mcnach

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1483723851' post='3209628'] A bit tricky... ...but doable. Anybody have a bandsaw i can borrow? [/quote] !!!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1483710804' post='3209444'] That's fair enough for something made in the days when pin routers were the height of wood-working sophistication, but it's no longer the 1950s and these days pretty much everything that isn't individually crafted by a master luthier is produced on a CNC machine where it is simple to get the angles required. Add this to the fact that there's a surprisingly large amount of vertical adjustment available in even the BBT bridge and there is no reason why modern bolt-on guitars and basses can't be made with either the pocket or the heel machined to the correct angle instead of messing about with shims. [/quote] of course they could be made... but the question is, if you are a large scale manufacturer... why should you? Would that result in significantly better sales? I bet they thought not, which is why they do what they do. Some of you imply a shim makes a bass defective or something. I don't think so. It seems most people don't know or don't care... so why would they change something that works? Until they find a good reason, they won't.

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1483658406' post='3209176'] my word! How do I check?? [/quote] oooh, I don't know. Have you got access to an MRI machine?

[quote name='threedaymonk' timestamp='1483659250' post='3209184'] It's really to change the pitch of the neck, which can't be affected by a manufacturing process based on cutting flat shapes with a router. If everything else were flat, the trigonometry would be straightforward and this wouldn't be an issue, but neck relief pushes the nut end higher. You could compensate for this by lowering the bridge, but the exact amount depends on the setup, and there are mechanical limits to how thin the bridge can be. The other solution is to change the pitch of the neck. This could be done by routing the neck pocket at a slight angle, but it's simpler, easier and more flexible to use a shim at this point. The ability to finely adjust neck pitch so that the bridge saddles are all at a happy level given individual preferences of neck relief and action is a convenient feature of bolt-on necks. It's much harder to get things right on a through-neck, as you can read about [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/295059-bc-rich-mockingbird-tweaks/"]on this Mockingbird repair thread[/url]. [/quote] very well explained, nice post.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1483647967' post='3209046'] Afaik all Ernie ball basses come with a factory shim. [/quote] But MusicMan basses are crap, right? They don't age well at all

[quote name='Manton Customs' timestamp='1483627985' post='3208801'] Bodge might be a strong term, but nobody builds a bass from the ground up to incorporate a shim. If you find a shim in pocket straight from the factory, it's simply because they make mistakes too. It obviously makes sense from a manufacturing point of view to simply add a shim when the alternatives would be hard work. There's nothing wrong with a shim if necessary on a used bass which has been around the block, but on a new bass I'd find it unacceptable. [/quote] Rightly or wrongly, I don't think mass produced instruments are made to very strict tolerances, which is why many end up with shims as it's an easy thing to do when assembling and checking over an instrument, as you indicate. They could work to tighter tolerances and put the price up, but I suppose they figured out using shims when required is a better proposition. I don't care much whether it's a new or old instrument *if I like it enough*. Obviously I'd rather not have one, but it has never bothered me or any of my instruments that had one. Granted I have not owned any for 100 years but it's always been a set-and-forget matter. Except when the truss rod adjustment is at the body end and you meed to loosen up the neck to adjust. That's a royal pain in the arse when the shim moves. Other than that... I'd never know it's there. Anyway, I made my point. Anything else would be repeating myself and bore everybody to death. edit: on the OP's bass... I agree a return/replacement is probably the best option. No point having the neck plek'd if you are going to alter the neck angle afterwards, that's true, the set up will be wrong. It may not be very wrong, or it may be very noticeable... either way, not cool after spending £2000.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1483624042' post='3208752'] The point against a shim is that it's simply a bodge to make up for poor manufacturing standards. If you pay for good standards you should get good standards. Other makers manage to do it. [/quote] You'd be surprised... even Warwick used them As for it being a bodge... we'll have to disagree. It may not seem that elegant at first sight, but it's highly effective with no drawbacks. Yes, you may argue that theoretically the contact neck/body is reduced etc etc. But I'm only interested in what works or doesn't work *in use*. And shims work. No question about it. edit: but then I also liked the micro-tilt mechanism on 3-bolt fenders (and some 4-bolt too, as my old Strat has that). It gave me all the adjustability I wanted and I never saw any problem -as long as the neck pocket is tight.

[quote name='oggiesnr' timestamp='1483557714' post='3208261'] My 5-string currently has a low B. It's going in for some work and a set up so this would be the opportunity to swtich to high C. What do other five-stringers do and any thoughts on the pro's and cons of the two options? Cheers Steve [/quote] I guess it depends on whether you will use more the higher or the lower range. I would not really use the extra higher notes, and I use more the lower range than the higher, so I'd find more useful the ability to move horizontally towards the low end (B string) than towards the high (C string). So that means BEADG for me. If you do a lot of melodic soloing etc you might prefer the C. If you're unsure as to which one... maybe you need a 6 string?

If it's new from a shop, I'd get them to fix it. Unless I really liked the bass. All it likely needs is a tiny tiny shim. I notice some here think that's a problem, but I disagree. It's a very effective and common way to fine tune the neck angle on mass-produced bolt-on neck instruments. Many include a shim from factory, which you only find out when you remove the neck, and I'm not talking about budget instruments exactly. So... if that were my bass and all I didn't like was that, I'd keep it and address it myself. You can get the shop to take care of it but either you'll have to wait, or you'll have to wait AND receive a new instrument which you may like more or less than this one you have in your hands: so if I really like it, I'd keep it... and depending on how impatient I feel I'd either do it myself or talk the shop into sorting it out.

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1483620538' post='3208710'] I was looking at these and contacted one of the shops. The say the supply came from Fender. Here's a pic of the s/n that they sent me: [attachment=235307:$_12.jpg] The prefix and everything looks right, but I can't find a reliable source to say whether the first two digits refer to the yob as the shop is saying it's 2015 (which I thought was after they were discontinued). Can anybody shed any further light? [/quote] The first two numbers indicate the year indeed. That's a 2011. edit: I found I had a picture of my 2014 Matt Freeman made in the same factory, as an example:

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1483537780' post='3208009'] You meantion a blend control... in the middle position is it both pickups at 50% or both pickups at 100% (mn type I think it's called) that will make a difference to the sound of it [/quote] I have noooo idea. Chris McIntyre did the initial conversion for me and when he asked "hey, how about a blend rather than VVT configuration?" I said "hmmm, sure!". That's as far as that conversation went and I have no idea what kind of pot was used. I didn't even know there were different kinds! I do like the result now, 'though.

as the original poster, I thought I'd add that... I got tired of them Nice feel and sound, but... I missed my usual stainless steel roundwound sound. So after I sold the ATK300 I haven't bothered buying those strings again. They do have their uses and I'll keep them in mind, but I personally prefer the good old roundwound stainless steel string after they lose their initial OTT brightness.

[quote name='krispn' timestamp='1483509985' post='3207713'] Surely this bass should be renamed the Hack Freeman JJ [/quote] ha! I had thought of Huge Hackman JJ as it's been hacked at so much

wow!

[quote name='fiatcoupe432' timestamp='1483345673' post='3206292'] Hi all , after 12 years living in the uk me my wife and our 2 yo son we thinking of relocating to Wroclaw in Poland . I'm italian and my wife is polish but we have been living in uk since 2005. Now...... I love the uk and I have a very good job , not good money but a job everyone would def love. I work on one of the most amazing place in uk Bantham . I work 6 month of the year full time 3 month only 2 days a week (weather permitting ) and 3 month off of course paid all year around around £18000 a year before tax . This job give me lots of time on concentrating on music . In 2013 me and my band realised our first album which sold over 80000 copies been voted iTunes best of 2013 , let's say I had axing experience and lucky to achieved this , played amazing shows tour America couple of times etc. then lots happened we took 2 years break and started writing again . However this is the part where my wife decided to move and i do feel a bit i need to supported me in this as she supported me in the last 5 years and i also could do with a scenery change btw we both 34 . Any polish people here know about Poland music scene?is it easy to find job , i speak English Italian Spanish a bit of French and still learning polish.I be been in Wroclaw lot of times and amaze me every time. Thanks for your advice [/quote] Sorry, I have nothing helpful to add... but my girlfriend is from Wroclaw and I love the place too. I never miss a visit (or five) to Spiz everytime I'm there Make sure you post here when you're settled in Wroclaw and gigging there, and I'll come and say hi

Sorry I cannot help... lovely basslines on that album 'though. Voulez Vous, the album and the song, are favourites of mine.

Oh no! I never met him personally, and my only contact with him was a few emails when I wanted to order a pair of TKS S112 in blue tolex... it was close to Xmas and he was so helpful and generally nice... Way too young to go.

[quote name='TrevorR' timestamp='1483314374' post='3206189'] That configuration has a really great look to it. Nicely proportioned - which given how far the pickup has moved is a real surprise. Nice! [/quote] Thanks! I thought it might look a bit off, but it seems it works alright visually. I think having both pickups equidistant from the pickguard edge makes it look balanced.

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1483306652' post='3206138'] Next mod - triple pickups! [/quote] Ha ha! no, I think I'm done with this one now although it could be cool to have three pickups and a 5-way pickup switch like a Stratocaster where you can also get the two outer pickups on, for 'Jazz' sounds... Maybe next Xmas if I spend too much time at home without anything else to do

[quote name='Fisheth' timestamp='1483302310' post='3206081'] Nice one, I'll have to hear you play it sometime! [/quote] If we play near you I'll let you know! I'm really liking it, so much so that I'm thinking I should have maybe left this one as 'Jazz' and have the Maruszczyk be the JJ... ah well! I do want a 'nice' Jazz, which the Maruszczyk will surely be.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1483282457' post='3205873'] I can understand the guitarist wanting more top end but unless you are slap-happy, as a bassist I'd imagine it isn't such a problem. Let us know what you think? I like the idea that you aren't injecting sound into your ear with those. Additionally, taking the eardrum out of the process altogether might turn out to be advantageous in my case. [/quote] Well, I want to hear everything, not just myself ;)It's an issue for everyone in the band, not just the guitarist, if it means he ends up turning his amp or his monitor higher. Las gig was at a place with a very bad stage, very boomy box type of stage... I turn down the low end in my bass a lot onstage and we generally avoid a lot of bass frequencies onstage or everything becomes mush. If you have high volume onstage there you have the same effect. It's just not ideal. As for hearing the bass better... I don't know about you but what I need to hear from my bass is something that gives me a good pitch recognition, not masses of low end. Pitch recognition is all on the midrange. It may sound bassier overall, but if the pitch recognition is not improved...

Two gigs now with the bass in this configuration... and it's a winner. I ended up just leaving the two pickups on (parallel) and it has enough oomph and enough definition and sounds very good. A very different sound from a Stingray or a Jazz. Nice slap tone and fingerstyle. Success! It'll stay as it is