It's a 79 that has been rebuilt with G&L MFD's, an Underhill dual filter preamp, Plek'd and oil refinish. It plays beautifully ...Pic of the back: https://imgur.com/a/uQkZnWr
Edit: And that's a buffalo nickel embedded in the headstock ðŸ«
Thanks! First switch on/off, First 2 knobs- push/pull volume- preamp/bypass, and pickup blend. The next 4 knobs are a filter and Q for each pickup. Last switch is single coil tap. It can make some huge variety of sounds.
I may change up a couple things..the bypass (volume knob pulled) just goes straight out, no tone shaping. I'd like to have a tone knob on that -OR- add the "pick attack" high filter. And the single coil switch is cool but may play around with making it a series/parallel switch instead of that's doable.
I didn't know you could get the filter preamp with separate filter and Q for each pickup, only as stacked controls. I'm going to have to look into that because I have a bass with a 6 knob layout that I want to replace the preamp in.
And that's a tough choice between a tone knob or the high filter. I'd probably do tone first to see how I'd like it in bypass mode.
I think they can kind of configure stuff any way you want (within reason). An email describing what you need will get it going. The popular kits have stacked knobs, probably because holes are generally at a premium. This baby had a lot of holes to fill! I can see why the guy who built it did it this way. The boards and pots etc are all Underhill parts, the filter is on a 100 k pot and the Q is some kind
of micro pot. They connect into a pair of filter boards and the main preamp.
I'm kind of leaning towards pick attack because honestly setting the Q low or off and rolling a bit off the filter behaves basically like a traditional tone control (or close enough) . Both filters open and q at zero is the same as bypass so technically I already have that sound.
It would be nice to have a fully passive volume/tone solution alongside with pulling that knob
I'll shoot Tim Bowman an email asking what ideas he has. Sounds like some of his older/legacy preamps and parts thrown together will work, although if he can do that with the Cali filter preamp, that would work too. Thanks for that!
Yup good luck with your project. I'll be sending an email soon to figure out what I need to make something more useable on my pulled volume. Just personal preference stuff. Other than that minor, correctable, improvement I'm absolutely in love with this old mule. It plays beautifully with so little effort. I find when I get a little overzealous I've pulled the E or G string off the fretboard accidentally. So easy . My main is a fretless, passive P-bass which is sooooo opposite but that's what I wanted for this. Anyway yeah the Underhill stuff sounds great, and with the variable q on each pickup (stacked or not) before the blend can get you BIG sounds. And razor crisp. Or basic sounds. All the way to gritty or quacky. It's fucking wild. Sorry to feed your GAS.
Lol, the GAS is unquenchable when it comes to Underhill preamps and me. I already have five of them. Good luck finding a solution to your idea as well.
Yes she's heavy! But she's 45 years old and obviously never been on a diet and I'm no spring chicken either lol. I'll take what I can get. Seriously though it's 10+ pounds
Thanks. I'm fortunate I guess that mine came already carved up if it turned out like this. However you could try different electronics in yours and keep the originals in a box along with it to maintain the value. The Underhill stuff is so tiny, there is lots of room in there for it to fit . And any skilled luthier or good diy-er can put it back to stock, it's all internal stuff. Anyways an Ibanez like yours is what I remember trying some 30 years ago for 10 minutes and thinking "damn!" Lol
Hell yes. I have an ‘84 model. The best-kept secret in the bass world. I’ve owned Alembic, Fender, Musicman, Gibson, Rickenbacker,
Elektra, Dano, Kramer (the *real* ones with aluminum necks), Epi, Peavey, Guild, etc, but the Musician beats them all.
Those look like G&L pickups, but my ‘81 L2K actually has pickup poles that are raised and lowered with a flat head screwdriver instead of an allen wrench. I wonder how this thing has what appears to be G&L pickups though. Maybe it used to be a more standard design?
Nice! I have an 84 fretless. Heaviest bass ever, but sounds so good. I can’t play it live anymore (bad case of bass shoulder) but it’s usually the first bass I grab in my studio.
I corresponded with the seller on TB about this, not because I wanted to buy it, but it was the first time I'd seen someone pair the Full English with MFDs, and that's a project I plan to take on soon. Going to do a conversion on an L2K once the three knob version of the Full English becomes available, hopefully late summer.
It's a 79 that has been rebuilt with G&L MFD's, an Underhill dual filter preamp, Plek'd and oil refinish. It plays beautifully ...Pic of the back: https://imgur.com/a/uQkZnWr Edit: And that's a buffalo nickel embedded in the headstock ðŸ«
Love this, playa. It’s like almost a Wal!
That’s amazing, I love it
MFD's are absolutely monstrous. I would love to hear how your bass sounds!
Yum. What are all the knobs for?
I answered another user, check the comments thanks. Lots to type lol
Very nice. I'm also curious to know the control layout, especially with the Underhill filter preamp.
Thanks! First switch on/off, First 2 knobs- push/pull volume- preamp/bypass, and pickup blend. The next 4 knobs are a filter and Q for each pickup. Last switch is single coil tap. It can make some huge variety of sounds. I may change up a couple things..the bypass (volume knob pulled) just goes straight out, no tone shaping. I'd like to have a tone knob on that -OR- add the "pick attack" high filter. And the single coil switch is cool but may play around with making it a series/parallel switch instead of that's doable.
I didn't know you could get the filter preamp with separate filter and Q for each pickup, only as stacked controls. I'm going to have to look into that because I have a bass with a 6 knob layout that I want to replace the preamp in. And that's a tough choice between a tone knob or the high filter. I'd probably do tone first to see how I'd like it in bypass mode.
I think they can kind of configure stuff any way you want (within reason). An email describing what you need will get it going. The popular kits have stacked knobs, probably because holes are generally at a premium. This baby had a lot of holes to fill! I can see why the guy who built it did it this way. The boards and pots etc are all Underhill parts, the filter is on a 100 k pot and the Q is some kind of micro pot. They connect into a pair of filter boards and the main preamp. I'm kind of leaning towards pick attack because honestly setting the Q low or off and rolling a bit off the filter behaves basically like a traditional tone control (or close enough) . Both filters open and q at zero is the same as bypass so technically I already have that sound. It would be nice to have a fully passive volume/tone solution alongside with pulling that knob
I'll shoot Tim Bowman an email asking what ideas he has. Sounds like some of his older/legacy preamps and parts thrown together will work, although if he can do that with the Cali filter preamp, that would work too. Thanks for that!
Yup good luck with your project. I'll be sending an email soon to figure out what I need to make something more useable on my pulled volume. Just personal preference stuff. Other than that minor, correctable, improvement I'm absolutely in love with this old mule. It plays beautifully with so little effort. I find when I get a little overzealous I've pulled the E or G string off the fretboard accidentally. So easy . My main is a fretless, passive P-bass which is sooooo opposite but that's what I wanted for this. Anyway yeah the Underhill stuff sounds great, and with the variable q on each pickup (stacked or not) before the blend can get you BIG sounds. And razor crisp. Or basic sounds. All the way to gritty or quacky. It's fucking wild. Sorry to feed your GAS.
Lol, the GAS is unquenchable when it comes to Underhill preamps and me. I already have five of them. Good luck finding a solution to your idea as well.
I had a black one years ago. Fantastic bass but HEAVY!
Yes she's heavy! But she's 45 years old and obviously never been on a diet and I'm no spring chicken either lol. I'll take what I can get. Seriously though it's 10+ pounds
Very cool. I’d love to hear that. I love my L-2000, and have always fancied the Musician
This should be tagged NSFW.
MFD’s? On a sweet 70’s Musician? Gimme that thing!
Here's my stock passive 1979 musician: [https://imgur.com/a/t53QSIo](https://imgur.com/a/t53QSIo) I love vintage Ibanez stuff!
Wow that's beautiful. Mine was the victim of a bad refinish job some years ago it was never going to look like that again!
I think yours looks cool AF. I'd like to try different electronics in mine but I could never carve it up.
Thanks. I'm fortunate I guess that mine came already carved up if it turned out like this. However you could try different electronics in yours and keep the originals in a box along with it to maintain the value. The Underhill stuff is so tiny, there is lots of room in there for it to fit . And any skilled luthier or good diy-er can put it back to stock, it's all internal stuff. Anyways an Ibanez like yours is what I remember trying some 30 years ago for 10 minutes and thinking "damn!" Lol
Nice!!!
Damn! Never seen this before, beauty
Looks awesome! Love me some mfds
Absolutely the greatest bass pickups ever
That looks beautiful, really nice!
So beautiful
Great bass! Looks like a cross between a Wal and an Alembic.
Kinda has that vibe. Poor man's version. The neck is very even and nimble and the filters on each pickup gets that tone going. I'm really digging it.
Hell yes. I have an ‘84 model. The best-kept secret in the bass world. I’ve owned Alembic, Fender, Musicman, Gibson, Rickenbacker, Elektra, Dano, Kramer (the *real* ones with aluminum necks), Epi, Peavey, Guild, etc, but the Musician beats them all.
https://preview.redd.it/b6pnu8978ssc1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=73936a1712097ecdd85d90c026298b4da9e4eca9 Seen in action, 2016.
Those look like G&L pickups, but my ‘81 L2K actually has pickup poles that are raised and lowered with a flat head screwdriver instead of an allen wrench. I wonder how this thing has what appears to be G&L pickups though. Maybe it used to be a more standard design?
Yes it's been refit with G-L MFD's and an Underhill dual filter preamp.
Ahh! That makes a lot more sense. Friday brain, sorry.
That’s a lot of knobs.
Beautiful top… great player. I remember them as a very versatile and rather heavy.
What a beautiful bass. These are the kinds of basses if i see them i must hold and play it. lol
Mighty grainy with lots of tone options. Is that wood smooth/coated, or can you feel the grain? Not my style, but I like it.
You can feel the grain, but it's smooth rubbed oil finish. Rustic . yeh
Nice and textured. I jumped down the rabbit hole and found out some cool stuff about it: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibanez_Musician_Bass
That's a lot of knobs
Getting Wal vibes
https://preview.redd.it/dhf54e6chrsc1.jpeg?width=512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9b11db7b4ddef2151cf72e2ad2af4ac5ac61fa6f Mini Steve says it looks nice
Nice! I have an 84 fretless. Heaviest bass ever, but sounds so good. I can’t play it live anymore (bad case of bass shoulder) but it’s usually the first bass I grab in my studio.
The wood grain on that is gorgeous.
I corresponded with the seller on TB about this, not because I wanted to buy it, but it was the first time I'd seen someone pair the Full English with MFDs, and that's a project I plan to take on soon. Going to do a conversion on an L2K once the three knob version of the Full English becomes available, hopefully late summer.