mcnach

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1482504444' post='3201135'] I'm intrigued too... YouTube is full of horror stories, so best of luck! [/quote] I know, I don't expect much but also some successful ones. I think you just have to be realistic about what to expect. The reviews from people ordering that very bass model are reasonable. Some minor finish flaws here and there, sharp frets... usual stuff on that price bracket. I'm not saying this could be an alternative to Maruszczyk but this is the difference between not bothering with a 5-string or having one around. I've owned nice 5-string basses... an EBMM SUB5 and a Lakland 5502 were the best, although the G&L L2500 was nearly as nice... but they all went as I just don't *need* one. But occasionally I would like to have one around, and if I had one, I'd want it with an MM pickup type at the right place. So let's have a go. I might end up enjoying the 5-string world this time around and () end up emailing Adrian for my birthday next year again I watched a video of a guy with a Telecaster from aliexpress and there were many things he didn't like... but mostly they were cosmetic issues. If for £160 I get something that has most parts and a truss rod that works etc, I'll count it as a success. I enjoy tinkering, and I am counting on a serious set up job, and possibly redoing/replacing electronics, but I have all parts in my spares drawer... we will see. Worst case scenario: it goes on the wall I'll share the result here, so you can laugh at me and enjoy the experience without wasting your money as I'd have done it for you. I'm that nice.

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1482504583' post='3201136'] No need to go to 4/4 when 5/4 is so straightforward... [media]http://youtu.be/RK_j2LE07G0[/media] [/quote] what the...

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1482501565' post='3201110'] It`s called a Sansamp [/quote] ugh... but seriously, ugh

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1482436153' post='3200637'] It's a Coke / Diet Coke thing. One day you accidentally buy full fat Coke, and MY GOD it's nice. [/quote] then you discover Coke Zero and never go full-fat again... we need a Coke Zero amplifier...

I have always viewed aliexpress as a haven for counterfeit instruments, and something that doesn't interest me. I only recently learnt that it's just a huge sellers market and you can buy legit stuff there too. My gf has bought a few small items of clothing and decorating and it's no different from buying on eBay, really... she had to complain twice, once because she was sent the wrong item by mistake and another because it was low quality. Both times she was refunded fast and asked to just keep it. Like eBay, it pays to look at the feedback score and how long a store has been trading. So as I checked something for her, I noticed lots of bass pictures (damn cookies, they know ME!). And I got curious. There's a few interesting looking instruments there... low prices... quality questionable, but in many places the pics are detailed enough and I'd say 'honest': you can see how the pickup routing is not perfect, how the finish is fantastic, how veneers are applied to tops and the edges are not terribly tidy... which helps me imagine what sort of instrument they may be. The sort that could be pretty cool if you are able and willing to spend a little time tidying it up after it gets into your hands. So far, no particular reason to be terribly attracted to the instruments there, except they offer some interesting combinations of features. And here's where I noticed "we can customise". A few of these sellers claim to either run their own manufacturing or work closely with a manufacturing plant, and that they can modify things to accommodate a buyer. So... here's the experiment. A few days ago we were offered two gigs next weekend, covering NYE, and earning us some welcome and unexpected cash, as initially we had a greed not to play NYE this year. I decided to use part of my fee towards a 5-string bass from a seller that looks good on paper, whom I approached and has been pretty economic with his words but addressing all my points. Just efficient communication, a bit like Adrian Maruszczyk Not that I expect the same quality, not at all! But I sort of want a cheap 5 string to explore 5stringness again. So... a bass caught my eye. It was a Jazz shape. Maple neck and board with block markers, ash body with a figured maple veneer top in natural finish, two big MM humbuckers, no pickguard, 3-band active. So I approached them asking whether they'd make one without the fender logo (I would supply something else myself), just one pickup positioned where I want it, no neck markers, body tinted purple (I supplied a picture as example)... and they said yes, just supply the logo as PDF, and they'll show me examples of the colour and they'll send me a picture when it's done... and if I don't like it, they'll do it again. I was warned it would take probably a month (only!?) and cost the princely sum of around £160-170 all included (price is in USD). So why not? He said the weight is typically around 4Kg, which is not bad for a 5 string. I then enquired about maybe using a Precision shape instead, which I find more comfy and being smaller will also likely be a bit lighter. The reply was "yes, I can make that". So I'll prepare a sheet with all the specs and a mock picture to illustrate all the key points and dimensions, get some kind of logo sorted... and I'll place the order sometime over the next week or so. I figured it was worth a punt to get a cheap instrument that will l be a bit different from what's around. Of course... it may prove to me a complete waste of money but if it's useless I'll hang it as decoration and then get a white Squier VM precision and modify that one with a MM pickup and a new pickguard. The 'base' bass looked like this on their site: Watch this space if you're curious about aliexpress... and sometime in February I should receive this, and a 4-string custom Maruszczyk as well... [u][b]EDIT 30th Dec' 2016:[/b][/u] post #36, decal designed

[quote name='obi 2 kenobi' timestamp='1482491642' post='3200981'] am I in an elevator ? [/quote]

that was great!

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1482388412' post='3200057'] So, I bet he plays with a pick like it's a guitar, he can't stop all the resonating notes and ringing open strings coz he can't palm mute and doesn't know why we use one finger on a fret to be able to finger mute the notes either. [/quote] if there's one things guitarsts can do while using a pick is palm muting!

whether you need a bass dedicated compressor or not has nothing to do with active vs passive or the output level. And let's forget that wrong notion that active = higher output than passive, for it's just not true. the output of a bass is different from a guitar in terms of frequency content, and sometimes the higher bass content can drive a compressor to tame the output across the board which may be what you're after or not. Some work really well, so why not. But a multiband compressor is often nicer on bass as it allows different levels of compression on different frequency bands. The MXR M87 is pretty cool and transparent and doesn't cost the Moon. But first I'd just use whatever I have near, and see if the result is acceptable. Also... I'd question whether a compressor is needed at all. Maybe he thinks he needs one before having tried, just assuming it would be needed.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1482405672' post='3200221'] The passive option on both active basses is like a "get you home" tyre. They'll get you to the end of the number [b]but in comparison they sound terrible.[/b] [/quote] That would depend entirely on what settings you use on your preamp. If you only need fine adjustments, then it will not sound that different. I like a preamp to tweak a good bass sound, not to create it from scratch. Others like a more dramatic effect. The passive switch does not need to make the sound terrible at all, only if the bass in passive form sounds terrible

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1482341663' post='3199759'] [b]Has that ever happened to anyone?[/b] I can't think of a way you would do a circuit where it would actually cut out due to battery death, as batteries tend to get flat, not just die. As a result, you will just start to get clipping, and as most batteries discharge quite slowly with the sort of power an acitve circuit needs. Certainly never heard of it actually happening since I got my first active bass in the 80s. [/quote] well, it happened to me in August I have generally experienced distortion with other basses, before it dies. But I have a Stingray with a John East preamp. Battery is not really an issue because I change it every year and despite getting a lot of use that seems enough. If I have some "important" gig and it's been a while I tend to replace the battery anyway as it's not a particularly expensive way to buy peace of mind. However it turns out I had forgotten to replace the battery in this bass since April 2014 (I write the date of installation on the battery). So I was merrily playing away in August when at the end of the first set I notice the output dropping dramatically. For a few seconds that felt like an eternity I checked my bass knobs and tapped the lid of the battery compartment [1], and visually checked the amp knobs and my pedalboard... then I engaged the preamp bypass switch [2] and it came back to life! No previous warning. [1] It's a 2002 Stingray, with the battery compartment where the battery just slots in and makes contact with spring-like poles at one end. I had that misbehave in the past, and tapping the lid results in either a temporary cure or at least noise. I 'fixed' it by bending the spring contacts so that the battery is held more tightly, so I thought maybe it was time to bend them back again (once every 7 years or so would not be terrible although not ideal, I admit). BUt that did nothing here. [2] It's an MMSR preamp, and I asked John to make the volume into a push/pull pot that would bypass the preamp. And I'm glad I did. A song later we went for a break and replaced the battery. Phew. Some people cite examples like these as a reason to avoid active basses. I think that's, frankly, silly. It's not hard at all to remember to replace the battery once a year or so. And even if/when it happens the solution is simple and no kittens are harmed in the process If you are able to remember to check the oil and tyre pressure in your car, I'm sure you can manage the battery in an active bass

[quote name='TrevorR' timestamp='1482350089' post='3199854'] Could have written that post word for word! [/quote] You lazy b****r, you had to let me write it for you, eh?

"Holding out for a beer" is fantastic I'm going to be playing that a lot this summer

[quote name='Fabrocker' timestamp='1482258641' post='3199022'] Thanks, glad to hear that. @Heathy For me, Newsted > Burton! but I dont have any 'metal bass heroes'. You can guys check other songs on 'Saints'. We play everything we want, we listen to everything. Heavy metal, that's funny. Go to hell with names. Music is music. [/quote] I like your attitude as well. I'll make sure to check the rest of the album

[quote name='Fabrocker' timestamp='1482254470' post='3198952'] So... here we go. [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogtYxis5Yrg[/media] My bass-solo recorded on Status Matrix. What do you think? Greetings! [/quote] I don't usually go for stuff like that... but I enjoyed it, especially the second half. Nice!

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1482322933' post='3199530'] Some of the misunderstanding stems from the use of the term tremolo arms on guitars, they are really vibrato arms, but can't see that usage being changed anytime soon! [/quote] and the tremolo effect on fender amps being called 'vibrato'... someone got things mixed up and it spread... but tremolo is volume changes (amplitude) and vibrato pitch changes (frequency)

[quote name='only4' timestamp='1482319111' post='3199471'] I've started buying cables from "Designacable" their on Amazon. Well made with top quality components, Prime delivery too. [/quote] oh yes, I got a couple from then too... I liked that they can come in different colours but with the same quality cable. I got an orange and a red one, it makes it harder to leave them behind or for someone else to take them 'by mistake'...

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1482259600' post='3199042'] Cheap = crap Best quality/price ratio is our very own OBBM, aka RockWire cables. [/quote] cheap cables are a bad bad bad idea, especially when a good one doesn't cost so much! Cables by OBMM are a great choice. Similar can be obtained from Award-Session. Good quality cable and Neutrik plugs, in a wide range of sizes and plug configurations. My oldest cables are about 16 years (from Award Session "Cleartone"). They will probably last another 16... not expensive for around £20 or a tiny bit more.

[quote name='Fisheth' timestamp='1482188985' post='3198400'] I may have sent another email... Oh dear. [/quote] You're almost making me look sane!

what do you mean it's only been one month since I placed my order??? It feels like aaaages!!!!

My hands are small, yet I have no issues with a bass and I actually prefer big chunky necks too. However, when I started out, after years of guitar, I gravitated towards Jazz basses because of the thin neck. With that in mind, I'd ask how interested are you in playing bass. If you just want simple basslines for demos, and you don't really care too much about learning the instrument, I'd go with what feels most comfortable right now that does the job. However, if you want to take up bass a bit more seriously, I'd go 34", purely because there's just so much more to choose from. Do try the bass first. Despite having the same scale, some basses feel like they have a very long neck compared to others, which is just due to where the neck meets the body and bridge placement. The neodymium Entwistle pickups are probably some of the best cheap pickups out there. They have a very big powerful sound, so I'm not surprised they make the bass sound bigger.

My RH450 died on my third or fourth gig during soundcheck. White smoke. That was a Saturday. On Sunday I was able to get a response to my query, and they arranged for me to receive a new one at my local dealer. On Wednesday I walked in with my dead amp and walked out with a fresh one. Impressive service.

Nylon tapewounds on a Precision fretless give you a very nice 'woody' type of tone, but it can also give you a nice low growly sound (Model P pickup on mine)...

[quote name='TrevorR' timestamp='1482047169' post='3197120'] Not knowingly tried J Retro but I do love the Audere preamp. One of the few cut/boost circuits where the maximum travel on the controls were still in musical usable tone territory. But never lacking or too tame either. [/quote] I guess that's there are so many different products in the market, as different people prefer different things. I had an Audere and I just did not like it and ended up being replaced by a J-Retro. I have two J-Retros and a U-Retro (same thing, just flexible links to fit in other basses not just Jazz)... and I love them. Yeah, at maximum travel you have quite a dramatic boost/cut... but you don't need to turn the knob to max, do you?