LukeFRC

a secondhand Wal? (if you keep saving and pray the car doesn't break)

added a disclaimer

Different kind of Large bass collections 1- slowly growers. These folk never seem to sell anything, they have their first bass, and their second and every so often will buy something new. They never sell so don’t seem to have GAS. They will have a collection with a wide age range of basses and look down at the GAS fuelled rabid buying and selling of others. 2- collectors these folk have a thing they are into, if you ask them about it they are very knowledgeable about it and have a desire to own or try as much as they can. Whether it’s Warwicks, 70s japanese, Peavey or pre-cbs fenders it doesn’t really matter. They will have their favourite gigging bass and then half a dozen variations of the same model 3- professional players they make thier living playing bass of in music and have their main instrument. They will have a few of them as backup, and possibly will have been provided by the company. For recording and for fun they might have anything from a handful to dozens of other instruments. You can tell them by string preference to main instrument, close relationships over years with companies and being too busy to want to spend much time on here. 4- semi-professional players like the above but they make their main living doing something else. This means more free cash flow so they know what they like, it just will be a bit newer than the pro player and they possibly went for an upgraded top wood 5- thing lovers these players have a large collection of basses with no discernible theme or reason. Mostly lower end models they seem to have hoovered up lots of different make models and styles. Because they aren’t throwing big money at anything expect to see a lot of lower end instruments that are “actually way better than you would imagine”. In conversation about their instruments expect verboseness but little detail. 6- GAS fuelled thing lovers these players are similar to normal thing lovers, but ascribe to the idea in the marketing that more expensive things will be better. Their collection may not be large but it seems constantly in flux and week to week who knows what basses they will take to practice. Despite all evidence to the contrary they like to think themselves as discerning, so will go into excruciating detail And cause the luthier a massive headache when spec-ing a bass. They like to signal their discernment to others of their tribe with comments like “ah if this had an extra string”. (Btw the custom bass went from being the best thing ever to being traded for a Roscoe in about 6 months) 7- GAS fuelled swappers. like the above but unable to keep a large collection For whatever reason. Tend to have a small collection of higher end instruments. All but one of them will have a price if you ask. (And if you are asking You probably are one) 8- Stopper swappers Gas fuelled swappers who have stopped for whatever reason. Used to be on Basschat a lot. Not any more. Will be nice to say hello when they log on to sell their Ceilinder. 9- completists pride themselves one not having GAS, not as picky as some of the above - they have a a small collection... 1 precision, one jazz, one 5 string, one stingray, one fretless, one EUB etc 9- Stans These guys try to emulate their favourite player. They have the signature model. And the previous signature model, and a version of the bass they became famous on. If a Mark King fan they may pay their salery directly to Status Graphite 10- Trend followers you know when things are on trend on talkbass? These guys seem to follow the trend, yes they had a Lakland, and a SX and a Sire - and whatever got a bit of a buzz about them. Seem to go through cabs fairly quickly 11- the reader of course you sir or madam, the reader are a wonderful individual who only makes rational thought through decisions, unswayed by marketing, peer pressure or phycological need. You are truely free (but have you tried....)

it's a nice bass. Keep it. In 20 years you might have gone back to playing 4 stringers and be grateful for keeping it

Roger's responses or Hans'?

does it do that with a blank patch? turn things off one by one to see if you can work out what it could be

😘

makes me want to buy another Metro Japan though (a PJ)

A lot of people seem to (wrongly) Quantify unique

There are electrical positives to selector switches as it means there's less loading on the pickups. G&L MFD pickups are crazy, hot output and with really wide frequency range sound. Imagine a MM sound but a bit more single coil style clarity humbucker and with a massive punch. It's Leo's next progression of Pickup design going from Fender -> Musicman -> G&L Not played a TRBX but the BB's I've played have been more at the Fender end of soundstyle.... Highly recommend trying out, as it's something different. I loved my G&L L1000 but did sell it... I'm glad I owned one but for me there are other basses that fit what I want better. (given a larger income and more space I would still have it)

One of the things I have kinda picked up on forums down the years is that it seems 5 string basses are harder to find amazing ones, whereas a 4 string more ppl are satisfied with a cheap Harley Benton or sue Ryder or equivalent. Have you found that? and with your four stringers - which is the ‘one‘?

If a “fact” only applies to your own ears it is pretty much theoretical to apply it to any or everyone else. i can boost the generic mids you suggest all I like on whatever I like but it’s not going to make me sound like Jaco on Hejira or something... Ffs - what frequency do I need to boost to sound like Jameson? Or Mingus? Or Flea ...

I find it really interesting and positive that a conversation on finding the mythical "one" has ended up talking about the difference the stiffness and construction of the neck makes.

Doesn't lamination normally make something stiffer as typically the different laminates are supporting each other?

totally - and it's so easy to justify "ooh this would be nice" - cos we're told nice stuff makes you happy. and as @Al Krow said it really is a very very good Yamaha bass... or something... But the counter is true that fewer things and less choices make me enjoy playing more. I built a lovely bass with about 45 pickup options before you got onto the active preamp... and honestly picking up a friends P bass to play was so nice as it just has two knobs and I tend to run one of them wide open!

This time last year I had 4 basses. I now have two, and one of them I'm not sure about (it's got 5 strings 🤣). I do spend more time playing. It's good advice from @Crawford13 My problem is I've still got the bass funds from selling a couple!

I had a Tecamp cab and measuring it and working out how it hadn’t been designed properly was the start of a journey through well engineered cabs. With the caveat that I’m not an expert, and I may not have measured correctly or done my sums right - it was an awful piece of non engineering.

Calling @walshy

I have no idea if there is an equivalent GAS but I want this https://www.lego.com/en-gb/product/land-rover-defender-42110

I give up and bow to your genius

What does seem to be unique is EBMM deciding to tie their supply problems with a seemingly disproportionate price hike for the EU&UK markets. so that might have meant that their margins are squeezed and they have to rise prices- So the smaller as a percentage rise the US market is seeing would show that. For us in the UK/EU it might have meant that shipping prices have increased a bit (I think they have) but then we would expect to see similar price increases for every instrument imported. Which we don’t seem to have. so, I don’t want to be patronising, either there is a supply problem at EBMM in which case increases in price should be proportional in US and U.K. OR there is an increase in shipping costs in which case we will see similar increases in Fender, Gibson, Yamaha et al (of interest To most forum members) OR EBMM are using this as an opportunity to move their products into a different market segments - Treating them as a Veblen goods. It can’t be the first, and if a giant like Thomann are following suit it’s unlikely to be the second so to me it seems obvious it’s the last. which is fine, it’s their product they can do what they like- what about that being the case do you find so contentious?

Where? Have you got a link? That sounds interesting

Roughly level with the mini switches under the pickups?