Silvia Bluejay

I think it's mostly a marketing ploy, and it works brilliantly. Hence my doubts about getting rid of the purple low B ball end.

Of course we don't need the colours. But both @Happy Jack and I are seriously OCD... 😎

D'Addario strings on new, shop-bought Ibanez: Typical set of D'Addario strings bought as replacement:

Although there may be a difference between string sets installed on new, shop-bought basses (two gold-coloured ball ends) and new string sets you buy as replacement. My two new-ish sets bought in Dec 2019 still have purple ball ends. It's a mystery! 😱

D'Addario have now deleted the purple ball end! The low B comes in gold, like - erm - the E string. Pretty sad, if you ask me.

@owen - Dunno about others, but I can't see any functioning links or photos in that thread from 2007?

Looks very nice! 👍

If the Stagg is similar to my old Harley Benton, the unamplified output coming from the pickup is rather low; acceptable when you plug into an amp or a combo, but rather hopeless when you try to plug in headphones directly and play along to your MP3, due to the high noise ratio. I'm afraid the only solution I found was to use a proper headphone amp. I have a PJB Bass Buddy with its own headphones connected to a desktop PC with a Soundblaster external USB sound card. That may be overkill, but it can deal with any pickup's output level. Mind you, the computer itself, especially the radio mouse, introduces noise into the circuit, but the level is acceptable.

The neck can be moved by using a hex key (one turn is enough! Very quick adjustment). So clearly there is a joint of some sort, but the neck itself is not meant to be dismantled.

To avoid the nightmare of transatlantic shipping, @Happy Jack and I had Gollihur send a bass to our family in Pasadena and then we literally flew to the US to collect it. (Yes we also got a holiday out of it!). It was less painful - but a bit long-winded - to take the bass on the plane, have it inspected and pay import duty, than risk international shipping, even with an excellent store like Gollihur. Even getting small, low value items shipped in the cheapest possible way from the US to here is a frigging nightmare. Avoid at all costs.

I've found that as well in Bass Guitar Magazine Oct 2019 issue - scanning it as we speak. I have created a PDF of the May 2016 article as well.

Black - like my Fortress. Edit: This one.

Not sure about Bass Player Magazine - it's not sold in the UK. Bass Guitar Magazine, on the other hand, had Alex Venturella on its cover in May 2016. I will have a copy somewhere in my archive, but I'm not going to part with it - however, I can scan the article and send it over to you in PDF format if no-one can help you with an actual copy. Alternatively, you may be able to get a copy from the publisher as a back issue or at least contact them for help if it doesn't appear to be available there.

Also check out @Chownybass, who are a British company although their basses are not built in the UK.

Interesting topic. I play mostly 5-stringers at 45mm max, but the main difference I notice is, as mentioned above, with the string spacing at the bridge. Usually the wider the bridge, the wider the nut, but not always. When I visit music shows (remember those?) I pick up a lot of basses, and I'm usually surprised at how easy I find adapting to different shapes of the neck and different nut widths - but more than 16.5mm string spacing at the bridge, and it goes straight back on the stand.

You ARE loud enough if your sound engineer is a bass player...

Then again, is that something you miss or look forward to at a gig? PS I don't believe that nobody notices the bass player, really. That will depend on so many factors, number of bandmates, attitude, the way you dress, etc. Or indeed whether you're playing an upright or a DB as opposed to a bass guitar...

Paging @Happy Jack. Hint hint - Mike Lull Basses.

NOT missing the following: 1. Me: Soundcheck? Band: Nah, use our first number. 2. (Usually drunk, mostly female) punter: Can you play X, Y or Z? Me: Ask the band. Punter: The band? Oh. I thought *you* played the setlist [on the tablet] 3. (Generally male) punter, usually while we're grappling with DB feedback: That's a big cello. BUT, I AM missing the following 1. Venue/pub manager to band: That was great, guys, perfectly balanced sound and volume. @Happy Jack to manager: Thank our sound engineer for that... 2. Random punter(s) to me while I'm checking the sound levels in the crowd: I'm in a band, would you like to work with us as a sound engineer?

Also, I know you are specifically asking about your 'left' hand ('right' hand for us lefties), but do make sure you are also plucking the strings in the correct way for a DB. With correct DB plucking the strings will be easier to finger.

As a fellow (petite) woman-with-little-hands, I'd recommend making sure the action is comfortable for your hands, and the strings are 'soft' enough, even before you start applying any fingering method at all. Nothing worse than having to work with a set of steel rods sitting half a mile above the fingerboard. FWIW, I had a couple of one-to-one lessons at the very beginning. I was recommended Simandl, which I profoundly disliked and dropped as soon as my fingers felt strong enough to. I am of the opinion that you simply should use your fingering hand in the way that makes you feel more comfortable/less uncomfortable. Do try to have your muscles learn and memorise the right places on the neck for producing the correct notes. At first, to get used to it, you'll have to look at your hand all the time, but you'll soon be free.

Merged. Thread remains under Bass Guitars (a link remains under Gear Porn). My own naturals: Warwick Corvette Pros, originally 'twins', until I changed the fretted to black hardware. Bass Collection and Rockbass Corvette. I don't think anyone's managed to beat @blablas's collection yet! 😎👍

Happy to merge the threads if there's consensus? :)

They were OK, Lozz, and I knew they were in jest, but I appreciate that.