So, three years later, here's a progress report:
First, I don't know if this thing is this way because of all the white wood involved, or the Activators, or what, but . . . . This thing absolutely has the best low C's and D's I ever heard in terms of their tone. You can easily hear that third or fourth order harmonic (it sounds like a steady grind) even with old strings.
Second, every thing you've read about a the difference in gain between the P Activators and the J Activator in this layout is true. I REALLY have to crank the pot for the J and back the P pot down quite a bit to get a reasonable blend where the P does not overwhelm the mix.
Third, along those lines, IF I made another one, I would move the J one space away from the bridge (in other words, about the width of the pickup shell) and I would see if Ron could modify the Signature electronics to even out the difference in the relative outputs.
Fourth, as is the case with the BigRedBass, set-up wise it is extremely stable. It moves very slowly in the neck (several days for the truss rod adjustments to really show, a frustratingly great thing), then stays there. When I first got it, it did finish drying out and being a bit skittish, but that's passed now. Like the BRB, I keep the same set of strings (D'Ad stainless, 45-130) every time, so I check the set-up occasionally with the feeler guages and the relief never changes. Amazing. It's also deathly quiet, electronically, as I expected.
And lastly, I was pleased that it did not turn out to be TOO bright. While I was after a Fender-ish wood recipe, the idea of all that white wood with an ebony fingerboard (and stainless strings) did have me occasionally second guess myself that I was buying a clavinet.
In looking back over the last three years, it once agin proved a phenomenon I found in other instruments: You can always (especially with filters) tone down a bright instrument: I've found it virtually impossible to brighten up a dull one. So that part did not turn out to be the case, and I can go from in your face highs to organ pedal thud with just a few turns of a knob and switch.
I can tell you to NEVER under-estimate the sympatico that Susan and Mica have interms of getting the idea in your head translated into their hardware. I always think this is much THEIR axe as it is mine.
So, the $64,000 Question:
Would I buy another one?
(With the minor electronic change I mentioned just to see if I'm right, and a 3+2 head to tell them apart)
You Bet ! !
J o e y
