mcnach

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1479308519' post='3175511'] You are right of course The irony is that many squires and epiphones are now as good as fenders and gibsons [/quote] you mean as good as fendres, surely

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1479298982' post='3175405'] tricky, if you're selling you want as many views as possible, but I would say if you put Squier/ Epiphone in the title alongside Fender /Gibson it's ok, something like Squier Fender Jazz bass wouldn't annoy me, but being a lefty I don't have much to wade through anyway [/quote] call it Squier Jazz... you'll get hits from anybody looking for any Jazz, or any Squier... but those looking for a Fender Jazz won't have to sift through dozens of silly worded titles... Do you really think that if someone specifically searches for a Fender Jazz will somehow stop and buy your Squier Vintage Modified?

[quote name='SH73' timestamp='1479294101' post='3175358'] It frustrates me when people advertise guitars for sale on internet for something they are not. I see this all the time.For example, they put a title Fender stratocaster with low price next to it. When I click on the item it's a Squier affinity. Don't get me wrong I own Squier and some are better than some Fenders.The same applies to Epiphone vs Gibson. But it's the principle. [/quote] 100% agreed. There's nothing wrong with a Squier and it's a very silly thing to do to advertise it as a Fender. Just like it'd be silly to advertise a Skoda as an Audi because both companies belong to the same group and even share some design and components... Same with "MusicMan Sterling..." when it's not a MusicMan. Or a Sterling, often. But a "Sterling by MusicMan". Look, you're not trying to fool anybody, and nobody would be misled when they see the pictures... so why misrepresent it in the title? It doesn't "big it up" by pointing out its relationship with the more upmarket relative (and SBMM has NOTHING to do with EBMM, they're entirely separate operations), it just brings attention to the fact it's a lower end instrument (unnecessarily) and wastes the time of people who are actually looking for what you wrongly advertise. rant over...

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1479301808' post='3175431'] The only good thing about a CS Esquire is that I could sell it to some mug and buy something good looking and more comfortable to play with the money. There's nothing wrong with a single pickup for guitars - my first guitar only had one, although that was because I could only afford a single Di-Marzio when I was building it, and my current favourite guitar, the Hallmark Wingbat, has just the single P90 style pickup by the bridge, but still sounds great. I'm not so sure about basses though, all the ones I use at the moment have 2 or more pickups. [/quote] That goes to show how we're all different! Basses? one pickup I'm happy. Stingray preferably, but Precision works well too for me. But on guitar I play a lot with the different sounds you get from different pickups, 2-3 pickups always. I had single pickup guitar for years, it was a great guitar... but I felt its limitations too strongly and let it go.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1479298179' post='3175400'] But do you believe that amount of difference would result in the bass being significantly harder to play and result in muscle ache? [/quote] better to use a Plek...

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1479260746' post='3175209'] A bit of a ranty post. I'd never heard of this until yesterday. A guitarist that I'm doing some gigs with in December recently graduated with a degree in guitar playing after doing an on-line, two year course. I think he has a BA. I did a three year course, attending lectures 3 days a week, for up to 8 hours a day. On the days that I wasn't in for lectures, I'd probably spend maybe 10 or 12 hours practicing, and then do other assignments, dissertations, essays etc on top of that. I don't see how you can do a degree in 2 years, especially when you don't attend lectures. We had live performance assessments every week, you'd get none of that ? He doesn't even read music. I had to audition for my place, and being able to read extremely well was part of the requirement of passing the audition. To me this sort of thing is devaluing musical education, and further education in general. [/quote] it's not just in music...

unless you do a lot of string bending, fingerboard radius is of no consequence other than your personal preference regarding how they feel. You can get a low action in either, whatever the fretsize: it is down to the set up, having the frets correctly levelled, the nut and bridge set right, and the relief adjusted appropriately. So, choose a bass that feels right to you. Then get it set up by someone who really knows what they're doing.

[quote name='bassbiscuits' timestamp='1478945216' post='3172837'] I hear you. I took my old P and my new Mike Lull to a biggish (for me anyway!) dep gig last weekend in front of a few hundred people. I was itching to use the Lull and it sounded fantastic in soundcheck. Then I got the old P out for comparison and it just sounded great - big and full, just right blend of thump and attack, and the band basically said "yeah use that one!" That's not being ordered around - that's just offering a choice to people. I'd have been happy too if they'd preferred the Lull but for that particular music, the P has always fitted it better. [/quote] exactly. some people get too precious about "their tone" or feel too insecure about receiving suggestions. I've seen that with guitarists quite a few times, where either a humbucker or a single coil based guitar was preferred by the band. In fact the guitarist would often bring the matter up for discussion. While I have my own personal preferences based on sound and feel, ultimately it's about what sounds best in the band. I won't be 'dictated' what to use, but we should listen to the opinion of the rest of the band too and not be so precious. We're not even talking about being suggested to buy a new instrument, but about choosing an instrument from the ones we use already.

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1479162935' post='3174505'] How about some light coloured wooden items? [/quote] That's not a bad idea I haven't found any suitable ones 'though.

[quote name='linear' timestamp='1457564647' post='2999787'] I've struggled a lot to get my BB414 to sound the way I want it to across the strings. With a combination of pickup height, string choice, preamp, and finger placement I can sort of get there, sort of, but not really. I can't help feeling my life would be a whole lot easier with a reversed P pickup. Why aren't they more common? Is it a solution without a problem? Or perhaps a solution for a problem that only effects crappy basses? (or crappy players maybe ) [/quote] Yeah, that was my thought too. And I got a bass made just like that: Does it make a difference? Hard to say, as the pickup in this case is a tiny bit closer to the bridge than normal so it already sounds a bit different because of that,,, but I think so. What I did was move the EA coil to the other side, closer to the bridge. That gives the EA strings a less bassier tone, more defined, and I think it balances better. But it is not a Precision anymore, which is fine as that was not my goal, but there it is.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1479106555' post='3173894'] If only they were Canada basses from Hammersmith ... [/quote]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1479113348' post='3173928'] Does the world need yet another Fender clone? [/quote] I never heard that before The thing is, a lot of people like Fender's general designs, and this company allows me a number of options that would not be found on any Fender in production. So it works for me. But I'm sure you knew that.

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1479105404' post='3173890'] If they're from Canada will you not get stung on import? [/quote] Indeed. The import related costs offset the 'promotion', but it's still attractive.

Steve recently bought a set of Nordstrand pickups from me. Great communication and all round smooth transaction. Great guy. I'd have no hesitation buying anything from him or selling to him again. Thanks Steve! I hope you like them!

[quote name='acidbass' timestamp='1479083129' post='3173853'] There's a guy on Facebook getting some great sounds from his Hammersmith basses - check out Remco Hendriks. [/quote] I've seen that He's a pretty cool player.

[quote name='Cuzzie' timestamp='1479056326' post='3173583'] I would say go for it! The other thing is that in TB land people do flip stuff quite a lot, you could hold out and find a second hand good 'un. I managed to get a G&L just how i wanted for less including postage and tax than it would cost 2nd hand here in Blighty. [/quote] True. Unfortunately the exact specs will be extremely hard to come by. It's a question of whether I pull the trigger or come to my senses since I don't *really* need this bass. Yet, that would be too reasonable for me I'll probably pull the trigger.

[quote name='Fisheth' timestamp='1479052783' post='3173553'] Are these going to be the new Maruszczyk basses I wonder? Seriously though, looks fabulous. I want one. [/quote] No, it's a very different enterprise, and taking into account import tax etc I doubt it'll be any cheaper than Maruszczyk. But I do like the MusicMan style truss rod wheel and they have a few other unique things that if you happen to like, they could be worth considering. They have many flexible options, but nothing like Maruszczyk.

Yeah, I've been reading the reviews too. The guy I was in touch with, Marko, seems pretty cool and although the range of options is not as extensive as others, they pretty much do what I want, and have some characteristics that I love that no other offers: truss rod wheel like MusicMan, at the body end, with a neck recess... the way EVERY instruments should be in my opinion Price is attractive with a promotion they have right now... although adding import taxes wipes that. Seriously thinking about it...

They're "custom made, assembled in Canada". So it looks like they probably get their stuff made somewhere in Asia and make their 'bitsas' from that. Still, they have some interesting things and I got talking to them... and it sounds like they could make me something interesting at a reasonable price. The problem is I have no experience whatsoever of them. Anybody? A Maruszczyk of similar specs would cost me more, but I'd be able to specify *everything* and I *know* they'll be really good. Hmmm. [url="https://www.facebook.com/hammersmithmusic/"]https://www.facebook.com/hammersmithmusic/[/url]

Yeah, I saw the Danelectro ones. I have seen them where the cream is the big knob, and also where the colours are inverted so I could possibly get two sets to build one set the way I want them... but they are pretty big and would look odd. So I think I'll just let it be and use the standard chrome knobs that come with it (I have a spare set of black knobs too but I'll keep those). Of course, anybody who knows me is familiar with my strange logic and my GAS. So... it just happens that I have been chatting to someone who can make me a Precision bass with two Jazz pickups... in a beautiful variant of Fiesta Red, with Area J pickups etc etc... and black hardware. So I might put the U-retro in that one with the black knobs (if I go for it)... and move the neck pickup on the cream bass above much much closer to the neck, which was one of my initial ideas but changed my mind as I want to have at least one bass that does "the Jazz thang". And that way I keep the cream knobs in the bass in the picture. Hey, just because I'm slowly selling my basses to keep a selected herd of around 7 or so doesn't mean I'm going to become all sensible all of a sudden!

[quote name='geoham' timestamp='1478892801' post='3172585'] Ha - looks an interesting gig! Probably a bit flamboyant for the likes of me though.... I got an email today from them. Apparently there were two bassists called George who responded to the ad and they assumed we were the same guy. The other George called off on them, hence the cancellation! They were really very apologetic and sound genuine. I'm tempted to give them a bash... I'll mull it over! [/quote] I bet Flea never had that problem Glad there was a simple and slightly amusing explanation.Well done for not replying angrily and in fact for contacting them at all...