Telebass

The Wilkinsons are no bigger than the equivalent Fenders. I've checked that they would fit on a Squier VM Telebass. No problem. Good tuners, have them on both my main basses, and under 25 squids delivered!

I eventually swapped out the fretless neck on mine for a VM77 Jazz neck. Now my main gigging bass.

Theme from The Muppets. ..

I've been using LDs for some years. Upgrading the phones is not something you can put off, as you're unlikely to hear much, if anything, clearly. This goes double for bass. The reality is that this is something where cutting corners is not going to work. Get the Shures if at all possible, then upgrade the phones later. That way the starting point is better and won't put you off the whole idea.

Leave it alone and put some thread lock on the saddle screws. There's nothing whatever wrong with the standard bridge.

As has been mentioned in the Fender v Squier thread, my Squier bitsa (VM P body, VM77 Jazz neck) is my main gigging bass now. Does have upgraded pickups and tuners, but probably didn't need them, really.

Oh yeah, want to hear/see more of this!

So, everyone, back on topic - Fender or Squier? I've tested my two and given an answer. Your turn.

For fans of Wunjos in Denmark Street, they are now Warwick dealers, and have several Aliens in stock.

It's awful, as are the Tylers. Most of the rest are merely meh...

I actually sat down and a/b'd my two today. They're strung the same, have same or similar hardware, and each has a USA pickup, one a Fender, one a Seymour Duncan. The bodies are different, the MIM being alder, the Squier agathis. I could not hear any significant difference in tone or volume. The Squier wins, because it's over 2 pounds lighter. But no different sound-wise.

I've no experience of the Rockbass Aliens, I have the top spec The Alien. However, they're all made in the same Chinese factory these days, and I doubt they are very different. Reasonably loud unplugged. Good Fishman electronics. Gruesome bronze wound strings. If you already like the necks, quite possibly the best acoustic bass you can get. The 32" scale is nice, too.

I use an old Weller TCP station built from discarded spares when the factory I worked in closed. Have several different bits for it, so covers most jobs. Have used this type for 40 years, so know what I can or can't do with them. The biggest bugbear for me was the disappearance of tin/lead solder, but what I have left will probably last my lifetime!

Ask GAK!

Howdy Mo! Enjoy the place, it rocks!

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1402820232' post='2476948'] A neck profile that fits your hand is way more important than the badge on the headstock IMHO. [/quote] This is what matters. My Fender Standard is fabulous with its replacement neck (original failed), but the Squier bitsa is sublime by any standards if you like Jazz necks. Assuming baseball bats aren't your favourite profile, of course! If they are, then not. The only thing the 'name' MIGHT guaratee is a certain baseline quality, and we all know that can vary wildly, whatever the brand.

Ah well, I manned up and totally ignored that irritating dot at yesterday's gig. Result!