tauzero

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' timestamp='1334960852' post='1624233'] Nail varnish remover is also a good one for getting rid of the goo. [/quote] Could be risky on some finishes, acetone is quite a potent solvent. Things like binding and plastic knobs would also be at risk. I've used white spirit for years for sticker goo removal and not had any problems.

[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1335216031' post='1627561'] Interesting bit of blurb there, but I wonder how much of it is true? [/quote] The bits saying "THIS IS NOT A MATSUMOKU" probably are.

I don't play in anything other than standard tuning and mostly use 5s, but I wouldn't get rid of the Warwick 4s and the fretless 4 is the one I use for the ceilidh band. I just like to have a reason to keep it.

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1334872373' post='1622856'] I've been looking at the Peavey Millenium BXP 5, and all the reviews seem positive, but I've never tried one. Anyone had/played one? [/quote] I've had a play of the Millennium 5 and I preferred the Grind 5 (which you should be able to get for £200 second-hand, have a look on That Ebay).

[quote name='GregBass' timestamp='1334586123' post='1618026'] Errr - unless things have changed since my Warwicks were made, they don't use screws to secure the back plates. They are clips, a bit like the battery compartments of DVD remote controls. Putting in any type fo bracing that pushes onto the backplate would be pointless as the first sign of pressure would just pop the backplate off. [/quote] In the interest of complete accuracy, early Warwicks had separate battery and control covers and the control covers were held on by screws (6 in the case of my Thumb) which screw into brass inserts. I don't know when the changeover to clip-on covers happened, but it was before 2000.

The EAD Foundation 112 should be emerging in the near future - going by the 212, the 112 will be worth checking out.

I've just emailed them to ask.. [quote] I noticed in your description of the 660 that you refer to the "trademark checkered binding". I understand that the headstock and body shapes are trademarked, but is this chequered binding actually a trademark? Regards [/quote]

The necks. The JD Thumb and the defretted Thumb with JD neck dimensions, the Antoniotsai 5, and now the Sei fretless 5. The sound of the Warwicks and the Sei are all complex, the Antoniotsai less so but still sounds pretty good to me.

While trying to find out what trademark legislation might apply to Rickenbackers and copies in the UK, I happened across [url="http://www.rickenbacker.com/model.asp?model=660/12"]this description[/url] on Rickenbacker's website. What made me curious was that they refer to 'Rickenbacker's trademark "checkered" black and white binding'. Now I know that, at least in the US, there is trademark on the headstock and body shapes, and RIC is obliged to pursue breaches of that trademark in the US otherwise they stand to lose it, but is the chequered binding really a trademark or are Rickenbacker using the term in a rather less than strict legal context?

First, if you like the way it feels, that's good. Keep it. You just need to make it sound how you want it to sound. Second, have you considered string choice? There seems to have been plenty said about the hardware, but no-one yet has mentioned the actual boingy things that make the noise. If you're playing flatwounds and want sizzle, that's your problem right there.

There's quite a lot of Rick copies that look uncannily like real Ricks. Perhaps all auctions for what are purportedly real Ricks should be flagged to Ebay - after all, as I'm sure Mr Hall would agree, you can't be too careful...

Real men don't need fret markers at 3 and 9...

If you're about to head off to Bass Direct, make sure Mark is back off his hols first (think he's away till the 10th).

I had one too - a fretless with slap plates, and IIRC a little piezo pickup in the neck joint that would pick up the percussive sound of the slap.

It's worth looking on That Ebay for components. I bought a big bag of ceramic capacitors for very little (just checked, 40 each of 50 values = 2000 caps for £11-30, free P&P).

I didn't do any soldering but did have a good inspect. It's a Bartolini TBIBT, with passive pickups. Battery is 9.5V with a lead plugged in (ie. under load). The preamp has two buffer preamps which feed the blend pot(s) which then feed the tone control section. My suspicion is that something has gone duff in the neck pickup buffer circuit, perhaps an electrolytic gone to meet its maker. Looks rather like it's encapsulated though (it's tucked away and I didn't want to try persuading it out). I've also found a reference to a Pedulla with the same issue - it uses the same preamp. However, the owner swapped it out for something else so there's no further diagnostics.

I have an AX3000B which I like. One nice feature is that you can edit the sounds with a (Windows) PC with a MIDI interface.

I use those bits for links, although I think a couple of moves and a total reorganisation of the electronics area have seen them off.

[quote name='tommorichards' timestamp='1332017215' post='1582245'] im planning on making my own sabre bass as i cannot afford a real one, so im using this preamp. The wire ive used to go to the controls is rubbish though as they keep snapping off the board, so ive ordered some copper wire for it. [/quote] You could use Veropins to do the connections rather than solder flying leads straight to the board.

I replaced the concentric knobs on my Jack with non-Hohner. I'm pretty sure that I got them from [url="http://www.axesrus.com/axenob.htm#Knobs"]AxesRUs[/url] after measuring the inner and outer shafts.

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1333224320' post='1599016'] Adjustment is from the headstock. Sandberg web site suggests anti-clockwise to curve the neck a bit more... but from which end of the instrument???? [/quote] The end that you're adjusting it at.

I hadn't noticed this on the Sei when I bought it, but today at rehearsal it was rather evident. The bridge pickup is making some rather odd noises (other than my playing, that is). Not humming, not major crackling, but irregular thudding and crackling. I've either got a social club secretary sat in the bass tapping a microphone, as social club secretaries are wont to do, or some issue. When the blend control is fully to the bridge pickup, there is no extraneous noise. Moving it even slightly to the neck pickup brings the noise in. I've made a recording at [url="http://tauzero.co.uk/MP3s/sei_noise.mp3"]http://tauzero.co.uk/MP3s/sei_noise.mp3[/url] - this is initially on bridge pickup only (no noise), then I strum a couple of strings, then move to the neck pickup and strum again. The noise is pretty clearly audible. Not sure what the pickups are. Preamp is a Bartolini. This happens both in my lounge (where the recording was made) and in the rehearsal studio, and using three different leads, three different amps, a bass trainer, and no effects. Does anyone have any suggestions as to cause and remedy?

[quote name='paul j h' timestamp='1333133411' post='1598002'] Hi, i am still unable to put the pics up, but if someone can for me i will e-mail them the pics and they can include it in the post somewhers. The ebay seller was a guy called James his ebay shop is Bristol guitars and he really is a top bloke, between him and me we had to do all the leg work. Still the police get a "clear up" after 11 years! Cheers Paul. [/quote] Congratulations on getting it back. Doing the legwork yourself rings a bell, my garage was broken into many years ago and some bike parts, computer parts, and a bass cab were nicked. I happened across the bike parts in a local bike breakers, who were helpful, and rang round a couple of second-hand shops myself, one of which had the bass cab and had taken the name and registration number of the bloke who'd sold it to him. So I passed the info on to the police. Sadly the subsequent prosecution failed, as the magistrates were happy to believe that the perpetrator had bought the stuff in good faith.

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