lozbass

Try this (I'm hoping to): [url="http://www.acguitars.co.uk/index.php"]http://www.acguitars.co.uk/index.php[/url] ACG EQ02 - excellent review of an earlier variant (with sound samples) on the BC review page

Hi, I'm sorry there's not much I can do as I don't have a Precision at the moment (...now if you'd asked four months ago...) I have a Jazz but that's a bit more complicated. I'm sure somebody on here must have a precision, a pencil and a sheet of paper. Good luck!

I buy most of my cables from lava (http://www.lavacable.com/) - excellent service - fast, friendly and a very broad choice of cable and connectors (good information on the site too). I have a few Evidence Audio cables (not from lava) - the quality is excellent but the cable is very stiff. Maybe good for studio but a bit more of a challenge for gigs.

Don't get hung up on it - at least you're thinking about it (a very good sign!) I won't be so arrogant as to suggest something in relation to the line that you mention (and I don't know anything about the context), however, I'd recommend that you just sing the passage to yourself and see what comes up (I've been doing it with your sequence and enjoying myself!). Don't force it, just play around with ideas (and have a think about syncopation and beat structure if it would help). Good luck, it's not always easy but it can be fun

Everyone has a different approach and there's no doubt that experience, technique and knowledge of theory are a big help. However, I would suggest that you think carefully about the music/songs/lyrics for which you are providing (or creating) a bassline. Personally, I find it very difficult to devise lines in a rehearsal setting. I like to sit quietly, usually without a bass, and just think about a piece of music/song in its entirety an in its component parts. What is the music about? What does it mean to me? How can my part (i) complement the music sympathetically or, (ii) add something, take it off into another dimension, underpin the fundamental, provide an intriguing counterpoint? What I try to do ('not for me to judge how successfully!) is imagine the bass line (or bass part) into being before I try to play it. I just mess around with ideas in my head (often humming!) and try to create lots of different approaches and versions, always bearing in mind that I'm aiming for a sympathetic interpretation and a line/part that will complement (or nuance, re-layer, re-orient, extend) the music into which it will fit. I see some great bass players - people with astonishing technique - however, I'm frequently surprised that their technique is apparently allowed to take precedence over interpretation. I'm a big fan of (notionally) dischordant and atonal composition (as well as conventional composition), however, I get a bit turned off when a technically stunning line crashes across the music in which it sits (or rather doesn't sit), and it's clear that the player hasn't given the first thought to the music and its performance as a whole. I hope this makes sense and wish you the best of luck - I know that what works for me won't always work for others, but it may be worth a bit of experimentation - let your imagination run riot.

I've experienced some dizzyness, especially playing for very loud rock bands - crashing cymbals (at head height and often very close proximity for bassplayers!) were a trigger, high-pitched harmonica notes too. As with benwhiteuk, I quite liked it too - 'first few times were a bit disconcerting but I started to find it quite cool (all this was some years ago, not sure I'd be too keen now)

Some great comments here - one of the most informative and informed threads I've read. 'Not sure I can maintain the standard but (and to reitarate comments above)... Amp - I recently sold my Series 6 AH200 and regret it (massively) - nothing wrong with the amps I have now but they don't do the Trace sound. For what you'd get for the TE head, I'd say hang on to it and experiment - I'm sure it can do what you're looking for (but if you do sell, sell to me!) Bass - I think that either of the Sei Jazzers on here would be an excellent choice...however, the Barts would need to come out. If you can stretch, an alternative would be a nice '70s Fender Jazz (probably expensive, but should hold its value). Strings - before doing/selling anything, I'd try new strings. Personally, I hate Elixirs (and Rotosound Swing Bass, whilst very bright, hate my frets and fingers). I've been using D'Addario XL nickels and find them very piano-like and punchy on a Jazz. They seem to have decent life-span but for regular playing/gigging, I'd say change every two to three months (I'm always amazed at the difference after re-stringing). I know that guage is a very personal issue, but for the tone you're seeking, I wouldn't go under 40-100 (or 120). Cabs - for me, this is the area in which we've seen the greatest progress in the past ten years. I've been very pleased with an Epi ul112, but any of the modern, small, lightweights should fit the bill (the only high-end cabs I really haven't been impressed by are Markbass - it's probably just a personal thing). If you've made it this far...probably the biggest issue is strings - I really wouldn't do anything without a bit of experimentation - a good set-up with nice, shiny new strings can be as good to me as a complete change of rig! Good luck with it all...oh and if the AH200 is going...

Thanks BassBod and Musky - your responses are very helpful and accord with the bit of research I managed earlier (I didn't think of Talkbass before posting the question). It appears that nitro was used on the headstocks (to avoid transfer cracking) but poly elsewhere. As you suggest, what I'm probably seeing on the worn parts of the body is the sealer under the poly. According to views on the Talkbass site, the poly used in the 70s wasn't the same as that used today and can exhibit softness, significant yellowing and susceptibility to wear etc. I'm still not sure that my Jazz hasn't had an overspray, but it seems more likely in the light of what I know now that the yellowed clearcoat is the original poly. Thanks again - any further inputs very welcome!

I'd certainly go for the maple/ebony combination with rounds...it's what I have on my Jazz. When I had the bass set up by Martin at the Gallery, I was initially a bit concerned by his suggestion of roundwounds. They do mark the board, but Martin's advice was that the 'channel' simply adds to the characteristic mwahh - he also suggested that if I don't like the look I can just get a re-shoot.

Are the holes in the Mesa 1u apart? 'Seems like a strange place to put them unless Mesa expects you to rack with ventilation space. It looks like you're in for a bit of drilling and filing ('should pass an hour though it'd take me a day and I'd still cock it up). I have an SKB (4u) but can't get to it just now - I'll take a look later

Yes to the above, the Bass Gallery is a stockist - you'll find the range here: [url="http://www.thebassgallery.com/bartolini.html"]http://www.thebassgallery.com/bartolini.html[/url] Martin and Alex are incredibly knowledgeable and very good people to deal with

Hi all, One for the many Fender experts on here. I bought an early '76 Jazz a few years ago. The finish is natural with a lot of playwear and a few bumps and grazes (the bass was imported from New York where it had clearly been played fairly intensively - no damage/major changes, just a well-cut and seated replacement nut: a fantastic player/sound after a fabulous set-up by Steve Robinson here in Manchester - much recommended!) It's not a big deal to me (I'm not an avid Fender collector), but I'd like to know more about the finish if possible. The clearcoat on the body is very yellowed (a kind of deep honey colour - similar to the aged nitro finish on the headstock). It's also soft and quite worn in places - I think a previous player used a pick and wore some kind of bracelet. Where there's wear - very little of this goes down to the wood - there appears to be a harder (poly?) undercoat that is much lighter with a very slightly satinated feel/look. So to the question, does anybody know what Fender was doing/using for its mid '70s finishes on natural basses? Was it a poly undercoat with a softer (maybe nitro or something similar) top coat? I've seen a few worn basses that look like mine but some that don't look as dark - if it's a newer, non-original overspray, no real problem, the bass is still a great player/looker but it would be nice to know. Thanks in anticipation of your help. Cheers, Loz

[quote name='6stringbassist' post='180512' date='Apr 19 2008, 02:49 PM']I'd like to see yours, I bet the flamed ash looks nice, is there a photo of it on the Sei website ?.[/quote] Hi Kevin, I'm afraid there's no photo on the Sei site - I think mine is the first s/c that Martin built (I didn't commission it but it's every bit as lovely as you'd expect). The flamed ash is subtle but very nice - there's no exotic facing on the back so the ash is visible in all its full glory (the neck is a bit unusual too insofar as it's non-figured ash and maple laminates with a macassar ebony board). The bass desperately needs a set-up so I'll be down at the Gallery in the next week or two - I'll get some photo's when the set-ups been completed. Apologies for the earlier mail - I'd indicated erroneously that the facing on my bass was Burl when it's actually Thuya. Cheers, Lawrence

[quote name='6stringbassist' post='180019' date='Apr 18 2008, 06:02 PM']Hi Lawrence It's buckeye burl front and back over a walnut core, it's quite heavy but has an amazing acoustic sound, probably the loudest I've come across. Bartolini P4 pickups and an East preamp, blue side LED's.[/quote] Hi Kevin, Buckeye burl is certainly one of my personal favourites and I've seen some of the gorgeous timber that Martin stocks - I'd love to see your acquisition up close! On the volume issue, I've had the same experience with my s/c 6 - it's unusually loud and resonant when unplugged (it's burl over flamed ash) - possibly something to do with the s/c design and neck width (there's a lot of timber in there!) Cheers, Lawrence

"TBH I'd want one with the original case..." As indicated above, I sold mine with the case but these aren't much to get excited about - just an early ABS style form-fit - a picture (the best I have ot the inside of the case) attached below:

Thanks Kevin - absolutely stunning! Knowing Martin's work, I'd imagine it plays and sounds as good as it looks. I didn't make it to the Gallery last week so missed out on an intimate introduction - I'm looking forward to more photographs when you get a chance. What's the facing timber on this (and is it the same facing on the reverse)? Cheers, Lawrence