Andyjr1515

Excellent result

[quote name='Vixivi' timestamp='1421618654' post='2663421'] How does the it affect the acoustic volume? I've been thinking of putting black nylons on my fretless deko, but i'm a bit concerned about the acoustic volume. [/quote] Maybe a bit quieter but no 'clatter' so much more usable and therefore I find I can play actually louder. Plugged in no appreciable difference.

[quote name='planer' timestamp='1421582345' post='2662839'] Finally - I have a picture. This is the HB Thomman cheapie-special with my RBX374, as a size comparison more than anything. It's mahoosive and makes the Yam feel like a toy. I don't really have a black bass fetish (f'narr), given the choice I'd have had a natural one from Thomman, but black was all they had so I jumped on one while I had the chance. It's a nice thing, and sounds way better than it 'should' for the money. Happy bunny. I'd like to try some flats on it if I can find some for reasonable money. Recommendations anyone? [/quote] I've put black nylon-covered D'addarios on mine and it has transformed the sound, the playability and the feel

If it's clearly rocking on that one fret and not on the others then yes, it is that specific fret. Double check it's fully seated but, if so, just use your crowning file to bring the highspots down a touch. Andy

Fitted a set of D'Addario black nylons to my black HB30. Not only does it look a million dollars, it has made a marked improvement to the feel and tone too. It has also evened out the string volumes a bit through the PA. It is pretty much as much as I would want and need from an acoustic bass - but with a total cost (bass, strings, postage) of £70.66 !! Has to be up there in the 'best value for money of anything I've ever bought' category

[quote name='Dave_the_bass' timestamp='1421267649' post='2659246'] Found myself rather intrigued by these and have been looking in great detail. I "may" have found why the fretted is unplayable. The full price B30 is a 24 fret neck. The deco B30 is a 23 fret neck. Comparing the photos seems to suggest that the 23rd and 24th frets are in the same position on both models. This would lead me to believe that all of the frets are slightly high all the way up the fret board and as such the intonation is "wrong"! It won't be an issue for home use buy if you were to try and use it in an acoustic band situation then it'll probably sound off. I could be wrong and I'm sure someone with a set of vernier callipers will take accurate measurements and correct me if that's the case. [/quote] My Deko B30 is 24 frets and the nut to 12th fret distance is 433mm. It intonates fine now I've got the neck relief right and therefore the action at a decent low height. Hope this helps Andy

Warwick fretless gets my vote every time

Chris - with reference to the 4 string I got, my wife DID kill me...they are SOOOOOOOO big! [size=2]This message was posted automatically on notification of the sad demise of Andyjr1515 who met an unusual end accidentally falling headfirst onto a hard metal object 128 times in 4/4 time at 120 beats / minute.[/size]

[quote name='BassBunny' timestamp='1420722136' post='2652521'] There is a UK company that sell the same thing, Rothko and Frost [url="http://www.rothkoandfrost.com/ip-luminous-glow-in-the-dark-side-fret-marker-dot-inlay-rod/"]http://www.rothkoand...-dot-inlay-rod/[/url] I have used these and also Luminlay and can't tell the difference. [/quote] I haven't tried Rothko & Frost's - I'll get some and see how it fares...it's certainly cheaper! I did get some 'no-name' stuff a while ago and that wasn't any good at all - it didn't hold the glow for very long but, more to the point, it was almost invisible in the daytime. The Rothko & Frost stuff looks much better. Thanks for the tip-off Andy

[quote name='Chris Sharman' timestamp='1420714059' post='2652372'] ...and to you Andy. All is good thanks, hope the same with you? We may have to meet up for a beverage to discuss this. Patternmakers arms at the weekend? Chris [/quote] Discussions over that kind of beverage are always welcome Drop me a pm and we can sort a suitable meet Andy

Yes - definitely worth the wait!

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1420665119' post='2652018'] The 2 D indentations are the marks saying it's failed the QC and so it won't get sold as B-stock. Most of the dekos have them. [/quote] Haha! I used to manage a quality department, too...never thought of that In that case, it must be just the un-pictured jack-plug panel...very minor. It must mean their quality standards are pretty high even for economy ranges...

[quote name='Chris Sharman' timestamp='1420643001' post='2651654'] just thinking how good they would look on my Westone Thunder..... and perhaps some Black Metal luminlay control knobs as well. Uh-oh! [/quote] You throw out the line and just reel them in Happy New Year, Chris. Hope all is well. Things are good with me and always open for business Andy

Had a bit more time this evening. Interesting - my feedback is on two counts...the DEKO bit and the items as instruments in their own right. First the DEKO bit:[list] [*]The 4 string acoustic bass appears to only have 2 minor issues: [list] [*]A couple of indentations near the heel (pictured) [*]The jack / XLR plate not quite fitted right (not pictured but fixable...though not bad enough for me to want to) [/list] [/list] Other than those two very minor issues, I suspect the rest is as it would be at full price. At the DEKO price of £43 it must rank as the best value for money I have ever had for an instrument... Ref the item itself:[list] [*]It's the size of a small house [*]The neck relief needed tightening 3/4 of a turn, but once done, the action went from too high to spot on [*]Electrics work great and a very decent sound acoustically or through the amp with a surprisingly useful EQ range [*]Really don't like the strings (but I don't like round-wounds in any case) [/list] The strings will cost nearly as much as the bass but still dashed good value...it's a lot of guitar and looks quite splendid in its gloss black The Soprano sax. Again...DEKO issues first:[list] [*]One of the corks was missing from the G# lever - this made a number of notes unplayable but (though you have to know what you are doing) was able to be fixed in about 10 minutes. [/list] That was it! Important - someone not in the know would be beggared - but eminently fixable. So the sax as an instrument...it is Thomann's entry level soprano. Entry level soprano sax 's are notorious for being difficult to play in tune. This one isn't! I'm not a soprano player but even I can play the full range pitch perfect on it It looks beautiful: Things of note:[list] [*]I couldn't get any note out with the supplied mouthpiece (that's not to say that nobody would be able to) but had a spare from my daughter's Yamaha one that played great [*]The mouthpiece cork was a bit oversize but, again, easily fixed. It comes with both a curved and straight crook, by the way [*]As above, the intonation is surprisingly good. [*]Good sound [*]Final point that might be me, but I can't reach the two bottom lowest notes - I play alto and tenor and don't have problems so it is definitely the design of the key placement...but it might be peculiar to all sopranos - when I get a chance I'll see if my daughter's good one is any better. Happily for what I play, I never use those notes but it would be a problem to anyone trying to progress up their grades. [/list] At full price, (around £200) there may be others that don't have the same key-stretch issue but at the DEKO price of £105, unbelievable! Andy

Got a 4 string fretted and a soprano sax - well pleased so far...I'll post a bit more detail when I get a moment

[quote name='rmorris' timestamp='1420501049' post='2650163'] They look great ! Can you give the ordering/supplier details and cost ? Nice job :-) [/quote] Hi, rmorris Their web address is http://www.luminlay.com/indexen.html They have an online shop with all the various products and prices and some useful stuff of what drills to use, etc Hope this helps Andy

Significantly dimmer than when first charged but quite usable at 1.5 hours so far...after this timescale even I can play in pitch in a totally dark room where you can't see anything of the bass itself (and I don't profess to be able to play fretless). Even in the light, they are soooo much brighter than the MoP markers I set into the fretboard. Interestingly, I can also see the fret markers I didn't charge - quite a bit dimmer but again quite usable. I'm out in 1/2 hour or so so can't do a 'until unusable' test but I reckon it'll be good enough for at least a couple of hours. I'll let you know after Pete has live-trialled it in a live dark venue. We're breaking in a new drummer so that may be a little time away... Andy

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1420477968' post='2649781'] Lovely post Andy. How long do they glow for from one 'charging'? [/quote] Hi, Paul Just timing them now. If they are like the stick-ons, after a 5 second charge, they are bright for around 30 mins and quite usable for an hour or so. Basically, for the stick ons, Pete would charge them before the first and second sets. I'll let you know! Andy

Those of you who remember the Thumb fretless tribute I built for our band's bassist may also remember that I inset MoP fret markers for him. It's always been a bit of a problem as they don't show up at all in dimmed lighting and, as he often plays fretted, he hasn't yet got through the 'don't need fretmarkers anyway' pain barrier. So we tried the stick on glow in the dark dots but they have limited sticking power (very interesting if they slide along a bit in the middle of a gig!) so we plumbed for trying some luminlay dots. I was a bit reluctant at first because there doesn't seem to be any UK outlet but thought hang it, order direct from Japan. I needn't have worried - took about a week, good price, easy transaction. I fitted them this morning for him...they are BRILLIANT! It comes in a short stick like this: You drill a 5mm hole (for this size - there are other sizes available) 3- 4mm deep in your neck / fretboard: Drop of superglue and push the luminlay stick firmly to the bottom of the hole and trim with a razor saw: Sand it smooth and less than an hour later you end up with something like this: Charge it up with a little UV torch and it glows like this: What's not to like! Andy

Hi, Paul Compliments of the season! Crazy thought (well - you know with me it wouldn't be anything else!), but if there is enough wire to do it, you could turn it round 180 degrees and see what happens? If the E drops below acceptable, then you know it's new pickup time anyway, but there's an outside chance that it will either balance or - if the G is still too low - prove to be something else at play. Just a thought... Andy

By the way, get the pick guard done first so you can trace EXACTLY where the channelling out of the body needs to be done

[quote name='timmyo' timestamp='1418916708' post='2634825'] Thanks folks As the pickguard will be on show I'm wary of doing that myself - I'd prefer to trust that bit to someone experienced. I don't mind buying a chisel - would that be simpler than Dremeling do you think? [/quote] Safer certainly - a dremel freehand is not for the inexperienced. Even with a precision routing attachment (such as the Stewmac one) you can do a heck of a lot of damage in a very short time. If it is hidden, I would suggest you drill the bulk out (make sure you wrap a piece of Sellotape around the drill as a depth gauge so you don't go too deep) then finish off with a chisel. Hope this helps. Andy

I can see why you would want it back...it looks cracking

Put a bit of soap on the screws too and tighten 2, back 1, etc, to make sure the screw cuts a thread in the wood. The neck wood is often very hard and it is easy to shear off the screw

Hi, James My Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar certainly is. It is 2.5" at its widest and 3.875" long - just found a ruler with inches and measured it! I've seen all sorts of strange claims of differences on various threads but so far I have always found that Squier and (genuine or licenced) Fender standard necks and pockets are the same sizes. Anyone found any different? Andy