. Did you use a 250k blend? 🎸

[@theNextProject]

From what I've read, the 250, or 500k MN blend pots are the trick. If I recall this was a MN 500K blend pot. I just picked up a few of these for some benchtop testing. Seems some people are saying the 500k leaves more signal intact to run downstream. Makes sense I guess. Part of the problem with opt 1 wiring on this project, the 250k tone pot was cutting too much high-end I'm guessing. It's way better now (opt 3) with. 500k tone, than what I first attempted. Fun to tinker with this stuff, it is time consuming however. Good luck with your testing!

[@AHoundOnAHonda]

@@theNextProject Thanks very much! 😀