Rayman

So I figured that a Starfire with tapes, would sit well next to the Sunn, also fitted with tapes. I was right. Just got the Starfire back from a little electrical overhaul. Bish bosh, job done. They sound awesome, and I'm slightly turned on by the looks.

Funny how one bass, for no tangeable reason, can do that. I'm my case it cost me less than a hundred quid, it should be crap, but it's beautiful, resonant and comfortable. It makes me cringe about the tens of thousands of pounds I've spent previously. So crazy, and proof that you don't have to have deep pockets to find an absolute banger. I just hope that the Starfire that's coming in is good enough to back it up.

You know, the one you reach for most of the time, it might not be expensive, it might be expensive, but it's the one, out of all of them, that just feels like home. You might have a bunch of choices, but there's always your mate, that just feels right and makes you smile...... Me, still the Sunn, it shouldn't be that good, but it just IS. What's yours?

All I can add, is that having had 3 MIJ Fender Marcus Miller jazzes….. I always preferred the passive option. It was nice to have active options, but they always sounded so much better switched to passive, to me.

Gretsch Thunderjet. In black, looked absolutely stunning, but sounded a bit lame. I just couldn't get a sound I liked from it at all. That was 20yrs ago, and my taste has changed, I'd probably love it now.

As my username suggests, I was a devout Stingray fan when BC started. I haven't had one for some years now..... I would like one again ..... AAAAGGGGHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOO

I turned up with a metal band in the 90s to a small pub, by the time we'd unloaded the gear including a massive PA, the frightened landlady said "I'll pay you if you just go home". We did. She did. Never even got to test the decibel meter winking at us from the wall. 😆

Same to you pal Does it ever end? I fear not.

I've gone for a set of medium tapes.... I'll see how I go.

I turned 57 yesterday. I feel old. However after 40yrs of GAS, I feel like I'm all but done with the search for basses. Mrs Rayman bought me a beautiful DeArmond Starfire yesterday, so along with my really amazing Sunn Mustang (both fitted with tapes), a Hohner B Bass (bright and punchy) and an Aria Integra 5 (with a beautiful fretboard and low B), I really feel like all instrument options are finally covered. I feel satisfied (yes, we all say that when a new bass comes in). I'm too long in the tooth for endless trading/buying..... so my GAS now turns to the backline. Anyone else feel the same? Or am I kidding myself?

I'm after flats or tapes for a Dearmond Starfire which measures about 31" ..... so is that Short or Medium scale?

I think I’ll keep looking, I’m not sure it’s what I need right now.

Yep….. been there. It’s worse when you take a punt on a bass that you quite fancy, then see the one you really wanted appear the next day, but you now can’t afford it.

Nice. I missed out on one recently, always been on my radar after my bass player for my solo stuff bought one just like that, and sounded fantastic. I just fullfiled my semi urges with a Guild Starfire instead.

Hmmmm yeah, I saw one on Reverb, and wondered about a punt, but aesthetically I'm not sure. Not for metal at all, I was wondering if it was an all rounder or not....

I'm thinking the same. Mrs Rayman concurs. I think something without a racist flag would be more desirable too.

Antonio, made in China, apparently?

Yeah.... The flag, cool as it looks aesthetically , is probably not a very popular moniker, and may as well be a swastika to be honest, far from ideal. As far as the bass goes, I know nothing! It looks decent enough, and way more playable than the one I had 20yrs ago, which although old, was a bit of a dog from what I remember.

Well the guy hasn’t responded as yet to what it is…. But at £300….. surely G4M is a distinct possibility?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rockabilly-Double-bass-3-4-with-pick-ups-/255454937143?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

Interesting topic, and I can only comment with my many experiences of mods and the fact that I always ended up moving the bass on anyway after a quest to improve it. Like I’ve said, if you’re keeping it and a few tweaks make it better for you, awesome. However my experience is that ultimately the bass was moved on anyway because I was trying to find something in the instrument that was was never there in the first place.

No big deal at all if you’re going to keep it, like I said a few comments ago. My experience is that a lot of upgraded instruments are moved on anyway, which makes the mods pointless.