neepheid

I'm a geek, I'm firmly in the mould of "always got a cable/battery/tool kit on him" bass player. I love geeking out about basses, bashes being the epitome of that. But I've met bass players at gigs who simply aren't that into it as would spend any time talking about gear or techniques, they just play and then wander off. You must have experienced it - Me: "Great gig, really enjoyed your playing." Bass player: "Thanks very much." Me: "Nice bass you've got there." Bass player: "Yeah, it is." [i]awkward silence where you expected someone to wax lyrical about the type of wood it's made of and got nothing[/i] Me: "OK, well, cheers!" Hell, I've had indifferent exchanges at bashes before. So I'd love to believe that we're all a happy, polite gang of bass geeks, but it doesn't always pan out that way. Of course I've met some gems of bass players who are geeky, gregarious, gear mad and happy to talk the hind legs off a donkey about bass. They're ace. It must be me, I am the only common factor in all these encounters of variable friendliness and engagement. Perhaps I'm coming in too hot for the reserved type, maybe I give off an aura of loserness that some people pick up on and have no wish to engage me in conversation beyond the perfunctory. I am not the most confident of people, and meeting new folk doesn't come easy to me, so I may be overly reserved or I may overcompensate. If you ever encounter me, and if you're feeling generous, please bear this in mind. I do warm up, honest Maybe one day I'll accept that it's OK for me to take up the square metre or so of space that I occupy, and that it's also OK if I don't click with every person I meet. Oops, that was deep.

Knobs are maybe on a little squint? Presumably they're set in place with a grub screw? Try loosening the grub screw, reseating them (don't push them flat to the pickguard, lift them ever so slightly) and try to keep them level as you tighten the screw.

[quote name='gadgie' timestamp='1411430450' post='2559518'] That's the new price. I've seen and held the guitar and the lad in the shop played it. Sounded good. I was just wondering on the cost for VFM [/quote] That price lies somewhere between "too good to be true", "WTF?", and "pricing error"

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1411461173' post='2559648'] I've found the complete opposite. Most of my friends who don't play music and aren't in bands have larger music collections and go to more gigs than those i know that play music. P.S. Great post by xilddx by the way. [/quote] Agreed from this commentator - the increase in my involvement in bands/gigs/songwriting has exactly coincided with a marked decrease in collection and collation of music in the house, and I used to be a voracious consumer of CDs.

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1411461065' post='2559646'] I might be wrong but I think I know what Blue is saying... That when someone finds out your in a band and they start talking to you about it when they either dont care or have no actual interest in what you do or in music. The amount of times I've had someone ask me about my band etc and I've started to explain what it is I'm into and do, you can see the other person just half listening and wishing they never asked and they quickly end the conversation with 'Oh well I'll have to come see you sometime' which they subsequently never do. They're probably just trying to be polite and create a converstation with you but it does get on my nerves because when the converstaion only gets that far, I feel they are somehow judging or laughing at me, because if they were actually interested in talking to me about it and understood what I do, they would atleast talked about it for longer than 2 minutes and would have maybe come to one show. [/quote] From the other side, bear in mind that some of us are terrible at this smalltalk nonsense and it's obvious to any onlooker that we'd rather the ground swallowed us up. You think [i]you're[/i] being judged? Too many times have I been on the other side, having to talk to someone new, scrabbling around for something to ask to at least look like I'm interested (which I am), all the time having a little voice in your head saying "they're going to think you're a knob". Painful.

I have had a Tribute L-2000 and a Tribute M-2000. Fantastic basses, well put together, sound great. Just watch out for the half baseball bat neck on the Tribute L2K Contrary to barkin's experience, I bought both the above basses unseen/online with no bother, so I would have no qualms going again. I'd say £280 for a second hand Tribute L-2000 is a decent price (I'd say £300-350 is the normal range depending on the model - you'll pay a slight premium for the trans finish or the carved top).

Although most of my basses are Gibsons and therefore by definition made in the USA and not "cheap" (some recent examples are firmly approaching mid priced it has to be said), I currently have a Yamaha BB450 which I restored from parts and cost me less than £100. Great bass, happy to gig it any time and have played it at several gigs. "Cheap" basses I have gigged include: Yamaha BB450 Yamaha BB300 Yamaha BB614 Squier Bronco Epiphone Les Paul Standard Mid priced stuff: G&L Tribute L-2000 G&L Tribute M-2000 Epiphone Jack Casady Don't even start me on some of the snobbery that gets thrown around, I find it pretty disgusting to be honest. An instrument is either good or it isn't, according to the person playing it and no-one else and it doesn't matter a jot where it was made or who made it.

Been on a selling spree at the moment, am now G&L-less, which bothers me a bit. Have trimmed it down to just Gibson/Epiphone and my Yamaha BBs (which are worth bog all, because lovely as they are to play they're ratty looking and not amongst the posher ones). No doubt I'll be back, but it's nice to have the space in the bass cupboard and very slowly plan how to fill it back up again

[quote name='TheSiberian' timestamp='1410987573' post='2555438'] If I can see an update from the Precision to Stingray, I can't say the same for the G&L who is a rather modern standard Fender [b]without any signifiant inovation.[/b] I see hardly the G&L being a colectible in the next years...but who knows? Best [/quote] I think that's a harsh assessment.

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1410938661' post='2554753'] It's a state of mind coupled with a point blank refusal to accept the reality of the situation in these chasened times. [/quote] Or, if you want to deal in absolutes which are bound to piss someone off, BC is full of lowballing chancers?

I can't speak for other sellers. If I write that, I mean it, because below that price, I believe I'd be having the piss taken out of me. It'll then wait until the market is in a suitable state to accept that price, or I might withdraw it. To be honest, I've had most of the things I sell here up on other forums and Gumtree and to be even more honest had more success (if you'll pardon quoting their ad) not only in securing sales but also getting the price I want there than here.

Although it'll be illogically laid out (because it's a Gibson and as such will always have illogical nuances), I will be doing this very thing with my Gibson Ripper: Ignore the orange/brown earth wires, that's a secondary earth. Red is hot, black is earth. This gives the following for this type of switch: [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 1: A -> 1, B -> 5, C -> 9[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 2: A -> 2, B -> 6, C -> 10[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 3: A -> 3, B -> 7, C -> 11[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 4: A -> 4, B -> 8, C -> 12[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]A is wired to ground, B takes the (reversed) hot of the bridge pickup, C is final output to the volume pot. X means no connection.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 1 should give both in series[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 2 should be bridge pickup only[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 3 should be both in parallel[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Position 4 should be neck only[/font][/color] However, this then feeds to a single volume control (the blue wire coming out of connection C). How you'd go about doing this and retaining the individual volume controls I don't know for sure. Feed the pickups to the volume controls first and then feed the outputs of those pots to the switch then the output from the switch to the tone pot? Maybe that's daft. Hopefully this will give you the beginnings of an idea, and someone with far greater knowledge than me will come along and tidy it all up

[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1410812099' post='2553539'] Do you mean this? [url="http://epiphonewiki.com/index.php/Ripper_Bass"]http://epiphonewiki....php/Ripper_Bass[/url] [/quote] Exactly. Interesting to read about the B-450 prototype, almost proved me wrong

[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1410734714' post='2552649'] Are you gigging? It's always worth having a backup bass, but if the Fender has lost its magic sell it and get the Epiphone equivalent of your Gibson? [/quote] If only that were possible - there is no Epiphone equivalent and never has been. They did a PJ wearing bolt on necked "Ripper" a few years back which is as close as it came. Same body shape and construction being the only similarities with a G-3.

http://www.dutycalculator.com/help_center/example-calculation-import-duty-and-taxes-for-a-guitar-and-amp/ Bit of a complicated example, but it does highlight the possibilities. Paying for the duty/tax depends upon the courier. If it's USPS, they hand over to ParcelForce who pay the duty/tax on your behalf then send you an invoice through your door (with an admin fee of course) which you have to settle before you get the parcel - you can pay online or down at the depot. Pretty sure I remember FedEx deliver first then issue an invoice. Can't comment on others.

In two, currently wondering if it's a bit too much.

[quote name='wenbainhouse' timestamp='1410351659' post='2548404'] Hey hey. Thanks for the reply. I assume you carry your grabber in this then? Is it a good gig bag? [/quote] Yup. I don't have my G-3 any more. The last time I used the Body Glove one was to transport my Ripper (same body shape as a Grabber) to be refinished, and once that is done then this gig bag will be its primary means of conveyance. Seems like a pretty decent bag to me in terms of padding and comfort.

[quote name='wenbainhouse' timestamp='1410346773' post='2548341'] Hello everyone. First post here. Just wondering if anyone could recommend a gig bag that would fit a Gibson grabber? Would it be easier to try an acoustic bag? Cheers Ben. [/quote] No, you'll have so much left over bag. I have one of these Body Glove Series One gigbags which seem to be a tad wider than some: But I'm sure I used to fit my G-3 (Grabber with 3 pickups) into a mid-range Warwick Rockbag in terms of padding etc.

Universal opportunity is fine and I welcome it but I would hate to see it wasted by forcing kids who don't give a toss either way into learning an instrument. Apart from playing recorder at primary school, I had opportunities and didn't take them. I'm sure I had the chance to play cello but humphing it around seemed like too much hard work. Then I retreated into my shell almost completely at secondary school for a variety of reasons and saw music classes in 1st and 2nd year as a chore and paid little or no attention whatsoever. Apart from a half-assed, ultimately abortive attempt to learn guitar in early adulthood, I didn't do anything until I seriously started playing bass (practising, being in bands) at the grand old age of 33. I do regret not getting going sooner (bloody young whiz-kids running rings around me, grr), but such is life. Make the most of now and all that.

[quote name='GrammeFriday' timestamp='1410339084' post='2548209'] 3-band all the way for me. Want a scooped sound? Just cut the mids right back. Getting lost in the mix, or need a really fat bridge pup fingerstyle sound? Boost the mids, roll off the treble, and boom. I use the mid knob so much that I cannot imagine playing my Ray without it. And having a side-mounted jack is also a major plus IMO - I hate front mounted jacks, and can't imagine why anyone would want to have a big fat ugly jack plug sticking out the front of their bass when they can have it neatly tucked away at the side. [/quote] It's not so bad with a right angle jack plug is it? Straight jacks do look a bit daft protruding from the front of the bass, I'll give you that

[quote name='eude' timestamp='1410268221' post='2547653'] Ha ha, fair enough mate Any suggestions on how to fix it bar rewiring the whole house? You're quite good with electronics right? I've tried a Monster Power thing ( [url="http://www.monsterproducts.com/power/monster_power.asp"]http://www.monsterpr...nster_power.asp[/url] ) which is meant to help, but it does nothing at all, and it's also the most hideous 8 way adapter I ever did see... Eude [/quote] Ach, I can wire sockets and switches but not much else. I did a quick google and found this, chock full of technical sounding stuff - http://www.theiet.org/forums/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=205&threadid=42230

[quote name='eude' timestamp='1410179908' post='2546815'] I don't notice any fans noise on mine either, I have quite a bit of 60 cycle hum, but the electrics in my house were literally done by a chimp. [/quote] It's fifty 'ere. Our hum is a bit bassier than our cousins across the pond