Telebass

No, I'm incapable of noodling nicely on a fretless! Left around 1.15.

I'm not a fan of active basses. However, I tried out a Bongo 5 HH ( I think...) in a music shop in Cardiff Bay about 10 years ago. I was simply passing time, but the shop guy was keen for me to try it. It was fabulous. Not for me, but a great bass for sure. Only thing I truly didn't like was the painted neck.

Well, couldn't run to the TIs, so chose my next favourite for flats without too much tension - a set of EB Group IV 40-60-75-95s. After some fettling (more to do yet), it's playing well and sounding as only such a pickup/string combo can - massive!

But they're not Fenders. And although I've shed my need to see Fender on my headstock, I'll probably never play anything else. Because they are the only type of bass I enjoy playing! Nobody ever said any of this was in any way based on logic or good sense, after all!

Went in yesterday, bought some strings. Automatic extra discount as previous customer. Good stuff to play with, great service from Tom and staff. Even though I live in West Devon, I actually rarely spend any bass related cash anywhere else! Best Bass Store!

[quote name='theyellowcar' timestamp='1399915915' post='2448938'] I have stopped buying anything other than Rotosounds now. I've tried Ernie Ball, Elites, D'Addario and didn't get on with any of them. I'm using the RB40's which are the cheap as chips nickel wound ones. Yet to let me down. [/quote] When I used rounds, these were also my preference, and were outstandingly reliable.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1401814717' post='2467180'] If someone uses flats and all they get is a dead thump, they're doing something wrong. [/quote] This. I use flats in a full on rock band. No one's ever had anything but praise for the noise they make. Dull thuddy sound just might be dull thuddy technique?

Now that I have the Squier VM Telebass back, I might just turn that into a bitsa. New pickguard with curved neck butt, and a rosewood/blocks/binding Jazz neck. Mmmmmmmm.....

"Humph!!! I will fight you, sir! " Back of the bike sheds after school!

I like simplicity. I have three basses. Two are bog standard Precisions, that being the basic tone I like. They're humbucking, so no noise issues. The other is the re-aquired mkII Telecaster bass with the BIG humbucker. That will be used for quiet, mellow tones, with an acoustic trio. My next bitsa will be, if I can get the body made, a Precision with routings for standard Jazz pickups. One of the things I dislike about the Jazz is the shape. But the pickups work well. So single coils are good. And for many years I played single coil Precisions/Telecaster basses. Lovely sound! Basically: what sounds good to you?

I'm in London tomorrow for a trip to Moorfields Eye Hospital, so may not be able to resist a trip to Wunjos for a new set of strings! TIs if I can afford it. That will give some serious oomph with that big mudbucker. The pickup is dropped level with the pickguard at the moment. If it's set as per spec, it has to be plugged into an 'active' input!

Howdy! Den 61...

60 is nearly two years AGO for me! How the hell did that happen? Welcome! [b] Edit:[/b] I do try not to be too smelly...

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1333352620' post='1600254'] I have only ever played one (A Stanley Clarke, IIRC) and was decidedly unimpressed. In fact, I have only ever really heard one player using an Alembic where I thought 'Wow' and that was Jimmy Johnson. Every other Alembic I have ever heard didn't strike me as anything special. I think they are overrated. But I can't hear the difference between a Fender Jazz and a Precision. [/quote] Nor can most others in a band situation. Doesn't matter what I play, sounds like me, not the bass...

[quote name='iamtheelvy' timestamp='1396007682' post='2408904'] On the whole, people tend to love either flats or rounds. However, you don't often see much love for half/ground/pressure wound strings. I offer no reason for that, I can see the benefit of them, but don't go for them myself either... [/quote] The best strings I ever used on any bass were the old Rotosound Superwound 505s. These were taper ends with adjustable ball ends, and were pressure wound. Bright and zingy, sustain for days if you needed it, and smooth. Also quite pricey. But if Jason and his workers started making them again, especially in 40-100, even my beloved TIs would be out the window tomorrow. And being contact core, intonation is a snap - the bridges are almost in a straight line.

To restate what Jean-Luc said above, does it matter what the TIs cost? You will have spent many, many times that amount in other strings, and the TIs will still be going on. And on. I do take good care of mine (they ARE expensive!), and this simply guarantees that they'll last a geological age or so.

I have both the CD-BT1 Mk2 and the MP-BT1. Haven't tried the GB-10, but as soon as the MP-BT1 dies (not too distant future, I think...), the GB-10 will be the replacement.

Don't know of any flats that are tapered. Otherwise, I'd say go with the TIs, every time. My Alien 4 fretted wears a set of cut down 344s, so maybe that's a possibility?

Indeed, four of them, turned clockwise a few turns!

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1401280539' post='2461957'] +1 +1 Generally no one cares unless it's overwhelmingly loud in the mix or you can't hear it at all. However, standing right in front of my cab it does make me feel better if I like what I can hear coming past me (on the rare occasions I'm not wearing IEM's). [/quote] With a Barefaced Super 15, it [i] doesn't matter [/i] if you're wearing IEMs!

It am goin' nowhere!