neepheid

Enjoy it, don't drink too much before you go on (drink as much as you like after ) and be sure to report back!

DB: the pickguard I have has the Thunderbird engraved into it. I wish it had been silk screened on, a bit of T-cut would have put paid to its head with a bit of patience. So I have to fill the head in with something. Have tried layers of paint but despite being careful to not layer too thick and waiting for each layer to dry it didn't stick. I have got some Milliput (2 part epoxy putty) which I intend to fill the unwanted lines with, but I don't know how well it will polish up. J: That sounds like a worthy plan B to me

Well, I picked up the headless chicken last night and was pleased to find that the neck is still playable right to the first fret on all strings. I wonder if my steaming and clamping has stuck this time. It's been a month. Even though I've got a direct replacement neck should things go awry, I think I'll go ahead with the one that I've steamed. Worst case scenario is that the neck springs back while it's off the bass and having no string tension on it while I work on the body. Things to do - deepen the neck pocket by a few mm (everything's a little proud, pickups jacked up, bridge saddles about as far up as they'll go, can fly a 747 under the strings at the neck heel ), then get to work on making things more comfy at the dusty end. Test that stuff, then make the recesses for the neck screw bushings, followed by finishing (which is not my strong suit, but I'll give it a go). Also getting rid of the head on the pickguard logo is proving trickier than I first thought. I have another plan, which is permanent, but I don't know how invisible it's going to be. Need a scrap of BWB pickguard material to test on - anyone got some?

I learned more in a couple of months of lessons than I did in the entirety of the time I had spent pretending to play bass before that. I probably knew more than I give myself credit for, but the lessons were instrumental in bringing all that fractured information together and making it all make sense.

Agreed, that butterscotch Tele is turning my head.

Yes, the three point bridge does suck. No individual string height adjustment means that it's functionally less capable than an old 4 saddle Fender bridge. If it bugs you, get a Hipshot Supertone.

Got enough wraps on the tuner? Try pushing them down a bit so there's more break angle over the nut?

You could mark the fret positions along the side of the neck until you get up to speed? Stickers? Non-permanent marker of some sort?

Was it a Mazeti? I can only find a pic of a little guitar, but I'm sure I saw a bass version of this:

Just be honest. I was asked if I'd like to join a band at the start of the year, having done a couple of deps for them. I said no because the singer (who was doing the asking) and guitarist seemed to have a bit of needle between them (even during/at gigs) and I didn't want to be in the middle of all that. I was thanked for my frankness and honesty. I still see/speak to the singer now and again and from what I can tell the two of them seem to be getting on better, certainly nothing untoward the last time I saw them play. So maybe I indirectly did some good as well

Why are people getting their knickers in a knot? It's like a padded cell full of cold turkeys in here - Basschat withdrawal symptoms?

One person's trash is another person's treasure. If you like it and have that kind of money lying around in your change saucer then go for it. I think it's a ridiculously overpriced bitsa. I wouldn't buy it if I had a full change saucer the size of the Ark Royal.

And that took >10 secs to post, FYI.

Sometimes it's loading pages like *snaps fingers* that, and sometimes it's taking >10 secs to open a thread. I'm at work (Uni) so I don't think I want for bandwidth. Probably server load. It'll calm down once the migration is fully complete. Go make a cup of tea. White, no sugar, ta

Had a similar (not quite as scarily close to the gig) situation the last time I did the ska covers thing - due to a variety of illness and other misfortune the singer/keyboard/trombone met the drummer for the first time in the afternoon on the day of the gig. Whizzed through a few songs, got a beer then went for it. Drummer was still listening to the songs on his ipod before we went up. Gig went great

I don't think it's a good idea. I know people are in general absolute mince at searching for stuff which might be relevant to their predicament, but I don't see how trawling through a linear progression of disconnected and disparate problems and their solutions is going to be any better. No doubt there'll be some initial success, then someone will say "this should be made a sticky". Please no more sticky threads. This forum already looks like Spiderman got a bit eager on his first day back at work after a year long sabbatical.

I absolutely play all of them, if I don't then my wife will make me sell them

If it hasn't been requested already, I'd love a darker theme, it's a little bright in here

I have long term ambitions to acquire a symbiotic connection with the bass (like gits who are able just to pick up the damn thing and play the hell out of it as naturally as one might brush one's teeth). However, the only bassist I actively compete against is myself. By that logic therefore I am both the best and the worst bassist in this world view

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1316483881' post='1378710'] Heavy, ugly, neck-divey, awful sound. On the positives, I image they would burn quite well on an open fire. [/quote] Don't pull your punches - tell us what you really think!

My head's spinning. I want to downsize my rig. Lovely sounding though my Ashdown ABM cab is, circa 80lbs of front heavy 4x10 down/up 2 flights of stairs that barely fits in my car for each gig where I need to provide amplification (regardless of whether I have PA support or not) is no longer tolerable for me. I'm not 20 any more! I intend to keep my Hartke 3500 head, I've never had a problem with it and I like the sound it makes. The only thing I might change is put it in a shallow 2U rack instead of the current full depth one (although it does make for a handy bit to stash the power/signal cables ) So, what cab(s) should I get? This is the rough criteria I have: 1) I need to cover all eventualities - practice, on-stage monitoring for gigs with PA, providing all the bass for small venues with no PA support (my new band has a habit of doing mad outdoor/marquee gigs out in the sticks). 2) I want it to be light - by light I mean less than 30kg for a 4x10 (a MB Standard 104HF is a sliver under 30kg, I nearly chucked one of those in the air at Moffat when lifting it with the strength required to move the ABM ) 3) I want it to sound good (I know this is tricky and subjective) - I don't play loud music, my band plays a mix of folk and rock I suppose (with the occasional blues number or cover of Louie Louie in there - always wakes up a sleepy crowd). I compete against a drummer who isn't a heavy hitter, one singer, one guitar and one keyboard/mouthorgan/penny whistle. I guess I want a fairly transparent cab, the Hartke head has plenty EQ options and it should be in charge of the sound, not the cab. 4) Obviously it should be reasonably well made - I'm not one for flinging my gear around or thrashing it, but I don't want it made of matchsticks either. 5) I am trawling the second hand market, I don't think I can justify buying new. Just some good quality intermediate stuff for an intermediate bassist please, I have a rough budget of £400-500 for this. 6) I want to run the Hartke at 4 ohms so that I can get 350W instead of the 230W I get currently. I've seen quite a few people taking the modular approach with a pair of 12s, what's the deal with that? I like the idea of taking just one to a gig if all I need to do is monitoring (or it's a really small gig), but taking two if I need to bring the noise. I've had 2 gigs with the new band and the thought of 2 more next month where I'm pretty sure I have to bring backline have galvanised me into some action. Please tell me what to buy! Don't lead me up the garden path! Read points 1-6! In patient anticipation of your considered opinions. And sorry for rehashing this often asked question.

Bought a Neotech strap from Kevin. Everything went smooth, well packed, no probs

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' post='1375333' date='Sep 16 2011, 11:37 AM']I think this post has been hijacked a little, and has turned into a "basses i like vs basses i don't is the important thing", which i completely agree with. I don't think anyone would suggest otherwise. The post is to ask people what they consider to be a 'vintage' instrument, simple as that. The issues on whether vintage instruments are worth the money is an entirely different argument, one that has been debated at length on this forum alone. The market price of anything is based on demand. the whole fairy dust thing is lost on me. a good bass is a good bass if it was made in 1951 or 2011. Fenders are always considered more collectable because they reach a wider audience. I would imagine an Alembic Stanley Clarke, on paper, is a better bass than a fender precsion. But if you advertised them both, the people genuinly interetsed in an Alembic would be far less than those interested in a vintage fender for the same price, thats just the reality. Did/do fender make great basses, yes, did/do they make firewood, yes. Anyway, back to the subject, looks like it's '73 then. :D[/quote] You asked what's a "vintage" instrument. I offered the point of view that I do not recognise the term as being in any way relevant within the context, albeit in a ranty way, because it irritates me. It's meaningless balderdash, being further perpetuated by its continued discussion. So we're only allowed to voice an opinion in your thread if we A) agree that vintage as a concept is valid and B) provide a year of manufacture before which basses are considered vintage or an age that a bass must achieve before it is considered vintage? Is that it?