mcnach

oooh, purrty!!!

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1361615659' post='1988237'] I think your point is spot-on. If the promoters at these venues actually did a bit of research on which bands they were putting on, such as a local band with a following, then other bands on the bill from further out, the venues could be a lot busier. But now it seems that it`s a case of put any bands together, and hope there`s enough of them and their friends to put a couple of quid over the bar, and at a fiver entry (or more) a few people through the doors will cover their "expenses". [/quote] absolutely, nail on the head hit, hard. I have developed a nervous tic whenever I hear the word promoter... I start growling. There are some decent ones, yes, fortunately. But for each decent one there are dozens of chancers, and they simply try to get many bangs (regardless of following, style or ability) to play, hoping each will bring their mates. That's a sad state of affairs, and that is not a promoter. I think that kind of gig has its place... but if I were a promoter, I would try to get bands who have a certain draw as the main attractions, and then add some other bands that I think are good and compatible and a bit of an unknown quantity in terms of their draw... BUt that requires a bit of research, and these "promoters" don't like to work... they just want to hire a venue and collect money at the end of the evening.

[quote name='Dom in Somerset' timestamp='1361656479' post='1989035'] My twin neck was made from cherry, it's not at all heavy, the only negative is that it's not very hard wearing, easily dented or scratched. I oiled the wood with linseed oil so it came out a darker colour. [/quote] THAT wood is beautiful, thanks! I will definitely talk about cherry with Rory...

[quote name='rubis' timestamp='1361656238' post='1989030'] Why not get the band to sign or initial it inside the pickup cavity, I made a thinline telecaster and got my wife and children to sign and date it inside the body cavity. It doesn't detract from the looks, but I know it's there [/quote] That's a sweet idea. I think if I made one I'd probably like something like that. Or you hear of guys who let their young kids paint the box of the new pedal they have made. I think if/when a time comes that I need to leave the band and we're all friendly like we are all now, I'd probably like them to sign maybe the back of my bass, and lacquer it so that it does not rub off. This band has been quite special and dear to me (and still is!). That could happen to this bass. Maybe. I like hearing all these ideas, thanks!

[quote name='rednose200' timestamp='1361656307' post='1989033'] Hmm interesting. You know if I were you I would have a talk with Alan at ACG over in Moffat. I would'nt just choose a luthier because he wasnt too far away from where I live. Its also important to choose a maker who is known to produce top quality and desireable/wanted instruments. An un-named one off isnt really worth much on the second-hand market should you wish to pass it on in times to come. You will probably (I'd say definately) end up losing an awful lot of beer tokens at a later date, so be careful man. Food for thought. But I wish you good luck which ever way you decide to go. All best. [/quote] I chose this guy because I like him, have known him for about 4 years now, and I wanted *him* to make me one. It was not about just getting the best bass for my money, if you see what I mean. Of course I want a great bass, and I am sure I will get something nice. He has done work for me in the past, some very simple (for him), some not so much... and we have a rapport. His work building acoustic instruments is really really nice. He will do a good job of whatever I end up telling him to do. No doubt about that. You are totally right about the second hand value. I'm very aware of that. That's why I want to make sure I get something I will really like. I'm sure I could get somebody else who has experience building electric basses and who would give me something really nice in the end, but I am sure the whole process would be a lot more impersonal. I know this guy, I like him and his work... I will have fun visiting him and I want him to go over to the dark side (electric), so this is one way to getting him to accept it Then, when my band becomes big and famous, I said I'll pay him a retainer to be my bass guy... he replied "your bitch, you mean". Nah, it's got to be this guy. Check out this video: [media]http://vimeo.com/51392668[/media] and his site: [url="http://www.taranguitars.co.uk/"]http://www.taranguitars.co.uk/[/url] I met him a few years ago when I needed some basic work on a bass, and he had just started properly with his own workshop and had ads in gumtree, offering setups etc as a way to supplement his income, since he wasn't selling that many guitars initially. He had never worked with a bass before, but it's essentially a guitar, isn't it? He grabbed me by how passionate he was, and over the next few months I had various other basses and guitars set up by him, putting new nuts in, doing a bit of woodwork in some cases, he converted two of my basses to fretless too... and everytime I went to see him we'd be chatting about guitars, about music, he'd show me what he was working on, talk to me through the various bits of wood he had sourced and demonstrating the effect they can have on an acoustic guitar etc... My custom made bass will have to be a Taran bass... which means Thunder I believe, so that's quite appropriate, for a bass, isn't it? edit: don't get me wrong, I appreciate your words and where you are coming from! I think your view is very wise. I guess I hadn't made clear that I was not just after a custom made bass, I was after Rory (Taran Guitars) making me a bass.

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1361653017' post='1988947'] The bass weighs less than 10lb and that includes a headless tuning system that weighs more 1lb. From the point of view of the timber, it's beauty in a lightweight package.. [/quote] can we see a picture from the front? just because I like to stare at pretty instruments

and yes, there will be a thread with pictures of the process, of course. The guy lives and works about an hour from me, but I'd be visiting regularly... he makes a nice coffee The warmoth page does have some useful things, thanks!

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1361607683' post='1988118'] Sounds exciting, would love to do this. Unless you are very confident of the band being a long term thing, maybe something different at the twelve fret position would be a better plan. Your initials maybe? Anyway, keep us posted with pics and a build diary. [/quote] ha ha, yeah, the thought of having the bass finished when I'm no longer in that band crossed my mind... It's been the "most special" band I have ever been in, and I can think of it as a wonderful memento of my time with the band and how much fun I had, if when I leave or the band dissolves, it's done amicably. If, however, we have a big fall out... I might hate seen that on the bass, it's true Yeah, not really sure about that one. It may just be some abstract design.

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1361569729' post='1987888'] Sounding good dude! Pickup configuration I would go for myself would be MM in the usual place, and P pickup, also in the usual place (but reverse as you mentioned). Best of both worlds then! [/quote] That's something I toyed with with a Sue Ryder P bass I was stripping... but I really am a "bridge pickup man". I like also having that space above the pickup (as on a Stingray)... not going for versatility here, but for a good useful sound that's not an exact copy of anything else I have. I like the P closer to the bridge than usual, and that's the winning configuration in my head so far. Simple. Although the two J is an intriguing option (similar to various Warwick basses), and visually prettier...

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1361569236' post='1987878'] Have a look at the grain on my headless - cherry wood - looks even better in real life: Don't know why we don't see more luthiers using it. [/quote] That's really nice! Is it a heavy wood? It "looks" heavy. I know, I know... how on Earth can it *look* heavy or light from a picture?

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1361544799' post='1987306'] I agree. The only reason I'd replace a bridge would be for adjustability. [/quote] what he said... I personally like the old Fender BBOT style bridge... it does *nearly* everything I'd like it to do and it looks good on a P and J bass. Better even one of those with the threaded saddles, so you can even adjust the string spacing a little bit (I have one in a Jazz that gets me 20-21mm spacing, and it just works).

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1361566416' post='1987824'] A bass-off is out of the question for me due to the fact that I intend to burn my precisions in a solemn ceremony. I'm afraid that they just have to go. The pickups being the way they have been for 60 odd years is just not good enough anymore. [/quote] you could still hold the ceremony with the remnants after the bass-off

That recent visit to my luthier friend had some unanticipated results. I have been trying to push him towards the electric world, and since last time I saw him he has built two electric guitars! So... after a bit of a chat, I decided this year I'm getting a bass made. It's not going to be anything fancy with regards to woods, or strange shapes... and it will not have a million pickups with a fancy switching system... no, it's just going to be a bass that's, well, mine... but obviously it's got to be a little different from what I could just buy in a shop. No point getting him to replicate a Stingray, right? Very early days of the basic design, and he is checking what woods he can get, so that we can make a few decisions. So far, these are my ideas, but if you have some cool variation suggestions I would love to hear them! The neck... should be maple/maple. I really like maple fingerboards, so that's pretty much set. No fretmarkers, except *perhaps* some design at the 12th fret, which could be related to my band. Or not. There will be black dots on the side 'though. Headstock? That's an interesting one. I like the 3+1 configuration, so a Stingray style comes to mind... but I might want to alter it a bit so that it's not an obvious copy. Here is somewhere where I will look online for ideas... and would love to hear about any creative ideas. The neck dimensions will be based on my favourite 2003 MM SUB. It will be a bolt-on design. It makes things easier, and I like bolt-on instruments. The body... it will be some kind of double cutaway shape, with a top horn reaching the 12th fret or so, to ensure reasonable balance... The shape itself will likely be similar to a Precision/Stingray/L2000... I would like to come up with something a bit more distinct, but not outlandish... Wood? Probably ash, and finished in oil, natural. But we will look at what woods he has available and we will see. But the finish will be a simple oil finish and I'm not after tremendously figured tops or anything. Probably pickguard-less. Maybe not. Whatever I do, it will have a John East MMSR 3-band preamp on it. Pickups? Undecided. But it will be reasonably simple. I'm thinking mostly one of a) single P pickup, reverse configuration (DG coil on top), placed at the Stingray's pickup position. or two Jazz pickups, quite close together, at around the Stingray's pickup position... and in this case, I would probably hard wire both pickups in series and that's it... but I will try it for sound and if I found that having a pickup selector and/or a parallel/series switch was a good idea... then I would do that, but it has to be worth it, I don't care for lots of different tones from this bass, I just want a basic one that is good, and then use the preamp to modify it slightly if/when needed. Probably without a control plate... but I really like big chrome control plates... so I might explore that, if I found somewhere that could make me a single one and was not too expensive. Hopefully you get the idea of what I'm after... Choosing a body shape, wood, and headstock is quite complicated... trying to come up with something classy and different, but not too different! I wish I were any good at Photoshop!

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1361552868' post='1987495'] Yep. They are definitely limited soundwise. In fact, I'm going to fling out all the cds and dvds I have where the bass player is using a precision. That sound just doesn't cut it! [/quote] I think we should organise a bass-off some time. It will not mean anything at all, but it may be highly entertaining. FIGHT!

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1361541217' post='1987213'] I have the reverse P on my Streamer, it sounds like Godzilla. I also love quite a few trad Precision players who also sound like Godzilla. Theoretically the trad P pickup design and the reverse P should sound different from eachother, the trad having deep low strings and zingy tops, the reverse P having more evenly balanced output over the strings, but in REALITY, it don't mean sh*t. [/quote] Put it close to the bridge, and you will notice that in a non-reverse P the DG strings sound much thinner than the EA strings. It doesn't make it unusable, and some may even prefer that, but it is not negligible. However, the the usual P position, there's enough fatness to go around even in a non-reverse situation. The closer you get to the neck, the less it matters.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1361540767' post='1987204'] It's a well known fact that P-Bass players only use the E and A strings on the first 5 frets, so it doesn't really matter which way around the pickup for the D and G strings is. :-) [/quote]

I'll see if I have time this weekend to record some clips. Liking that Vintage Overdrive pedal a lot... and £30??? I'll buy two and chain them if I want more gain!

[quote name='iceonaboy' timestamp='1361475148' post='1986380'] Bloody hell ! So many legends have been wrong for so long. Dump yer Fenders guys, they are now officially sh*t! .....I know one guy who ain't doin that ! [/quote] you guys love to polarise things eh? well, put me firmly in the grey camp

[quote name='richardjmorgan' timestamp='1361466821' post='1986175'] … are they kind of the wrong way round? I've just been doing a bit of rough recording with my Encore P, having not played it properly in aaaages, and the note definition on the bottom two strings, compared to the top two, is pretty awful (yeah, I know it's not a great piece of kit, but bear with me). In comparison, my Aria also has a split coil pickup, but with the coils reversed (i.e. the coil for the bottom 2 strings nearer the bridge). Given the tendency of the upper strings on basses to be a bit snappier in my experience, all things being equal, the latter ("wrong" way round) seems to make more sense, and give a more balanced attack across the four strings. So is this just me being weird in terms of personal preference, is there a valid reason for the "normal" way round, or did Leo just get it wrong to begin with and it stuck like that? Being more of a guitarist than a bassist, I'd be interested to hear some input from those more knowledgeable than me. [/quote] No, it's not just you. The closer the pickup is to the bridge, the more noticeable the imbalance is. At the usual P position it doesn't matter a huge deal, although I still thing that reverse P is better.

Thanks! Sure thing... Tomorrow is going to be a fun night We are doing two new songs with SBK, and adding three to our RATM repertoire, which helps keep things interesting for us too. I hope we have a darkened stage for SBK as I will use my black Jazz for that, with the new glow in the dark side dot markers

[quote name='dand666' timestamp='1361351819' post='1984814'] Personally the LED's imo look gimmicky and tacky. But hey, thats just me! [/quote] They only look as bright as that for a short time after charging. I'm talking about the photograph I posted, which is not LEDs but glow in the dark replacement side dot markers... Luminlay is a rod of glow in teh dark material, and you have to drill the old markers and glue and trim this other material... I let my luthier friend do it so that they look "factory installed". They only glow strongly like that for a few minutes after charging, but they are able to glow faintly for a LONG time, charged just by normal lights around. Even in a low light environment, the faint glow adds enough to the markers so that they are noticeably easier to see... but nobody else will really see them. It's a very cheap and non-obtrusive way to improve the visibility of your side dots, which look just like standard dots under bright lights and do not look weird in any way... I can see how a bright glow can look gimmicky to some, but it does not look like that unless you keep charging them (which is possible, it takes 5 seconds so you could do it from time to time between songs)... the faint residual glow is what it's about for me (can't photograph that 'though).

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1361358288' post='1984936'] Jose - those look nice. How long do they glow for? Did you charge them with a keyring light? and how much to buy/have fitted? I use the stickers but they do look a bit cheap. [/quote] They don't glow as bright as that for very long. These are the blue ones, the green ones are brighter and last noticeably longer, but I like the blue If I charge them with a blue led keyring torch (Luminlay supplies one with every order), just a quick pass, they fade within a few minutes, but they remain glowing for much longer. It's not the kind of glow you will notice outside in teh sun... but in a badly lit stage it would be more than enough. I went for the 3mm diameter ones, that was my main issue: getting bigger dots. The bigger dots alone are already a great improvement, and even the faint glow they get from being exposed to the normal lights is enough to make them noticeably easier to see: you don't need the full bright blue glow (it would be nice, but if you don't want leds, that's what you get). I'd recommend them. They look like normal dots (or bigger, if you wish) when there is enough light, and their ability to glow a little even in very low light situations is very useful. Yes, they will not be as bright as in the picture (that's only possible if you charge them with the led torch... which takes seconds and you could easily do a pass from time to time in between songs, if you really needed a bright glow), but the residual faint glow lasts a long time, and it makes the dots much easier to see in a dark stage. It cost me £20 to have them fitted. It is not complicated to do, but I preferred to let someone I trust would do a great job deal with it. The result is fantastic, you'd think they were factory fitted. The luminlay rod itself was... I don't recall... maybe £7? I think something like that. I'd love some leds, low intensity so that they are not obvious and visible just by me... but it's a costly proposition and the surgery is not trivial. Fretlights work, but I don't really like the strip on the side of the board and the cable at the headstock to connect to the battery box... This is not as good a solution, but it's pretty good, cheaper, and keeps the looks.

I bought the Ultimate Overdrive a while ago. I like it more on guitar than bass, but it can sound pretty good on bass. My "problem" with it was that the gain knob is very sensitive. A little adjustment means a big change in sound, and the level goes up a lotg as you turn the gain up... so great once you find the sound you want, but not great to make adjustments on the spot. Still, pretty good moderate to high gain sounds. Low gain is available and sounds good, but it's fiddly. Then I bought the Sweet Baby overdrive. This is purely low gain. It works very nicely! Turn the focus control lowish to keep it from getting harsh, and you get a nice low gain just starting to distort sound. The whole range deals with low gain sounds, so it's easy to get the sounds you are after, and turning gain up or down does not affect the volume that much. It's very useful to get a slightly overdriven sound that actually feels pretty clean in the mix, but sounds a bit fatter and with a nice midrange bump. Now, I was curious about the Vintage overdrive... I heard some lovely clips on guitar, so I got it too. For guitar is REALLY nice. This pedal is a jewel. And, on bass? Beautiful. This one has a lot more gain than the Sweet Baby, but it's more controlable than the Ultimate Overdrive. Changing the gain affects the volume only slightly, making adjustments on the spot easy. It can do the low gain barely distorted sound, but what it does better is adding just a bit of grit... the low gain sounds are great. There is only a slight low end loss, it's perfectly useable as it is, without blending clean signal. I have to say, this pedal is the better sounding of the three, and versatile too because although it does not do really high gain, it can get quite hairy if you want it to, but it's still controllable and you don't need to juggle between gain and level knobs to get the right balance. I think I may buy another, one for each pedalboard, and remove the Ultimate Overdrive, keeping it loose just for guitar! Cheap overdrive no longer needs to be nasty!

So I got the bass today. The new dots are substantially larger and easier to see... and in addition, they can shine a little in the right circumstances... looks cool