sussexbassman

[quote name='sussexbassman' timestamp='1325980187' post='1490778'] ........ So I've just bought a BDI21 and certainly practising at home it sounds pretty good to me. I'll let you know how it fairs at our next gig ..... [/quote] Used the Behringer BDI21 pedal for a couple of months now at gigs and I am very happy with it. Gives great 'punch' when playing plectrum style on the 80's new wave material!

It obviously depends on how and what you play. I like to play positional shapes up the neck - for one thing it makes key changing very easy so I rarely stick to first position. However, I've virtually never found my 20-fret precision to be a limitation to what I do.

I've just imported my Ashbory from the states. Cost breakdown is: Bass cost : $269.99 Shipping: $60.95 Total purchase: $330.94 = £219.46 Import VAT + handling fee = £49.17 Total cost = £268.63 Still competitive with buying it in the UK (where it's currently out of stock anyway :-)

I must admit that I'm not contemplating using the Ashbory for gigs at present - just as a travel bass to practice while I'm away on business. Maybe when I get more confident that the Ashbory won't let me down, I might give a go in a live situation.

Thanks redstripe. I followed pantherairsoft's advice and called Mark at Bass Direct - he sent me the strings immediately and I got them yesterday! Originals haven't broke yet so will stick with them (excuse the pun!) for now and keep Pahoehoes in reserve ..... btw, I'm loving playing the Ashbory! Takes a bit of getting used to but once the strings settle down it's great .....

What modifications (if any) did you have to make to get them to fit the Ashbory? I've read that they need changes at the bridge end on at least some strings ......?

Did you get the standard tension ones (which are on the site)? These are the only one's they have and Mark thinks they're good for Ashborys. I've read online that you need the low tensions for 18" Ashbory scale ......? Thx

I did look on the site already and they are not there ..... I'll call. Thx

Does anyone know a good (cheap!) place to buy Pahoehoe low tension strings in the UK for an Ashbory? Thanks

[quote name='louisthebass' timestamp='1327268043' post='1508703'] I went to see my old band do a gig last night & the bass player had (what I assume was) a Fender USA Deluxe Jazz 5. The bass definitely had a lively & "darker" tone to it than a regular "old style" Fender Jazz. I really liked the tone the bass player had last night, which leads me to think that with the advent of Sadowskys (to name but one) version of the Jazz being one of the holy grails (for some) of Jazz Basses, that Fender are now aiming for that market. I think the classic Fender Jazz tone is the one in the Guy Pratt video on YT. No High Mass bridge, 5 bolt neckplate, lighter tuners or active electronics on that one. It really depends on what the individual likes in terms of tone. It's been well documented that some of Fender's QC hasn't been that great over the decades - I bought a Fender Jazz in the mid 80's & got shot of it within months as it wasn't for me. It's horses for courses where Jazz Bass copies / imitations are concerned & that argument has been done to death 100's of times in forums. I'm happy with my custom Jazz 5, but if that Fender Jazz I heard last night was anything to by, then maybe Fender are getting their act together again - I'd buy one. [/quote] Some interesting content here. I often find that hearing another player do "my" stuff on stage sounds better than I think I sound so maybe you were in this mode last night? But I totally agree with you that beauty is in the eye of the beholder (horses for courses and all that). It's what YOU feel happy with that matters.

The only negative I would say about the RHJ is being MIM, the quality is not quite as good in some areas.

[quote name='Linus27' timestamp='1327259664' post='1508515'] Again and this is splitting hairs and down to interpritation but for me (I take it this is the Reggie Hamilton Bass you have shown) Fender actually call this the Reggie Hamilton Standard Jazz Bass and not just the Standard Jazz bass. It comes with a P pickup and a J pickup, a bass extender and is active/passive. Those features were not on the original concept of Leo's first Jazz so to me this is just Fenders evolution of their Jazz bass in the same way that the latest Mini Cooper is an evolution of the 60's Mini Cooper. In my opinion, giving a total stranger and non bass playing person a Reggie Hamilton Jazz bass and saying this is true representation of an original Jazz bass based on Leo Fenders original concept would be very misleading. [/quote] Very true, it is an evolution and not original. But for me, the added dimensions of versatility to cover P and J styles, drop D tuner and active or passive choices makes it a very pleasing evolution!

OK, IMO the best Jazz bass is the Reggie Hamilton

[quote name='Linus27' timestamp='1327187347' post='1507719'] Ok but the original Jazz did not have a split Precision pickup so tonally it is not accurate to the original concept. If I went to a shop and asked for a Fender Jazz and got given that then I would be very annoyed. Yes it has the characteristics of the jazz but tonally and pickups make it a different beast. A bit like the difference between an analogue watch and a digital watch perhaps. Both watches, both with straps and round faces and both tell the time by different methods. Yes you can call it a Jazz but its not the original concept. [/quote] Agree it's not tonally accurate to the original, but that's true of many Fender Jazz's. This bass is made and sold by Fender and [u]they[/u] call it a Fender Jazz so why is that any less an 'official Jazz' than one sold by them 50 years ago?