1980's Roadster bass

roadsterbloke · Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 4:08 pm Post subject: 1980's Roadster bass

Hello all

new bloke on the block here with a question, if you don't mind.
I've got a 1980's Roadster (bought in 1982 so I know it's at least that old) and several years ago I replaced the original electrics with a set of EMG P/J pickups. I'd quite like to re-instate the original electrics (including the 2 band pre-amp) and try to cure the "buzz" problems that led to me fitting the EMG in the first place.
Two problems are obvious to me:
firstly, I can't remember the way the preamp was wired in and I've lost the original sketch I made of the wiring, so if anyone can forward a URL or a sketch showing which wires go to which pots I'd appreciate that;
second problem is a bit more embarrassing - I can't find the original pickups, so my question on this is, will any reasonable quality P/J style pickup work with the pre-amp board or is there a specific type/item code pickup I could try to order from the UK importer of Ibby?

Regards
Roadsterbloke
_________________
So that drunk guy at the gig reckons he's a better player than you? How come HE isn't on a gig then!

halt0154 · Newbie Alert Joined: 23 Dec 2005 Posts: 1

If it is a Roadster with the 2 a side tuners - 1979 (look at the 1st 2 serial numbers) I have a pretty rough diagram I can send.
_________________
Steve

roadsterbloke · Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 5:25 pm Post subject: 1980's Roadster

Hiya Steve, thanks for taking the time to respond.

My Ibby is the one that has 2 octave neck, 1x jazz style and 1x p-bass style pickups, 2 a side tuners; for the electrics there was 1x volume and 1x tone pots, 3 way selector, EQ on/off switch and a boost/cut pot each for bass and treble. I had a look on the neckplate and the serial number starts D81, so I'm stabbing a guess at 1981 manufacture - I bought this bass early in 1982 and I can't see it having been in the shop too long (I wish I'd got the money back then to buy the matching fretless version...still, such is life)

I did have a go at putting the original EQ board back in, as I'd actually noted some of the connections from the PCB to the pots, switch etc but I think I wrote something down wrong as it didn't work so I have been using it solely in passive mode; the inexpensive pickups I bought sound really nice and have a fair old amount of desireable sound considering it cost £9 for the jazz style and £9-50 for the p-bass style.

If you can give me a list of what wires should go to where that would be a massive help to me in getting the thng back to nearly original state.

Regards

John
_________________
So that drunk guy at the gig reckons he's a better player than you? How come HE isn't on a gig then!

lesliegl · Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:57 pm Post subject: Ibanez roadster bass..

HI when i upgraded the pick ups on my 1983 RS924 bass i used dimarzio pickups... i did this in 1985 and in thoes days they didnt make PJ sets.....u had to buy a P bass an J bass sets an meake em' up yrself..

regards..

Leslie
_________________
lesliegl

drumbeli · Newbie Alert Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2

I've got an RS-924 TS Fretless for sale if you are interested?

roadsterbloke · Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2006 3:45 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the heads-up drumbeli, but I've just bought a back-up 5-string to have on stage, my main 5-string being a Tanglewood "Curbow" which I think is a very under-rated bass. I've had a Mighty Mite Jazz Bass style fretless for about 20 years which I've probably played for about 20 hours in total over that period... me and accurate intonation on a fretless neck are not good buddies Rolling Eyes

_________________
So that drunk guy at the gig reckons he's a better player than you? How come HE isn't on a gig then!

roadsterbloke · Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 5:44 pm Post subject:

Well, it has been a period of moderately good fortune recently regarding my roadster: I now know it IS the RS924 model, manufactured in 1981 and the colour is brown sunburst; I've also managed to find the original pickups/ off-white covers and pots, so all I need is that damned elusive picture of which wires go where inside the control cavity and my baby can be rejuvenated.
I've also found that (here in the UK, at least) Maplin Electronics sell aluminium self-adhesive tape that is ideal for screening guitars (the cavity screening on my baby is looking a bit tatty so I'll redo that as well): it's on a roll that is approx 45mtr X 50mm, and is only fractions of a millimetre thick so can easily be worked round pickup and control cavities; it costs just under a fiver a roll as well, catalogue number n46cf.
On the subject of screening.... some online stores sell screening kits for a stupid amount of money - my local hobbyists store sells thin copper plate and strip that's ideal at a fraction of the cost (1/32" X 1" X 12" strip cost 80p, 8"x6" plates at 1/64" to 1/16" were only a couple of quid a packet)
Hope that last bit was of use to some of you

regards Cool

_________________
So that drunk guy at the gig reckons he's a better player than you? How come HE isn't on a gig then!