mcnach

Well... I started this thread and I changed my mind entirely by now. Not that these cobalt flats are not nice, they are... but I found something (for me) a LOT better. [b][color=#ff0000]Labella White Nylon tapewounds.[/color][/b] They are surprisingly bright, for that type of string, although nothing like the cobalts... but not all thumpy like as a typical flat/tapewounds string. They have very low tension, which actually feels pretty good and you find yourself bending strings a lot more (if you like that kind of thing)... but above all, the sound is just... that kind of punchy mids-rich almost rubbery kind of tone... On a Jazz it's... intoxicating Not cheap... but I suspect they will last a long time, and the sound and feel are worth it.

[quote name='HazBeen' timestamp='1495612616' post='3305200'] It must be me, but I have totally lost the plot on this thread. What are we talking about? [/quote] what's the best bass for metal

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1495566751' post='3304949'] Nah, can't be any good, he's got a music stand in front of him [/quote] It was probably the guitarist's, not his, so it's ok

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1495547887' post='3304654'] Ugh, hate this guy and his attention-seeking clickbait channel. I'm sure he's great, but he comes up on every bass related search on YT, and it's always some awful novelty party trick, he creeps me out massively. [/quote] can't please everyone, and that's ok

[quote name='Cairobill' timestamp='1495544391' post='3304605'] I'll add my vote to say get a Stingray Classic fiver - they sound amazing and look fab. Beautifully built too... [/quote] and have you seen the coral red ones??? !!!!!

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1495534678' post='3304471'] Mick and I are getting close to finalising the headstock shape and in the meantime I've been starting to round the edges: Mick has asked that there are no flat surfaces anywhere so the headstock will also be radiused and rounded. In the meantime I've just head that the custom pickup coils are ready [/quote] aha, so invisible to radar?

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1495529247' post='3304418'] What about a P Bass with a MM pickup in the right place ? [/quote] You mean with just the MM pickup? I'd take it! In fact... that's what (eventually) my 5-string bass will be. edit: if you meant having both the P and the MM... both overlap, but moving the P slightly upwards would not hurt too much, it would still sound pretty P-like. But I would not go for that. Two MM right by each other, ok... otherwise, just one MM would do, thanks

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1495522485' post='3304344'] I've never really understood the problem, there must be a hit record from every genre recorded on a Stingray, if you want to play with one technique and try and make the bass do the work maybe it's a problem? Play near the neck, play near the bridge, use a pick, use your thumb, give it a slap, cut the treble, if you are still getting one sound out of it before you've even started using the active eq then I'm not sure what's going on User error [/quote] I think user error is as harsh as one-trick-pony... I cannot imagine a situation where I could not make my Stingray fit in, but it clearly has a type of sound (which is why I like it so much) that others may not prefer... just like any other bass, really. Is a Precision a one trick pony too? I wouldn't say so, but whatever. Give me a Stingray or even a Precision ahead of any twin pickup bass, but that's just what I prefer.

[quote name='DDR' timestamp='1495476918' post='3304060'] Heya I have been thinking about 5 strings but don't have the budget and quite frankly I'm just not in to buying anything that isn't a keeper so I got excited when I read a comment in a discussion on here about stringing a 4 string B E A D. Has anyone got any thoughts/advice for me on this? Would the bass need adjustments to welcome the B? I've got a '50 classic precision & it has become my spare recently. Thanks! [/quote] Just the nut slots, probably requiring widening up a bit. The tension is likely to be similar or a bit lower, actually, than your existing strings so you may have to loosen up the truss rod *a tiny bit*... and that's it. If you have very low action, then there may be a bit of buzz because the thicker strings vibrate with a larger amplitude so you may need to raise the strings a *very tiny bit* but that's only if you're already having very low action... chances are it'll be ok as is.D Do it!

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1495446942' post='3303710'] Brilliant sound! Wouldn't want to have to tune it mind... [/quote] That's what I thought too

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1495400442' post='3303519'] The band I play guitar in has only one guitar, yet the ad I answered was specifically looking for a rhythm guitarist. Apparently this is because they'd already audtioned five or six insatiable widdlers. Several years later I still haven't tried to squeeze in anything resembling a solo (though I do play some melodic parts), and they seem to like it that way. [/quote] Your guitar playing in NUF is very tasty

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1493735242' post='3290263'] Dave Wilson - [url="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002025970885"]http://www.facebook....100002025970885[/url] [/quote] Absolutely! No question, beautiful work, great guy, and you will like the cost more than SIMs. He did a Jazz body of mine, and also lacquered the neck of my Stingray. Superb.

Sounds about right to me. I have a bit more than 5mm on the E side, and less on the G side of my 4 string Stingray

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1495356626' post='3303126'] We've tried half a step which was still a struggle for the singer, I suggested we try a whole step but my guitarist friend says it's too much and the action will be too sloppy, I did suggest heavier gauge strings but he's not keen on the idea. [/quote] well, he's going to have to if he wants to continue playing the right chord versions a few semitones down!

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1495353840' post='3303091'] My guitarist friend and myself have just formed a new band playing lots of AC/DC material, and he's brought his brother-in-law along as our vocalist because he said he can do the Bon & Brian vocals, as it turns out, he can't do them in standard tuning, we tried tuning down half a step and it was still a struggle, so now we are thinking of transposing them. First of all, I don't play, or have a 5-string bass, and I don't particularly want one, so how do I get round this? A vast majority of their songs require the low E, going up to the high E is just not going to sound right, and I feel the songs in general won't have the impact if I'm playing up the board. Any advice would be very welcome. [/quote] You will probably be able to get away with changing the strings and detuning the whole instrument. You will still play your E string where the original plays a low E, even if now it is actually a C or whatever your vocalist needs to go down to. I'd rather do that than getting one of those pedals, unless you need to use that same bass for normal tuning stuff too.

Typical Jazz-like instrument with both pickups on during the tune, switching to mostly bridge pickup during the solo... LOVING that tune, thanks for sharing!!!

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1495298907' post='3302844'] I'm not much of a fan of slap, but this, I like. Blue [/quote] Slap has been badly abused, but done with taste it's like any other technique and can be pretty cool. One of my favourite slapped basslines is "Forget me nots", played by Freddie Washington, like this: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5QYSu9xaTE[/media] the actual slap starts at around 30 seconds. It also shows just how nice a Precision can sound slapped. You hear a lot of scooped tones, lots of Jazz bass with both pickups on... I like my mids, and this is beautiful.

Oh yes: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S8XfTcGEyo[/media] I love how it has the octave 'effect' built in. Tasty.

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1495282630' post='3302691'] I presume this is the meter reader ? If so, yeah, I share your horror. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltmIJTWEeXs[/media] [/quote] I love some of the comments... [quote]ELEPHANT FART, ELEPHANT FART, [b]some jazzy licks[/b], ELEPHANT FART.[/quote] [quote]You should make this "music" to fat people fighting and walking.[/quote]

[quote name='Gibbo9876' timestamp='1495279752' post='3302667'] My only concern about the P retro is that you have to boost treble and bass at the same time (I'm a real lover of load of bass and little treble) would the deep boost be able to achieve this and can you vary the level of bass boost? [/quote] The thing with the P Retro is that you still have the passive tone control (with a choice of capacitors) so you can dial in the desired amount of passive treble cut, and use the concentric dual control to choose whether to scoop mids (turning up low/treble) or to boost them... and select exactly the mid frequency range to be affected. I *think* the amount of low boost was selectable in the circuitry via a trim pot (not 100% sure). So you'd most likely get the sound you want from it. Personally I find it easier to deal with a more standard type of preamp. Hence my preference for the MMSR.

[quote name='Gibbo9876' timestamp='1495277872' post='3302647'] Hi all I'm looking to get an active P bass circuit, in particular a treble, bass and mid boost/cut, does anyone have any recommendations? Thanks, [/quote] I used the John East P-Retro... it was good but I never got along with it 100%. I find their Stingray-style preamp (MMSR) much more to my liking and works well with Precision type basses. The 3-knob 3-band is really good, and the mids control have a frequency-selector knob, which is very useful.

This whole thread is fascinating, wow

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1495276559' post='3302632'] Just listened to the OP's link. Sounds like a bag of spanners being thrown down a fire escape. I get that there is a lot going on but, for me, one of the most important apsects of bass in terms of groove is timbre/tone. If the timbre doesn't work, the notes can be absolutely correct and it still won't groove (think some of the early electric bass playing with big bands). This guys clanking and fret buzz is so distracting, it detracts from his ideas. Is it bass playing? Of course it is. Is it good bass playing? Subjective. [/quote] I would have enjoyed what he was doing if he had a different sound. Like you say, there's far too much clank and high frequency noise, and low end rumble, and I miss the low rubbery mids that grab and shake you and leave your ears all sticky... or something

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1495194293' post='3302034'] One thing that grinds my gears is 'Sport' models, I'd make a law that says you can't call it a sport unless it is used somewhere in a sport, a Citroen Picasso sport? Hhmm which bit is sporting? Ah rant over. [/quote] Well, if it's got a big noisy muffler...

to make it easier to inspect: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Precision-Bass-/262989957377?hash=item3d3b6c4901:g:rBsAAOSw42JZHCx3"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Precision-Bass-/262989957377?hash=item3d3b6c4901:g:rBsAAOSw42JZHCx3[/url]