Kiwi

[quote name='marcus bell' post='267416' date='Aug 21 2008, 10:11 PM']lovely basses there, why did you sell yours mate, if you dont mind me asking??? marcus p.s.have you still got that alembic?? thanks[/quote] I was offered a price that was too good to turn down and I didn't really use the Jaydee for any live performances. Yes I still have the Alembic, it represents a bit of a legacy I've been entrusted with so I feel a sense of obligation with that one

LOL lovely Mike, I bet that put you on the spot. How about a bit of vintage Chuck Rainey with his double stops?

Mokl used to have a stunning Jaydee Session that he sold. I have a fairly generous stash of Jaydee porn on my hard drive but I'm a little reluctant to post them in case anyone claims copyright issues. The one of Pino Palladino's Jaydee is pretty luscious though. [attachment=12496:Pino_Pal..._Session.jpg] There were a whole lot off the Simm's LED website though and, while I'm at it, here's one I sold earlier... [attachment=12497:DSCF0280.JPG]

Hmmm it would be great if we could get back in touch with him some how. I will drop a line to Gibson as I've already been talking to them about other stuff and they might be able to help.

[quote name='Tig' post='266717' date='Aug 21 2008, 12:09 AM']Well my legs aint too long anyway but my arms are, maybe I should have said, short, fat and hairy and orang utang like. At least no one can nick my car without adjusting the seat for half an hour.[/quote] LOL welcome aboard Tig. Any ideas for an avatar yet?

I guess its whatever retailers feel they can get away with passing off as rare/vintage. Some of them do take the piss though.

[quote name='GonzoBass' post='266537' date='Aug 20 2008, 07:02 PM']How could I? I'm usually lurking while you're all asleep over there on your side of the planet. Always keeping one eye on the Theory and Technique page, I am... [/quote] Don't be a stranger dude As an aside, does Duane "Dawg" Chapman make himself known around Hilo much since the Mexico deportation fiasco? I know Hawaii's a small place and all that.

[quote name='Tracer' post='266250' date='Aug 20 2008, 01:01 PM']he said that he could tell how good the tone was going to be on a batch of 'Rays by seeing how heavy they felt. If they were seemed weighty then the wood wasn't dried out and the tone wouldn't be as good.[/quote] I'm wondering how he could tell the difference between dense wood and moist wood!

[quote name='Merton' post='266190' date='Aug 20 2008, 12:06 PM']So glad you posted that, it's made my day to see a V8 again. Need ot see one in the flesh still... Are you able to make the SE Bash and if so can this come along too? [/quote] Looks like I can probably make it and it's no problem at all to bring the cab and V8.

dude, do you really want a crowd of bored people showing up?

Gonz! You're back! You haven't forgotten us!

Your hands certainly control the tools as is the case for any other craftsman but I still maintain you'll never get a p bass to sound like an alembic any more than you'll get a V-shaped chisel to carve like a round shape. The technical stuff was interesting though.

[quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='265941' date='Aug 19 2008, 10:38 PM']I agree with what you're saying, but I know that Rob would want to be in complete control of all processes - I've been down there many times; I've actually worked for Status when I demoed a Kingbass on an Aussie TV show for Rob and yet have never been shown the `secret lab' where the graphite magic took place! Part of the reason he invested a lot of money and started producing his own mouldings back in '90 was that he was spending huge amounts of money on sub-contractors who were producing his instruments (in the case of the 2000) and necks (Series II's, Series 3000's back in the day) and whose results were not always 100% satisfactory.[/quote] Rob and I talked about his frustations over sub contracting, and latterly distribution networks within the UK as well. Businesses slapping their margins on at every stage of the process whether it be manufacture or distribution is one reason why stuff can get so ridiculously expensive in this country. I didn't see a secret lab when I visited but I did see a load of coffin shaped stealth bass moulds in which the composite bodies were vacuum baked, as well as the oven itself. Rob has also evolved his method of production over the years as well, particularly where his choice of core material is concerned. I can identify with Rob's position completely in regard to the costs of sub contractors although when Rob started, the costs of manufacture were probably a lot higher because there was less competition. Graphite composite manufacture isn't that technically complicated and the level of training needed for it probably isn't any higher than wallpapering but the attention to detail is still important. Stray bubbles here and there can ruin a finish. Bearing all that in mind, I think Rob's standard stingray/fender graphite necks offer great value for money compared to the cost of getting one custom made using a laying on method of production.

The problem with manufacturing in carbon graphite composite is that the manufacturing process is completed by hand and isn't easy to standardise like CNC milling of wooden necks is. You need staff who are trained in placing and orientating the layers of composite fabric and who can remove any air bubbles. However when you do have access to trained staff, it doesn't matter whether they're working on a bass neck or a bit of F1 fairing, the process is pretty similar. If there was a place in the Czech Republic that was already producing graphite composite parts for automotive manufacturers then it might be worth looking at.

Yeah might be ok for the roughest of roughing out. I don't think its going to be as capable of producing the same level of finish or precision as a genuine CNC machine though. You'd also need to centre and line the bodies up perfectly when it comes to fipping them over from doing the front face to doing the back. You might as well get the Wal body 3D scanned and take a night school course in CNC milling.

FWIW, I made a purchase decision about a MM Cutlass bass about 18 years before I could actually afford it. I also think places like Bass NW or Bass Central in the US are excellent examples of how every person who comes in contact with them is treated like a potential customer. I'd cite Bass Gallery and Bass Direct as worthy UK examples too.

Sure, it'll have to wait until I've paid off other projects I have on the go though.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='264472' date='Aug 18 2008, 12:36 PM']...and done! The KSD lives! My mate is a bit of a mean swirler eh?[/quote] Oh I do like that. Can he do flourescent colours? I'd be tempted to buy some kind of body just to have flouro blue, purple, pink and green on white. Imagine the impact under a UV light!

thats a pretty nice 77 jazz you're selling. Good luck with that and welcome aboard.

[quote name='Josh' post='264925' date='Aug 18 2008, 08:57 PM']The plan is simply to have 2 2x10's used as a 4x10 but will save the hasstle of moving a complete 4x10 around, and I can use one 2x10 as a stand alone for a small enough gig if need be, and I've had a good play through a EBS Neo 2x10 with a TD650 and it had everything I needed to keep my happy through a gig, so 2 of them would compliment each other very well, I found the 2x12 a bit boomy though but with the 2x10 sounded just right.[/quote] Awesome, well you and I are probably going to end up competing for the next one that comes up in the classifieds I haven't found the 2x12 Neo boomy with the Genz Benz head, but I did have to tame the bass a little with the Trace. However that could have well been because of the sheer weight of the head facilitated better acoustic coupling between the cab and hollow stages. Generally I have best results when I'm standing at least 3m from the cab and its right up against a wall.

Back spasms I can identify with, it was getting to the point where after a Saturday gig, I'd get on the bus to go into work on the Monday morning and my lower back would be so painful it would bring tears to my eyes. FWIW the only thing I'd mention about my experience of 2x10's is that they probably need to be standing on each other to get the most warmth out of them and (with normal cones) the bottom end wasn't that well defined below 120Hz or so. The two 4 ohm Acmes I had were the best 2x10s I've ever had but they needed a big ol' amp to power them properly.

[quote name='Josh' post='264892' date='Aug 18 2008, 08:19 PM']For some reason Steve I always thought your amp was something alot more complicated and was housed in a sperate room? Please say you've got that rig weighted down though [/quote] lol, it used to be like that matey: Eden WT800 and effects unit plus two 2x10 a Trace MP-11, Mesa Boogie Strategy 400 power amp plus effects unit and a pair of 2x10 cabs then Twin GK RB700 combos then one GK RB700 combo plus GK 2x10RBH cab... ...my back soon had something to say about all that. Its a good rig though, growly, tight, clean and warm. Wouldn't mind an EBS Neo 2x10 though or a wedge cab version. EDIT: Here's the other one... The amp weighs the cab down.

Here's mine. Overwhelming isn't it?

I've had this problem myself. Part of it is mental focus and absorbing yourself in the moment, but ironically you do get to a stage where you stop having to make effort and start to feel instead. When I reached that point, I found myself having to focus on what [i]kind[/i] of feel - driving/neutral/laid back. The hardest thing was learning how to play laid back, that took quite a bit of restraint. Hang in there, play with musicians who are better than you at every opportunity and listen to recordings of yourself. I did the recording thing and it was VERY telling, couldn't hide anything then! I was really surprised at how clearly my mental state at the time I was playing, was apparent in the timing of the notes I played. For example if I got a bit tense or apprehensive, I started playing in front of the beat. Our drummer does this as well. If I pulled off a particularly clever lick and was feeling quite pleased with myself, my playing on the subsequent notes would get very messy as I was only half focussing. Hang in there, enjoy the process of development and get some satisfaction from your gradual improvement. If the learning isn't fun then it will probably be a lot harder to stay motivated. There's an interesting anecdote that Kylie's former keyboardist, Steve Turner told me when he did a session with Trevor Horn. Trevor spent the morning rehearsing the band and getting them to play the tracks to a click track. He would be totally insistent that they all played perfectly on the click and at the end of each play through, he'd pick them up on various timing gaffs, missed cues (we're talking microseconds here). Towards lunchtime the musicians would gradually get more frustrated and more despondant but at lunchtime, they'd down tools and Trevor would make them something to eat. After lunch Trevor would take them back to the studio and record them all together playing the tracks without the click. The first take was almost always the killer recording that made it onto the album. Thing was that he was trying to get them to tighten up as much as possible by making them aware of the timing beyond what they would normally be used to, and then when he removed the click track and they did the first take they'd be tight AND have all the spontaneity and life of playing the track together for the first time. I couldn't help but be seriously impressed by the cunning of that approach.