Linus27

Does anyone know of any good music shops in and around the south that have a really good range of Fender basses I can look at and try? My two local shops, Andertons in Guildford and Kingfisher's in Fleet don't really have many Fenders in stock.

I have major GAS for a Precision bass. I am pretty much down to two. The CIJ Fender 51 Re-issue Precision in Sunburst or the MIM Fender Precision 50's Classic Re-issue in Honey blonde. I adore the look of the '51 precision but I already have 2 sunburst basses and a musicman in natural so I really don't want another sunburst. I also hate the butterscotch colour Fender do. I'm also a bit dubious about the sound out of the single pickup but until I hear it, I just won't know. As for the classic 50's precision. I adore the honey blonde colour and I have heard amazing things about this bass. My only concern is, its not the '51 which I adore the look off and worried that I will still be gassing for a 51' if I get the 50's classic precision. My other option is the Mike Dirnt but I really want a maple neck and I can't be bothered to go into changing necks about. Help me fellow basschatter. Your my only hope.

I must admit, I am a bit of a Fender sucker. I have been open minded but seem to always end up back at Fender. I tried to like other makes like Warwick, Status etc but they just don't do it for me. They either look too clinical, sound too clinical, look plastic, look too modern or just don't feel comfortable. There is no doubt that other basses are as good as if not better made and sound as good and better in some cases but I just love the way a Fender feels and sounds. Of course, you need to select your fender carefully as some really are rubbish but a good one is not to hard to find. The only other bass that I have fallen in love with and own is a Musicman Stingray and lets face it, thats basically from the Fender camp. For me, I guess I love the look and feel of Fenders. I love the retro look, I love the feel of the necks, on Jazz and Precisions and I love the sound. I agree that they do what they say on the tin but for me, this is not a bad thing. I also love simplicity. A bass that you can plug in and play with little to no fiddling. If I want more bass or treble then I roll one control one way or the other. None of this 10 controls to fiddle with. I want a bass to play, a reliable workhorse that feels comfortable and is an ease to play. For me Fender basses do this. I do agree that any bass can sound amazing in the right hands, dependant on the players style of playing. I am sure James Jamerson would sound amazing on a Warwick Streamer as would Mark King on a Fender Jazz but then this would not be the sound or tone we know them for.

Great little song and fairly catchy but the structure needs work, especially if its going to be a single. The song has great pace and groove but keeps starting and stopping. I would making it snappier and keep the tempo up but removing some of the slower bits. The drum fill before the verse starts I would do slightly different. It's a bit disjointed so I would do triplets on the snare and cymbol. I would also do this half way through each verse instead of what the drummer is doing now for his fill. The second half of the verse is crying out for some harmonies. After the first verse, I would go back to the guitar riff like the intro but with a variation, maybe played higher on the guitar or the drummer riding on the cymbol. Something that uplifts it and makes it sound slightly different to the intro. Then do the second verse, again with the new drum fill and the second half of the verse with harmonies. Then the pre chorus, Then the chorus. The chorus needs some really strong hamonies. I know it has a lower one over the line, "With arms untied" (I think thats what he sings) but it could do with a higher harmony over the second line, "Will You Still Cry" and the forth line. Then the little guitar break which is great and then into a new third verse. Then pre chorus which I would add some oohs and aahhs backing vocals. Then chorus. Then the quiet vocal part which is really nice. The instrumental break does not really add anything and infact slows the pace of the song down to much. I would leave it out especially if a single. The quiet vocal part ends really nice and is screamming for you to go straight back into the chorus. This is what I would personally do. If you keep it in, then drop the rim shots and play your bass part higher up but I really would leave it out. I would also sing another chorus at the end whilst the guitarist does his high bit over it. Maybe singing a slight varition to the chorus vocal like holding longer notes etc So, structure, Intro Guitar Riff Verse 1 Guitar Riff Verse 2 Pre Chorus Chorus Guitar Break Verse 3 (new one) Pre Chorus Chorus Quite Vocal Chorus Chorus Thats how I would do it :)

Looking at the Fender Precisions, the Mike Dirnt bass has a Custom Vintage ‘59 Split Single-Coil Pickup (Mid) and the US 57' Precision has a ‘57 Precision Bass Split Single-Coil Pickup (Mid). I was wondering if Fender sell these seperatly as it might be nice to try them in the MIM 50' Precision. Anyone know if Fender sell these pickups seperatly and where I can get them from?

[quote name='jezzaboy' post='401541' date='Feb 5 2009, 09:46 PM']I swapped my Jap 57, all maple neck onto the Mike Drint. The holes didn`t line up so I drilled new ones, fitted a F stamped neck plate from bass guitar parts direct and Bob`s your funny auntie! It looked great! Until I noticed that at the body end the two necks are a diffirent shape and it left a gap where body meets neck. I lived with it for a while but it ended up doing me head in and I swithched them back. I quite like the neck on the Squire anyway. Mabye with a different neck you wont have this problem but I would check before you star drilling holes- unlike myself! Cheers , Jez[/quote] Oh, thats not good news. If I get a squire also, if the neck don't work, then I coudd go back to using the original Mike Dirnt neck and my son can have the Squire 50's Vibe I guess Did you get any piccies with the Jap 57 neck on it. Would love to see some.

Sod the drummer, who's the girl on the left with the black hat on and red dress? Can we see more of her :) Seriously, great little video.

[quote name='obbm' post='401091' date='Feb 5 2009, 02:57 PM']I'm using my LG1000 for the first time in the house band rig at the local Jam tonight. just to tidy things up I thought I'd rack mount it in a flight case. bad idea. Firstly it is neither 1U or 2U high and the holes in the supplied brackets don't line up with the rack strip cage nuts. Basically the rack brackets do not conform to BS5954 or IEC297 which is the "Specification for Dimensions of panels and racks for electronic equipment". Really bad design.[/quote] Am I also thinking that the fan is on top of the unit and so this would be covered if you rack mounted it????

Thanks for the help. Just checked out the Warmouth stuff. $180 for a neck which is not to bad :)

I have a project in mind to build a cool bass out of two basses. Its basically the Mike Dirnt precision but with a maple/ash neck. So I was wondering, if the Squire 50's Vibe neck or Fender 51' precision neck would fit the Mike Dirnt body. Does anyone know if either would fit? Are the Fender/Squire stuff pretty much a straight swap? If not, is there any way of finding out like technical drawings available anywhere? Failing that, how much would it cost for somebody to make a copy of a 51' precision neck? Thanks for any help.

[quote name='dtc' post='400603' date='Feb 5 2009, 01:10 AM']Thank you! That's more like it - you can't do it but you would if you could. End of. To all those coming out with stuff like, "A lucky escape I reckon" or "Oh man, you guys are wasting so much time." - when you've had any number of guys put themselves forward for a quite specific job and then either let you down musically or just p*ss you around, well it's cr*p. I started this to play the music I love and I'm just an ordinary guy. I'm not a manager or a promoter or someone with all day to organise stuff or whatever. I just want to play. I didn't expect to have to deal with a load of fantasists, quite frankly, just people who want to do it, can do it and want to have a good time. And you know what - I was quite willing to let people just develop their skills, so long as they put the effort in. It's a long game. They didn't want to make the effort - that's my experience. If that makes me an *rse, well whatever. I'm not. All of this goes for any gig - not just tributes, or U2 tributes, or Queen tributes. If you aren't able to do it don't waste people's time. Is that so bad? Really?[/quote] Well I would have jumped at the chance as I only picked up bass after seeing Adam play at Live Aid and thought he was the coolest looking dude on the planet. I just don't live near enough I am afraid.

I don't care what you lot say, I just think girls with basses are sexy and I'm happy with that. Now I'm going back to my cave to get my club to go hunting :)

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='400072' date='Feb 4 2009, 03:38 PM']Which Dirnt were you thinking about - the Squier or the Fender? (I have my reasons for asking...) [/quote] Fender

I am actually now thinking about getting the Mike Dirnt bass in the Vintage White and then getting hold of either a 51' re-issue neck or Squire 50's Vibe neck so I then get the maple neck. Would be a little different but should play and sound great.

Me to as I might buy a 50's Vide just for the neck if it fits the project I am thinking about.

I am actually wondering if its to do with Fenders own standards and peoples own perception. For example, I think the standard Mexican Fender Jazz and Precisions are all pretty much the same standard build and quality. However, to person A, they are fine and a good solid instrument. To person B, they are dull, bland, cheap and nothing special. However, the special editions like the re-issues may possibly have a higher build quality over the standard Mexican Jazz/Precisions. The perception is, Mexican Fenders are pretty average but because Fender have a higher standard for the re-issues, then they appear to be a better quality instrument. In reality, they should be better as they usually carry about a £100 extra price tag thus the higher standard of build. From personel experience, and this is why I base these thoughts, when I tried the standard Mexican Fenders, the build quality was ok but they were bland, dull sounding un-inspiring instruments. Great if you want a run of the mill no thrills bass. However, for £100 more, the 70's reissue Jazz was stunning, sounded totally different, sounded and played amazing and I was happy to part with my money. My perception is based upon owning two Stingrays, a 1977 American Precision, a 1973 American Telecaster bass, a Japanese ESP 400 Jazz, a Bass Collection SR325, a Japanese 51' re-issue Precision, a Status Shark, a Squire Jazz Vintage Modified Fretless and now the Mexican 70's re-issue Jazz. So I would say I have a good deal of experience in different quality basses and have a certain level for which a bass has to reach. For others, this level may be lower and for others, it may be higher. For me the standard Mexican bass did not reach my expected level where as the re-issues did. Not sure if that answers your question but just my thoughts on it.

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='399844' date='Feb 4 2009, 12:04 PM']I'd definitely go for the Classic Vibe 60's Precision. I've got one and it's awesome apart from the totally gay sonic blue paint job! Neck is excellent, pickups are noisless with excellent output & it has the vintage tuners & a much better high-mass bridge. What's not to like? Rich.[/quote] I love that baby blue colour Not sure I am brave enough to own one though :)

Speaking from experience, the Mexican Fender's can be a bit of a hit and miss. I was looking for the Mexican Fender 70's re-issue Jazz and so tried the standard Mexican Fenders as a comparision. I had heard that the 70's re-issue Jazz was superb and as good a quality as the American models if not better in some cases. I have also heard this about the Mexican 50's re-issue Precisions. When I tried the standard Mexican Jazz and Precisions I found them horrible. Bland, dull and very generic. Nothing exciting at all. However, the 70's re-issue Jazz was outstanding. I even compared it to a Musicman in the shop and it played and sounded just as good, just different which it should. So I ended up buying it and I love it. I then compared it to my Musicman at home and it does sound as good. I also have a Squire Vintage Modified Jazz Fretless and that is also amazing. I did need to get it changed as the fret liners started crumbling and falling out after a month but my current one is excellent. So, you need to go and try them and also decide on budget. My Mexican Fender 70's reissue Jazz was £430. The Squire Classic Vibes are only about £240 so quite a difference in price.

[quote name='ogri' post='395739' date='Jan 30 2009, 09:07 PM']hullo fellow humans, i bought a bass today because it played and looked and sounded lovely, and came up second hand at what i thought was a good price..its a telecaster or 51 precision bass i think, but strangely, doesnt have either the single pick up of a 51, or the humbucker looking pick up of a tele, its got standard precision pickups(the kind that look like two piggy backing but are actually one)..other clues..its not that old, got spaghetti fender precion bass on the headstock and is a gringo(made in mexico), its very heavy, got pukka alnico magnets in the p/u's, has got a badass2 brige that is fitted as standard and its in a sort of tv yellow with white scratchplate. also it sounds proper, very warm and not too toppy..any ideas what model it is guys? ive never seen one like this before :-) thanking you..oh, and im going to try myhand at putting a pic on..[/quote] Are these Mike Dirnt basses made in Mexico then?? I thought they were Japanese???

[quote name='sixshooter' post='399096' date='Feb 3 2009, 04:15 PM']A number of people on this forum use him, (OBBM for one). He will do a basic setup as well, worth getting a quote if you are going to be there anyway. Sue makes a nice cup of tea as well![/quote] Ah ok, that would be handy if he can do a basic setup as I don't really fancy taking it to Andertons. Plus I love tea :)

[quote name='sixshooter' post='399078' date='Feb 3 2009, 03:58 PM']Joe White, about 1 mile from Ash Vale station. And yes he is very good, he was at the last Bass Bash in Guildford setting up Basses.[/quote] Ah ha, I was chatting with Hampster about him and will be taking my Musicman to him to setup sometime soon. I am in Camberley so only a couple a miles away. Probably not worth taking my MIM Fender Jazz 70's re-issue to him as its only a couple of months old and only needs a basic setup so I might take that to Andertons.