mcnach

[quote name='Naetharu' timestamp='1492082347' post='3277762'] [b]You'll hear the battery going long before it goes silent so don't worry there[/b]. If the signal starts sounding off and you get artefacts in the sound (like there is a low gain fuzz pedal on) you're coming to the end of the batteries life. But as mentioned above these things last a long time. A good quality battery will give you hundreds of hours playing. [/quote] Not true with every preamp. The Stingray one just works until... it doesn't. There may be slight degradation but it happens so quick, you get no useful warning. My old Warwick Corvette $$ however started playing up and distorting well before it gives up entirely. BUt yes, most preamps don't need that much juice. I change the battery on the Stingrays once a year, but I know they'll last a lot longer. It just seems that once a year is a convenient and safe interval

[quote name='nash' timestamp='1491982186' post='3276861'] Can anyone enlighten me? I see it often, Squiers, bitsa, Nash, Lime Light and some that have a headstock shape that's not even close. I Squier rebadge for example. I think so what if it's a Squier, big deal. If it plays and sounds nice then that's all that matters and then credit where credit is due if it's a good bass. I just don't understand it. [/quote] Yeah, not my thing either... but some people love the look of an instrument and that includes the logo. Live and let live I've just ordered a new neck for an old Squier Jazz of mine. I asked for a copy of the original Squier logo to be put on it

I'm not sure when you know you've made it... but that day when I was getting into a venue and the bouncer ran to tell the guy taking the money at the door "don't you know who he is? he's X from Y, he doesn't pay here!" made me feel like I could retire because I know it'll never get better than that and no, it hasn't, and next time I was there I had to pay... they had changed staff, doh

stainless DR Fat Beams. They feel good, sound 'oomphy' once they lose their initial (annoying to me) brightness (any roundwound, but specially steels, I find them too bright to start with and gets me reaching for my treble knob and turning it down). I like many others, but these are by far the nicest, for my liking, on pretty much any bass. plan B is Labella White Nylon tapewounds... very low tension and lovely growly midrange on a Jazz...

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1492034178' post='3277449'] I can't help but be highly sceptical. These are solid pieces of metal with flared tips to hold them in place. I understand they rely more on bone conduction rather than sound passing down the ear canal? Yes I totally understand that it will be a safe way to help attenuate harmful SPL getting to the ear drum.. but it's still going to be muffled. So am I right in thinking it's just a fancy ear protector? [/quote] That was my impression too... and then I looked at their response graphs and it confirmed it for me.

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1492002094' post='3277063'] It's a easier than you think. Whatever you want to be the variable, just change that. Swap bodies but move over all the hardware and strings and measure pickup heights etc to be identical. If comparing necks - then even move the tuners and string retainers over and bolt to the same body for the test. [/quote] well, even then... because all bodies made of the same material are actually not identical, you're going to need to measure quite a few to get a sense for their natural variation, and THEN you can assess whether the distribution of both body materials are distinct enough or not. It seems like a lot of work when we already know the answer. Who needs facts?

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1491828495' post='3275651'] Yes. I don't think the band needs a CD for marketing. Much more important in my view is some half-decent real-time videos of the band playing live to an appreciative audience. However, the band still wants to do the studio recording in 10 days time. What I'm struggling with is why can't it be postponed until after the gig? The studio will still be there, the band will be much better-rehearsed, pressure will be off etc. [/quote] Do you think it would affect how prepared you'll be for the gig? I don't think so. If you said you only had 3 days to prepare, sure, one day is a big chunk to remove. But as it is? It may actually be quite good, especially if you record without the other instruments to guide you. I recorded the first EP of my main band that way just a month after I joined... it was not the easiest but I sure knew the songs perfectly after the recording. I understand your worrying... but I think you worry too much I think it'll be a good experience to have before your gig. Don't fight it! You're outvoted... go with it and see what happens. I doubt it'll be a disaster.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1491825925' post='3275609'] Surely it's not being suggested that you (all...) record all 30 songs in one recording session..? That smacks of folly, to me. If it's simply a matter of going through two, three or five of the numbers for a 'sampler' CD, what's the harm..? Go along, record your best take and enjoy the experience; it'll be fine, I'd say. Don't over-think it, maybe..? [/quote] That's how I read it too. No way they're going to record all 25-30 songs in one session.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1491825797' post='3275605'] Do the recording. If it comes out OK then fine, if it doesn't then bask in the smug feeling of "I told you so..." for years to come. [/quote] This. Sometimes you just have to watch the car crash unfold, as there's only so much warning you can give. And sometimes we can be wrong and the car crash never happens after all. I'd just concentrate on getting the songs ready as planned, for the gig, and coming recording time do your best. If a song doesn't come out right it'll be abandoned and another one used instead... I'm sure it'll be fine in the end even if it seems like extra unnecessary stress right now.

Well, mine was 'boring': no fights, no police involved... during the break two guys went on stage because they thought it would look cool to have pictured taken (they did not get too tempted to grab the sax, which would have unleashed a bit of a fury ) but they were promptly told to get off the stage by the sound guy, threatening them to be booted out. So they laugh and left the stage. As I said, boring The reason I am writing is because I had something happening to me that was very strange. As we're saying our goodbyes etc the crowd starting chanting the usual 'one more tune' etc... so we went back for one more. And I blanked. i forgot how the song went. I started playing something entirely different (first chord was the same, but that's about it)... If I sometimes blank out like that, it's usually a very brief thing and I catch up at the next one... but I did not... and I just had to stop playing, which I never do. I had to concentrate, so I turned around as my bandmates laughed... and get the song in my head as I danced around to it... then it clicked! and I turned around fast joining back in... what could have looked terrible ended up as a joke... the people in the front were amused by it all, we were all laughing at the forgetful bass player... and we ended up with a very great cheer... It's funny how something that back in the day would have just made me nervous and feel terrible, I can now just laugh it off and not let it spoil the mood. As long as it's not a regular occurrence! Weird how you can just suddenly have a completely blank mind...

This would work: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Musicman-Style-Bass-Pickup-Choose-Black-or-White-P53-/141332233688?var=440457232180&hash=item20e80ebdd8:g:w7gAAOSws65TrYDt"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Musicman-Style-Bass-Pickup-Choose-Black-or-White-P53-/141332233688?var=440457232180&hash=item20e80ebdd8:g:w7gAAOSws65TrYDt[/url]

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1491589971' post='3274200'] Ad says "Humbucker" - do these fit? [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2Pieces-70mm-x-39mm-x-20MM-Metal-White-Guitar-Humbucker-Pickup-Covers-/272559530157?hash=item3f75d060ad:g:5vcAAOSwB-1Ypme0"]http://www.ebay.co.u...vcAAOSwB-1Ypme0[/url] [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2pcs-White-Metal-Guitar-Humbucker-Pickup-Covers-Guitar-Replacement-/282338210031?hash=item41bcab30ef:g:e2sAAOSwo4pYiN6k"]http://www.ebay.co.u...2sAAOSwo4pYiN6k[/url] [/quote] ?? those are guitar humbucker covers.

[quote name='NJE' timestamp='1491572888' post='3274065'] Had anyone tried strings and things? I have just pinged them an email to see, I want one so much for my ray. [/quote] I tried. No joy. They don't sell direct to 'civilians' anymore. Hence my buying a cheap white pickup on eBay and just taking the cover...

I wanted one not long ago, I ended up buying a cheap white covered pickup... It cost something like £14, and I just took the cover off it. I still have the pickup and meant to get a black cover (easy to find) and sell it that way to recoup part of the cost. I ended up keeping it because I can't be bothered The covers come off easily.

[quote name='christhammer666' timestamp='1491300875' post='3271889'] I get in from a gig the only things my wife asks are was it good and did you play well. And the gigs she does come to she see my talking to woman she know that part of gigging is interacting with people and does not pay much attention If she did say anything id tell her to get a grip [/quote] Hmmm... I imagine that would be the last time you'd tell her anything if she were half intelligent. But then again, if she were half intelligent she wouldn't be in that position in the first place, I suppose.

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1491147044' post='3270805'] Thanks for the advice and I know you're right there. I decided to go with the Fender Japan Precision (see above post) as I played one at a gig once and loved it. At half the price of a Maruszczyk I just had to go for it. I would like a well thought out Jake in the future though. Not long til Christmas is it? [/quote] Yeah, I saw that after I posted my reply... at that price it's hard to argue! The euro-GBP exchange is not very attractive right now.

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1490997471' post='3269816'] I made the mistake of venturing down the rabbit hole that is the Public Peace Website and have seen a couple of Jakes that I like the look of. The seemingly standard 40mm nut width is a bit thinner than I'm used to but I could get used to that as long as the depth front to back isn't too slim. American Standard-ish, or Geddy Lee-like? Any advice or experience will be greatly appreciated! I know that I can custom order anything with Adrian but I'm looking to keep the cost down by going with what's in stock. Cheeoz. [/quote] Don't compromise on playability. I was the same with my first Jake. I saw something I like but the nut width was thinner than I prefer. I also prefer lacquered necks. I thought I wasn't ready to spend a lot of cash on something I had never tried before, but I thought I'd ask. It turned out that I could get the neck profile of my choosing and a lacquered neck for barely no extra cost (it was something but... it really did not amount to anything... and I think that was just the lacquer, not the neck dimensions)... So: ask. You'll have to wait around 10 weeks... but in my opinion it's worth waiting 10 weeks and getting the neck that feels right to me.

Fantastic gig last night with Urang Matang (ska/reggae, a mix of originals and a few classic covers). My first 'official' gig as a member (I've been playing with them every gig for the past 8-9 months as a 'dep', it feels like the longest ever audition! - finally it became clear they need a permanent member so I said yes). I got the proper introduction and a cople of impromptu 'solo' spots I wasn't really ready for that but I got away with it... good job I have played these songs for a few months now and I like playing about with changing phrasings and adding a few extra bits here and there for fun when I practice them at home, to keep me interested s I got away with it without embarrasment or resorting to slap Still... I enjoy playing bass because I don't get the spotlight on me, so I'm not sure I want that to be a regular thing We got Big Jim Paterson on trombone with us (due to geographical issues, he can't make every gig) and it's just so much more fun when he plays with us... I especially love it having the sax on one side and the trombone on the other... stereo bliss... Sound guy was great, adding extra echoes and things at the right places on the vocals and brass... and there was a large crowd going crazy. What a blast! I'm still smiling Maruszczyk Jake P/JJ + Markbass LMIII + Barefaced Two10... *in love*

It's good to see a bit of *real life* on the net, where people are often too quick at releasing their frustrations as aggression under the cover of anonimity, and see that humans can be nice people. Nice group hug... but who's getting next round? My glass is empty! Thank you all here for being cool guys.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1491080102' post='3270417'] "It's art when the check clears" Andy Warhol [/quote] great quote!

[quote name='Fisheth' timestamp='1490974698' post='3269558'] Am I right in thinking that Adrian uses a reverse trussrodd or something? [/quote] Yes!!! It confused the hell out of me on my first Jake... I thought I suddenly knew nothing, or that the bass was broken. Then I thought 'wait a minute', and noticed it. I thought you Brits were the experts at doing things "the wrong way" just because you can... but here Adrian out-britted the Brits

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1490956060' post='3269350'] Excellently put sir and I can now see how modifying instruments becomes alluring to some. My worry is that if I have 'X' bass, I either know it's a keeper or I don't. If it's a keeper, that usually means I'm happy with it just as it is and don't need/want to mess with it. If it's not a keeper, I wouldn't want to modify it as it could potentially devalue a resale. This point has, I believe, been raised in other threads. This is not to say that there has ever been anything wrong with basses that I have sold. My main motivation for selling anything these days is almost always because I have my eyes on something else. [/quote] and I envy you well, I'm much better these days... but it can almost be a compulsion... changing something in the bass just to make it a bit more 'unique and personal', just because you can. It's mostly just a bit of fun, really, but I remember not long ago when every bass I'd get I'd find a way to find an 'upgrade' for. I have wasted so much cash over teh years putting preamps on basses that were never going to be 'keepers'... it's ridiculous. It never added much (if anything) to the sale price, and sometimes it actually put people off who preferred an untampered-with instrument. I have reduced my collection considerably (I never even put everything I had in my signature!), and modify things a hell of a lot less. Interestingly, this happened at the same time I was getting much busier playing. Isn't there an expression that goes something like "the devil finds work for idle hands" in English? (I'm not a native) It's the same with purchasing gear. If we looked at how much I buy vs how much I play, I'm pretty sure there's a strong anticorrelation there. and this effect was amplified the day I discovered Basschat!

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1490954564' post='3269330'] Without the active preamp my Jazz just wouldn't work for me, bit of tinkering and it's at every gig, [/quote] same here. I tried to like the passive Jazz... and I like it until I play it in a band. So my Maruszczyk is now inheriting the U-Retro I bought for another old project a while ago. I miss it everytime I use it. It works, but I just know I'm missing out.

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1490900355' post='3268965'] This is not meant to antagonise anyone, but don't all these discussions about rewiring amount to tinkering around with something that doesn't really need fixing? [/quote] it's a very good point... but you've been here long enough to know that *need* is rarely the major motivation about what we do here. Do we *need* a new bass? Really? Yet... we get not one but three But seriously, yes... your point is a good one. Typically a bass works for you or it doesn't. If it doesn't... you may try changing things on it and all these mods can be very useful even if in most cases you're better off getting a different bass. But sometimes we just have to use THAT bass... maybe is sentimental value, or it just looks fabulous... other times it's a bass that feels *just right* but unfortunately the sound doesn't match the feel... whatever. If the bass works for us... it usually doesn't *need* anything. Most mods we do can make us happier with it in various ways. But we would probably be fine with it without the mods. I started playing with wiring mods back in the day when I was not playing in bands, I had one guitar and little money. It was a very cheap way to experiment, and it was fun and educational. At one point I was in love with the idea that with the right switches I could get 27 combinations out of my Stratocaster. I didn't go as far as that, but I got a way to get many many combinations. Of course, most were not very distinct. Some were not even useful. The interesting part is I found the sounds I liked... and invariably I would end up with 2-3 sounds max. Same with basses. I had a Warwick Corvette $$ with the two MM humbuckers and switches etc. Lots of combinations. I found that after the initial trial period, the switches stayed put. Now, series/parallel on a Stingray like instrument... I personally do not need the switching ability. But between the two I much prefer the series option. It works beautifully with a 2EQ preamp. It works well enough in parallel, as countless records illustrate. But in series it gives me that extra oomph that makes me smile that little more. It's not enough to make people say "hey, that bass sounds so different!" but it's noticeable enough for people to say "your bass sounded great tonight". Now, I'm pretty sure other people can get that kind of sound without the pickup being in series, by altering the EQ, as I get close enough on my Stingray with a touch of extra low mids on the MMSR preamp... but 2EQ + series is a very simple configuration that sounds great for what I do. So, whilst not needed, if I ever get a 2EQ Stingray, I'd rewire the pickup to series, and leave it that way. I don't need a Jazz and a Precision and a Stingray... I could play either and be happy. The 'problem' is I *know* the others exist, and sometimes one of them is a little extra nice for my purposes. So it's good to have, if you can... but no biggie if you can't/won't.

[quote name='lee650' timestamp='1490896756' post='3268942'] Cheers Mcnach! I'm actually going to get a pro to do it! I have an old Ray 5HH which is series wired (as per the Sterling) it sounds fantastic and really punches through a band mix,however I miss the parallel setting I had on my old sterling and want that option too.i wouldn't try and do something like that myself 😁 I'm also thinking of adding the East MM 3 band at the same time. [/quote]