LukeFRC

Stingray - the original, 2/3 band EQ, alinco pickup Sterling - smaller body, ceramic pickup, extra hidden coil Singray 5 - another beast altogether with some changes through the years Bongo - what happens if folk who don't play bass design a bass. classic - musicman realise how much money fender make with reissuing old looking basses oh of course you can have any of these with the classic one humbucker, or with another pickup in there...

no, it's all about making money.

odd to have 2 passive active switches

that looks awesome. keep this one!

any other product you would stop buying them as they have a clear design fault...

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1357991760' post='1931436'] Interesting... I would think that the main difference between your present SSI and Bluey is the density of the woods; a sub 8lb bass IMHO will sound different to a 9-10lb instrument. On basses of similar weights there is little discernible differences (that I can hear) other than between Streamers that have differing pup configs or body/neck woods. In a blind test I've not been able to tell the difference between MEC / EMG equipped Streamers from different years (assuming they don't differ significantly in woods/construction/weight); though the difference between say a SSI with the early predominantly wenge neck and the later maple neck is very noticeable (obviously the Ltd Ed/SSI/SSII basses do sound vastly different). In conclusion; wood density/weight. My red SSI is over 9lb but it sounds significantly tighter/fuller/more piano like, than any other 'light-weight' SSI that I have had. However, I am prepared to sacrifice a bit of tone to save weight. [/quote] interesting, from memory bluey sounded more compressed and processed, natural opened the sound up, deeper bottom end, more natural sounding, and brighter too. When I stuck the barts in it the slightly softer attack made it very pianolike, but maybe emphesised differently to bluey. Natural is a lot lot more resonant acoustically too. Interesting to see such differences between two basses made 3 months apart from each other. Mind you the ACG preamp it now sports has changed the way it sounds a fair bit too!

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1357976338' post='1931178'] ...Bluey eventually repays me! Patently I'd offer folding stuff or a Roadworn Jazz! [/quote] out of interest what is the difference between a good sounding streamer and a not so good? I was shocked how different bluey and my current one sound.

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1357462141' post='1922818'] No, I said my 'ideal' weight for a bass would be about 8lb. The particular bass I'm referring to is 9lb 6oz and I said that it was a lb or two heavier than I'd like. I actually have a Streamer that is 7lb 14oz but it isn't the same maple/maple construction and thus it is less focused. However, I did have a Ltd Ed Streamer which I sold recently and that was over 10lb... hence my selling it. [/quote] there is part of me that would love to sell you my superlight one, some kind of bass karma.

there's been a few around recently for 500-550 price range.

[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!