mcnach

So this morning before I got to work... what do I see arriving on my street? A Parcel Force van! The Mockingbird is here. It's actually pretty nice, and I don't find it ugly anymore It came with an as-new highly padded Warwick gigbag, which is fortunate as it's the exact type I use, and my current one is falling apart after a few years of regular use, so I needed a new one. Bonus! The bass itself, the set up will be improved and the strings are not great, but it's more than playable. Pretty good condition all around. Of course, I had to plug it in. YES!!!!!! Oh yes. I like dual P The neck pickup sounds very much like a Precision, but not exactly. I suspect it's a bit closer to the neck than on a P bass but I have nore measured it. Both pickups on sounds huge, very deep. It may be a bit too scooped so in a busy band it may not be so good, but solo it sounds great, and in a not very noisy band it will work like a Jazz does, only deeper. Bridge pickup, which is what I am more interested in... sounded really good. I love it. It's reminiscent of a Jazz, but bigger... however nothing like an MM pickup at that location. This sounds more "single coil" like. Just bigger. I really like it. Only one thing I am not so in love with about the sound. It's to do with the split coil configuration. I always thought a reversed P would be better. You see, in a normal P, the EA coil is closer to the neck and the DG coil is closer to the bridge. This I suppose expands the tonality. I always thought I would have done it the other way around, so that the DG strings sound fatter and more balanced with the EA strings. But it's not a huge bother. Now, when the pickup is so close to the bridge, there is a noticeable difference between the EA and DG strings... especially that G string, it's very thin. It's still loud, but it just does not have teh same type of tone, because the DG coil is so close to the bridge. I would really like a dual P with reverse P configuration... so I guess I'll keep an eye open for one of those. The shape of the Mockingbird... I find it quite pretty, in person, actually. But it's not the most logical shape from a practical design point of view. There is neck dive. It's not a deal breaker for me, and I have seen much worse, but on a strap the neck tends to go towards the horizontal. The "hip" of the bass is shaped such that if you have your forearm there, as most do, you could really balance it that way effectively. So it's not so bad... only I don't particularly like to rest my forearm there for long... Sitting down... it's also a bit "different". I am right handed. If I rest it on my right leg, as I often do... it slips. I have to rest it between both legs, and then it's fine, except the neck is them shifted to the left a bit, so the first fret is farther than usual. Still within reach, but it has a different feel. So... soundwise it's pretty nice, both regarding the dual P idea and the actual BC Rich pickups, although a reverse P would be more balanced. The ergonomics are not the best, but just by looking at the shape you knew it was not designed for that. It just takes a couple of minutes to adjust and it's not a well balanced bass, without making it a terrible bass: I still like it. It looks a bit metal, so I made sure I played a bunch of funk licks to teach it that life is going to be different in my possession, and it better get used to it I think I will eventually buy another dual P bass. One with a reverse P or if it's not reverse then with the bridge pickup not so close to the bridge. A different shape too, and colour. I am not a big fan of black basses. But I'm not in a hurry... this bass has surprised me a lot, it's quite good and I am sure I can tolerate the colour and balance for quite some time, until I find the right one.

[quote name='chaypup' timestamp='1359056429' post='1949248'] If you like the dual P, but not the bass, I'm going to be selling one of my Westone Thunder II's soon.... I'll put pics up later. [/quote] oh, very interested. Please let me know when you put the pictures up etc.

[quote name='jimbobothy' timestamp='1359049425' post='1949090'] I've bought a bass off here with the neck off, I was surprised how small the package was when I went to pick it up from the depot! Least you would know the possibility of any major damage would be minimised that way. [/quote] yeah, it's a good way to transport it if unsure about packaging. I took a bass, a Jazz, to Spain like that, in my luggage. Then I just reassembled it, and ready to play.

[quote name='John Schoen' timestamp='1359001552' post='1948347'] I bought one a couple of weeks ago and it is indeed seriously neck heavy. It can apparently be solved by fitting lightweight tuners and moving the top strap button. I have ordered Gotoh Res-O-Lites because I really want to keep this bass, the twin P Pickups sound great. [/quote] Pity. It's not a deal breaker if I really like the bass, and dual P are not common, it's not like I could just get another bass shape easily. I'll be interested to hear how you manage with the lighter tuners etc.

monster!!!!

[quote name='Spoombung' timestamp='1358976594' post='1948100'] Sorry, but over 50's men are fundamentally uncool. I speak through bitter experience. [/quote] unless you were Robert Plant, or David Coverdale...

[quote name='LemonCello' timestamp='1358959465' post='1947685'] I'd been fancying one of these myself and did some research. Apparently, on the strap, the headstock makes for the floor? I'd be interested to know if that's the case. [/quote] That would be very annoying indeed. Judging by the shape, I can believe that will be the case, unless the body is very heavy. I have had a few neck heavy basses and guitars... and sooner or later they got sold.

[quote name='dudewheresmybass' timestamp='1358952576' post='1947528'] I had that one I my watch list! Hope it works well for you mate. [/quote] If I decide I don't want it, I will let you know

[quote name='jackers' timestamp='1358951881' post='1947517'] nice the more expensive mockingbird and eagle basses are beautiful, but so hard to find. [/quote] The Eagle is very nice I think. That's one bass I would definitely like to have, if the dual P works for me.

[quote name='apa' timestamp='1358951593' post='1947510'] Oh for goodness sake! A [/quote] I knew you would approve

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1358944892' post='1947367'] I take a very simple approach to this. I leave my amp pretty much flat and I just adjust the centre mid frequency until the notes are punchy and balanced across the fingerboard. Works for me every time. I don't play with a deep and throaty tone anyway, but as soon as you hear the low frequencies flooding the rest of the band it really spoils it for me as a player and as a listener. If my backline is not going through the PA I always think about the person at the back of the venue rather than the person in front of the stage and I shape my backline tone with that in mind. Our male vocalist leaves the stage a couple of times during our set and checks the overall balance of the band and he has a good ear for balance. If he says that my tone is too muddy or too sparkly I will adjust it even though it might sound a bit weird behind me. It doesn't stop me from getting on with my job and I take any sacrifice of my own tonal enjoyment to ensure that I sound good in the venue. Can't be afford to be selfish in this game. We play more often these days without the band being full mic'd up through FOH, so I don't tend to turn my backline volume beyond the acoustic level of the kick drum. That's when the arguments begin on stage! If I am too low for the rest of the guys that usually means that 'they' are too loud. But, if we are acoustically balanced on stage then we tend to find the punters enjoy the performance more. If you are not going through a PA and push your amps up to the same volume expectations it is very hard to balance the band individually. I view amps as personal monitors on stage...nothing else. They cannot do the same job as a PA...amps are not designed that way. I know a lot of us don't have the pleasure of putting the band through a PA, but you have to live by your limitations. Okay, everyone love to crank it up and pin the punters to the wall, but you will be surprised how much they don't really enjoy waking up the next day with their ears ringing and sore throats because their mates couldn't hear them spilling latest Facebook gossip. [/quote] can I join your band??? I wish I could be a volume dictator. I love my band(s) but... I wish we played more quietly.

Yeah, teh star is part of it. And the scratchplate is back on It's an odd mixture... and I love it.

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1358935791' post='1947178'] I disagree that if you don't get gigging quickly you never will. My band rehearsed for 18 months before we even thought about gigging---although, to be fair, we did start out as just three guys who wanted to make a racket in a rehearsal room... [/quote] But that's the thing. If you set out to gig, and that's what you are aiming for... and spend 6 months trying to get to a giggable standard without success... then something is very wrong. If you're just doing it for fun and don't have a particular aim, that's another thing. I have been in bands that had no intention of gigging, and it was ok. Some were just recording projects and an excuse to get together and make noise The bands that started with the idea of bringing the music to a stage, did not take very long once the band members were set.

I was watching a video of Maceo Parker a couple of weeks ago, and the bass player used a BC Rich (Wave? Eagle?) with dual P pickups... and what a tone! It got me gassing for a P pickup at the bridge. Badly. Today I found one of the cheaper BC Rich Mockingbird basses with dual P pickups on eBay. It said "or make an offer". So I made an offer. It was black and boring, and the Mockingbird shape does not give me goosebumps either, so I made an offer without a lot of interest... and it got accepted! So, I'll get to try a dual P setup soon properly and see whether I really like it or not. I doubt I will keep this particular bass unless it surprises me and it's amazingly nice to play... so either I'll decide "nah, dual P is ok but not for me" and let this bass go, or go "hmmm, lovely" and I'll be gassing for one of the nicer BC Rich basses... which will be a pain as they don't come up very often, and when they do they are not cheap. Ah well... GAS, eh?

Found a cheap BC Rich Mockingbird... so that will be my introduction to dual P basses. EBay is a terrible thing. I used the "make an offer", and... it was accepted!

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1358858325' post='1946050'] What I find about Hi Beams / Fatbeams/ Sunbeams is that , like all strings , they lose that new zing after a certain time but after that they still sound good and not " dead " in the sense that they are dull , lifeless and in need of changing . That still sounding o.k phase lasts for ages and ages . That coupled with the great feel makes them worth the extra money . The only problem I have with them is that on some basses , to my taste at least , the 40-100 set feels too light and elastic but the 45-105 set feels a little too taught and heavy . Its about time DR brought out a Dingus Signature set gauged 42-62-82-102 . They could make up some story about them being wound at a high temperature and call them Baked Beams and package them in a tin rather than the usual cardboard packet . [/quote] If I ever became semi-known, I would do that!

It is useful to thread the screws through a candle first, to get some wax on the threads. That acts as a lubricant and it allows to thread the screws back the way they were minimising damage.

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1358846633' post='1945821'] I'd be interested in trying the FatBeams. My TRB came with DR roundwounds but the seller couldn't remember which variety. They lasted *ages* (I've had the bass for nearly 18 months now and the strings are still OK---I took them off to put flats on last month but they're otherwise fine) and sounded good. I'll probably buy more but £35 is quite a lot to gamble! Certainly, your photo is consistent with what my DR strings look like. [/quote] Well, I'll have the FatBeams soon, and my L2000 is supposed to have HiBeams on. I have a new set of HiBeams, but the L2000 is still more than fine, so it may be some time until I change them. They really do seem to last, so it does not work out so expensive after all.

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1358846424' post='1945819'] Wasn't it you that I was taking the mickey out of because you were putting a black pickguard on your 75 Jazz some time ago? Something about you should wear a Marcus Miller style hat? Now you're using his strings too! Highbeams / Fatbeams sound great on a Jazz bass, you should definitely give them a try. Buying the strings is expensive but they last much longer than any other uncoated strings I've tried, they actually work out better value for money long term. [/quote] ah!! it's true!!! let me check... no, he still has not inflitrated my CD collection, phew He just seems to be a man of taste, I suppose £75 on strings for three basses? ouch. I guess I'm spoiled as I don't play double bass

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1358854561' post='1945956'] oh, ok. Didn't realise you were a major artist... sorry [/quote] so, you need to be a "major" artist to know and have views about sound?

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1358815661' post='1945687'] I can vouch for this. [/quote] you are not helping.

Oh, I so love to play at low levels!!! (not actually low, but it seems a lot of people feel that if it cannot deafen you, it's too quiet). Why is it so hard to get people to play at reasonable volumes where our hearing is at our best and we can better judge what we sound like?

This could turn out to be expensive

And a Jazz!!!

Hmmm... a Precision with FatBeams could be pretty amazing...