How Do I Know Which Model I have?

[Briwac]

I have a Bantam 5 string fretless bass but only says Bantam on the headstock. I have a serial number and that's all. I need to replace a pod that selects which pickup I want to use. It keeps turning and never comes to a stop. I opened the back and it has a preamp circuit board. I want to know if I can contact Washburn for a new pod, remove the old one and solder it onto the board. It plays very nice and has great sound. I could buy a set of four knobs and a preamp on line and just remove the board. Has anyone come across this before?
I think it is a RB-4500-FL (FL=Fretless?) My serial No. begins with 99 = year made.
Thanks, Brian

[SP_EB4L]

Good afternoon Briwac,

If you go on the FAQ Washburn web page, you'll see that Washburn don't keep old parts and you'll have to replace it on third party market. Go on eBay and look at wiguitar seller, he have a lot of NOS Washburn parts. Other wise, if you're lucky you'll could find an use one (I think that I saw an XB-102 or XB-120 that have been take a parts and the guys sold the different parts separately on eBay UK. You could also find a similar pot on the third party that could fit. Any way you'll lost nothing to ask Washburn support for advises, who knows!

[Tony Raven]

You need to contribute to the discussion. A photo (or a link to a page with a photo of a similar-looking instument) would probably make it a snap. But I'm curious, so I'll put in my 15 minutes.
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First, the pot (potentiometer) problem. Yeah, Washburn's controls were the main suck of the basses; I have two with the pots frozen solid. My guess: yours froze too, & "someone" cranked on it just a little until it loosened up, which means ripped the shaft loose of the contact carrier -- it's possible that pulling up on the knob will pull the shaft completely out.

The pots are stock hardware, & a replacement will cost you $5 or less from Radio Shack, Musician's Friend, DigiKey, Mouser... well, just about anywhere. All you need to specify is bushing length (mounting through wood, probably 3/8"), shaft (probably knurled split), terminals (pointy spikes for printed-circuit-board mounting, open "O" for wires), & taper (linear or audio). As to that last:
http://sound.westhost.com/pots.htm#markings
The hardest part of pot replacement is getting a good solder joint to the case; after that, it's a breeze.

Since the pot's been broken, you should also check to ensure that whatever it's soldered to isn't also messed up -- one of my basses came CHEAP because the previous owner tore five wires & a connector loose, all wrapped around the pot. (An hour of work & I gained $200+ on the resale.)
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Washburn hasn't been much for fretless -- offhand, I find an AB, a Taurus, an XS, an SHB, & (maybe) an old B2 -- so a FIVE-string fretless seems VERY unlikely. If the fretboard has lines, it's been defretted, post-factory.

Not only was 1999 a big transitional year for Washburn models, but archived info is a bit erratic. The 1999 price list has the Bantams comprising RB & XB models, with similar shape of body & headstock. (Weirdly, it also includes the DB2000 Dimebag, which is a Vee shape.) Unless your headstock decal says MADE IN U.S.A., it's got to be a 105 or 125 or 500. That'd be a very late XB500; the 400/500/600 were suddenly dropped after one last big push, so I figure they just made a pile of generic BANTAM plates rather than specific to the model.

(Washburn seems to hire casual glue-sniffers, so can be very inconsistent in numbering: the 125 is the upgraded five-string 120, & the 500 is the five-string 400.)

I hope this helps. Photos are always appreciated!! (They increase traffic to this site, too.)

[Briwac]

Tony, Thanks for all the info. It was not defretted post factory. It is a natural fretless. I will post pictures soon.

[Briwac]

How do I upload pictures to help. I clicked on attachments and other stuff and get four options: Notify me of replies, Return to this topis, Lock this topic, and Don't use smileys.

[Tony Raven]

Wow... a fretless RB-4500. I am impressed!! The neck-thru upgrade of the workhorse XB-500 that I find so smart in so many ways -- could life get any better?

The only official document online is the 1999 pricelist. There are only three basses with a higher SRP -- in fact, at $1,349.90, the 4500 cost more than the two passive-pickup versions of the USA-made XB-900.

Unless it's got some major dents, I'd put book value at $700+, maybe as high as $1,000.
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As for photos, I have a website I mostly use to store photos for eBay & such. Once uploaded, I just use the IMG tag (instead of URL) with its location, & there's the picture.

To do this, you need to place your photo somewhere online, like Photobucket or ShutterFly. There's a few options out there:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_photo-sharing_websites

Most sites stopped taking uploads back when disk space was expensive, because they could quickly run out of room even if they restricted file size. (Many even stopped accepting upload of "avatar" images as used here.) Most of the companies/organizations in that list make their money by selling ad space &/or storing files for professionals & other "power users."