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I think I may have been a bit hasty in deciding to spray it so I've sanded it down and given it a couple of coats of tinted Danish oil, it will probably end up a bit darker by the time I've finished?? 😀5 points
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Hi, I am selling my Spirit. It plays very well, but it's just not getting enough use and I just saw a guitar that I want to buy. It's located in Dublin, but I do travel to London every so often. It's got newish .040 strings and a string adapter, too, that I can sell of keep for another headless of mine, so your call entirely (250 if you don't want it). Incidentally, I have levelled the frets and the action is just plain ridiculous. Comes with the original gigbag. Being broom-shaped, it may also be used for menial housework..4 points -
I'm selling a couple of basses due to extreme, uncontrollable GAS. The first is this absolute peach Musicman Sabre Classic. If you love the idea of a Stingray with added versatility then this is it. I've had a couple of HH pickup configuration Stingrays but found that the pickup switching options were a bit lacking. The Sabre's neck pickup has 16 poles (think of two jazz pickups side by side) and the bridge is a standard Musicman 8 pole jobbie. This means that you can get a great HS (humbucker + single coil) sound, and a lovely solo single coil sound. Wind up the string mutes and you're in vintage P heaven! Of course if you solo the bridge pickup it sounds exactly like a Stingray 😎 The build quality of this is exemplary, and it has the most amazing birds eye maple neck. I've owned a Stingray Classic in the past and this trumps it in every way. It's more sonically versatile, it has a smaller, contoured body, thinner neck, it's lighter, it's prettier.. It's cooler 😁 The bass is in excellent condition and comes with the Musicman Flightcase and case candy. It's had a recent setup with new D'Adarrio rounds but included are a set of used flats as they sound phenomenal on this bass. Collection from Margate, postage possible.4 points -
Saturday featured a planned trip to BassDirect following the tedious and late completion of my house sale. Many months of chasing and hassle had to have some type of reward I decided. I set myself a budget and took my good lady along who was oddly keen to help me in my latest GAS relapse (it'd been a whole 4 months since getting my Dingwall NG3) There were a couple of basses i'd eyed up in the 2nd hand section to try out, but upon entry a gleaming apparition appeared before me. A glorious sunburst MM Jazz, beckoning me. It had just come in on p/x and was about to be posted online. I think not. I'd wanted a Miller since I first started playing in 2004, and this was not to be a missed opportunity, having missed out on not one, but three MM's in that time. Plugged in, it did all the right things. I knew it was meant to be. I did however try out a few others just to say I compared it (Dingwall ABZ4, Combustion 4) but it was a one horse race.4 points
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Finished! These pictures don’t really show the full effect, but a couple of coats of paint make the grill look so much better! Not bad for a £90 cab?!4 points
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... or tune down a semi-tone and use a first-fret capo for the stuff in standard tuning..? Lazy, yes, but it's an option.4 points
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There’s quite a bit of confusion and mix up in this thread. Let’s separate out some points for clarity. TRS & XLR - different connectors, same job. TRS stands for tip/ring/shield and means there are two signal wires and one ground - this allows for a balanced connection which (keeping it simple) allows much longer cable runs that can have any noise picked up along the way cancelled out at the other end. XLR is the same - two signal, one ground and thus balanced. A standard bass cable is one signal one ground and thus unbalanced - long cable runs will pick up noise. Now, the key bit is the impedance & voltage of the signal you are trying to send. From lowest to highest - mic, instrument, line. Depending on the equipment you are plugging in to, you are trying to find an input that will deal with your signal properly. A mic input on a mixer will have a mic Preamp that deals with its low output levels - a line input may not work well, but some pro stuff will be able to. The desk may have a separate line input, either xlr or TRS. A DI box that a soundman asks you to plug in to will convert instrument level to mic level and will have a balanced output for a long cable length. The key bit here is that the Stomp has a balanced output for long cable runs - so long as the soundman knows its line level then they can do what they need to do at the other end and not worry about cable run length. If you present it as TRS or XLR it’s actally sort of irrelevant.3 points
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......and.......... relax 🤭 Good to see normal service has been resumed 😂 We'll pretend that blue period never happened 😇3 points
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Hi, for sale or trade is my beautiful 5-string jazz bass Fender 50th AV Jazz Bass 5 with Häussel pickups (pao ferro, 240€) and golden hardware, original chrome hardware included: 1050£, 950£, 900£ Please contact me, if you have further questions.😉 The bass is located in Germany. Cheers, Chris2 points -
I'm selling a couple of basses due to extreme, uncontrollable GAS. Next up is this beautiful, hand made in Japan Yamaha BB P34. I bought this new from the Yamaha store in Soho this summer. I tried it out of curiosity and was so bowled over by the way it felt and sounded, it came home with me I was initially skeptical about Yamaha's changes to the iconic BB line, but they have really knocked it out of the park with this. It's such a cohesive instrument, you really get the impression that the design team have agonised over every design detail to get it just right. It's a million miles away from a factory bitsa (Fender) 👀 Yamaha Flightcase and all case candy included. Bass is located in Margate, postage can be arranged 👍🏻2 points -
Hi All, Got this from Norwood (using his pics..thanks )a couple of months back and its is a truly exceptional and sublime bass.It just sings but alas the 5 string is just not for me (this is about my fourth attempt with 5 strings I should have learnt by now ).It is in excellent condition with a lovely set up (Converted from original fretless ). It has the default Aguilar 3 band pre - amp which the later models came with. The above price is the cash price for this extremely rare bass but would be interested in trades (obviously trade value is higher ).Have a love for 80's bass so would be into ARIA SB1000 /Jaydee Supernatural (non Roadie)/Status Series 2/Vintage Ric 4001 but sure try me (or if anyone has a Celinder 4 they would swap ?) Might also swap for High End type Jazz but must be 4 String and active or Pino P Bass Based in Ireland so willing to ship at your expense but i will arrange it All the best, Mick.2 points -
If you think that's dodgy, I suggest you have a look at TC Electronic!2 points
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And just for clarity - DI (direct injection/interface) comes from replacing a microphone in the signal chain (mic’ing an amp or instrument) with a direct connection2 points
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I'm quite surprised by the amount of vitriol directed at Yoko Ono and this version of Imagine It has a kind of delicate frailty, like it's just holding together. It's not technically great of course, but that's the whole point isn't it? - Human frailty, old age (she's 85), a world going down the tubes where the sentiment in the song seems further away than ever, a message to her dead husband on his birthday, the pop melody of a multi million selling song reduced to bare bones, etc. I thought it was quite strange and touching. I must be getting old2 points
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OK re-weighed with kitchen scales, 4.4kg Will add to my advert.2 points -
I guess for the "pub band" situation, the key is make the bass solo part of the entertainment. My Generation is a great example of how to do it, where the bass solos are snappy, two-bar breaks which work as a call-and-response between the bass and the rest of the band. If you changed that out for a full 32-bar break for the bass player to go through his/her whole book of chops, then you'd lose that pace and the queue for the bar would probably grow quite quickly. (So at least the landlord would be happy...)2 points
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1) if you have really small hands or arms, such as you are a child or have a medical issue, there is less of a stretch. 2) Getting strings is hard, getting a decent deep bass sound is much harder (if not impossible), intonation is harder. 3) No. Start out with the normal and then if you have a problem, seek out something to fix the issue2 points
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I just figured it out! These are bass players, aren't they? Examples of various types of Bass Face! As a public service, perhaps we can codify and classify the Six Main Bass Faces prevalent in todays music scene. Then we can just look into the guitarists' beady little eyes and show them one of these cards from the pack rather than get into a long winded discussion about how bass should be played. We need a 52 card deck, but these six are a great start. 1. Mad Max! "Is this guitard actually telling me how to play?" 2. Pained and P*ssed Peter! "Well, that guitard needed to be replaced, anyway, see?" 3. Happy D*ck! "The guitard's fiancé was a little late for work this morning." 4. Doubting Tommy! "So, you call yourself a guitar playah...really?" 5. Vincent the Visionary! "With a 10 string bass, who needs guitards, anyway?" 6. Freddy the Fixer! "Yeah... we had a guitarist... but... it didn't end well..." If you ain't got a Bass Face, you ain't really playing that bass...2 points
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Bias Alert! I feel that I should clarify this. The context of my remarks is where a band with a rhythm section is performing music for a dancing audience at a wedding, bar, pub... Where patrons or guests are having a good time moving to music of various tempo and the expectation of the patrons or venue operators is to keep the floor moving. This scenario is the norm for most BP's. A concert performance is a different animal. At a concert, the audience is accepting of long soloing sections and even craving many solos. As a BP of the former, I cringe at the thought of bass soloing as it destroys the momentum you've worked so hard to achieve. Still, it seems condescending to me, "Oh, it's only fair to let the bass have a solo, too!" As patrons find an opportunity to order, make a phone call or use the facility. Even in jazz, when it's "time" for the BP to take a solo, they seem long winded and unrelated to the music that has just passed. But then, I'm a dance musician. I play danceable jazz. Even in Dixieland, BL's have indicated that I could solo, but I never care to. Maybe four bars at most, a little string slapping, and I'm back into walking. In fact, I feel that as a BP, I'm always soloing within the mix, anyway. That's why I play bass. I realise there are 10 string BP's with FX pedal boards of 36 square feet who would like to kill me, now. And I probably only need two strings to do what I do to keep a floor hopping. In fact, I sometimes view the bass as just a glorified conga drum... But I feel there's a place for both BP types. Perhaps, not the same place.2 points
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Applying the ebony demarcation veneer. You will hardly see it, but it makes such a difference when you look at the actual join. Because katalox is an oily wood, I'm taking no chances and am using epoxy rather than wood glue - which doesn't work so well on oily woods. When this is done, I'll be seeing how much weight I can take out of the underside of the top before gluing it on and starting to fit the neck joint...2 points
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If the singer is struggling with some tunes, it might be worth running them all down a semitone to see if that gives their voice an easier time over the duration of the gig.2 points
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Clearly it's all about personal preference, but a rosewood board would give it nice contrast... And yup, I reckon recessed knobs would look good2 points
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Right move! The thing is, this has the vibe of an Aria - ref the wood combinations and style - and the shape of an ultra-modern. Honestly - I think it looks great. The 'piece de resistance' are the two stripes at the back. The whole thing is a lovely looking combination - quite unique.2 points
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Why am I even asking anyone else about GAS related matters when I am constantly floating in a cloud of it?2 points
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Friday night we played a festival in north wales. The organiser told us there'd be a drum kit there, mine is a bit of a PITA to move at the moment, and it was called a festival with more bands on after us so I thought it was a safe bet. When we got there we realised that this festival was just a Friday night in the clubhouse/pub at a campsite. Every other act was a rock tribute, and we're playing original folk-punk. So I was starting to feel a bit un-easy when the organiser walked up and said "I've been told you want some drums". "I was told there was a kit I could use" I said. He had me follow him to his car to collect the smallest bass drum I've ever seen. Maybe 18 x 14" at the most. I'm a fairly big guy and usually play a big 24" kick. Anyway, no matter, I loaded it in and then saw the skin on the bass drum. Some sort of ancient brittle glossy white plastic. I was convinced I'd break it on the first hit. Next I tap the toms which are horribly out of tune, but they don't have standard lugs so my drum key won't work. Obviously I just have to make do but the set was an hour and a half of gently tapping the bass drum while asking the sound guy to turn up my monitor Apparently we were really good and the rest of the band had a great night. I've learned my lesson. I'll never go to a gig without my kit again Saturday night was local at The Rigger and I got to use my own kit. Matt on the sound is always awesome and it just puts you at ease. We played well, went down well, and apparently they raised over £700 for charity which is a lot more than I was expecting considering the turnout. Brilliant! I don't know if this will work but this is a photo of me standing behind the tiny kit, our singer put it on Instagram:2 points
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Why would anyone pay £2k or over for a bass where they couldn’t even be bothered to glue the neck on properly and had to use woodscrews to hold it on instead?2 points
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I can't comment on the D800/D800+ as I haven't tried one, however I currently own a MPulse 600 and previously owned a Walkabout. IMO, though there is a family resemblance, with similar "faces" and controls, tonally they're not that similar. Nobody doubts the versatility of the Mesa range - lots available which means there is something for most needs and I'm sure that with patience and perseverance you going to get pretty close to what you want from either...The MPulse gives you old school valves versus the Walkabout's more modern solid state tonal package. They are not the same beast. Not currently gigging so I rarely move my gear...I much prefer the MPulse over the Walkabout - if I was hauling it about weekly I may have a different opinion but personally, I found it to be much warmer and phatter sounding - easier to access those more soulful and funky tones - whereas the Walkabout, which I wasn't overly impressed with TBH, is probably more suited to a rockier, more driven tonal palette. Having said that, I do know it's very popular here - many say one of the best amps they've played. If you like a good solid rock amp it probably is...Horses for courses I suppose. I also have the Powerhouse 1x15 cab. They may not be light by modern standards - i.e. compared to BF/Vanderkleys and the like, but they are not in the same weight category as your vintage Marshall/ Ampeg classics. I think Mesa, being aware of the weight factor fitted them with castors as standard....a bit of a Godsend...They must know about my back.. Overall, I'm pretty impressed with the Powerhouse 1x15 however it recently inexplicably developed an "overdriven/distorted" sound for no apparent reason or cause. I suspect a simple wiring problem which is undiagnosable by your typical numpty (me). I bet an "expert" at shaking wires will be able to resolve the "problem" in seconds. Neither the MPulse nor the Walkabout are lightweights by today's standards. If you're not unhappy with the additional weight (over a Class D head) I'm pretty sure that you'll be happy with either.2 points
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I found out this last week that I'd passed my MA in composition. I must obviously be mad, I'm starting my PhD this coming week.2 points
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I’ve always refuted that idea. I mean yeah what you actually play will sound like you, but the bass itself will sound different. Said bass might sound different again depending on who plays it. Example, if I play a P bass then a Zon Legacy, you’ll be able to hear a difference. Now if someone else plays them they will still be massively easy to tell apart but they might sound slightly different to when I played them due to technique. Which definitely won’t be a patch in mine. Lol. As far as I know, I’ve always loved graphite basses for their consistency and feel. I’ve also always seen Smith basses as having the ‘ultimate’ slap sound. It’s taken me about 10 years to get one.2 points
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Here is the latest incarnation of my big bass rig. BB2 and Dubster 2, Alembic Preamps and Crown XLS1502 in bridge mode. Had it out on a reggae gig last weekend. 🙂2 points
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Melanie C's ole bass player, Kim Khahn.. Awesome 'in the pocket' player and sings awesome harmonies at the same time.. GUH! Makes you sick ha ha!! Err, Julz Ruzicka too.. just for playin' with style.. I think she is playing with ex-SikTh Mikey's 'new project'. Used to play with Million Dead, I understand.2 points
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On New Year's Eve 2018, my band, The Rock 'n' Roll Outlaws will play its final gig. Our founder and guitarist/vocalist is leaving for a better life in Oz, and with a young family, what a good idea that is. For me, it will mean the end of playing any rock, in an effort to preserve what's left of my hearing. I do have other things on the cards, but much quieter. To that end, the faithful Markbass rig is planned to be replace with a Trace Elliot Elf or similar, and a Barefaced 110. I might even downsize the car... It's timely anyhow. I'm likely to have a reverse shoulder replacement in the first part of the year, due to the irreparable damge from the cycling accident. So lightweight is now a medical must as well as a convenience. So, new year, new...everything!1 point
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Gorgeous bass great condition with a few minor dings. (hopefully shown in pics) Bought new from bass direct last year. They are so rare I wasn’t even sure how to price it but new they are in excess of £2500. For more info please ask 🙂 Mal1 point -
Price drop to £850 Hi guys I'm having a bit of a clear out and consolidating some gear which doesn't get used enough. This is one of the best fretless basses I've had, but I don't play it enough - so given my current financials I have to let it go. I'll need to keep tabs on it so I can maybe buy it back one day! So here it is - a very rare series 1 Vigier Arpege fretless. Built before they started using/recording serial numbers properly but estimated to be around 1985. This is the first series made by Patrice Vigier, before they started experimenting with Carbon necks. Instead, the neck has a brass laminate running along under the fingerboard for rigidity, as well as a truss rod. Although the bass lives in a hard case in the office, my wooden necked basses occasionally need adjustment for seasonal variations - but this never does. I've literally tuned it once. Most of the hardware is Vigier's own; the bridge in particular is an interesting design. The pickups are made for Vigier by Benedetti. They're single coils and very powerful. They have an unusual 'tabletop' shape which looks great. The pre-amp is very unusual, consisting of a master vol with pull boost, series/parallel switch which actually processes some useful sounds, a boost/cut knob married to a Q filter and a passive tone. Also a pickup switch (front, middle, back) and a 'passive output' (Active output on the side of body) I'm not actually sure of the body wood but similar basses at the time were made of Walnut. It's a neck through and very comfortable. You can hear it here (wait for the fretless to cut in) where I'm suing the rear pickup only for that really tight bumpy growl, which this bass excels at. With both pickups it has a very open and warm sound. It comes without a case unfortunately but I would prefer to meet the buyer anyway at somewhere convenient. I'm in York but happy to travel to meet. The train to London is quick and easy, and/or I wan meet somewhere along the M1. My parents are in Oxford so it could be an excuse to see them, too. So I'm very flexible. Weight: 4.8kg (approx, bathroom scales!) Nut width: 41m Spacing: 15/16mm Strings: Elixir 'Super Light' Setup: Super low Strplocks: Marvel, strap side included Let me know if you have any questions or would like to try it. I'm in no rush so happy to wait for the right buyer! Cheers Chris1 point -
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Thinning down the herd, so selling the basses I don't use, as I'm really focusing to my speciality which is fretless. FOR SALE OR (PARTIAL) TRADE BASED ON THE NEW RETAIL PRICE (€3190 Euros) : Superb looking, playing and sounding NOGUERA Expression Plus Deluxe 6 with wooden knobs option. A real high end bass in mint condition at a low price. It's even beautifuller in the flesh than on the photos. The bass is really even and smooth sounding with great dynamics. The neck pickup has the best tone I've ever heard in this position. The specifications : Body : 2 pieces bubinga Top : thick holographic birdseye maple (only on the Deluxe series) Neck : 7 pieces bolt-on bubinga and wenge Fretboard : Macassar ebony (only on the Deluxe Series) with white side dots Headstock : holographic birdseye maple matching headstock (only on the Deluxe series) Tuners : 3 + 3 Gotoh Frets : 24 (no zero fret and "only" 24 frets on this special model) Truss rod : 1 fully working Bridge : 2 pieces Noguera bubinga tailpiece and bridge with adjustable brass saddles Pickups : 2 Noguera highly shielded single coils in bubinga covers Preamp : Noguera 2 bands EQ (9 Volts, with brand new battery) with volume, blend, treble and bass plus active / passive switch and internal gain (only on the Deluxe series) which is very slight just like the EQ Strings spacing at bridge : 18.5 mm Strings spacing at bone nut : 9.5 mm Action at 12th fret : from 2 mm under the C to 2.5 mm under the B (but it can go down to 1.5 mm under the C to 2 mm under the B) Scale : 34 inches Finish : high gloss natural Hardware : black Weight : 4,7 kilos Case : original Noguera Serial # : 6008 Year : 07/2000 Strings : brand new D'Addario Nickel EXL 170-6 (32-130) Today's price for a similar bass with all the options : €3190 Euros or around £2800 GBP ! The bass has been fully set up and everything checked. Non smoking environment, as usual. Asking price is £1400 GBP due to the mint condition of this bass. Noguera link : https://www.noguera-basses.com/basses_serie.php?serie_b=Expression Look at the pictures to see the real condition (under different lights to try to capture the real beauty of the woods and the craftsmanship), which show the mint condition of this bass... I've pictured everything as usual, but if you want more photos, just ask.1 point -
News to very few of you, but I, for one, share the sentiments in the song, and feel very comfortable with the notion of sharing the World, with no countries, no religion, no possessions, no hunger, no greed. I'll like as not not see the day, of course, and some may say I'm a dreamer, but I'll do my (tiny...) bit along that stony path. As for the video clip, I've heard worse, much worse. Will I buy it..? Nah.1 point
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How about an 8 bar solo in Smooth Operator? TBH, any solo out of context is deeply unnecessary in almost every circumstance. I remember in the 80s when we use to go and see rock gigs down the guildhall, there would alwyas be a drum solo so you could go to the bar or to the loos until it was over (in fact, I think that is often what the band did), but it is not much more entertaining if the guitarist does it either.1 point
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Mine is my Vigier Excess 5 bass. Tried nearly everything and owned a lot of them too but for me, nothing beats it. I love it so much, I have another on order. They do everything I desire from a bass. They fit like a glove. My perfect choice and I haven't looked at another since. Great question and really nicely put, too. Bravo 😊1 point
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I think a lot of what you write makes sense but received wisdom is that it is the power section of a valve amp that gives it the character. In that case a hybrid with solid state preamp and valve power amp is the sensible compromise. But of course all the weight is in the power section so they do it the "wrong" way round and sell it on its valve preamp. Of course the preamp valves do alter to the sound. Matrix a,ps have a switch mode power supply (like most Class D amps) and a MOSFET Class A/B power amp.1 point
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Not sure where you are but BCS in Hampshire make excellent cases and will custom make for you if you supply the spec. http://www.bcsmanufacturing.co.uk/1 point
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Of course not. I am not even a member of the 'valves are better' club, just that I really like the sound of this amplifier that happens to be valve. As a gigging thing, it is certainly less practical than my TC RH450, just that I like the sound of it. Certainly got no intention of selling the TC. It always makes me cringe when I hear the term Digital amp, not that I have heard it recently.1 point
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I won't suggest a specific string as I think that's very much personal preference. For the sort of sound you are looking for I'd suggest nickel plated roundwound strings on a round core.1 point
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Yep. But doesn't make for such a good headline, does it. I've played instruments at bass bashes that were lovingly exhibited by proud owners and felt like crap to me. Tried friends basses that I wouldn't play if they gave them to me. So yeah, I'm sure Fender made quite a lot of bad basses over many years, but what does that mean in terms of numbers? Probably quite a few. In terms of percentage of overall production? Not a lot. So what do we say? For every 10 basses Fender sends to market one might be a dog, one might be exceptional and the rest will be somewhere in the middle and are still capable of doing a good job? Sure it's a guestimate but my feeling is that this is closer to the truth than the line, "Every bass Fender made in the 70's was crap". I'd bet that most of these basses (even the bad ones) eventually settled and matched up the preferences of an owner and they both lived happily ever after.1 point
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Got the white piping done. Let’s see if this weeks weather let’s me spray the grill matt black!1 point
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I'm down to one bass. It will probably go to the grave with me. It's a Sei J 5 and it suprised me every time I play it. It's just superb.There is no competition. I will add the East pre brings out the best from it.1 point
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I'd have to work it out and play it - even if I didn't like it - because I hate it when people turn up to rehearsal having not learned the material. But that's the only reason, to retain my personal 'reputation', such as it is. Doesn't mean I like the song or would want to play it - it's just my way of at least seeming to be 'professional'. You don't have to be in a pro band to have a pro attitude. But if and when you DO join a pro band, you're already in the game...1 point
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Like a few folks here, I've only just got around to listening to a BC Podcast - the second one with the Wal feature - and I really enjoyed it.. 😊 The interview with @TrevorR was excellent; very informative and insightful even for someone like me who already knew a lot of the Wal back story... And well done Trevor for giving Wal, Pete the Fish and now Paul and his team the recognition and praise they richly deserve! Thanks also @Akio Dāku and @Sibob for the rest of the podcast and especially the piece about Dave Hall. I didn't know that Dave had passed away so whilst being very shocked and saddened to hear the news, it was lovely to hear your stories about his excellent products and his even more excellent customer service and the time he spent listening to their needs. RIP Dave. By the way, got to say that in terms of audio quality, the the podcast sounds great! Will go back now and check out the first one and am looking forward to number 3... Nik1 point
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There's a thread/article somewhere on the other place with a blind comparison of a chunk of scrap wood (pine, I think? plywood?) with some bits slung together vs a real bass. It's like the Zapruder film in tonewood terms...worth a look, bring your own popcorn... 😕🙂1 point
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Alder gets my vote, seems to be more balanced across the tonal spectrum, ash is quite toppy, mahogany nice and rich in the lows. I have a bass made of pine and that`s rather nice too, a bit in the middle of ash and alder (but not the dictionary of course).1 point
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They'd certainly notice if the bass player wasn't there.1 point
