The Burpster

With just a large single V on the headstock it sounds like a Vigier Arpege to me..... [url="http://www.vigierguitars.com/page/fiche_produit.php?id_prod=243"]http://www.vigierguitars.com/page/fiche_pr...php?id_prod=243[/url]

Best - Gallery Worst (so far) - Bass Cellar

I'm surprised anyone one here with any experience would go into a shop and be put off playing a bass, because it did not produce the tone they expected plugged in to an amp in the shop. Go into the shop, inspect if for defects, quality, workmanship and feel by all means - but never tone.....! Is the shop likely to have the same set up as you have....? Strings, set-up, intonation, Amp, pedals, leads? I very much doubt it, these are all very personal to each and every one of us. To expect anything from the bass in the shop is a big ask. Knowing what I know now, go and look at it. decide if its tactilely correct, buy a ste of your normal strings then take it home and set i up with new strings and then play it plugged in. You should be able to tell in the shop what it sounds like accoustically or through a Tascam or similar (preferably your own one). There is always likely to be slight variances between to rigs using the same components so imagine the variables involved with all of the elements I mentined above.....

I mainly use D'addario Chromes. They are very good strings, and will produce a good vareity of tones. The prob is not with your strings but more likely the nut and bridge of your Yamaha. After replacing the stock items on my first Yamaha the clarity and sustain increased by a huge amount. After changing the pups and electrics to sensible arrangement it was a monster (for what is cost!). Going back to round wounds may just leave you dissapointed.

[quote name='Paul Cooke' post='589068' date='Sep 3 2009, 08:25 PM']Any idea what the bassist from Easy Star All Stars was playing on? It had an absolutely awesome tone for dub reggae...[/quote] It is imdeed a Synapse..... [url="http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Steinberger-Synapse-XS15FPA-Custom-5String-Bass?sku=519150"]http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/pr...Bass?sku=519150[/url]

Isnt it basically a Spirit with upper and lower bouts.....? Capable, but not like a Synapse IMO.

Isnt there a parallel we can draw to other items about which men are sensitive to length issues.........

[quote name='Clarky' post='587918' date='Sep 2 2009, 08:33 PM']It is in fact Nikki Sixx's trademark "OptiGrab" - a bent metal loop that is attached at an angle behind the bridge and is used for anchoring his pinky while picking (so I have read).[/quote] Thnks for that Clarky..... Patented Optigrab eh.....? What an odd chap, or is this a natural progression when you fry your cerebum with illicit substances......! (I did think that when he took a perfectly great Ovation bass and had silly flames painted all over it to make it his 'sig' bass)

[quote name='RichMcGill' post='587811' date='Sep 2 2009, 06:54 PM']Good reply and some good points here. I've never touched an XL-2 or any other original Steinberger, so we've got a lot of ignorance here. It looks to me as though XL-2 is a period piece? Expensive, fragile, heavy but with a good sound & presumably plays well. A showjumper to a donkey? I can see XL-2 has a lot more pedigree and is worth a lot more from the point of view of original price, current and long-term value. I suppose a donkey has worth and can do a good day's work, but a donkey is also slow & sluggish which I do not see in the Spirit. A lot of the points here are about the material used. What does composite bring that's good? I notice that you rate Synapse which uses both composite and wood. Trivially, the thing that really puzzles me is the need for "extra sticking out bits" in both XL-2 and Synapse which jar with my sense of good design. Spirit doesn't need such things and, to my mind, the design should meet the needs. I've nearly stopped dreaming of one day changing my Spirit for XL-2. Synapse looks bigger? Small is a good design feature here, in my view, and to be valued. Spirit in original soft gig back fits into many places other basses couldn't begin to consider. Looking forward to the day I get to actually experience XL-2, perhaps it'll all make sense then!![/quote] OK here goes.... I have had a noodle with a 1981 XL-2 it was a peach but having just bought one of my PRSs I couldnt afford it. I have owned 2 Hohners but as stated above whilst they 'do the job' both the ones I had were unstable and tricky to set up and had VERY narrow necks which in the end was the reason I parted with them. The XL-2 however weighed noticably more (making the Hohners seem like they were made from Balsa) and hence the Hohners and my guess would be the Spirit balance better because the necks are lighter. The Original composite ones are rightly now expensive because they are rare and very sought after. Fragile they are not. They were made from solid composite and carbon weave cloth, which was cutting edge for the day but due to material tech. moving on as it has, the new Synapse is a wood core with Carbon external laminates, which reduces the weight but gives similar tonal qualities which are quite unique to the innert compound of carbon. Composite has a differant tonal quality because it is so dense. Aluminium necks and the odd neck through Alu, basses likewise have a unique tonal quality and sustain because of the material density. ( a similar tonal change can be noted by changing to a brass nut on a wood bass). The sticky out bits are neccassary because the neck is considerably heavier because of its construction as above, this affects the COG and hence needs some help. The Spirit being lighter doesnt need this assistance (same as my Hohners didnt). The Throughbred/Donkey analogy was more about breeding and roles, rather than being more or less competant. You coudnt get a Thoro'bred to haul rocks all day, as you couldnt get a Donkey to jump 6' Oxers. They are different and so shouldnt be judged in the same light. I've not tried a Synapse but when I get the chance to I will - out of curiosty. For me tho' it would have to be the original XL-2 or a Status Streamline 4 which is an up-to-date evolution of the original idea using todays tech for the construction. The wooden ones are a facsimilie of the original idea but they aren't the same.

The last ones on here fetched £1250 to £1500 so it would have be an asbolute minter for someone to pay £2k for it.... Thats not to say that someone wouldnt but you might have to wait a very long time.

As its a side exit Jack my guess would be that is so the lead can be connected and then run up behind the bridge and then over the strap button. This would prevent it hanging straight down and give it somewhere to go as it couldnt be 'tucked' behind the strap and button, to prevent it getting snagged out like most of us do with a button that is on the base of the bass.

1. the big 'wing on the back was in place of the top forearm so that you could fold it out and attatch a strap for playing stood up. 2. They were made of resin/carbon weave entirely. 3. the carbon and resin can indeed chunk but like any bass if its not in vital area it wont affect its playablilty (and IMO is way easier to patch up than trying to match paint and lift dents out of wood!) 4. Is any vintage instrument worth it.....? the electrics are way old skool and they are heavy..... but again IMO they have a unique and killer 80s tone and were and still are, a complete breath of fresh air. 5. comparing the original XL-2 to a spirit is like comparing a showjumper to donkey.... the spirit is a wood copy just like the Hohner; wood is nothing like carbon...... Have you looked at the Synapse bass....? This is a Ned evolution of the original XL-2 and to me is the best of both worlds (wood and composite) and has up to date electrics........ BTW - I love 'em (not got 'round to buying one yet, but its only a matter of time!)

[quote name='erman' post='586144' date='Aug 31 2009, 10:50 PM']Hi folks, I'm a novice bassist who happens to be without a bass guitar but have the will (and some cash) to buy one, so I'm here to ask for your recommendations. I mostly like to play metal, mainly 80ies stuff, maiden, judas priest, ozzy etc. My budget is at most 1000£ (don't have to spend it till the last penny I checked the Fender Steve Harris Precision Bass and Fender American Deluxe P Bass but I couldn't made up my mind yet, so I'm asking your opinion, what do you recommend? Thanks in advance[/quote] Welcome and lets see if we can help..... 1st off there's some good comments above....... all valid..... Buut my opininon FWIW.... Get something like this - [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/roland_cube_100_bass.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/roland_cube_100_bass.htm[/url] [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/ampeg_ba115hp_basscombo.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/ampeg_ba115hp_basscombo.htm[/url] Then at least you can turn up and play with your mates and keep up (no they are not top end rigs but they will get you going and will just keep up with a drum kit) plus these are OK for practising. 2nd off that leaves you about £600 for the bass - dont go mad with your first one as its quite unlikely that this will be the bass that you are known for and 'does your thing' but it will be a good step.... Aim for something along these lines.... [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_highway_one_pbass_rw_fb.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_highway_one_pbass_rw_fb.htm[/url] [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_highway_one_jbass_rw_fb.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_highway_one_jbass_rw_fb.htm[/url] The secret here is that you really need to try both a P and J to work out what kind of neck you prefer to play, there REALLY is a difference although it seems such a small amount on spec sheets you will end up preferring one over the other. Sure some folks say that you can play a narrower neck quicker but that depends on your hands. I have big hands and really dont like narrow necks but even that is hit and miss as advice. I'm suggesting those bits above as they will retain a good portion of thier value and be very sellable if you dont wish to keep them. The other really sensible thing to do is to look at the for sale threads on here as that is where you can get some really good stuff way cheaper than new - however bear in mind, there will be a lot of stuff on there that may just confuse you!

There is something definately a bit fishy about these scales.......

Whilst I'm sure its beatifully made and great quality and probably even good VFM, I'm afraid I dont find it appealling in the same way I dont Ritters.....

V.nice but it should be in porn section....

[quote name='Patrickhadow' post='581865' date='Aug 26 2009, 08:46 PM']thanks for the advice v helpful [/quote] You're welcome.

You are in more danger of the lead wearing the finish away than you are of it reacting with the nitro.... Gig it hard, get a few dinks in and you wont worry a jot about your lead......

Thread has been editted due to a complaint - Please keep it about basses in here.... Off topics should stay there.

Sadly they are bit like 2ndhand Porsche's..... Theres cheap ones and there are good ones, but there are no cheap good ones.... try 2ndhand on the 'bay or new cheap ones off there.....

I use one on my Hack PRS and it does what its say on the tin. You can either set the E string slightly flat and it will pop into D and back, or set it spot on in E and it will go to D but require a nudge to go back to E when you go back up. Its no biggy really once you are used to it. Its a small thing to do for the comfort of playing the same bass. Use a larger guage of string to get the best out of the Low D, I went from 100 to 105 and it sounds like Gods throat rumbling now.....