Pedulla MVP5 Back on market

[lsimy]

UGH, let me begin with that. I hate to part with this one and never thought I would but I am going to really narrow the herd down for a while.

This is a Pedulla MVP5 bought a while back from nematicba (great seller btw). It was really used when I got it and still is however it has gone through as much cleaning and set up as possible. The original very well worn Barts were replaced with the new Aguilar DCB-D1's and running passive (VVT) with new pots and an orange drop in the tone. The original Barts and preamp (preamp is in the cavity) are included though I found them to be incredibly bass heavy and they were so worn. They are also an odd active Bart requiring the preamp which I never understood.

AAA maple with a trans red finish
Dunlop straploks installed
Original Pedulla case

Since the pickup change and time in set up, I'd like to get $1250 shipped back out of it.

I'd also like to keep this sale to US shipping only.

Thanks for looking folks !

[belinmad]

Yummy!! weight?

[lsimy]

Aaaaaa not sure. I would say it is a medium weight. Man, I am sorry I don't have a scale to check this one with.

It is a 17.5 mm spacing.

[lsimy]

This guy is now on hold pending payment...

[lsimy]

SOLD !

[markcv]

[markcv]

Just got the Pedulla! Props to lsimy. Great seller! Wonderful communications. Good packing, bass as described.

Now, at some point in the near future I have to decide whether to send it to Mike Pedulla for a Pentabuzz conversion and a refin… or tackle it myself. I'm leaning towards the expensive way.

[Marc40a]

Fretless would be amazing, But I think I'd restore the electronics to their former glory. The MVPs that I've heard live have had tone to the bone. If I'm not mistaken Pedulla's use a very unique Active Bartolini... Much like MTD, though more organic sounding in my experience.

I'd be curious to know the original layout. If I had to guess I'd say vol-blend-tone or vol-vol-tone - probably Active (buffered) but no EQ (passive tone roll-off doesn't count as EQ.)

[markcv]

At the moment progress stands as such: I have installed an Aguilar OBP-3 which I believe marries beautifully with the Aguilar DCB pickups. I've more or less recreated the standard positioning of the current model MVP/Pentabuzz with 4 pots and 1 switch. Rather than two pots for volume however (trying to maximize things here on the 4 knob 1 switch layout), I have installed a stacked volume, stacked bass and treble, single pot for mid and I'm about to wire in an always on passive tone. What I wanted to do was have a stacked pot that could do mid sweep and mid cut boost, this is possible with an OBP-3 but the pot is VERY hard to find. Still working on it. When I do get it however I will change the switch to an active/passive.

I'm taking the bass in to an excellent tech that I've known for about 30 years here in Vancouver and he's going to de-fret it and I'm going to go with an uncoated board initially. Good old ebony with maple lines should sound just fine. I can always re-visit the coated board down the road.

I was originally going to have Vinnie ship the bass straight to Mike Pedulla but they refused to accept that. Now, considering how expensive it is and what an incredible hassle it is to go back and forth across the border, I've decided to live with the mojo and the wood. It would have cost me probably around $2000 with a re-finish and the de-fret at Pedulla, plus 2 to 3 months because he's got a backlog right now.

This bass is a player as a fretted and fretless it should be amazing. As Jaco always said, "frets are speed bumps".

[lsimy]

In a way, I regret letting it go Mark but a) I've got enough basses here to keep me busy for a while and even considering a new parts project and b) it's in the right hands. You'll make a killer player out of an already great player.

Great progress !! Be sure to post some pics when she's done !!

[markcv]

Update on the progress: I just picked up the bass from my tech yesterday after he de-fretted it. He used synthetic lines rather than maple after we discussed what happens to maple after a while if your fingerboard isn't coated. Absolutely perfect job on the board. Not sure if you can see from the pics. Now I just have to tweak the action a little bit lower for a hair more mwah and I'll be happy.

[crabby]

Hey Mark, so cool that you were able to buy this bass! The defret looks nicely done. I don't think I could resist having her epoxied at some point but what a sweetheart!

[markcv]

Well, another update... I'm embarrassed to say that I ended up putting frets back in this bass. Since I got Pete's Buzz I didn't feel the need to go through the painful, expensive and time consuming process of getting this MVP to be a Pentabuzz. Funny thing is, the re-fret has made the bass better than it was before with the previous frets. Something to do with the size of the fret wire I think. My tech suggested this particular fret wire that he said would make the bass play more like buddah. Not Buddha, buddah.

So, while this WAS an expensive experiment, I'm happier with the bass now so all is good.

[fivebass52]

What size wire did your tech put in?

[markcv]

I'm embarrassed to say that I don't know. It's a medium, perhaps even a small medium. I'll ask him and get back to you.