Evil Undead

Fender P for me all the way now. After searching for the best feeling, playing and sounding bass (for me) and going through loads of different ones (specifically avoiding Fenders for some stupid reason), I bought a new US standard P earlier this year and can't ever see myself wanting to play another bass.

Is that the date it was signed or the guys date of birth?

I want better than perfect when I buy a brand new instrument

It would be so cool if that guy was a basschatter and saw this!

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1347302290' post='1799114'] is it rippling up? or the coating sinking down? your large pic with the three string holes visible on the back looks like it's a rogue section of wood grain showing through?? [/quote] The coat is sinking down I think. The pic with the three string holes is Kevins not mine

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1347285227' post='1798798'] try a darker room and a torch with the beam shining horizontally side on and level with the surface (is also good for finding tiny things that youve dropped on the floor and then cant see under normal light conditions very easily ) [/quote] I'll give that a try, thanks Is there a name for this "issue"? I'd like to google it but don't know what to search

I did this one a couple of years back. Was originally sunburst with white pickguard. [IMG]http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a407/ImaginaryEvil/Instruments/SDC10401-1.jpg[/IMG] And I did this one as well, but it's a guitar - I'm sure that counts though [IMG]http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a407/ImaginaryEvil/Snapbucket/image_0001Yh.jpg[/IMG]

Oh cool, that's a relief. Thanks guys. Maybe it's the first step towards my bass looking battered and haggard I can't wait for that to happen but am still really precious with it haha!

It's a poly finish I think. I think the body wood is alder - please correct me if I'm wrong. It's not that deep but I'm a worry wort

I've done my best with the pics but they're not good. You can just about see it in the reflections. http://s1032.photobucket.com/albums/a407/ImaginaryEvil/Snapbucket/?action=view&current=FAE69A7E.jpg http://s1032.photobucket.com/albums/a407/ImaginaryEvil/Snapbucket/?action=view&current=135F208F.jpg

I've noticed some weird rippling/ridges in the finish on my bass, mainly on the front in an area about 2-3". It still seems solid, and it might have been there all along but I have studied every inch of this thing and I'm sure I would have noticed! I'm worried that it's a problem - aesthetically I'm not really worried, but could it be a sign of something structural? Trying to take pics but it's hard to get a shot of it.

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1347188189' post='1797739'] starting to get some nasty fretbuzz on the a string when playing the 1st fret. Can't really take the action high enough without the string being too high. [/quote] That sounds to me like you've either got a high fret, or that the break angle is too shallow.

Those commercials should have been long over by now

[quote name='grumble' timestamp='1347115426' post='1797127'] Thats coz they got you on cctv the last time you were in [/quote] Ah dammit.

I can't get in to the shop

Ok. I've gone to some effort here, so if you turn round and tell me again that I'm not being helpful, I'll have to come down there and give you a slap, Mr! Ok, so I've taken some photos of my bass just to give you a rough idea of what I'm on about. This is in no way meant to be patronising or anything like that. This is the break angle I was talking about. The angle of the strings as they cross over the nut. You can see that mine has a slight angle, not too much but just enough to give it a little extra tension and stop excessive fret buzz. [IMG]http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a407/ImaginaryEvil/Snapbucket/1020B5D4.jpg[/IMG] And this is the string winding, which is what affects the break angle the most (plus the angle of the headstock of course). I don't like too many windings but mine go from top to bottom. [IMG]http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a407/ImaginaryEvil/Snapbucket/3C6E25AB.jpg[/IMG] This is the relief in my neck. It's set at 0.3mm from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the E string when I'm fretting the 1st fret and the last fret. This (plus a combination of all of the other aspects of the setup) allows me to get super low action, from 1mm on the G to 1.6mm on the E. This means that my bass is very playable, even though it's a P neck (pretty wide) and I've got stupid small girl hands. [IMG]http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a407/ImaginaryEvil/Snapbucket/A581E8B5.jpg[/IMG] This is how my saddles are set for my intonation. It's gonna be different on every bass, but probably wouldn't be massively far off this on most 34" scale 4 string basses. My intonation is as perfect as it could get on a fretted bass. [IMG]http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a407/ImaginaryEvil/Snapbucket/E9967C3F.jpg[/IMG] And lastly, this is how I've got my pickup set. Higher in the middle for the A and D strings, and lower on the E and G (lowest on the E, that seems to be the loudest with the strings I'm using). With yours being a humbucker you won't be able to have that pyramid thing going on but it's just to give you an idea. Excuse the dust in the photo, I'm not much of a polisher. [IMG]http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a407/ImaginaryEvil/Snapbucket/9FB12080.jpg[/IMG] Hope this helps a bit at least.

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1347048311' post='1796522'] string to fingerboard. Measured with a ruler. I don't have a specific measuring tool. [/quote] What's the measurement from the bottom of the string to the top of the 12th fret when the bass is fretted at both the 1st and last fret simultaneously? [quote name='wishface' timestamp='1347048311' post='1796522'] They are wound so that the string is on the inside lessening the amount it has to bend from the nut to the peg. I don't have the camera to hand right now. [/quote] That sounds right, but I think he means is it wound from the top of the peg going down, so that the string bends as much as possible over the nut? ( this is called the break angle) [quote name='wishface' timestamp='1347048311' post='1796522'] the point about using fingers is that it's not terribly precise and we are dealing in small increments. [/quote] Using fingers wouldn't be terribly precise on their own, but don't forget you have the screws to guide you. Loosen or tighten the saddle screws by a small amount, and then use your fingers to push the saddle - it will only go as far as the screw allows.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1347036978' post='1796346'] ok, I promise then not to mention adding shims to the neck pocket to alter the angle slightly (but -if needed- it can help greatly to achieve a smooth low action... if needed!) [/quote] +1 to that - I have a shim in the neck pocket of my bass. But a shim will only help if everything else has been adjusted correctly

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1347033437' post='1796295'] Nothing wrong with removing the foam. On old pickups teh foam can get all squished and... useless. Easy to remove and use new one. [/quote] That's why I didn't advise against it either. I don't know much about the function of the foam, which is why I didn't say to remove it, but I also didn't advise against it. I know quite a bit, enough to make almost any bass play great, but there are folk on here who know much more than me of course.

Oh my word...

Bought some P bass covers from Tony - no hassle and super speedy! Thanks dude

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1346967654' post='1795594'] I don't particularly regard that as helpful at all, sir. The foam at the base of the pickup is glued to the thing and is placed there for a very good reason that I'm surprised you both chose not to mention. It's there to stop the pickup wire getting crushed by the pickup when it's screwd in place, which is now what's going to happen if i tighten it. [/quote] My claim of you not reading things properly is nicely backed up here firstly by you calling me sir, when just to the left here it clearly states that I'm female. And secondly because if you bother to go back and read my posts you will see that the suggestion to take out the foam was not mine. I wouldn't have told you that because I wouldn't do that myself.

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1346967028' post='1795584'] Likewise do not assume that I was not grateful for your offer. It is no less rude. [/quote] You're not making yourself any friends or earning any respect here. This is a fantastic community, and we treat each other well. You're not reading posts properly, you're being excessively defensive, and you're accusing people of being rude, provocative and out of order when they are trying to do their best to help you. As another poster said before, as far as I'm concerned you're on your own. Cheers.

What??? I made no comment about your health. In fact I queried the person who did! EDIT - thank you for realising that wasn't me and editing it out... please be more careful in future.