jrixn1

The 'Do Not Track' idea failed years ago. "DNT is not widely adopted by the industry" - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Track Hardly any websites pay attention to it. In fact here is a list... (it's very short!): https://allaboutdnt.com/companies/ You can read about your right to erasure here: https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/your-right-to-get-your-data-deleted/

I think skipping a string will get easier over time. Are you able to mute the unwanted string with your fretting hand, in case you do brush it with your plucking hand? Or can you play some of notes in a different position, so that you don't need to skip a string in the first place? So in your G, D, E example that would be G at the fifth fret on the D string, D at the fifth on the A string, and then the open E.

You don't generally get time signatures like 14/8, 16/8, or 2/8. The version I listened to was https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhzmNRtIp8k 0:00 The intro starts with four bars of 4/4. 0:07 The drums come in and you have two bars of 7/4, then two bars of 4/4. (Some people might write each 7/4 bar as a bar of 4/4 followed by a bar of 3/4.) 0:16 Four bars of 4/4 (a bit like the first four, but now with the full band). Perhaps a metronome at 145bpm could help the guitarist hear where the parts sit?

What size are the control plate holes? I recently needed to replace the electronics on a CIJ jazz bass (broken pot in my case). The control plate holes are smaller than the standard size. I took advice from basschat's KiOgon whose concern was sourcing quality pots in the smaller thread size. Instead, he enlarged the holes so they could accommodate standard pots. In terms of increased tonal options: by default, jazz bass pickups are wired in parallel, but one option above the usual volume-volume-tone is a pull-pot to connect the pickups instead in series. This gives a meatier tone and volume boost. I'd recommend contacting KiOgon if you want a drop-in solution; or http://www.ak-line.com/medium/Bassschaltungen.pdf if you want (many!) diagrams to do it yourself. There are an inspiring - or perhaps overwhelming - number of options... I think #333 is the series option mentioned above. I liked the stock pickups but changing them is always an option. One approach is to do the electronics first and see what difference it makes, and then you can always switch the pickups later. Using solderless connectors makes pickup experimentation hassle-free.

If you've decided you want a Sire and you're asking which model, then based on your requirements you've really only one decision: V7 or V7 Vintage. The difference is the pickup construction, pickup spacing, and bridge. The Sires I've owned were well made, looked good, played well, and sounded good. The necks are really nice. I personally found the preamp too fiddly with its three normal knobs, two stacked knobs, and a switch. Also they are generally on the heavier side - Sire's own FAQ has the V7 at 4.67kg - if that's a concern for you. I don't know what other basses you've played, but what I've found is the split between 'good' and 'not so good' is not necessarily along the passive-active line. I had a G&L L2500 Tribute with an extremely good B string, and I only ever played that bass in passive mode. Currently £449 at Andertons.

Sold some pickups to Dave - thanks for the fast payment and great transaction!

Gut substitute (or actual gut of course) will give the better tone for those styles of music, which predate steel strings. They are a lot easier on the fingers too. You'll likely have to raise your string height (assuming you currently have a relatively low action for your Spiro). The ones I can personally recommend: For a lower price you could try one of the cheaper Gut-a-Like sets https://www.thomann.de/gb/gut-a-like_strings_for_double_basses.html Or better, but more expensive - about £200 incl import costs - I am really liking Aquila Gold Springs. https://aquilacorde.com/negozio/corde-musica-moderna/contrabbasso-corde-musica-moderna/g-d-set/gold-springs-synthetic-set-g-d/ You can sell used strings in the marketplace so you will get some money back if they are not the ones for you.

Can you identify your strings here? https://gollihurmusic.com/string-identification-chart/ Once you see the prices of strings, you'll want to find a single... A 3/4 acoustic upright is around 42" (unlike bass guitars, there isn't any particular strict measurement which define the size of an upright bass)

Sold to basslondon with fast payment and no problems. Thanks Craig!

Can you paste or screenshot the instructions Thomann sent you for the collection?

Before the Shuttle + Big Baby 2, in fact I too had a Streamliner + Barefaced Compact (but no Midget T or any other second speaker with a tweeter), which sounded quite good for some specific things (Motown) but not so great for others. There was basically no high end - turning the high EQ either way made pretty much no difference. I was happy with the Genz Benz brand and quality, and a friend happened to be selling the Shuttle + Big Baby 2, so I just moved on that. So it was not a deliberate decision - but a great discovery that all my tone could come from a pedalboard and that the amp and cab could function specifically just to make it louder, transparently. Then after a while I moved to powered speakers (RCF 732A, QSC K12, etc) and never looked back; the additional advantages are that the power amp and speaker are matched, better dispersion, all the benefits of DSP, built-in wedge option, more compact to transport and store.

I've not had a setup based around a power amp, but for a while I was using a Genz Benz Shuttle 9.2 and a Barefaced Big Baby 2. It was a flat setup (Shuttle is flat with the EQ set neutrally), and I used the DI in pre-EQ mode so that any EQ was just for the stage. When I switched to powered speakers, I had an MXR M81, a clean DI which I used similarly in pre-EQ mode. Is there a reason you want rack gear? It's large and heavy...

Which Barefaced cabs do you have, and what type of venues are you playing? I have a pedalboard setup into an active PA speaker for my stage monitoring, and the same signal DIed to FOH. I used to have that extra step where I could tweak my EQ independently of FOH but I never really used it, so got rid of it and don't miss it - I credit the active speakers in giving me a consistent on-stage sound, which I never previously had with traditional bass cabs. I do sometimes make small EQ tweaks during soundcheck from venue to venue, and so yes those will go to FOH - but as you say, FOH make their own balances and tweaks on top anyway. I'm not sure there's any value to anyone to be sending literally exactly the same unaltered tone from one venue to the next.

Ah, I see. Could work some of the time. FWIW I've been pulled up by ParcelForce for having the wrong dimensions. (Edit: Actually I'm doing myself a disservice - pretty sure my dimensions were correct; they claimed I was wrong and would have to pay a fee before they delivered it; I asked for a photo of their measurements and a copy of my order showing my declared dimensions; they never replied and did finally go ahead and deliver the item. The point is that some carriers might sometimes check - just something to bear in mind if underdeclaring.)

I agree DPD are great for the recipient with their accurate live tracking - but as a sender, I can never get their website to accept a bass-sized package (e.g. 8kg, 130 x 50 x 20cm). I just looked it up, and https://www.dpdlocal-online.co.uk/help-centre/parcels/question/pricing/what-are-the-size-restrictions-of-the-dpd-local-online-services says "Max length: 100cm". How are you doing it?

The thing to watch out for (which is basically a scam) if you go with ParcelForce etc directly is that they will happily charge you for insurance but by their own wording, "musical instruments are excluded from enhanced compensation" (https://www.parcelforce.com/help-and-advice/sending/items-we-exclude-compensation). I've been using Overland Express - https://www.overlandexpress.co.uk/musical-instrument-courier - who partner with ParcelForce, DHL, etc; but importantly the difference is that they will insure musical instruments. It's about £40 to send on a 24-hour service within UK with £1000 of insurance. Best to read their T&C yourself, but to qualify for insurance you need to send the bass in a hard case, inside a cardboard box. Take photos of the whole packing process, and ask the recipient also to take photos when the bass arrives. I haven't had to make any claim myself but the recommendation came from another basschatter who had used customer service and reported that they did make a proper effort to resolve any issues.