mcnach

It is possible that you are not as 'sensitive' and/or wear the bass lower than other people, as I found that wearing the bass low reduces the neck-dive feel. I haven't found a bass with the strap button levelled at around the 15-17th fret that doesn't have some degree of neck dive.

No, I haven't tried one. I don't like the position of the second pickup, and I don't think I'd want to buy another single pickup Stingray (the one I've got is my #1... there's other lovely basses out there that I like to play, but that's the one: feel, sound, lacquered neck...) P + bridge humbucker is what I'd like...

!!! As long as you don't expect me to dance for them...

Well, I'm no longer a Sandberg virgin, having spent some (good) time with a couple of 48s in Glasgow's Guitar Guitar. The shop was pretty quiet, and the bass department downstairs was pretty cool... I saw a couple of Gibson Thunderbirds as soon as I got there, but nah, not for me, I didn't even try them. The Sandbergs were both very similar, I really liked the neck on both, although the red one was marginally nicer. It may be a thinner neck than what I normally go for but there's meat in that neck. I loved it, it felt great. Soundwise... the 2-band is adequate, nothing more to add. I was using a Mesa D800 with a couple of 112 Subway cabs, which is the closest to what I normally use that they had in the store. I loved the sounds they made. It was good to compare two, as they had slightly different setups and aged strings etc, so they give me a bit better idea of their 'sonic territory'. The bridge humbucker is *very* good. Really nice thick sound, full bodied... and the neck pickup is very very Precision-like. Just what I was hoping for based on what I could get on Youtube, but a bit better (the right amp helps, no doubt). Both had Delano pickups. Neck profile and dimensions, sounds... That was great. Now, the not so great. Balance: not perfect. With that design I was not hoping for perfection, but at the same time I was hoping to be wrong. The neck does pull down a bit, on both instruments. But I have to say, it was very minor compared to what I was expecting and it's something I can live with easily. The worst part is how long the neck feels. It's the ONE thing making me pause and think about it. I played both for a fair bit, standing up, trying to imagine how I'd feel playing it for a whole gig... can't be sure. I don't know. I'll have to sleep on it... Teo at the store was great, he got my details and is going to figure out what it'll be to place an order for the bass configured the way I want it, with the same neck profile as the red one, and we'll see... He thought they could get the bass in 3-4 months only, which I was surprised about. Hmmm. It sounds so good, 'though, and it's a great looking bass. But... I'm not sure... I'd hate to stop using it once the honeymoon period is over just because the neck feels a bit too long. Hmmm. Of course, now I'm thinking if I don't get this I would probably want some kind of VM Sandberg... I should walk away from this forum.

Thank you for letting me test drive one! It's going to go into this: I was going to put a John East U-Retro I've had in a box for ages, but I think this would be just the thing for it. It's a lovely bass to play (Originally a Squier Matt Freeman, that I converted to 'Jazz' and then to... this, that I call 'JJ' because I don't have a better name), and it's got a really cool sound, but it sounds better when I roll off the tone a bit, in any pickup configuration. It's wired just like a Jazz. Very prominent high midrange if you want it, but can be tamed down. I am putting a set of TI flats in there, and with the Tonestyler I hope it'll be fat, defined and creamy. Pickups (DiMarzio Area J) currently wired in parallel (they're humbuckers), but I might wire them in series to make them a bit fatter... choices, choices.

You're a bad influence. Right... see you guys in a few hours!

Rosewood fingerboard makes it a safe trip... I'm a maple junkie. But I have been known to stray edit: I may return after having placed an order 'though 😲

Tonestyler ordered. And... I'm off to Glasgow to try a Sandberg 48, and maybe a Thunderbird too.

Indeed, I was one I've bought two basses back. Both from members here, although the first one I sold on Gumtree and only a couple of years later I found he was a member of BC (Hi Sam!): I met him at a gig we where I was providing bass amplification, and I did not recognise him but I recognised the bass. He wasn't selling at the time, but I expressed my interest, and a year or two later he sold it back to me. A Vintage (the brand) Jazz bass. The second one, @alyctes here bought it from me. A Shine Telecaster shaped bass with two MM humbuckers. Someone else was asking about those basses, I chipped in what I knew, and alyctes was there too... one thing led to another and my girlfriend bought the bass back for me for my birthday. Alyctes even dropped the price as it was a present etc... Thank you sooo much

singing? I feel old...

And for the love of God... make sure your bass is in tune. Every time... I have a cheap Precision style bass that I had converted, with D'Addario nylon tapewounds and a Model P pickup, and it's got a lovely lovely sound. I have owned a couple of 'better' fretless basses but sold them and kept this. Anyway! I'm mostly a fretless owner rather than player. I play it at home sometimes, then go for weeks or months without touching it... as a result I haven't yet built up a very consistent touch with it. Last weekend I was meant to go into the studio to put some bass on one new song for my band's new album. It was just a jam that happened at the studio between the drummer and one guitarist, and then things were added to it and we decided to turn it into a song. I didn't know what to play and thought I could maybe use the fretless to make it sound a bit different and maybe it would inspire me... So the previous two days I used the fretless exclusively, a lot, playing a long to various things, working out alternative basslines for the new song... and then, on the day, I checked the tuning and it was slightly flat across all strings. No problem! I tuned up. But then... I could not play in tune! I was always playing slightly sharp as I got used to putting my fingers slightly forward to compensate for the tuning being off. Not fun. Because time is money, I ended up picking up a fretted bass instead, as it'll take me a couple of sessions to get used to playing the way I should. Check the tuning!!! That way you'll get into the habit of placing the fingers in the right spot from the beginning... don't be a silly billy like me 😛

Indeed! Before I joined BassChat, I just used whatever my local shop had, and I only had priority about gauges. Choice is a terrible thing Fat Beams are roundwounds, of course, stainless steel, so pretty bright to start with, but I prefer them after they've been used a bit. That's why I keep them that long. It takes me 2-3 weeks for them to be just right, and then they last a long time in that condition having lost the initial zing. By the time I'm finding them lacking a bit, it's easily 9 months... and I'm reluctant to replace them because I just don't like new strings, so I might carry on a bit longer. edit: I have Fat Beams on a few basses right now, I just checked my spreadsheet : * EBMM SUB: 2 years and 2 months (but I don't use that bass a lot) * Fender Precision: 1 year 8 months * Maruszczyk Jake JJ/P: 3 months - still very bright, but mostly used at home, I have used it on a couple of rehearsals and a total of ONE gig. * EBMM Stingray: 8 months... This is the bass I play most gigs with. I really like how it sounds at the moment, so I can see another 2-3 months easily...

I must have been lucky... for years! I'm off to buy a lottery ticket! (or maybe, just maybe, the possibility of issues is overestimated ) Either way, I'll do it differently next time, just in case. It costs nothing and I'd feel really silly if I damaged a string now

[deleted... because why bother]

He didn't just say "go and do it yourself", he explained how that could be a good exercise and I have to agree with that. It's a repetitive bass line so there aren't many different bits to it, so it would not be a huge amount of work but it can be quite educational. I get it that you were just after a tab you could go ahead and use straight away, which is fine, so you're entitled to ignore that post and carry on. The main thing is that he meant well, even if it didn't solve your issue. You don't need to bend over backwards thanking him or anything, but getting uptight about it will not help matters either and it's not a good look, I think.

I don't do anything like that... am I supposed to? I roughly measure, cut, insert in post, THEN bend and wind. No issues so far but maybe I'll change my ways just in case...

I guess that's fair. Before I bought my first set I was actually concerned as I had read issues with dead strings in new packets etc, although DR seemed prompt to replace them. I only moved to DR because a bass I bought used came with a set of strings that I really liked. I always removed strings from basses I buy and put my own, but this one was really nice. I had to start one of those "what strings are these?" threads and the consensus came to Fat Beams. I bought a set... and the rest is history. I wouldn't say there's a 'hype' about them, just very many happy users. But you're right, they won't necessarily suit everyone. However it's hard to find out without going ahead and trying them.

No, I haven't YET. The comparisons with my favourite Fat Beams make them attractive and I like that they're a UK brand too. It's on my list for strings to try in the very near future.

I think I am going to have to block you. As we discussed earlier tonight, MM + P sounds perfect for me. I do like the Thunderbird sound, but I'm not crazy about it. I love big bridge humbuckers, and MM+P is just my favourite combination for a two pickup bass. Then there's the look. That 48 is sexy AF

They have two in Glasgow, none in Edinburgh... looks like a trip this weekend! Thank you! At least they don't come in my favourite colours or fingerboard options, so my wallet is temporarily safe

Good point about adding more wood to the neck on a design that's harder to balance to start with. IfI go that route, I'd definitely be having a chat first: if they cannot guarantee good balance I would not go with that option. It's not like I can't play Jazz necks, just that they're not my favourite... There's a Guitar Guitar very near me, but I don't know if they have 48s... I should find find out.

Additional cost to us. In the US of A they are not that pricey. Spending $19 on a set of Fat Beams is not exactly a hardship. In the UK, it's a different matter, of course. I still buy them because everytime I find something else that seems promising as a substitute, it leaves me disappointed. Considering I probably keep a set for 9 months to a year, I'd rather buy what I know I like even if I spend £10 or even £20 more.

Nothing ever is a solution for everyone, of course.

In my case, I also found that with the right bass it was not hard to adapt (a Lakland 5502 for me, wide string spacing help making it feel natural), but I had a couple of basses a *really* liked, and they were 4 strings. Playing the 5er meant not using my favourite basses... and I didn't have a real need for a 5 string... so I let it go. I use drop D at times too, but the best thing about the 5 string bass is that it allows you to move sideways to reach many notes, and you don't have to move up/down the neck as much as with a 4 string. 5 string basses make sense even if you don't use the extra lower notes... But I don't see myself switching until I come across a 5 string bass that I enjoy as much as my Stingray 4-string...

That would have been fantastic, thank you for the offer anyway I'm going to be not too far from Bass Direct in about 6 weeks, and they currently have a 48... If they still have it I could try to visit the store and try it, to get a better impression. Danger danger!