LukeFRC

[quote name='Stan_da_man' timestamp='1357904059' post='1930235'] Why buy it then if you know you're not going to keep it? I go to my local music shop "to try" stuff out. [/quote] Mainly as I have more than one bass. I used to have two keepers and one that I would buy/sell to try things, if I found something that fitted then I would keep it and maybe sell one of the other ones. To try it out there was a valenti jazz on here (which music shop will you find that in?) which was cheap enough to try - if it had worked out I would have kept it. But it didn't so I sold it to a very happy funkyspuke for the same price and it's still his main bass. It worked out for him and not for me. Likewise I bought another FSR Fender Jazz bass, the most expensive thing I've bought - knowing that if situations changed I would have had a great bass for a while and not lost a silly amount of money. Things changed and I ended up selling it (for the same amount I bought it for) to a guy in Barcelona - again a bass he had been after for years and is his main bass. Both basses there you wouldn't find in shops, (you're near bass direct, I'm not!) neither would you a Peavey T40, a Cimar 1909, and much of the old japanese stuff that's quite fun.

I signed up to sell a pedal I had and never used. Thought I should stick around. I think the main thing that's affected me is that I've opened my ears to a load of different stuff. Like listening to funk, and jazz stuff and learning who Jaco is and so on. It's been good - I guess that has all effected my playing a massive amount but it's mainly through exposure to music rather than concerted learning. I've also become a bit of a bass geek. I own gear that I wouldn't have thought possible, at affordable prices due to the marketplace, I've chatted to some cool folk. I've built two bitsas, I'm not even going to count how many basses have gone through my hands, I learnt to build effects pedals, I can set up and sort my friends instruments, and nicely... I've owned pretty much every bass I want to and expelled the GAS!* *almost, it's not GAS, but I wouldn't mind trying a stingray.

[quote name='GuyR' timestamp='1357860325' post='1929835'] Thanks to you and Luke for your kind comments and for starting this thread. Your JVs are not too shabby either! I don't think I will be parting company with it anytime soon though! The number is JV088** - I have never had the neck of any of my JVs, so not sure of the date. The white one is later, JV805**. I spent a whole (very pleasurable) afternoon in Denmark St in 1984 trying every one in every shop. Very lightweight and very bright sounding. The pictured one is much heavier in weight and darker sounding - I had a Strat JV088** serial no about 50 off my pictured Jazz, identical wood, also quite heavy. When the JVs came out, if you wanted a vintage style Jazz with dots not blocks, these were the only option then and are still a great bass although expensive now. I look forward to seeing what else is posted..... [/quote] on the weight issue... how heavy are the two jazzes? The sunburst one is Sen Ash and I guess the later white one Alder* - my '57 is Sen and is pretty lightweight at just a smidge under 9lb. * Probably Alder, I have also heard/read that some later JV's were basswood - but I meantioned that before and got shot down as a heretic. If it sounds good who cares?

[quote name='johnDeereJack' timestamp='1357814177' post='1928703'] Along with Machinehead above, I've owned both of these basses and still have the US '75 RI which I bought on the strength of the Squier; my reasoning being if a £250 Indonesian built bass plays and sounds as well as it does (and it does, believe me!) how much better will a £1000 US built bass be? The answer is 'A lot'. The Fender is without a doubt the best bass I've ever played and I have to agree with Machinehead regarding the materials used, the build quality, electrics & pickups etc. Don't get me wrong, the Squier is a fabulous bass and I recommend buying it but if you can find a 2nd hand US RI you should opt for that instead. Trust me, you won't regret it! [/quote] The vintage reissue series are fantastic and IMO the best production line stuff Fender USA make. If you can pick one of them up go for it! [quote name='Stan_da_man' timestamp='1357830153' post='1929178'] Yeah for sure, though I don't buy a bass with regards to how much I will get for it when I sell it. [/quote] I do, I've bought quite a few things "to try" knowing that I won't make much loss on them if it doesn't work out.

I found another member who had replaced all his posts with fullstops too. Not someone anyone would have noticed leaving.... but still odd.

[quote name='GuyR' timestamp='1357825044' post='1928988'] Thanks for adding that Luke, I must work out how to add pics. The Jazz is early, serial no JV88** have had it for 30 years and still play it regularly, along with a white Squier-logo JV Jazz I bought in 1984 and still have. I still have the inspection tag, but not the cardboard carton! [/quote] JV88** or JV00** ? I found the other photo of the scratchplate you emailed ages back. It seems to be cut at a shallower angle than curent scratchplates too. [quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1357847976' post='1929556'] So, when are you selling yours?, it looks a bit rough, but I'd take it off your hands! [/quote] ahem, form an orderly queue

[quote name='fumps' timestamp='1357827803' post='1929086'] Yeh I'm never that lucky mate lol knowing my luck this one will be the Friday guitar built by the incompetent who forgot to put his nappy pants on & was in a rush to leave for the day. So instead of great pick ups he actually put in two cunningly disguised Casio digital watches & a piece of coat hanger to hold them in place. And I will try & put this into order as my first attempt.....I have an uncanny ability to start a new project & hit every rare difficulty you can possibly hit on the way lol [/quote][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]if you wanna borrow any tools or anything that stumps you just say [/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] Also if you wanna try the graffiti nitro paint for a respray I can give tips if need (see my jazz build thread)[/font][/color]

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1357810216' post='1928604'] ACG 4 string dual pickup passive - £785 (plus a few months wait time I suspect) MIA American Special Jazz, black, maple neck, current model - £696.55 via Thomann, free delivery of course, and available now. MIA American Standard Jazz, black, maple neck., current model. £1025.68, giving you the high mass bridge and custom shop pickups and a hard case (if you want to spend the extra on those things). and available now, of course. So really the price of Fenders if you shops wisely is not so excessive. [/quote] I agree that ead's description of "half the price" isn't really true... but the difference between an ACG and the low end Fender USA ranges is massive! One is individually made by a wee guy up in scotland, and one is a mass produced item. How Alan can make them profitably at that price and/or how Fender can justify such high prices for mass produced stuff... I don't understand! So Squier and Fender - there will be good ones and bad ones. I've played mexican fenders that could blow most basses out the water reagrdless on where they come from. The main differences beyond the construction tolerances will be the woods - mainly the body wood (though it's debatable if that makes much difference) and the pickup that is easily replaceable.

Well Guy asked me to stick this up here (cos I worked out how to post pics and he hasn't yet - and well... here's my new favourite bass, looks lovely! (oh and some skinny stringged thing! [IMG]http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/ee497/LukeFRC/Basses028_zps6ed263cb.jpg[/IMG]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1357777226' post='1928447'] No expert but would'nt a Rockbass $$ say "Rockbass" on the headstock? Seems a huge price disparity otherwise? [/quote] not for the last few years. But that photo isn't actaully his bass, it's a stock one

what he says - whatever takes your eye secondhand.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1357756601' post='1927964'] This will only rise in value IMO. The Talkbass guys/gals are discussing the imminent price rises (by $500.00 or so) on the American RI guitars, which is also expected on the basses. No doubt CS will rise even more. [/quote] suddenly Warwick looks so much better value for money!

[quote name='casapete' timestamp='1357752099' post='1927870'] PMT in Leeds have an okay selection when I've been there, and maybe Dawsons? [/quote] nout worth looking at there! You may be better just asking for folk in west yorkshire with gear you wanna try and invite yourself around for a cuppa! To the OP - passive tone control is just what you get on a standard passive fender bass- it just goes after the preamp normally so you can roll off the top more naturally sounding. BUT it's a relatively small bit of the sound - wide open it's not going to affect the tone much at all, and then rolled off it will act just like a normal P bass or jazz bass tone knob (abet after the pre) I personally would spend more time looking at pickup options as that will affect the whole bass tone more. Seen the delano hybrid system?

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1357593399' post='1925145'] More is better, its basschat rules! I am currently using a 900 watt twin channel genz amp into a 1x10 cab in the box room! [/quote] Nice! I think part of me just misses my old Hughes and Kettner amp. It was 10kg or something.

IMO the curves on the top horn are a bit odd, the middle cut could do with a smoother angle. all IMO etc. what position are the pups in? it looks quite warwick a-like

[quote name='leroybasslines' timestamp='1325266986' post='1481575'] Hello! Just found the post too. I play at Woodlands Church in Bristol. A big church with lots of different styles - a great place. Lakland 5560. I've posted an embarrassing clip of me rehearsing at church for a service before. At the risk of looking like an egomaniac, it's here [media]http://youtu.be/UR5xecByNBs[/media] Nice to see fellow B Bashers on here... Liam [/quote] I liked that in the verses, might try something similar - actually listening again and thinking about it I think I do something similar - with maybe different feel. I tend to do a jamerson influenced skip onto the string below where you stick the muted note. (is it called a muted note? on the snare on beat 2) which means I have less going on around beat 4... anyway. nice I enjoyed listening! [quote name='SimonEdward' timestamp='1357600494' post='1925343'] Hi! interesting thread.. and god bless you all.. I was brought up in an 'evangelical' church in Essex (more traditional baptist really) and worked my way from a very young age through various choirs, orchestras and started playing Bass in one (of three) rota based groups; through the 90's. That's when the problems started really; the regular services and church politics were very difficult to take. There was a huge gulf in age in the congregation and membership; almost zero folks in their 30's and 40's; plenty of teens/20's and loads of 60+ who hated (?) 'drums' and anything else that wasn't a traditional Organ - they even disliked the grand piano.. the overhead projector.. and as for my volcano red Bass (!) well, you can probably imagine.. Sometimes, the music chosen for the services would be mostly hymns ("HOW GREAT THOU ART - then sings my soul"); & you were lucky if there was anything from a spring harvest book - "All Heaven Declares" or "such love" anyone? The thing that kept us going (drummer, guitarist, keyboard player and small horn section - trumpet and sax) was almost all of the outreach activities we did away from our regular church.. which included "THEOS": a community outreach program aimed at young people with the emphasis on praise, worship and prayer.. met some lovely people along the way, and learnt a lot which I'll always be grateful for.. I moved away more than 10-years ago, and haven't found a 'church' yet (not trying very hard at all really).. and truth be told, not missing the regular Sunday politics.. but the fellowship? yes - I do miss it.. but I have a very young family, and I don't want them to have to go through what I went through.. [/quote] I think it possibly can be one of the worst things about growing up in a church/around christians sometimes, and it doesn't sound fun for you. When I hit teenage years always remembered wanting to be away playing sunday league! But my point is, looking back - the good things of community as a kid outweighed the bad and... not all churches are like the one you went to. Though I understand where you're coming from! [quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1357613806' post='1925447'] My bass teacher was just telling me tonight how their system works in the church he plays in. It's more like a theatre, capable of holding around 1000 people (and regularly does), and all the guys show up 2 hours before service and get a good run through the songs. They all have in ear monitors, and top notch gear provided. He even gets a mic so he can shout at the drummer when they are changing from chorus to verse (the mic gets sent to all the in ear monitors, but not the FOH PA. He said "If you believe in a God, and you are willing to do this, you are striving for excellence in his name, so many churches do it half assed". I didn't really agree with that, but then, i don't agree with his views on religion in general, so i kept quiet. Well no, i actually said [b]"God probably doesn't mind how well you do it, as long as you are doing it for the cause".[/b] I would love to play for the Westboro Baptist Church though, but apparently God hates me, and i'm going to hell... aw [/quote] I agree. I think there is a tendency towards professionalism that creeps in, and though theres nothing wrong with that... well sometimes your local amateur theatre and put on a play... and that is more engaging than a hollywood blockbuster of the same story. Plus you can go to the pub the cast afterwards.

for me... I picked up a decent separates system someone had left by the bin a year or so back. It was great, left it with my old flatmates in glasgow. At some point I'll pick up another sepreates system. But it will all be secondhand stuff, all wired with normal wires from maplin and will sound great. It's a good philosophy for stuff, my bass playing has mostly included cheap things that no-one wanted. The exceptions being the JV which cost a fair bit and the ACG preamp which was the first thing I bought new for years. (well my cab was new too but that doesn't count)

there's a post somewhere with a massive description on how to set up a (proper) compressor properly. Think of anything with one or two knobs as a cut down version that only lets you change some perimeters- then try and understand how each one works. Otherwise you'll just get a list of folk saying "i like this pedal" etc As a direct response- the ashdown amp compression is a very woolly beefy up type thing. Not all will be like that. It depends why you want compression?

DFG is fender japan colour code for dolphin grey which you find on the aerodine basses, why it's on this only some folk in japan will know! It looks like a good one though. At the worst it looks like a PB-57 as it seems to have the spiral bridge.

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1357651307' post='1925967'] Depends what suits you. [/quote] +100 - I'm not sure about you finding something "more desirable to play" sounds like an excuse to me - If you want a new bass just go and buy one you like playing!

Caitlinbread SFT - the schematic is just a bit similar to a transistorised SVT.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_VjBTsx4gg