fretmeister

One of the guys on thefretboard won that lovely white Gibson Explorer last week. I'm jealous - l've always loved an explorer.

I've never tried a slap ramp at the front that the astonishing Henrik Linder uses: and something filmed only for SBL a few years ago just went live on youtube as well: I can see how that would help - I've played some older design basses where the neck we set higher than the body and I found it was really easy to get too much of a finger under the string for a pop. He's such an amazing player.

Just an idea...

I'm obsessed with bass weight. I really don't like heavy instruments and after a lot of surgery I can't put up with a lot. For basses and guitars that I love but are too heavy I have tried everything. I even routed out the back of an Epi Zakk Wylde Les Paul to try to get the weight down. I took loads of wood out but ultimately the density of the rest meant that it only saved about 1/2 pound. Just routing under a scratch plate has such a small difference that if that is the only reduction planned then it's not worth doing. There's a bit more scope on basses but usually because a lot of basses still use large plate tuning machines that weigh a stupid amount. Swapping the type of tuners you'd get on a vintage Fender, or a reissue to Hipshot Ultralites can save 1/3lb on a 4 string and 1/2lb on a 5 string. That is a very noticeable difference in both weight and overall balance. Obviously if the starter bass has more modern tuning machines in the first place then the difference won't be as much but due to the lever effect of the weight saving being at the end of the neck the comfort levels can still be increased a lot. Chambering isn't really an option on an already build bass unless you are willing to have it sliced in half, then chambered, and then have the 2 halves stuck back together. With an extreme chambering layout you might save 1lb but the remaining wood will remain as dense and there's nothing you can do about the neck wood. This is why my 3 main basses are Cedar and Paulownia. Very light without needing any chambering. Sandberg also uses Norwegian maple for necks as it is lower density than Canadian and saves quite a bit of weight. The Colin Chapman (Lotus Cars) approach is really the best - acknowledging that weight savings accumulate. So, 1/3lb off the headstock. Maybe only 100g off the bridge by swapping to something lighter. I saved 150g once swapping metal control knobs to plastic ones - that's 1/3 lb! I saved nearly 50g by swapping a scratchplate to a single ply. Those savings add up really fast. Then, if you really need to, there's the finish. A poly finish on a bass body can easily weigh 1lb (454g) or more. If the weight is more important than the look then the pain can be stripped and then replaced with an oil finish. If you've got a bass that can deal with all these little changes then that's 2lb (904g) reduction. For me the headstock weight saving is most important as it affects the balance the most too. You can get a feel of the difference by calculating the difference in weight of the existing tuners and the new ones and then (before you spend money on the new ones) get a little bag of sugar and hang it on the headstock. If a tuner swap would save 1/3 lb then put 1/3lb in the bag and see how much of a bad effect it has on the end of the neck. Or just take 2 stock tuners off and stand with the bass for a while and see the difference.

Ergonomics (and weight) are the problem for me too. Even long time Thumb enthusiast Ryan Martinie has moved away from them and had Fodera build him something that sounds exceptionally close but with a body that allows for good balance. I had a Marleaux like that - the low B was as clear as all the others and was 34 inch scale. Construction and string choice is far more important than scale length.

Nate always does the most interesting demos. It's too expensive for me, but I like the sounds - probably because they don't sound like the now very common DG sound.

I had no idea an empty IR block could be used. Never even thought of it, and also I'm surprised that there is such a difference between the IR Slot version and the separate high cut block. That's great info! Thank you.

That's an interesting idea. I don't think I've ever heard of an adapter. I'd be worried that it would just get knocked out and disappear under a dark stage.

Andertons have them for £20.99 with £2.99 delivery. So I've ordered a set to try. Thought I'd do that before trying the North Korean strings.

Don't use a cab at all. Then EQ out / hi cut 4K and over.

I see Ian Allison has a set about to hit the shops - slightly smaller gauges and apparently slightly less of a polish so there's a little more roundwound feel. I wonder if La Bella will expand the range with non-signature lighter gauges.

I like the original EMG J pickups. They were designed to be like 60s J pickups but without any hum. There's some good Bobby Vega and Guy Pratt vids of them - they both use them. The only thing I would say is that the stock Tone control doesn't go as dark as a regular tone control can, if that is an issue.

One of my favourites!

Anyone tried them? Any comment on flexibility and tension? I often use Dunlop superbrights 45-105 which have a very thin hex core so they are very flexible and tension wise feel more like 40-100 for other brands. I’m trying to avoid new US products until the insanity ends so I’m looking at alternatives for when I need some. Has to be stainless steel as I have a nasty reaction with nickel. ta.

I'll take the Short Scale Alembic....

I am currently working my way through the complete Blues Brothers sound track. I love DD's playing so it's about time I did that. I'm also doing going back to a tune I used to find easy - Metallica's Master of Puppets. I played it for years in covers bands but then I ruptured a tendon in my right hand middle finger and the reduction in mobility has made that song really difficult ever since. To be fair, the recovery was such a drawn out affair that I thought I'd have to swap to playing only with a plectrum (urgh) so being able to play with my fingers at all is a relief. But it's time to unlearn old hand positions and see if I can work out how to do it all over again.

I have sub'd to the channel. I use Moises all the time but having some tab is very useful. Thank you.

This has been updated. If the tunes are on your PC already then you can now highlight 20 and drag them over.

I had a Superlight TT5 for a little while as well - amazingly for a 5 it was only 7lb but the neck shape was just wrong for me. Too chunky, big shoulders etc. I also find that I prefer the very very slightly narrower nut on a Stingray 5 at 44.5mm along with the 17.5mm string spacing at the bridge. Unfortunately ray5s do not get that light so I'm sticking with 4 strings for the future. Unless EBMM decide to do a paulownia body version anyway. Mind you that would probably be £4000 so I wouldn't buy it.

Doh! On my long scales I have 45-105. I've just remembered that on my Lionel I have Dunlop Standard Stainless Rounds at 50-110. They don't do a Superbright 50-100. The core is a little thicker and I think that works better on the short scale and they sound very similar to the Superbrights. I did compare it to Hi Beams 50-110. I tend to like a slightly heavier or stiffer gauge as I have a really really low action so I need some stiffness to stop it clanking too much when I dig in. I've got a different shorty for plectrum playing with a higher action.

Yes - 45-105 for me.

I love my Lionel Superlight. Took me a while to decide on strings for it and I tried lots but I have settled (I think!) on Dunlop Steel Superbrights - because they are not remotely 'Superbright' despite the claims. They are like Hi Beams that have been on for 6 months but not quite as flexible. I love Ti Flats on it as well but as I have a nickel allergy I can't do that anymore, alas. I did swap the pickups - it was a passive P with the Sandberg pickup. I thought that pickup was a bit too modern. Too much in the lows and didn't have that mid poke that a vintage p pickup has. So it's got an aguilar in it now, and while I was at it I had a J put in as well. I went with a 3 way switch so I can remove the J completely. I never use the J alone on it - most of the time it's just the P, but if I want a little more bite or a slap then I turn the J on as well. And it weighs 5.7lb.

Dunlop Superbright Steels - I know the name suggests something that is super bright but they actually really are not. They are nicely flexible and have a really solid fundamental tone with a bit of grit on top. Failing that - one of the DR roundcore strings would probably be pretty close too.