neepheid

Cool, the first time I've seen a Starcaster bass on TV.

[quote name='Reversebird' timestamp='1398372022' post='2433556'] Thomann have dropped the price on these to £650 brand new free delivery. Only Pelham Blue but that's amazingly cheap for new Gibson. [/quote] My credit card hates you so much right now

It's to do with the openness of the grain of the particular wood. Ash needs filling. I believe mahogany requires filling. Maple probably doesn't. I've heard you can get away without filling the grain of alder. Translucency of the finish is not part of the equation. If you blast a solid finish over ash without filling it, you get this (deliberate effect on my Gibson EB):

The only two I have right now are: G&L El Toro G&L Tribute M-2000 I suppose any black bodied Gibson with a traditional headstock is cheating - as the fact that they match is a coincidence? Be that as it may: Gibson G-3 Epiphone Les Paul (Not So) Standard

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1398094680' post='2430356'] That is good to know, thanks. I really like the look of them too (despite no maple option) and they are not overly expensive. [/quote] Let me clarify something here - you can get a maple board on a Tribute M-2000 - but the body has to be black or sunburst. You asked for white so I didn't think these were an option: The white one (M-2000 GTB) only comes with rosewood. Sorry if I was unclear.

I'm not sure how the Vista Tone pickup mounts but a lot of folk put a SD Cool Rails Strat humbucker in a Bronco. I put a GFS lipstick pickup in one. Got the bridge one (the hottest wound one at about 8KOhm). Looked amazing and sounded pretty good too. Also Rich (Ou7shined on here) put a real '51 P style pickup in a Squier Musicmaster for me once.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1398084836' post='2430220'] Intellectually I know that, but nevertheless I'd still feel a bit self-conscious with it! [/quote] Ach, who cares what anyone thinks? You're up there playing bass, what are they doing? Exactly - NOT playing bass, perhaps wishing they were! Odd shaped/finished bass which isn't a Fender P or J? Check. Zero flying Fs given? Check. And believe me, I am no super confident ego maniac. Watch me squirm if someone says nice things about me, the band or the gig after the set That's enough from me. Whatever you decide to buy, I'm sure you'll let us know with obligatory pics.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1398079848' post='2430131'] Thanks for these! No - cream, aged oly or 'vintage' white are all good. So is tort - with white. The Gibson EB is less than I thought it would be, looks good. The G&L M2000 is definitely on my shortlist. Looks very good indeed for the money. Not too sure about the Thunderbird, though - I'm very conservative when it comes to body shape and that looks way too radical for me! [/quote] It's been around since 1963! It's only 3 years younger than the Jazz bass, etc. etc.

Second hand Gibson EB 2013 in cream? Or does it have to be brilliant white? Coil spits on the humbuckers if you like. No maple board though. The only white G&L Tribute you're going to get without painting it yourself is the M-2000 GTB: Again, rosewood only, sorry. Necks on these are great though - half way between a P and a J. Very comfortable, and I like a chunky neck. White Epiphone Thunderbird Classic IV Pro? It is a "traditional" shape, if only because it's old This one is the proper neck through job. Bit of a jazzy neck though, in width at least.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1398012524' post='2429531'] In theory, yes. In some cases, I'd have to pay the return postage, which makes it non-free to try out a bass. Even for a company that offers free returns, I just don't like the idea of having a bass shipped to me unless I'm pretty sure I want to keep it. I've bought on ebay, but the results of that have varied. [/quote] Unless the shop is on your doorstep, it's never "free" to try out a bass. Travelling costs, time. For me, being in Aberdeen, the nearest shops with basses I might wish to buy are either in Edinburgh or Glasgow (although I'm yet to check out Kenny's in Dundee). So that's at least 4 hours on the road/rails, just to try stuff which I might not buy. So you can appreciate how attractive buying online is for me when I can use those 4 hours to do something else and only have to spend £20 or so to send it back if it doesn't work out.

This week I took a walk all the way up Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow to try out a bass the retailer's website said they had one in stock of, only to find that there was no such bass in the shop. And not just "sorry we just sold it" not there, more "I have no idea what you're talking about" not there. What a waste of time. Unimpressed.

Bit of a thread resurrection here but today I tried a single pickup Dimension today (the active 18V MIM one). It was OK, competent even. Lovely smooth satin finish on the back of the neck, everything seemed well screwed together. Soundwise I felt that the active EQ could have done with a bit more range, especially in the bass and scooping out mids department. I couldn't get this bass to sound "old school" without some help from the amp EQ. I wasn't super enthused with the sound - and this was through a Mark Bass LM3 into a Mark Bass 1x15 cab - no crappy practice amp here so it certainly wasn't being constrained or held back. Ultimately, this perfectly acceptable, capable bass lacked the certain qualities to make it into my collection. It's ... alright.

Well, I'll swim against the tide (nothing new there) and say that I like the pickguard. I've kept mine on. I might change my mind if the Epiphone E comes off, as I think that's what I like about it the most Great basses whatever your opinion on the guard.

I'm happy that the OP was delighted with the music coming out of the radio and the bass tone contained within. And it seemed to be a self contained, non-projecting personal opinion too. Why some knuckleheads can't resist turning it into a P vs. J thing then a P vs. everything else thing is beyond me

Dear holier-than-thou P bass club, Just stop it, please. By "it" I mean the whole "a P bass is all you need" thing. Not everyone here believes it's as inevitable as dying you know. Last time I checked, Church of Precision Bass wasn't a recognised religion, guys. I'll be going through the Pearly Gates playing my RD, ta. Y'know, after my death by stoning. Lots of love, Your favourite Gibson bass playing freak.

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1397136441' post='2421037'] I think it's fair to say that most manufacturers don't push "adventurous" designs because it's not what the current market demands. For a couple of decades now, pro players in successful acts - who influence purchasers - often tend to play Precisions, or maybe a Jazz if they're feeling daring. Of course there are exceptions but many players seem content with generic, traditional instruments. This is very disappointing to an old git like me who grew up watching my heroes playing stuff like JayDees, Steinbergers, Wals, Status, high-end Ibanez, Washburns & Aria Pros and so on. These days the bass tends to have a less prominent musical role than the 80s-era bands who used these instruments and I feel that's reflected in the conservative choices of both players and retailers. Jon. [/quote] Just you wait til I hit it big. I'll be waving my Gibsons (especially my Victory which you covet so much ) in your face at every opportunity. Then I will badger Gibson into reissuing the Victory, the RD Artist and anything else I deem worthy. VICTORY SHALL BE MINE. Oh wait, it already is

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1397134324' post='2420997'] Have a look through the gallery on the ritter website.... some astounding finishes in there. [/quote] OP did stipulate "mass production" basses... I wouldn't apply that term to Ritter basses.

You could follow G&L Musical Instruments on Facebook - I think you'd be partial to their blueburst. They're always posting up pictures of guitars and basses with lovely (and sometimes completely ridiculous) finishes. https://www.facebook.com/GnLguitars I don't think shops are the place to look for the inspiration you seek - shops don't tend to take in "weird" stuff because it's harder to sell.

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1397131302' post='2420961'] Hello all, I've been looking around at basses and generally in terms of looks they all look the same with a boring solid colour in either black, red, sunburst and sometimes blue. Why are basses designed to look so boring? I've not seen a bass ever that I look at and go 'Wow now I want to play that!'. I've only ever picked up and tried guitars that I've been told are 'the ones to play' and picked whatever boring finish I prefered. PRS for example make some absolutely stunning looking guitars. [size=2][i](I know they've made that Grainger Bass but I've heard nothing but terrible things about it)[/i][/size] So does anyone know of any 'mass production' bass guitars that look 'sexy' out there? [/quote] Where have you been looking? How hard have you been looking?

I enjoy variety. I've sold basses I really like simply because I've had them the longest and they're currently produced so easy to obtain again if it turns out I miss them. I'm not looking for "the one" - I'd dislike having just one - I maintain a constant collection of 10-12 and swap around within those parameters. The number has grown over time because I have either found basses that are "keepers" (and would be a pain to replace, financially or searchwise) or I'm personally invested too much in them (rescue projects).

You can use the BTS Control with any pickups. The BTS System has a blend control which only works with EMG pickups. If you use the BTS Control then you use your own pots to handle the volume/blending then feed the results of that to the BTS Control.

Yup, I concur with all of that - I am enjoying my Bullion Gold 2014 EB very much. I'm still not 100% enamoured with the finish (and I don't suppose I ever will be), but it stays and continues to charm me because of how good it sounds and how good it feels to play. Bit of a downer about the wiring on yours though - glad you got it sorted OK. That would have been very irritating for me, being up in Aberdeen and buying at distance. Thankfully, mine arrived with no such issues. No neck dive here - just like all my other Gibson basses, ahpook

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1396714808' post='2416719'] Perhaps we might erect a sign to this effect over the doors to Off-Topic. [/quote] You might as well fit that sign over the main door to the building

It's OK, Robocop sorted out all the street violence. We're good, ta