Misdee

I'd be very interested to know how these reissue Aria SB100 basses compare with the originals. I notice these Cliff Burton models are made in Indonesia rather than Japan where the regular SB1000 basses are made nowadays. Are the pickups and electronics ect the same as the original ones and do they sound the same? I'm showing my age now, but the SB1000 was a new model around the time I started playing and it was an iconic bass for me in those days. There were three (one in each finish) in a local music shop. I used to love to look at them, especially the one with a red stain finish. Oh, how I longed for one, but alas they were way beyond my pocket. Lots of top players like Jack Bruce were using them and reviewers (in the back pages of mainstream rock music papers like Sounds, not really any specialist UK guitar magazines in those days) said they exemplified stellar Japanese build quality that was putting companies like Fender to shame. Aria used to be a byword for quality in those days.

I don't get out much.

It was intense.

Each to their own, I'm not hating on it. it's just that whole generic indie scene of the late '80's was not my cup of tea musically. Most of just sounded like a racket to me. Still does now. I have always been out of step with fashion when it comes to what music I like, though, going back as far as I can remember. That said, I've got some great memories of those days, including going to to gigs by bands like Fudge Tunnel, Silverfish,Galaxy 500 et al with various indie chicks and pretending to enjoy myself. There were some very notable exceptions though, like Curve who I went to see at their first few gigs and who had something very special from the beginning. Only one bass player, but a very, very good one.

Neds Atomic Dustbin! I'm having an early '90's flashback! At the time I used to share a house with a girl who was one of their friends from Stourbridge. So I got more than my fair share of Neds Atomic Dustbin. Two bass players, one with a Rickenbacker playing the high parts, one with a Stingray holding it down. On paper a really interesting idea, but unfortunately in reality it just sounded like the typical indie-dirge-by-numbers that was so prevalent in those days. I can't remember any of the songs nowadays but I do remember they sold an awful lot of t shirts to students.

Thank you so much, that's an incredibly kind offer. Yet another example of what decent people bass players tend to be, especially those on Basschat. However, I will politely decline as I have decided it's time to drag myself into the present and see what newer tech has to offer. But thanks anyway, I really appreciate the offer. I'm currently looking at the Sonicake Pocket Master, and also getting an I Rig to play via my phone and downloading some nice amp models to use with it for more serious playing sessions. Money isn't really the issue, it's more ease of use and convenience. My favourite time to play the bass and do some meaningful practise is when I first wake up in the morning and I'm still bleary-eyed, probably because I'm not able to think too much, so I just want something I can switch on and go. I've got a Sire Z3 I keep near my bed and I will plug that in and play to my heart's content. The fact that the Sonicake has Bluetooth for streaming from my phone is one less wire to deal with and a big plus for me.

That's a good point. A few years ago I tried a Zoom B1 Four a few years ago but these was a harshness to the sound of all the models on it that I couldn't get rid of. The Pandora is more basic but it's fundamental sound is better. I've actually resurrected my almost-dead Korg Pandora (I'm using a bit of metal to manipulate the broken on-off switch) and it still sounds good, although I'm seriously looking to replace it in the next few days.

Does that mean I won't be able to read it for free in WH Smiths?😯

Hi Mike, I've never played one of Bernie's basses but I know enough about them to appreciate the quality is top-notch and with a sound to match. I've heard you playing yours and the sound is up there with the best. It's just that they're not a brand that appeals to me. I couldn't give you a rational reason why but I've just never fancied one. Buying more basses for me at this stage in my life is more about wish-fulfilment than addressing any practical needs. I've been playing the bass since I was twelve years old and I've always gravitated towards the best instruments. I love playing the bass, but I'm not ashamed to say I love the gear, too. I've got some nice basses, and I'm going to get some more when I see something I like. I've realised recently that, not only am I not getting any younger, I am actually getting old. Maybe that's why I'm looking at the basses from my youth and thinking about what I might enjoy revisiting, or finally getting my hands on. Which brings me back around to JayDee. I remember back in the mid-1980's when Level 42 and Mark King were at the zenith of their success and the demand for JayDee basses was at it's peak. If I understand correctly, to try satisfy demand John Diggins had to set up a kind of production line with a few apprentices and helpers to keep up with the orders flooding in. Where I lived there were two shops with Jaydee basses in stock. Across the UK there were retailers with Jaydee basses in stock you could cash and carry. Availability was plentiful. However, I think John would admit that, with hindsight, quality control suffered as a result and a lot of Jaydee basses from that era are not as well-made as they should have been. When I got my custom JayDee a bit later on John told me that time had been a bit of a nightmare and he was very glad to be back to building basses mainly himself as a smaller concern. The point of all this is that it's a double edged sword when it comes to hand built boutique basses. We all want bespoke quality, but to get that level of craftsmanship it takes time and you're probably going to have to wait. You can't have it both ways. If it's handmade then it needs to be made by skilled hands, not just anybody. That means very limited supply of labour. I'm not trying to condone shoddy business practises, if and when they occur, but John's sons will be well aware of the pitfalls that came from lowering quality control to increase production. Maybe they've made a rod for their own back to some extent by insisting that the basses they put out are of a consistently high quality. Hence the wait times and pushed back delivery dates.

I'd be very interested to hear the spec, but I'm a fussy fella when it comes to basses. I expect you are the same. Is your bas the big-bodied Series 1? If so you'll be able to sell it for over-the-odds to a Mark King aficionado who doesn't want to wait. If I was you I'd use the opportunity to get full compensation for being pissed about. I want a GA24 with Saturn inlays ect, but not LED's, probably in a burst finish.

I've been listening to some Jaydee basses on YouTube and I'd almost forgotten what a gutsy sound they've got. It's quite rare for the characteristic sound of a boutique bass to be so aggressive. They're strident, but in a good way. I remember there was a review of a JayDee bass in Guitar Player Magazine back in the mid -to-late 1980's, when they first had a distribution deal in the States. What was interesting about it was that the reviewer was Rick Turner, chief designer of the Alembic bass. He was extremely complimentary of the JayDee, despite it being reminiscent in it's design to his Alembics, and what struck him the most was how the Supernatural had a distinct "ping" of overtones and harmonics in the sound like hardly any basses other than an Alembic can produce. I'm thinking about basses like Jaydees ect at the moment because I'm looking to buy a modern-sounding bass, and when I say modern I mean what was modern between about 1980 and 1990. I've got plenty of Leo Fender-derived basses, I want something more hi-tech and hifi. And I don't mean something with fanned frets that people play math rock on. Problem is Status are gone, Wal might as well not be trading the waiting list is so long, and it sounds like the same can be said for JayDee. That great triumvirate of British bass builders are effectively out of contention. I don't really want to fork out for an Alembic, but that's the only other bass that's the kind of thing I'm after. Even basses like Fodera are a bit too woody and organic sounding for the stereotypical kind of tones I'm after.

Thanks for all the great suggestions everybody. For someone as out-of-touch as me it really is invaluable. I just want something faff-free to practise with when I can't access my preamp and pedals that I plug into my pc via an interface as my main rig at home. I really know very little about with the digital side of music technology and how it applies to bass. This is the first time I've heard anything about NAM profiles ect, but I think it could be really useful to learn more. I'm doing some investigating this afternoon, but the Sonicake Pocketmaster is so cheap I'm very tempted to give it a go.

I sent the Katana Go back to Amazon, I'm afraid. Thanks anyway, though.

Thanks. That Sonicake looks a prospect, especially if it's £50. Very similar to my old Pandora PX4 in many ways, but with Bluetooth aux in. Are the bass amp models any good, and is it easy to navigate for a luddite like me? I'll investigate the Valeton as well.

I've looked at the NUX but I think I'd have the same problem as I had with the Boss Katana Go, i.e it's in the way and not easy to adjust when I plug it into a bass that's a bottom-loader.