LukeFRC

I'm more a P man than a J ... or a j with a bit of eq that works to give it a bit of thump and I'm happy. I've found them very sensitive to pickups as to if I like them live or not. But why the hate for talking to your band members about what you sound like? I know sometimes basschat comes across as a bunch of gear obsessed bass nerds but surely you're not like that in real life? If a band suggests one bass over the other it's worth talking about and maybe doing. That to my mind, is part of making music - if I talk to a guitarist and suggest they cut the low end on their amp, or suggest a different sound is needed, or point out to the drummer they're speeding up, I would expect to be listened to and have a conversation about it in a non stress way

Love it! Nicely done aging too

[quote name='ryancowell25' timestamp='1478030375' post='3166229'] Have you not considered the Hellborg Pre-amp?....... I have one and they are stunning..... always wanted to try it with the poweramp [/quote] +1 Or if you can't find one think studio type preamp rather than a bass guitar type preamp.

Wee question - can you eq the sire to sound the way you want? If you add some compression does that get you closer?

[quote name='Fitzy73' timestamp='1477505591' post='3162690'] Hi have both not been used. I like precision basses and l always wanted a graphite neck [/quote] would it be as easy to get someone to make a precision body to fit the status neck you've got?

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1477306930' post='3161196'] You need to try my Thunderfunk 750 Kev... perfect balance between weight and heft/output. If your feet stay still for more than 12hrs let me know and we'll share coffee! [/quote] that amp is special though - I didn't get on with the preamp side but the power amp side was amazing

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1474631303' post='3139402'] I withdraw everything I said above - I was in the honeymoon period of owning the Walkabout and have now sold it due to the lack of warmth and thump. If I were to compare the Mesa to the TE I am using a layperson would think it was the TE that was the expensive bit of kit. I kidded myself that the modern Mesa I played compares to the one I played back in the 80s. My ears have obviously matured.. [/quote] was that with the WA cab or another?

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1474631303' post='3139402'] I withdraw everything I said above - I was in the honeymoon period of owning the Walkabout and have now sold it due to the lack of warmth and thump. If I were to compare the Mesa to the TE I am using a layperson would think it was the TE that was the expensive bit of kit. I kidded myself that the modern Mesa I played compares to the one I played back in the 80s. My ears have obviously matured.. [/quote] was that with the WA cab or another?

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1475874478' post='3149507'] Looks like normal service has been resumed - I took a, little used, Ritter to rehearsals this week and everyone said how nice it sounded. None of them even noticed the Fender last week. [/quote] compared to a ritter I'm not surprised!

[quote name='Ajoten' timestamp='1476643911' post='3155941'] FWIW my question arose from casting an eye around for a nice 5 string, and most are active. I don't care if active or passive TBH, I care about a lack of complication. [/quote] get a passive 5 string. Even if it is only one knob it's another thing to go wrong. I would say try the 2 band stingray - it really is quite simple to use

Well thumb basses have MEC pups. Early ones had EMG, bartolini, Seymour Duncan actives or alembic. Whatever they are it's still a thumb. Stick a set of MECs from a Warwick in a jazz bass and it will sound like any video on YouTube of a jazz bass with emg pickups in it. The preamp is warwicks own, kinda cloned from an emg one originally that has a bass freq about 100hz - higher than many others - that's part of the sound. Also the woods and the form of construction do make a difference. And the pick uplacrment is way closer to the bridge.... Also my thumb is under 9lb so not that heavy!

Seymour Duncan Active EQ bass I think they are called. See attached - they later did a version with two switches... and then decided not to do them.

[quote name='goingdownslow' timestamp='1475448005' post='3146053'] Love that short horn, I wonder if it is possible to retro one of mine. Are those switches on the pickups, what do they do? [/quote] I wouldn't, when I emailed Warwick to ask about the truss rod cover Hans mentioned that it was one of the one's where he had made a mistake in the design and made the horn too short. As it happens in my example it doesn't matter too much as it balances quite well. Switches trim the top end and put a boost around the cut off freq.

good opportunity to show mine off I think! 1985 - one of the super early ones with the short horn. This one has has the active seymore duncans and a solid mother-of-pearl truss rod cover that signified what was the closest they got to a custom shop back in 1985... but they can't remember who it was built for.... anyway - everything is about 3-4 frets further left, the ergonomics are different, you'll want a suede or something strap that doesn't move... but they sound awesome. My one is like a kinda like a funky jazz bass but with a big fat angry bottom that means a P bass lover like me likes it Interestingly I've only seen two other 1985 short horn thumb bass with the seymore duncans, one was was a fretless owned by a certain Mr Bruce ...

these are very very good

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1464596368' post='3060512'] Anyone have experience on how long they last before needing replacing? Wouldnt mind giving them a go [/quote] 2 years was my record

Cheers for the replies guys - I was on holiday so not been super quick replying! (and it's something to think about) - I've gone through the whole basschat fueled GAS stage.. .and luckily tried pretty much everything I want to try - so that's good. That's not to say picking up a Fodera in bass direct wasn't a "ooh this is nice" experience - but I've gone through gear enough to know that an expensive bass won't make me a better player. [quote name='Fionn' timestamp='1467531917' post='3084249'] Aye, I did exactly that. I downsized from 4 basses to 2. Both of my "go to" basses were Warwick's too. A SS1, and a Thumb, I also had an old Aria SB900 fretless, and a bitsa P-Bass. I decided on keeping two basses that would give me as broad a pallet as was possible, considering the options. The Aria fretless was a no-brainer, and keeping one Warwick was a certainty. That was difficult, as I cherished them both, but seeing as I was consolidating, I went for the most versatile of the two (the Streamer). That was a good decision. Only after the Thumb Bass was gone, did I fully realise how totally perfect the Streamer is for purpose, and how much I'd always naturally favoured it in almost every way. But, you know how it goes, the Thumb had this going for it, and that, etc, etc, blah, blah. Truth is ... I didn't need the Thumb bass, and as great as it was, it was an expensive and unnecessary luxury. Like the bitsa P-Bass, just stuff that I didn't need (Fender-type sound included). So I now have only two basses. One lively, active, fretted, with round-wounds, and that whole vibe ... the other being mellow, passive, fretless, flatwounds. Very different instruments which offer a lot of vatiety and range (the SB900 is also very versatile in what it does too). I can find whatever sound and feel I want, between the two. Although they are very different, they're both bass guitars at the end of the day, so I've always got a back-up bass. Why not keep your favourite Warwick, and something else that will give you a totally different sound and feel? If you don't have such a bass, then I'd be thinking about what bass would best fill the space, and I'd sell the other three basses to fund it. Two works for me. Less clutter and distraction that way. [/quote] Useful to have direct experience of the same conundrum with a streamer and a thumb in the mix. Since I've got back from hols he Thumb has been getting the playing time - but that may be cos the strings are dying on the Streamer - so got a new set of DRs to treat her with [quote name='TimR' timestamp='1467564667' post='3084580'] I have three basses. One I play. One that is in a hard case and comes out if my main bass fails. It only failed once, when my backup bass was a home. One that is in the loft, I'll never sell it. Mainly because it should be thrown in the bin, but it was my first bass. When I bought my bass I spent a very long time looking for it, close on 7 years of searching. In the mean time I didn't buy something that was nearly right. I've had it for 15 years now. [/quote] what is it out of interest? (the one you spent 15 looking for)

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1469388990' post='3097949'] I use Barts elsewhere... and I just am looking for a pickup to complement a Glock pre amp. Something transparent---ish ( i dislike that term as it implies 'true' which not not be the case at all..) but I don't want a huge lot of influence on the sound. In that respect I have always thought some stock pickups rob you of nuance.. as they are too forced. But the real driver behind the propsed pickup swap is balance... I'll only really know how 'poor' they are with a brand new set of strings..I think. [/quote] I tried glock 2 band with a Bart Pj set in the streamer- wasn't a good mix. I had a treble control above anything that made a difference and a bass control that was either overpowering sub bass, flat or no borrow end. Possibly it was the sound of the bass rather than the pups that didn't fit - and maybe in a fender style bass they would work.