mcnach

Thumb-rest fitted. Rehearsal day: Tuesday. Bring it on!

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1431862331' post='2775619'] It is far more than that.. so many guys here seem to think this is all guru stuff and whilst I'll appreciate some guys are very talented in that regard, my opinion is that there are way more sorted people on this thread when it comes to sound and specifically bass, let alone out there making cabs. And to me, the proof of that is in the product. If you guys continue to trade in them on here, they have a market...and that is fine. The reason I pop up and tend to comment is because there are foreever so many threads about them.. It's almost co-ordinated I don't think it should be accepted that bass cabs starts and end there...which may be the impression a newbie might get. [/quote] ... and you have been very vocal about it, yet -in my opinion- generally constructively. If I were a newbie who just heard about BF and wanted to find more info, I'd like to hear from the likes of you as well as those who do like BF. That is ok.

[quote name='largo' timestamp='1431860447' post='2775604'] I agree it's great for the manufacturers to be involved and answer questions about their products. However, it has to be appreciated these guys are in it to sell their brand of cabs as well. [/quote] No doubt, they are not impartial. But you have to give credit to the individuals to not be entirely dumb and to know that. If a manufacturer tells me their products are the best, I'll smile politely but I *know* they're not impartial, even if they're not trying to push their product, they may just be enthusiastic about it... whichever way, they cannot be impartial. We all know that. So we filter what we hear according to the source and we make our own judgements. Now, filtering does not mean discarding. It just means considering the source and their possible bias. That works here and everywhere, every day. When you get someone throwing darts at the contributing manufacturer of product X, the first time may be ok... but it is not constructive when they insist, and I can see how can that easily push someone away from this forum. They may feel smug about it, but the truth is they will not be missing anything (except an easy target) yet for those who appreciate the contributions of that person, it would be a negative outcome. With our particular current example, if you pay attention you'll notice that the contribution of this manufacturer is not restricted to speaking highly about their products. Being critical is one thing, and a very good thing. But when your contribution is just based on attacking that one person, the one who makes that specific product, you have to ask yourself what your goal is. If your goal is balanced discussion, then discuss the product, that's great. I personally don't mind when someone professes their utter dislike for something I happen to love. It's just a tool... an instrument, an effects pedal, a speaker... Their negative opinion won't change my world. It's ok. It's cool. I mean, if I wanted to hear only how wonderful X is, I'd go to the EBMM forum or something like that Not my thing. However, if your goal is annoy the contributing manufacturer of product X... then, kindly, just piss off and find something else to do. Don't spoil it for those who do want the participation of that manufacturer, please. Some critics of BF are very vocal, and they have reasons why they don't like the products. I find that interesting to hear about and it's something good to find when you do a search for a particular item that you think might be interesting to buy. You want to hear the good and the bad. But just like "fanbois" are a pain in the butt, so are "hatebois". Even then, hate the product, I don't care, but don't "go for the man". That's not cool. You may not want to hear what that person says, but others do. You have a choice to roll your eyes, throw your little sarcastic dart from time to time and stay away. Please don't remove the choice other people have to want hear what that person says. If you push that person away, in such a petty manner, you're removing that choice from those who want to hear their contributions. That's not cool. We have pushed other people away in the past. Do we need to keep doing it? Don't we learn anything?

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1431853852' post='2775492'] I really do think I'm done! [/quote] Your naivety is adorable

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1431850639' post='2775448'] My mindset with regard to GAS has evolved. I no longer regard it as a bad thing and now decided that if I want something I'll get it. [...] So when it comes to the point when I physically can't fit another one in I have a cull then start over. [/quote] The first sentence is my point of view too. The second has become a factor I have a room for the music stuff (which is little, but the nicest in the house actually, with the right amount of sunlight, overlooking the garden, quiet... It's actually my music room & workshop & office) and the agreement with "she-who-knows best" is that she's cool with it as long as I keep it all in that room. That's the agreement... and I end up having a stack of cabs in the corridor near the entrance, and basses overspilling (2 in one room, 5 more in another)... then it's time to reconsider the situation, before she does It's under those circumstances that I went "... and I barely touch most of these things!"

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1431847426' post='2775424'] Great end result, and a fine looking bass. Not enough strings though...! [/quote] Oh, I have a few spare 4-string sets in my drawer, I have lots of strings, just no more than 4 in use at a time

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1431821093' post='2775364'] So is that a VVT setup? [/quote] Yup! VVT and separate switches for each pickup (3-position: parallel, single coil, series). I don't really care about being able to switch between those options, but it seemed like a sensible way to use the visible hole(s).

... and yet another reincarnation, it now looks like this: The John East preamp has been removed and the bass is now passive, wired like a Jazz, with individual parallel/series switches for each pickup.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1431815079' post='2775330'] What's that little thumb-rest made from and how is it fixed to the bass? [/quote] I use them in all my Precisions and most Jazzes too (it's that little black think on my avatar's red Precision too).. When I bought my first OLP MM2, that very thumb-rest on the Squier was attached to the OLP's pickguard, with strong double sided sticky tape, roughly at the position where a Precision pickup would be mounted. I removed it but kept it. Then I found it very useful on other basses. I really like to have something to rest my thumb at roughly the spot where the top of a Stingray's pickup would be... I had the thumb rest copied in aluminium by 'apa' (I haven't seen him around here in ages! ), so I have a couple more. Last year we had a thread about thumb rests and a few people liked this design, so I made a trace in Illustrator and 'Diablo' made a few of these in black acrylic for those who wanted them. I wish I had asked for more, the plastic ones are very nice, and I sanded them down to about 3mm (the original is 5mm I believe), which is perfect. They stay in place very well, I never had one move, let alone detach. But you can detach them when you want to, and remove the sticky residue without leaving a mark. I keep thinking I should find one of those laser-cutting places to get them to make a few more of these for me.

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1431809590' post='2775278'] Well seeing as you asked Alex, I think that saying you were married for ten years before you shot your wife isn't much of a defence. Nor is the fact that other people have shot their wives. Not that I'm suggesting you have ever shot your wife, of course. By the way, what did they get you for? [b]Spamming the discussion threads?[/b] [/quote] are you serious??? if someone posts about a product of brand X, and the head of brand X joins the discussion, isn't that something good? well, except for those who dislike brand X. Here's a thought, how about you leave those who like brand X in peace and not try to piss off the guy (head of brand X) whose contributions are appreciated by others? Stop trying to sabotage other people's enjoyment and let them be, ffs.

[quote name='Henrythe8' timestamp='1429038341' post='2747326'] And tomorow, I'll go see, try (and probably buy) a MIke Dirnt Squier P. [/quote] I love mine Thinner neck than usual for a Precision (which usually would put me off, but it's good), and very light weight. I put an Entwistle neodimium pickup on it (£27) and it sounds immense.

I like it And it sounds fantastic. Those pickups are tremendous!

And the bass looks like this:

All fitted inside nicely now... Tight fit with that large terminal block, but it fits beautifully with enough room around each component.

Poor bass, I just can't leave it alone I used to own an L2500, but the 5-string thing is no really for me and I let it go. Natural/maple. Beauty. So when a L2000 in the same natural/maple finish was advertise for sale on the forum, I snapped it up! I actually sold my beautiful Squier CV60 in fiesta red with P-retro preamp to buy the G&L... but it's ok, as it did not have a maple fingerboard The L2000 is a great bass... Wide range of sounds, very nice neck, comfortable... yet I was not particularly in love with the controls. That preamp with the two positions wasn't doing it for me. The tone controls were interesting, being both passive, but... I just was used to my Stingray with 3-band John East MMSR preamp, so I ended up removing the original guts and installing an MMSR. Out of the three mini-switches, I used the pickup switch, and the parallel/series control. I actually left two holes empty as the parallel/series switch was inside the control cavity, switched permanently to parallel. Like this: Then I toyed with the idea of getting a pickguard for it. There was a [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/233062-designing-a-pickguard-for-my-gl-l2000-what-do-you-think/page__hl__l2000"]thread about it here[/url]. The final result looked like this: The pickguard was not screwed-in, but held in place with double sided sticky tape. Great invention. Of course, that wasn't the end. Too easy. I started thinking that I'd rather just remove the preamp and wire it passively. Like a Jazz. The pickguard covered one of the unused holes, but what would I do about the other two? Maybe individual parallel/series switches? So I got our good man KiOgon to sort that out for me, as I didn't want the hassle. In a flash, the wiring loom was in my hands. So today I found myself with some time and decided to install it. BUT! I found a metal control plate I bought ages ago for a project that never went ahead... and it made me change the bass a bit more. It involved drilling and hacking away with a chisel, so this modification is now permanent, it'll never look again like a standard L2000. Also, it would not have a pickguard anymore (I may design another to fit with the plate, in the future). So this is me going about the creation of the my L2000 v3... The point of no return... having decided the position of the control plate, I marked where the screw holes should go and got ready to drill... The control plate will now cover TWO of the miniswitch holes... argh! I didn't need the two switches after all... ha! I'll have to drill for the second miniswitch, and as I am using only one of the original pot holes, I'll drill some of those too. No going back! But that wasn't all. It's a large cavity, but the altered position of one the pots meant the large CTS pot did not quite fit straight... so I hacked away at one of the walls to make room for it: Now the pots fit, yay! So I decided the position for the second miniswitch, for the neck pickup... and drilled. That was ok, except that the position of the new hole brought it too close to the wall of the 9V battery compartment (that will not be needed anymore). Where is that chisel? Hammer away! Finally... I can now wire it all...

[quote name='mrn1989' timestamp='1431515085' post='2772036'] Ive got It working now, but it was a f**king nightmare getting it crammed into my '98 Stingray, considering it was designed as a replacement its a ball ache [/quote] what was the problem?

[quote name='Kempy535' timestamp='1431467544' post='2771771'] Yes you can. Pick ups them selfs are always passive. [/quote] Not always, some pickups do contain a little preamp themselves. Not many, but they're out there (EMG comes to mind as a company that makes that kind of pickup). Seymour Duncan make preamps for both passive and active pickups, as far as I recall. I used to have the STC-3M3 in an OLP years ago... it was *loud*.

fiesta red

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1431786585' post='2774999'] Come to think of it, as well as playing left handed with no hole in the kick, our drummers political views are probably quite compatible with Dad3353's too. Hmm, what is it with left-handed drummers? [/quote] Hmmm... have we ever seen BOTH in the same room at the same time?

[quote name='IanA' timestamp='1431786263' post='2774990'] They look nice basses, Polish I believe? Would be interested to see one close up [/quote] Well, you will have a chance soon, if you like. 2-3 more weeks, I believe. I have a Polish colleague, I'll ask him how to pronounce the name on the headstock...

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1431778077' post='2774862'] Brilliantly researched and hilarious. [/quote] LukeFRC has a good memory, watch out.

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1431777557' post='2774854'] Macnach back in the day... Macnach a year or so later Macnach a bit later Macnach later still [/quote] That's before I became I born-again Precisionist... Man, I've seen thiiiings! I still play the Stingray, there's no danger of me selling that bass anytime soon, in fact I just had its neck lacquered to make it even more delicious -for me-... but I only really play in one band these days, and the Precision works best. I used to be in the RHCP band (Stingray) and the RATM one (Stingray), in addition to SBK (eclectic mix of funky-ska with lashes of reggae/blues/rock, for which the Stingray and a Jazz were the usual weapons)... and I was dabbling with a couple of funk projects that did not get far... so the Stingray was deeply ingrained in me. When I was left with SBK only, the Precision came round and said "hellooo there, handsome"... and she never left [b]edit:[/b] ah! I hadn't yet seen the next message documenting my transition well done! My two favourite basses: Stingray and Precision were originally the two basses I never thought I'd play. One was ugly and the other sounded booooring. I thought Jazz was the only way. Now I have a bunch of Jazz basses decorating my walls when I play a Precision and a Stingray. Life...

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1431779423' post='2774898'] [...] or idiots wanting to cut 'mic' holes in my bass drum resonant head. I play drums 'lefty', so we often have to swap stuff around a little between sets, [...] [/quote] It must be a lefty drummer thing! The drummer that Beer of the Bass mentioned earlier is also a lefty... Can't you just play like... you know, a normal human being? (runs away)