mcnach

as far as I know only from Japan, but it's not expensive to post as it's so light.

If it makes it to Manchester for the weekend of the 31st, I could pick it up and bring it up to Scotland. My band, Sea Bass Kid, is having the first album launch party on the 27th of April and I'm sure we would get an interesting number of donations at the event. I'll have other gigs before that, but that would be the best for this, I think. Regardless... let's keep it travelling!

active basses are not necessarily louder... so try that active bass alongside your other basses before worrying about this. I have a bunch of active and passive basses... and most are reasonably similar in output. The only one that's much hotter is a G&L L2000... and that one is very loud in passive configuration too.

[quote name='Thunderthumbs' timestamp='1362253807' post='1997687'] I'm a member of Costco so I always get a 10 pack of Duracell there. Bargain compared to supermarket prices. [/quote] Yeah, Costco is a good place to buy Duracells. For active basses? Where the battery lasts months? Do yourself a favour and buy good batteries, not cheap questionable quality batteries.

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1362237099' post='1997384'] Ultimately he is a part-time agent (not paying taxes on this income etc.) who gets us a couple of gigs a few times a year. We can easily get by without his gigs, they are just easy diary filler dates in pubs that are no better or worse than the ones that we get ourselves. [/quote] in that case, I'd approach that pub personally to book my gigs with them and forget about the "agent" Has he got an Italian surname?

[quote name='Ziphoblat' timestamp='1362235992' post='1997365'] Sounds to me like the "agent" is the cock in this situation. He's screwing over the venue now, how long until he screws you? If you pull out on the venue that's going to tarnish your reputation with them (and consequently perhaps other venues). Just because the agent won't book you for any other venues he's associated with doesn't mean that those venues will think ill of you, so as soon as more of his antics have gone down and he's moved on from those venues too, you'll still be able to get the gigs. You need to keep your bands reputation as your priority. [/quote] +1 He does not sound like the type of guy who will lose sleep if he has to screw you over to get something he wants... Unless the gigs you get with him are really good and/or numerous... I'd say goodbye to said agent.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1362226488' post='1997195'] Don't get too hung up on the wood choices. For an acoustic instrument the woods used are incredibly important. For a solid electric one not so much. Also just because your favourite US-made bass uses particular woods doesn't mean that the same species of wood sourced by your luthier in the UK, most likely coming from a completely different source and the tree(s) having grown under very different environmental conditions, is going to have that much in common for either looks or sound. In the past when I've had solid electric instruments made where the woods used were going to be visible, I've left the choice mostly to the luthier. I told them how I wanted the finished instrument to sound and what colours and grain patterns I liked. They picked out some boards based on these criteria, I then chose the ones that I found visually most pleasing to use for my instrument. [/quote] Oh, I agree entirely! When I mention a specific wood (maple, ash) is because I like the look of it, nothing else. One of my favourite basses is made of plywood (my red Squier). I'm not precious about "tonewoods" in electric instruments.

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1362248558' post='1997590'] Rory's acoustics certainly look nice. I've not met the guy myself, but my brother (another luthier) knows him and rates his work. I'll be interested to see how the bass turns out. [/quote] I'll go up to meet with him probably early in April. I should have a better idea of what I want by then. I'll start a fresh thread just for the bass build once it starts.

Side LEDs would be nice on a bass or two, not a fan of front ones. Would love LEDs with a small trim control to adjust brightness and tame them a bit when appropriate. If it weren't that expensive I'd definitely consider it. Luminlay is great, but it has a more limited functionality than LEDs

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1362186900' post='1997066'] How have i missed this? Never mind, Milty is here to throw a couple of spanners into the works. What about a semi-hollow stingray shaped bass with a piezo and humbucker pickup system? It's something different, and kind of plays to his strengths, being a "Pure breed" luthier. (i gather that a lot of luthiers don't consider solid-bodied guitar/bass making luthering.) [/quote] I did PM you about it, I guess you were just ignoring me, as if you had more important things to think about! Erm... interesting idea. But I doubt that would be one of my main basses. I'm really not after acoustic qualities... and remember, I am trying to hook him into making electrics!!! But I am very curious about piezo, and I wonder about having a piezo bridge in one of my fretlessessesses... but not on this. I am leaning very much towards the single P at the MM position, and selling the Westone and the BC Rich... that neck pickup is not going to get much attention from me. I have a couple of other ideas to try: 1) My black OLP. I should pick it up one of these days, and use that to test the P and the double J idea. The routing is so big, that I would have no problem fitting them temporarily, without pickguard. The OLP has a 2-band preamp already in it so it'll be a good test. That will help me decide teh final configuration. But I am leaning strongly towards a single P, just closer to the brodge than normal. It's mighty! 2) I also have a Sue Ryder in bits, partly stripped. I should not turn it into a standard P, but I should route it for a single reverse P or double J, closer to the bridge than normal, and just get a blank P pickguard make that I'll cut as required with my little fretsaw. That's the sort of different I feel I can work with. Piezo can be very nice, but not the sound I'm likely to use most of all.

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1362092527' post='1995850'] Conclusion: dunno really, but if it's a choice between venting GAS and feeding the kids - well it won't hurt them to miss a couple of meals... [/quote] Exactly! It builds character!

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1362091982' post='1995834'] After quite a lot of subtle hinting from my other half I converted one of our rooms into an office; then managed to nick half of it back for my Mac, scanner etc. Once I added my Marshall 2 x 15 into it she's retaliated by using it as another (though mobile) shelf. [/quote] watch out for the flowerpots... they're next.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1362091585' post='1995823'] I can't understand why anybody would feel the need to date every girl/boy they saw. It's fairly pointless. [/quote] and tiring!!!

[quote name='topo morto' timestamp='1361819368' post='1991466'] ...why do you put up with that kind of thing? Do you give her a one in, one out rule on handbags or pairs of shoes? Or do you secretly like having an excuse to keep the collection manageable? [/quote] The rule I was given was: "ok, THAT one there is your room for your music toys, as long as they fit in there without leaving them all over the house as you used to, and as long as you leave money for holidays... I don't care how many basses you buy". I should have negotiated for a bigger room

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1361778620' post='1990544'] the jazz option sounds in my mind like thumb bass positioning. Could be interesting on a more traditional looking bass. [/quote] very much like that, indeed! I did like the Thumb I played a while ago, sound-wise. I thought the two Jazz pickups at that position worked very well. I think the MM position is a little higher, isn't it? I have an OLP I loaned to someone and I should get it back next week. I want to use it to explore putting the P and double J pickups on it to see what it sounds like. The routing is pretty bit on those basses so I bet they fit... and if not, I'll enlarge it!

[quote name='nugget' timestamp='1361783570' post='1990595'] +1 for Cherry Its a great wood, much underestimated This is my tele, Cherry body and neck. Note - English cherry is different from American cherry. American seems to be more common at most timber merchants but I think English has better colour to it [/quote] That's a very lovely grain. Very nice!

[quote name='leftyhook' timestamp='1361751890' post='1990463'] Band logo?? That's as insane as having your girlfriend of 6 months' name tatoo'd on your face!!! :OP [/quote] yeah, there is an element of that, isn't it? It's just a fish thing, without lettering... so that makes it a bit less "explicit". But I'm getting less and less interested in that and more for a plain look entirely.

[quote name='Paddle!' timestamp='1361748108' post='1990383'] Cool, will work on the technique. Personally I didn't think it would be worth getting the bass set up properly since its only an old Encore thing I got for peanuts! Thought getting your bass set up was only for people who were sh*t hot bass players with basses to match Whats the going rate for setting up a bass? I'm in Oban so not sure if there's anyone nearby able to do it. Thanks again Pretty helpful forum [/quote] I tried an old Encore P bass that was very very nice! Don't knock it! Get it set up nicely, and it will help you play more comfortably and sound better. Set ups are for everybody... yes, YOU!

A bit of technique and strings, I'd say. It gets better with practice, but roundwound strings always have some string noise. If it bothers you a lot, you could try groundwound or flatwound strings, which are much smoother... but sound a bit different. Also, if you turn treble control down (or tone control if passive bass), the string noise goes down a lot, and you will not really hear it once mixed with a band, Try to play as clean as you can, of course, but if you listen to the isolated bass tracks from many well known bass players, you will find that there is often a lot of noise... you just don't hear it once mixed.

Liking this! Thanks for posting it!

[quote name='rednose200' timestamp='1361745133' post='1990303'] Hi. Thanks for your thoughtful reply to my comments. Understanding the situation more fully now, I can really see where you are coming from. Go ahead and do it. I think I would if I felt the way you do. He is obviously very well thought of as he has done much work for you before. Yeah, just do it. Seems good to me. All best. [/quote] no, thanks to YOU for taking the time to contribute and give good advice, really appreciated

[quote name='largo' timestamp='1361725494' post='1989905'] I've never met the guy but Rory only stays 10 minutes away from me. I did find his website a few months back and was keen to pay him a wee visit as I need a repair done on my acoustic guitar at some point. Good luck with the build and let me know how it goes as I'd be keen to use Taran Guitars as well. Cheers. [/quote] If you need any work done, do not hesitate! Great guy, and very handy with all things guitar.

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1361701786' post='1989333'] Here's a photo of it in the snow last year...best I can do for the moment..strangely enough I hadn't noticed that the Cherry was soft but then I try to look after my gear and not put it in risky situations. I've just had a thought..have you thought about going headless?? I've got a headless system in a box sitting doing nothing if you're interested.. [/quote] Nice looking wood on that bass, thanks! I'm afraid headless looks too futuristic (or retro, depending on my mood ) for me. Although I have a habit of hitting things with my headstock, maybe I should explore that option sometime!

[quote name='apa' timestamp='1361700233' post='1989317'] How very out of character So the proletariat 'I like a good honest bass, no fancy woods, the working mans bass and Ill do it all myself with honest blood sweat and tears' guy has turned into the 'I say my man knock me up a bass as I wish will you theres a good fella Ill be back in a week so jump to it'. Dodgey one with the SBK logo but it could work. You might have to explain it quit alot through gritted teeth if it does go pear shaped with the band. Your call! I pondered Cherry a while back and yes it does 'look' heavy! I know what you mean but it isnt and as Dom in Somerset says its quit soft so an oil finish isnt the best thing for it. Looks very nice though. A very good grade of Ash might be a good call since it will have a good texture and grain but nothing too OTT. If you get your 'bitch' to contour the top slightly from side to side you will get a nice wave figure. Headstock - how about a reverse Ray? Hmmm maybe not. Or a subtle 'double fin' Ray style, a bit like the Ryder? Pickups - Well if you want something thats nothing like what youve got already (and lets face it - theres not many configurations you havent got!!) how about just a piezo? It will be a very clean uncoloured sound that you can then colour with your pre and amp and with your newfound fetish for pedals you can have a field day knowing that your not trying to alter an already coloured signal. Just a few thoughts for you to ponder over a brandy and cigar in the Library. A [/quote] loved your input! well, it's still no fancy woods, no bling or terribly figured tops... I think I can still pull it off regarding "proletariat cred" Yes, the SBK is a dangerous bet. Not really sure about that. Ash is still my favoured choice. I'm familiar with it and I like it. But I'll keep my mind open. Not too worried about a bit of honest "relicing" if the wood is soft. Double fin headstock? Aha, you hit something there!!! That idea has gone straight to the list of features to explore. There is something there, for sure. Thanks! Piezo... if it were a fretless it would be a serious option, but I'm not sure I would want a purely piezo system on this. Hmmm, I nearly ran out of brandy! Time to get the servants to the shops...