LukeFRC

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1347805018' post='1805186'] I've never had a Warwick bass but I'm quite prepared to believe they are wonderful things. However, I really don't buy the "sustainability" thing. Sustainability isn't really about planting a new tree to replace a bit of wood, it's fundamentally about energy and the fact that our lifestyles are seriously in the red as far as energy is concerned. For the time being we're living the high-life by spending our 'fossil fuel savings', but we know it can't last. It's simply not sustainable. The amount of energy we use is proportional to the amount of money involved. The more money involved, the more energy is used. These are high-priced luxury items and people have to earn a lot of money to pay for them. Earning that money involves using a lot of energy and spending that money sustains a lot of other people in their similarly high-energy lifestyles. So, yes, the wood involved may be 'green' and the low-energy lightbulbs and solar cells used in their factory may be 'green' (although are you aware of the energy-intensive manufacturing processes involved in both those items?), but that's a long way from being truly sustainable. Just a bit more 'greenwash' marketing, I'm sorry to say. [/quote] I have no problem with a company who uses lots of tropical woods deciding in some cases not to use them, and in others trying to get them from sustainable sources. Not perfect though. Problem is if every business who makes small steps gets accused of "greenwashing" why would any make the small steps?

[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1347804599' post='1805182'] but if I make a digital copy of my vinyl albums then sell them, that's illegal. [/quote] Yes. But if you made a bit of machinery/softwear that made my MP3's look sound like your vinyl records and then sold it- that's not illegal. In the same way instagram can model old film cameras.

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1347750105' post='1804689'] This is the Steed (but without the new neck that's just been fitted: And this is the '65: [/quote] nice! i think i prefer the look of the steed! why the new neck? The '65 is nice too of course you can have a blue bass-off

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1347748276' post='1804679'] And an original '65J due to arrive soon that's the same colour scheme as the Steed but, if anything, even more 'knackered' looking, lol. [/quote] can't wait to see that. I remeber when there were photos of the steed it looked pretty awesome.

who cares? stop worrying. does it sound good?

May of whatever year it is! It's reasonably recent based on the way the neck is made up.

ring them, though squinting at the serial number suggests '09 ?

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1347738585' post='1804557'] I just looked at this too - just looks 'wrong' to me somehow (and I don't have an issue at all with relic'd basses usually!) [/quote] but it probably makes the dude who has it happy - a bit like your steed bass. Though your steed bass is like an ultimate of a good looking bass! oh, and you've got a 50th Anni Jazz.... ok going way off topic!

how can you trademark a sound? You can patent the circuit that makes that sound if it's special enough - but a specfic tone? sure I can deconstruct that and remake it digitally to make a look-a-like, cos it's not the real thing- it's a digital copy.

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1347706666' post='1804167'] Could always swap you for my DR Hi Beams that still sound a bit too bright for my liking and thats after about 8 months of daily use! I am off to get another set just now. DRs have had a bit of a slagging on this site but to me they are the most reliable long lasting strings i have ever tried. [/quote] try the sunbeams or whatever the nickels are called?

I like them, I think on a well made bass they are a big plus- very easy to use

[quote name='AnalogBomb' timestamp='1347671871' post='1803971'] To this end, I am going to spend £280 cash in Leeds on a fretless Squier jazz ( jaco style body!) What say you? [/quote] if it's the one in PMT Leeds you're going to buy - it's a nice one. Given the string marking on the fretboard it's been there long enough to get some money off!

This is so funny. The guy gets good advice, true to follow it and for whatever reason it doesn't work as expected, but pointing out that this may be through lack of experience is "emotional blackmail" and gets me sworn at. I can't play drums, man you can decribe how to do it all you want and I follow that advice to the letter, but that doesn't mean its wrong for a drummer to suggest i could improve my technique. Flabberggasted

I've had some DR fatbeams on my P for 2 years now, I switched some other strings on to test and they had a bit more zing- but the DR's still didn't sound dead!

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1347694431' post='1804018'] The neck wasn't really twisted at all. Certainly not to the naked eye. [/quote] then it is your lack of ability that stops you setting it up correctly. By now you will have realised that you are out of your depth. Save up 30 or so it takes and pay a tech. Its a 30 min job

Personally although their pr is way way better, and the YouTube stuff is good i don't think they are that good at advertising and branding.

I last commented on this thread in 2008 ! I was wondering what on earth that preamp was - bongo one? It's not exactly cutting edge the way it's been made is it! But keep going it will be finished eventually. about 12 years ago I had a mate who I used to go and visist and in his work room/study he had a plan to build a MM sterling, he had all the bits and a real neck he got off ebay and had a guitar building friend who was going to make a body and put it together for him. I was speaking to him the other day... all the bits are still in a cupboard somewhere!

ah well, we'll see, a few things need to drop into place before I can buy. (and it may go by then!)

[quote name='stu_g' timestamp='1347656778' post='1803801'] i think the most overkill i saw was a pub gig whre the bassist had 3 basses on stands if i remember it was a rickenbacker a stingray and a fender all normally tuned looks nice, but when i was gigging my main bass and a backup in the van sometimes, i also had a fancy topped g&l usa but i was afraid to play it it looked too nice so sold it on [/quote] yeah.... that sounds overkill!

nothing compared in what way? I tend to look for 3 things, how well it's made, how nice it feels and how it sounds

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1347652870' post='1803735'] McVie and Entwhisle aren't fancy players but played Alembic..but yeah, roots on a fancy top is a bit naff. The basses are a bit 'look at me' so you should have a bit of a trick or two...IMO. [/quote] BTW the bass I was looking at in the sales forum wasn't a Alembic, it was the ACG

1 MM 2 PJ 3 JJ

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1347628392' post='1803263'] I think people have very different ideas of what constitutes a "fancy" bass; to some people having a proper Fender is considered an extravagance, whereas to others having one of the more junior models in the Ken Smith or Alembic catalogue is seen as a utalitarian choice. In relation to your o.p , Alembic are an interesting point in case. I would consider them one of the more worthwhile fancy bass makers in so much as nothing else sounds quite like an Alembic- there is a significant end result to their design philosophy and their formiddable history as innovative guitar builders . The other side of the coin is the myryad of lesser bass builders nowadays who set out to make an exotic wood bass for the sake of it, on the basis that thats what fancy basses should look like because allegedly exotic wood yields an exotic tone and then if stick fancy bridge and pickups on their and then you have another fancy bass to compete with all the other fancy basses on the market. As a bass player in the audience watching other bass players , I would have to see which fancy bass they were playing, decide why they were playing it , and then make my decision on how ridiculous they might look. I have seen plenty of bass players who looked ridiculous with not- very -fancy basses, but that's a subject for another thread. In relation to your original question, I don't think you have to be a flamboyant player to have a more upmarket bass , and whats more, I don't think you have to have a fancy bass to be a flamboyant player. Look at what Billy Sheehan did on his old beat up Fender, or Jaco or Marcus Miller. [/quote] that's a good balanced answer there!