Rayman

Put an OLP in my hands, plug it in and play it, I'd say, right Ok, that's alright. Put a [i]Musicman[/i] in my hands, plug it in and play it, I'd say, [i]oh yeah[/i], that's why it costs more. It's as simple as that for me.

I have no problem with him, I like his playing, and I like his tone. Overplayed? Maybe a bit, but I like it.

The original BB series were outstanding basses. I had a 3000S, an 1100S and a 850F, superb basses. I'd have a 1000 without any hesitation.

Taken recently with my other job as a frontman. LET'S ROCK!!

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='949591' date='Sep 8 2010, 04:39 PM']I think that's the OLP I've ended up with. Brass nut as well as the Nordy/East combination? I know what you mean about the build quality. Not even close, and the neck profile's quite "clubby". BUT... tonally, I love it. It's my fretted bass of choice at the moment, and I actually prefer the sound over my genuine SR5. To me, it out-Stingrays the SR5.[/quote] Yup, that's the one, I put a lot of time and money into that bass. It's a great bass, no question, and quite easily the best Tony Levin out there, and in fact Tony himself was interested in the work I'd done on it, and asked a few questions via email. The electrics are the best you can buy, and the brass nut was beautifully made by Steve Robinson in Manchester. The original electrics were awful, I chucked the lot in the bin. I guess it just comes down to the original timber and components, they're just not up to the quality of the US made stuff, but then it wouldn't be, it's produced for a fraction of the price, you get what you pay for at the end of the day. It'd be a shame to pull the upgrades out of that particular bass, I think it's quite special as it is.

Yeah that sure is purdy.

No such thing as a dumb question, I've asked many over the years. As a general rule for me personally: Active bass (bass with a battery in it somewhere) - keep the volume controls on the bass down a little bit, they're more powerful mostly than passive basses, and can drive the amp harder. Passive bass (no batteries anywhere) - Go for it and whack it up as loud as you like. If the amp starts to clip or distort slightly, you know it's time to turn something down, and usually that's the volume or gain on the amp in my case. I can play a Fender precision for example (no battery, passive) through my amp, and clunk the strings like a jackhammer and there's no problem, as long as the amp gain or volume isn't on full or it'll distort. If I welly the strings on my Spector (battery, active) with the volume controls on the bass up full, I'll blow a ruddy great big hole in the front of my amp. So I keep the volume controls rolled back a bit (quite a lot actually) and the amp volume turned down lower than with a passive bass. It's always good at the end of the day to set the volume and tone controls to a place where it all sounds great to you. Sometimes that means turn it all up full on the bass, if so, back the volume off a bit on the amp to avoid distortion.

Glad you saw the light. I spent a lot of time and money putting a Nordstrand 5.2 and a John East EQ into an OLP Tony Levin, but it just never was as good as my bog standard 2EQ Musicman Stingray, just not in the same league at all. Like you say, a great backup, but that really was all it could ever be, even with all the kit stuck in it. The quality of the timbers, screws, machining, everything just are not comparable. A musicman bass just feels like quality the minute you pick it up. Since getting my fingers burnt financially on that one, I've never thrown serious money at a budget bass since, although I have "tarted up" a couple, but not on the same scale as that OLP. My Fleabass had an EMG put in it, new pots, socket etc, but not at the kind of cost I incurred with that Tony Levin bass. Good basses OLPs, [i]if[/i] you find a nice one, but not in the same league as the real thing IMO.

I'd love a decent recording setup. I've had years of band politics and I'm fed up with it, I just want to do something creative for my own amusement at home. However I'm thick and skint. So even if I had the money to get some gear together, I'd never be able to work out how to use it.

Don't mean to be thick, but is that a [i]bass[/i] we're looking at there? I've lived a sheltered life obviously.

[i]That[/i]....is a sexy looking threesome. I do like a nice threesome.

Well the arrival of the Ibanez Gary Willis Fretless has set the cat amongst the pigeons. I'm enjoying it so much, [i]that[/i] could be the only bass I take to the next gig. I spent all Saturday on it, then went back to the Spector for a bit, and thought "oh......." Could I [i]really[/i] end up with [i]just[/i] a 5 string fretless for everything I do?

[quote name='MB1' post='947165' date='Sep 6 2010, 01:15 PM']MB1. ...Downer! ...Was Expecting a cover of Thomas Dolbys...Key to Your Ferrari........................Coat Collected![/quote] Thomas Dolby.... blimey there's a name I haven't heard for a while. The Flat Earth was one of my favourite albums many years ago, Screen Kiss, what a great track. [i]Anyway[/i].....back to Jamiroquai, I guess I'm just one of those people who just likes what JK does. I'm not a T Shirt, badge wearing Jamirouquai fanatic or anything, but, I just love the music. Maybe I'm having a mid life crisis.

[size=1]well[/size]........... [size=1]I still like it[/size].

I've got goosebumps, it's fabulous. The bass tone is just perfect. [i]Love[/i] it.

The bog standard Ibanez K5 is a fantastic bass, another one I should've kept. I really think out of all of the basses I've had, including the Overwater and Sadowsky etc, although it didn't have the tone of those basses it certainly was the most comfortable to play of them all. It's one of the things that turned me on to the GWB35.

I like 'Body And Soul., and the live album just after.

Yes I do, and I've not heard it for years.

[quote name='Chris2112' post='945605' date='Sep 4 2010, 06:58 PM']I remember when I first heard that they were going to be making the Gary Willis basses in Japan for a huge price. I was quite put off - I'd have considered the old 4 string one.[/quote] I know. I really don't have a problem with it being made in Japan, they know how to make top quality stuff there, but over [i]three thousand pounds[/i]? Strewth that's steep, for a bass that claims to be a "No Frills" instrument. It is really rather sexy though, and like the fact that it's simple. I'll make do with the GWB35 for now though. Edit: who the heck is that young lady in your avatar? I'm sure I used to go out with her.

It won't ever stop I'm afraid. Good score though.