mcnach

[quote name='the_krysh' timestamp='1340262126' post='1701745'] well, difficult question, since the pros and cons probably are equal and it depends on the existing tone of your instrument. in my 2 custom jazzes I have an obp3 (active/passive switchable) and an only active audere in the other one. both sound great, but a little bit I miss the possibility to switch the audere to passive - until I use it . I'd suggest to go with a tonehammer or sadowsky pedal first and if you really dig the tone then get a preamp installed. but if you do that, you should only use a high quality one like aguilar, nordstrand, audere, glockenklang, john east, etc... everything else might not be worth it. [/quote] I'd agree. Artec preamps work, but they don't really offer anything extraordinary. In addition they have a big block of a preamp, unlikely you'lll fit that plus battery in a Jazz control cavity without modification. My personal favourite for a Jazz is the J-Retro. More expensive yes, but it really gives you a lot of control. The mid sweep in particular is very cool. You could even just buy the mid sweep module alone. It'll fit without alterations, but the knobs will not be the originals as it uses concentric dual pots and knobs.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1340260428' post='1701729'] What's wrong with the tone controls on your amp? [/quote] it really cracks me up when this question gets asked (and invariably it does) when someone asks whether to install an onboard preamp. Two points: - EQ structures: the voicing in your amp and the particular onboard of your choice are likely to be very different. You may choose an onboard preamp because of its particular voice - onboard. Right there at your fingertips. You may not care and play with one sound all night. Some actually like to have more control at their fingertips, without running back to the amp or footswitchable presets or whathaveyou. Whatever works for you, however!

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1340134923' post='1699824'] So whats the deal here then? [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Musicman-Stingray-bass-HYBRID-/170863064867?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item27c83b7723"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item27c83b7723[/url] I dont think thats an EBMM neck, the bottom area around the truss rod wheel is the wrong shape as its much to round rather than flat behind the wheel of fortune also the heel is round rather than coming to a sort of V shape. check out this one for an idea of what I mean [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Music-Man-Stingray-3EQ-Bass-Guitar-Humbucker-Black-Pearl-/290602880263?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item43a9480d07"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item43a9480d07[/url] What would it be then an OLP neck (?calling mcnach ) with a decal and a few bits and bobs for £500? Sorry if its a member here but I have serious doubts about that neck if it was purchased at full whack price [/quote] It does not look like an OLP neck, it's too round for that:

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1340184349' post='1700439'] let me guess... its a stratocaster? [/quote] he seems to be a man of good taste, so it would not be surprising if it were. I love strats and teles, me. I only own three guitars right now. Two are strats (one "standard", a yummy Classic Player series in sonic blue, and the other is a humbucker&FloydRose loaded Richie Sambora signature... please don't laugh at me ). I need to get back to guitar more.

[quote name='Doctor J' timestamp='1340179605' post='1700289'] If we're actually honest with ourselves, there are very few of us here who couldn't do everything they want and need to do on a bog standard Jazz bass and, I put it to you, that even owning more than one is an induglence. Why are people who have two or three applying a stigma to having more than that? At a push, you could say there could be a need for fretted and fretless but saying you [i]need[/i] a Stingray tone and a P bass tone is a bit much. Just get more if you want more and enjoy it, don't think too much about it, just play them [/quote] I don't think they're criticising you for having more basses... I think you read it that way because your subconscious feels guilty. You need to liberate yourself. How? Buy a LOT more basses. That will teach your subconscious!!!

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1340149337' post='1700157'] What makes you think that a "collection" automatically means "instrument(s) gathering dust"? All mine get played on a fairly regular rotation because I like them all. If they don't get played, they get sold. [/quote] pretty much the same here. I may not gig them all. IN fact, like I said earlier, only two basses really see any action, and one does 90% of the gigs,, or more. But they are all used. Past couple of weeks I have been playing a lot my new fretless Jazz and the Cort GB74 I just got. I even rehearsed with the fretless, for giggles. But last week's gigs, as well as those this week (thursday to saturday) will see the MM SUB alone (VM Jazz as backup on Friday). They *all* get used. If not... they go.

[quote name='paulmcnamara' timestamp='1340143370' post='1700056'] If you like the Jazz sound, buy a jazz bass. [/quote] but-no-jazz-bass-ever-feels-like-this-precision-bass so no, not comparable.

[quote name='debwilliams' timestamp='1340143758' post='1700068'] so really, one bass per amp makes sense [/quote] aha! that's what I was doing wrong... I need to buy more amps!!!

[quote name='andyonbass' timestamp='1340117143' post='1699351'] The previous owner, Mykesbass had the board replaced by john shuker, as I recall. Made a cracking job of it too! I got some SIT silencer halfwounds through the letterbox today so I'll fit them when time allows and see if there is an improvement in the B string. Might be a U-Retro incoming if it turns out alright [/quote] aha! I see. The U-Retro would be a huge improvement!

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1340140382' post='1699952'] By coincidence, I have in front of me a new, unopened, MEC (read Warwick) 100K/100K stacked pot, with push/pull switch. They do exist, but you do have to look hard for them, it's true. Not cheap either. I think it cost me just over £25. And then I never installed it! [/quote] it's part #178569, if anybody ever needs one.

[quote name='allihts' timestamp='1340114798' post='1699306'] @McNach The pot was damaged so I replaced it with a status one (the only company I could find that make 100k/100k stacked pot). Some dogey soldering later and it works but doesn't sound as good (to my ears) as the original. Only ever really play my Fender Jazz now though so it's not the end of the world. [/quote] By coincidence, I have in front of me a new, unopened, MEC (read Warwick) 100K/100K stacked pot, with push/pull switch. They do exist, but you do have to look hard for them, it's true. Not cheap either. I think it cost me just over £25. And then I never installed it!

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1340129694' post='1699697'] I'd love to, but I have a gig on Saturday afternoon at still to be decided time. Have a good one! [/quote] pah, excuses! thank you, you too! We also have a gig on saturday, back in Edinburgh [1]... still unclear when. All I know is at a forest near Bilston, site of a famous protest against a proposed road project... 10 years ago! It seems there's people still there today, living in tree houses and the lot. After a recent gig someone approached us asking whether we'd be willing to join their 10th anniversary party in the forest. They are providing all equipment etc, so we figured it could be fun. [1] this will be with another band, Sea bass Kid... but 75% of RATM are in SBK, so it's really all the same people, we just change jackets

[quote name='Chrismanbass' timestamp='1340130731' post='1699727'] i think the point is that emails are good for information i.e dates and times indeed its the email from the singer which means i can prove it was bad comunication that led to me not being able to do the gig and not my mistake however i do agree that it is a lot easier to ascertain exactly what someone means when you are talking to them over the phone or face to face but yeh maybe an online calender is a good solution to this situation would you care to suggest a free/relatively cheap one? [/quote] google calendars! I've been using it for about 3 years now with several bands. It took a bit to get people to use it, but eventually they saw the advantages and it's working very well. I still need to call people up if someone contacts me wanting us to do a particular gig, but at least i can now say immediately that a certain date is busy. Seeing various people's calendars at a glance, with various colours... very helpful, for me. However, it only works f people do really use it. Being online, everybody can access it from their computers, phones...

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1340094685' post='1698866'] Heh, Mad Hatters is ace, really enjoyed it when we played there back in April. Just mind out for that curfew - I got shut out of the place when I nipped outside to phone my wife after the gig and had to ask very nicely to be allowed back in to get my stuff [/quote] Thanks for the tip I have never been there, but I hear good things about it. Pretty much everyone who knows it thinks it should be a good gig to play. We decided we don't want to drive back after the gig, so we can drink and relax, so we are staying at a nearby hostel, one room for teh four of us (well, we don't want to spend all our fee in petrol and accommodation, eh? ) Looking forward to it! I hope the weather helps a bit. So, not fancy a trip from Aberdeen?

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1340124952' post='1699539'] Two biggest problem in bands. Big Egos and Bad Communication. I can live with the first. Avoid emails and Texts unless it's for information - like "The gig is 22nd July" not like "We're using a dep, how do you feel?" Face to face and phone is always better. [/quote] Although emails and txts can be recalled later at will, while people often fail to make notes and "misremember"... Online calendars are also a very very good thing.

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1340099162' post='1698938'] You make some good points about practicality but with respect you are quite new to BC and it hasn't had time to corrupt you yet. I had about 2 decades of GAS free playing where I felt exactly as you do before joining BC... now I have multiple guitars in every single room of the house. I only perhaps gig with a couple of them... the rest are for my pleasure. [/quote] Oh, indeed!!!! BC has contributed extensively to my GAS. I was oh so happy with my OLP too

[quote name='pendingrequests' timestamp='1340098287' post='1698927'] To be honest, I have never seen the need to own any more basses than 2 or 3. Certainly a lot of players on here can justify owning so many. I have been pretty much using my USA Jazz bass for all live and recorded work for 4 years. In this time I have played in a ton of venues and recorded various styles of music. At any point, in rehearsals or the recording studio has someone said "Eugh, I don't like that bass tone, do you have another bass?" There has never been a time where I've felt I needed to buy another bass 1. I don't really need to. 2. What's the point if the Jazz is working? I think people get caught up on changing the bass, rather than concentrating on what they are doing with their fingers. Again I don't want to offend anyone, I really do not see the point in have over 3 basses. A local session bass player in Belfast I know, who is a extremely busy guy, usually has one bass strapped around him for everything he does and uses it from funk, cover gigs (pop, rock, indie), soul and Motown work. [/quote] See my sig below. And that does not list everything But I am not offended. In fact, I probably use two basses for 99%, and one for 90%. I could easily just use my MM SUB. Easily. But the reason I have so many basses is not "necessity". I just... like them. What can I do? If I think "need" I could then justify the SUB or Stingray, the fretless Jazz (or P if I add a jazz pickup to it but that's another thread ), and either another Jazz or P-bass with flats of soem description. Those three basses would cover anything. The thing is only at home I play and mix basses... live is nearly always the same one.

If so... come along to Mad Hatters, where Radge Against The Machine will be playing. It's the first time we play there, and I wonder if there are any other BCers in the area who might be coming. If you are, and you do, make yourselves known... it's always good to meet other forum inhabitants while out of town

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1340075648' post='1698741'] But then I might want more! [/quote] and the problem with that is...?

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1340058847' post='1698620'] Go for it. I would lightly sand first to give it a key. Nitro isn't the hardest material in the world and will easily ding up. The wet sanding is the tricky bit which is why you need a lot of coats to stop you sanding through, very easy if you aint careful. It's a lot of fun though and very therapeautical. Good luck. Your first is usually the best coz you tend to be over cautious. [/quote] Thank you! I need to get some sandpaper for this, I meant to do it at the weekend but other things got in the way. I will do some fine sanding on the existing finish then, and start applying coats of the orange nitro.

[quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1340061196' post='1698667'] Even later to this thread. Sorry but I have a totally different view point. I'm a one band guy and that band has total priority. I have played with other bands for fun but strictly on the understanding that if my band gets a gig on the same date then that's the gig I'm doing. I really can't see how you can commit to more than one band at a time. Perhaps it's me. [/quote] with multiple band situations I work on a first come first served basis. I think it would be very bad form to cancel a previous commitment just because later on I got an offer with my "preferred" band. If you do that with me, you will not be playing long with me because the number one quality I look for is reliability. If I say I will do X gig, then I will do it even if I get a better offer elsewhere. Being in multiple bands, successfully, I think depends on how busy those bands are, and whether or not deps can be used and are easily available. But you cannot back out of a previous commitment just because you found something you like better. Unless it's one of those situations where you can provide a dep without causing disruption to the other band members.

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1340064845' post='1698708'] All of the active basses I've tried sounded 'smoother' in the midrange, with a big bottom and and extremely glassy highs. Not bad sounds by any means, but didn't seem to have as much character to me. I found I was always turning the treble down, but leaving the mids where they were as they didn't sound 'right' boosted. All this is IME of course! [/quote] I see what you mean, I think that's what I call "modern sounding" and I don't particularly like that sound. But a Stingray or a Jazz with a J-Retro are quite different animals, as are many others. There really is as wide a variety as in passive basses.

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1340057514' post='1698574'] It will flake off the plastic can but not off your bass. The can lid is probably still covered in silicon from the factory. You can nitro over pretty much anything that isn't oily. As many coats as you can be bothered with. Usually One can, a week to dry, sand, and dump another can on before drying again and wet sand then buff (by hand with t-cut and swirl remover). [/quote] you give me hope! so you think it would attach reasonably well to a *very clean* poly finish, and not flake off if I cough next to it? I like the idea of showing shiny shoreline gold under the orange when it eventually gets some scratches etc.

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1339965092' post='1697018'] I only own passive basses, this is one of the reasons! Both the actives I've owned have had electronics trouble... Plus I prefer the midrange and attack of a passive! [/quote] why do you assume a passive bass has to have a significantly different midrange and attack from an active bass? These two things are unrelated to whether you have a preamp there or not (with or without EQ). Not saying passive is worse or anything, but "just sayin'"

[quote name='apa' timestamp='1340045208' post='1698261'] Way ahead of you . You like Antigua right? See 'Lucie' in my sig for a teaser!! A [/quote] Antigua, as in the island? yeah! as in what some people refer to as... "snotburst"? erm... not so much But then I have never seen an example in detail. Got any pictures yet?