mcnach

[quote name='No. 8 Wire' timestamp='1496347163' post='3310786'] That sounds a lot like a RHCP baseline but not quite if you know what I mean? Just can't think what the track is. [/quote] It's very much like the bassline in "Can't stop", yes... Same progression and feel, just varying the phrasing. Tch tch

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1496164909' post='3309284'] I know of a bass player who tuned his G string a semitone out, just the G string...he played a song which used the 4th and 2nd frets of the G string a lot (as well as the other strings) and didn't even realise it was out of tune...got this story from his guitarist [/quote] I use a Hipshot D-tuner thingy in a few of my basses. Sometimes I forget to reset the lever after a song that required the drop-D tuning, and sometimes it's taken a couple of seconds to realise it was me who was causing the cacophony. Not good, especially with songs that start with the bass on its own

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1496412649' post='3311254'] I played a Stingray in a shop where the EQ wasn't working but it sounded great flat. Then I checked and there was no battery - so it CAN can work without. [/quote] Well... he's right! I just went to check. The signal is a lot weaker, but it does work, and at a pinch, I think I could probably use it like that at a gig as I usually have lots of headroom left. The volume control still works, but the bass/treble doesn't (there's a slight change in tone when you turn them up/down, but nothing there really). Who would have thought it?

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1496411057' post='3311230'] I always find the Musicman necks are better for my taste. There is more than just the pick up and EQ to a Musicman - the whole package contributes to the sound - not least the bridge. [/quote] lucky you

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1496393697' post='3310992'] Have the prices gone up as well as the difficulties with the £? A fairly simple P bass, 5 string, normal colours etc is now about £1350.... [/quote] Yup... the euro/GBP exchange is not doing us any favours... although the price in euros had not change, my last Jake (JJ) cost me a noticeable amount more than my first one (PJ) two years ago. Still... it's a pretty good price for what you get, and the ability to specify it *just* right.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1496390681' post='3310951'] Well I like the proportions and neck on my USA jazz five and I like the pickup position and preamp of a Stingray five, put the two together and hey presto! [/quote] exactly... wanting a bass with a big fat humbucker at a particular spot doesn't necessarily mean you want a MusicMan.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1496325546' post='3310541'] If fender released the one Flea uses but in a five string version I'd buy one. the bits are already there on the shelf other than the pickup! [/quote] The silver one with the MM pickup? That's tasty...

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1496260019' post='3310060'] You're really missing out not having a Stingray 5 - especially the ceramic version. I've started using mine a lot recently and even though an H version, it's very versatile, and especially sensitive to playing dynamics and playing position. Great bass sound. Playing that even persuaded me to get the Bongo 5 out for a blues rock gig last weekend - I'd forgotten how good that is as well. Musicman 5s are basically 5 strings on a wide Precision neck - I'm used to 19mm spacing 4s but don't find the 17.5mm a great change - although I would admit to being a little less confident with some slap lines!! [/quote] The only 5 string I felt immediately at home with was my old Lakland 5502... beautiful neck, wide but shallow, very comfy, and 19mm at the bridge. Shame it did not sound like a Stingray or I'd still have it. The day I need a 5-string, I'll get Maruszczyk to clone the 5502 neck and will get a single MM pickup at the right spot with an MMSR preamp. Then I'll post about it at the EBMM forum

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1496224087' post='3309628'] It's only a matter of time before you get a ceramic Stingray five Jose Ceramic sting. Series position sting. Fat neck that you like. [/quote] it's that narrow string spacing that puts me off... I suppose I could adapt to it, but as I'm still not in a position where I feel I need a 5-string bass, it doesn't tempt me enough. The day I am tempted enough I'll probably go to Maruszczyk 'though...

[quote name='Treb' timestamp='1496179999' post='3309439'] Ever tried a Stingray-on-steroids AKA Sterling? That one can sometimes have a bit too much of a good sting thing... [/quote] No, I haven't. I prefer bigger necks so I don't want to try one and find that I like it I do have a Stingray on steroids of sorts: a USA made SUB from 2003 in white, where the pickup is alnico and wired in series (I think Sterling is ceramic series?)... which has an amazing tone. The low mids are very strong, and complement the 2EQ preamp very nicely. Great bass. Shame they only ever made them with rosewood fingerboards.

[quote name='Dandelion' timestamp='1496172467' post='3309361'] There are amazing sounds that a Stingray can deliver, that only a Stingray can deliver. but beware, too much sting can eventually be tiresome. Best to use a little sting methinks. But remain smug that you have more than enough sting in reserve should you ever need it. [/quote] Too much Sting? There's no such thing!!!

[quote name='M@23' timestamp='1495876103' post='3307197'] I'm just about to quit a wedding/function band, because: 1) The guitarist.I HATE the way the guitarist plays. His attitude is terrible too. I can go into details on his playing - but in an effort to keep this post shortish, I won't! [/quote] No, please, open a new thread and tell us! We like stuff like that

Let me see, I've quit a few... one I quit reluctantly... I just didn't have time to commit to it as it deserved and I felt I wasn't doing a good job of it (this was NUF, in case Beer of the Bass reads this... it was a lovely bunch of a band) mostly I've quite due to a mix of idiots + another factor, as I can tolerate a certain degree of idiocy as long as there are sufficient redeeming qualities. I quit a black metal band who loved drinking beer and talk about touring with Slayer more than actually learn to play their instruments well or writing decent songs. Our rehearsal slots were half wasted through beer and talking about touring with slayer. Oh, and about buying new effects pedals. Later I learnt the drummer was a bit of a racist too, so the whole thing was doomed from the start. I quit an indie/rock metal who had pretty good songs because the new rhythm guitarist (who was their previous bassist) was pretty hopeless and unable to take any constructive suggestions. He made a point of talking down at me from the start since I was *just* the bassist (clearly he felt moving to guitar was an 'upgrade'). At the time I was also in a RHCP tribute band so one day I talked about it and played a bit of a couple of the songs with the drummer, and main guitarist/singer joined... we had fun while the other guy looked on unamused. That only made me feel more amused about it all. For a minute. The guy never spoke to me again about anything. I was also frustrated about the need to play extremely loud to the point that it was impossible to make out the different parts clearly, which defeated the object of practicing... I brought it up a few times, the drummer agreed... but next practice it was the same. Then I made myself unavailable for the following 3 weeks. During that time I decided I was going to quit. However, I received an email before I sent mine "we had a chat and felt you are not a good fit for our band". I was a bit annoyed I didn't get to send my email first Both of those bands I should have known I would not last from the first or second practice. But there was another I just had to play in. It was a mix of hiphop/funk and I loved it. However the main guy was too intense and a bit of a control freak. He also dismissed sound checks... but then he'd spend part of the first and second songs telling the sound guy "a bit more guitar here, please" etc... One day the sound on stage was terrible and the female vocalist could not hear well and got lost... however the drummer, guitarist and myself realised what was going on and kept playing without missing a beat and it worked fine. The main dude, rapper, was visibly upset and at next rehearsal he spent the first half an hour ranting about the mistake we made etc etc, and attacking the female vocalist... That day I left early. Then he brought a piano teacher who clearly was unable to play in a band context. Lovely woman, but she would have to play full chords on everything all the time and killed the feel of a bunch of songs. Then we played our first gig with her... she was extremely nervous and took some kind of sedative. She was very happy. But she was playing the wrong chords all the time and she just could not hear it. Rapper dude kept giving evil looks to the guitarist, thinking he was out of tune... There was a guy in the audience I had met before whom I was keen to impress as I was hoping to work with him... and he left after the second song with a face that didn't neeed words. I was so embarrased. I quit the next day. The rapper dude continued with the band with an ever changing lineup and eventually he went solo using the name of the band as his artistic name. Nice guy outside the band and I love what he does... but never again in a band with him. And more... basically, life is too short to waste time with the wrong band. It's hard enough to spend enough time with the bands that are right, and sometimes you even have to pass on really nice opportunities (like NUF above) so the minute you realise a band is not a good match, walk.

[quote name='Steve Browning' timestamp='1496134411' post='3308941'] ........... but not your third sock I hope! :-) [/quote] our singer kept insisting about doing the sock thing... fortunately the others were more sensible, so we never did

[quote name='jimbartlett' timestamp='1492066036' post='3277535'] I have done exactly as above. I had to get a sharp blade to score around the glue on the SUB pickup but it can out easily and I swapped it over with the white cover off the cheaper pickup. [/quote] looking good!

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1496092159' post='3308762'] Going for a jam with a guy next week and Under the Bridge is on the list of songs he'd like to do. I've always hated it with a passion. I remember listening to it once about 10 years ago and vowed to never listen to it again. But, being an adult, I decided I'd learn it for this jam and then make my excuses in the future. Gave it a quick spin and it was as I remembered and feared. The shrill, jangly guitar tone. The dull, atonal vocals. Four sections to the song, which are all very plain in their own right, just shoehorned together. Meandering, needlessly complex, and poorly constructed bass line which totally dominates the song rendering it almost unlistenable, and my god does it drag?! Feels like it goes on for 10 minutes! And the drumming! It's like the guitar, bass, and drums are each playing a different song! Dreadful song. No idea why it's so highly regarded. The only redeeming feature is Flea's tone, which is sick. So I've learnt it and I'll give it a run through, but hopefully it'll sound terrible and we'll never have to play it ever again. [/quote] well, I love it I find the bassline very cool. And when you play it in a full venue and people sings it back (I used to play in a RHCP tribute band for a few years) made my arm hairs stand up...

Last night... gig in Coventry (The Arches Venue). Quite a drive from a band based in Scotland. We had a great support band... great because they were great guys&girls and they did a fantastic job, and great because they stayed to see us, and they became about one third of the crowd... the place was so empty... disappointing. There was another event, outdoor, less than 500m away with The Levellers, Level 42, and UB40... and I suspect that must have hurt the evening at this venue... Still, it was a nice pay after expenses, and the hotel was pretty decent... but it feels bad when you know the promoter took a hit to have you play. He wants us back... fingers crossed!

[quote name='beely' timestamp='1495974591' post='3307835'] A little back-story to last night’s gig. Hope this is not too long-winded but, bear with me. On Tuesday I was contacted by a local venue to see if we could play on Saturday as the band they had booked couldn’t do the gig. Before I confirmed we were ok, I texted each band member to check they were available. Within twenty minutes I had replies from everyone to say they were free. So far, so good. I confirmed with the venue, The Twa Tams in Perth, that we were good to go. I then set off on the drive down to Northumberland to spend a couple of days with a musician buddy who moved there a few months ago. About an hour later, the lead guitarist texts me. “Really sorry man, just realised I’ve got something on that night so I can’t make it.” My reply ( the printable one) was, “The gig is confirmed, we are playing.” However, he insisted he can’t make it so now, I’m faced with a problem. Gigs are hard enough to come by as it is so there is no way I am giving this one up without a fight. Cue much texting and phoning to see if I can get a dep. Everyone seems to be playing this weekend. I eventually get a reply from a young lad who I know from open mics in the town that he can play with us. Bit of a result: he lacks neither talent nor confidence. Next thing: we have a new guitarist joining the band and this will be his first gig with us. He has had one rehearsal so you can imagine how he feels. He tells me he will get down to work and should be well enough sorted for the gig. Starting to feel a bit better about things as we all seem to be taking the view that, actually, this could be fun. Both new guitarist and dep learned thirty-one songs in three days to at least giggable standard. Absolutely fantastic. It turned out to be probably our best gig/performance to date. The crowd were up for it, right from our vocal sound-check, a three-part harmony of “When will I be loved” and continued throughout the whole evening. Everybody in the band were totally relaxed and, despite a few missed cues and a couple of other daft things, played exceptionally well. Really gratifying to see hard work paying off and turning what could have been a difficult night into a bit of a success. Also nice to get a few more dates in the diary. First topic of conversation at tomorrow’s rehearsal? We have a band Google calendar: use it! [/quote] so, is the new guy your new guitarist substituting the one who created the problem? It wasn't clear to me. If yes... then I like your style: ruthless but fair. I hate being left to deal with crap like that when someone comes up with "oh I forgot..."... easy for them because they never deal with promotors or have to negotiate anything... or be the ones looking like an idiot.

[quote name='Les' timestamp='1495968676' post='3307791'] Is your original neck for sale ? Les [/quote] No, I'm going to keep it, I'm sorry. Despite being rosewood and Jazz-like in dimensions, it's not like I cannot play it and it's actually one of the very nicest Jazz necks I have ever played. I want to keep it for as long as I have the rest of the bass.

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' timestamp='1495804735' post='3306756'] I know that pubs tend not to be on the dimensions of the Royal Albert, but 10x15 feet? Meters yes, but feet? My car wouldn't fit in a garage of that size. [/quote] yeah, 10x15 feet was probably a way to say "it's small" rather than the actual measurements of the bar. If you have the band playing, there would only be room for two customers at a time

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1495799627' post='3306704'] There can't be many necks in the world with a fake Squier decal! I hope the quality is good - my £30 Chinese guitar neck has fretwire that seems softer than the good stuff. [/quote] "Genuine fake Squier decal! L@@K!" Yeah, let's see how it goes. Going by what different people say, some are very decent and some not so much. There were some for £25. I saw what these guys were selling and they *looked* reasonable and the way they described things made me feel they were above average. But for all I know, they might be buying the £25 necks and selling them to me for £60 Postage will be slow, so I don't expect to have news until another 2-3 weeks from now. Oh, and I'm going with purple

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1495789058' post='3306545'] I think Cort have upped the game with this one and I am looking to demo the 75JJ or possibly the 75HB that look cracking. [/quote] label the reviews clearly so that I can avoid them... the temptation may prove too strong

[quote name='BassApprentice' timestamp='1495789215' post='3306549'] £60 for a neck made to your spec with a decent looking logo. Not bad. [/quote] It'll need a nut, and expect to take care of fret levelling etc... but if it's half decent that's nothing. It was worth a shot. I'll report back when I receive it. I'm also repainting the body... fiesta red? purple? I've got both colours... decisions decisions...

I have a '94 Korean Squier Jazz, a battered thing that sounds fantastic (the electronics are all replacements, however...). My favourite Jazz of all the ones I have owned including 3 75RI Fenders... the thing is it's a Jazz neck (I like chunkier ones best) and rosewood for fingerboard (while I prefer maple). So I ordered a new neck for it... and it would need a logo. I simply had a replica made, down to the serial number:

I've got a ridiculous Squier Jazz, a '94 Korean one from the Cort factory. Why ridiculous? Because I've owned more Jazz basses than I remember, from £40 Westfields to several 75RI Fenders. And this is my favourite. I bought it here for the princely sum of £75. I wanted a cheap Jazz bass at a time when I was Jazzless. This one was offered, the electronics didn't work properly and it was not cosmetically in the best condition, hence the price, but it was ok. I fixed the electronics, cleaned it... and loved it. Well, loved it after I replaced the pickups, they were terrible. After a while I realised that this thing was here to stay and I added a J-Retro preamp. Essentially the electronics are worth several times what I paid for the whole bass But nothing sounds like it, for whatever reason. With Labella White Nylon tapewounds this thing is just fantastic. Except... I really don't like Jazz necks. Or rosewood. So I thought... I don't really want to spend a lot of money on something that is not *necessary* and which if not right might just change too much of what makes me love this bass... but for £60 I might just give it a shot. £60 being the price of some tasty looking Jazz necks advertised on AliExpress, all maple, lacquered (as I like) with a yellowish/vintage tint... I contacted them and asked whether they also have some Precision necks to sell. The ones they had were all 38mm at the nut. The answer came almost immediately: "no, but we can make one for you. what do you want?" So I specified a 42mm nut, etc... oh, and logo... their necks show no logo, but they do mention in the blurb they'll put a logo of your choice. Presumably that means Fender for a lot of people. I said I'd like a replica of the original Squier logo, down to serial number etc and sent them a picture. The answer came again fast "yes, we can do that, we charge $10 for the logo design work"... That sounded great as I thought I was going to make the logo myself, with my limited ability for these things. I found a font that was relatively close and so I could make a logo that would do the job, but if they can do it for $10... let them. They will send me pictures before finishing it, and will change if I felt it needed modification. That was March 22nd. Time started to pass. Time continued to pass. Time had children, which grew, and then they passed too. - "Hi, how is that neck going?" I asked in mid April. - "Next week" was the, again quick, reply. Next week made a whooshing sound as it passed by me (just like deadlines, love you Douglas! ) - "Hi..." - "Next week" 3 times. Now, AliExpress have a very good buyer protection program, from what I hear (I never needed it, I only bought a couple of pickguards and a preamp from the place before)... but it has a time limit, and that time limit was 26th of May for me. It seems that AliExpress gets the payment when you place the order, and they don't release the funds to the seller until the buyer confirms it's received and ok (or a certain time passes after confirmed delivery by the postal company if the buyer doesnt bother to reply). So that makes it much easier than dealing with individual sellers. The last time I heard "Next week", I waited the week and another one without making contact, and I just said "Squier, you're keeping your old neck" and opened a dispute at AliExpress to get a refund. I explained the issue, with copy to the seller, and as indeed there was no tracking number or evidence of shipping anything nearly 2 months after the order... AliExpress quickly refunded me. A day or so later, the seller emails me a picture of a neck and says "we'll be working on the logo tomorrow and will send you the picture in 2-3 days". Then, with a choice of words that sounded almost like they were broken hearted added a question about why did I open a dispute? It was in a nice tone, sounded hurt I replied stating why: "next week" promises unfulfilled and coming to the end of my buyer protection period. Because they sounded nice and genuine, just... slow, I added "the thing is I would still be interested. If you finish the neck, and put it for sale as a new item, please send me the link and I will buy it". They said ok. They will send me pictures when finished "next week" and if it's right, then I can buy it. "Next week" was actually going to be next week, but I got the picture today. My new neck, Precision dimensions, for the Squier... Let's see how it goes!