BassBod

Measure nut to 12th fret and double it - that'll give you the scale length of your bass. No need to be precise, all you need to know is whether its closest to 30" or 32". These are the two "standards" that makers work to as defining short or medium. With that bridge you be ok. Some 30" scale basses like Hofner violins need 32" medium scale strings because the tailpiece is a few inches away from the bridge. Also string-thru body bridges need longer scale strings for the same reason. Good luck (and check out Pyramid Golds from Thomman. Expensive but very nice)

I found Thomman had the best selection (including shorts) and good prices..as long as you buy more than one thing so the shipping is worth it. Check the bridge design on your bass as some 30" scale basses need medium (32") strings because of tailpeices etc?

Congratulations Chris - there might be a lot of grumbling here about vintage prices...but we all love a happy ending. Enjoy.

As you say, its a matter of taste really - both should give you a good tone, its really a question of whether the amp is adding something you need to be in the PA? I've found that engineers often prefer to take a line from the Sansamp rather than an amp head (whatever make). I think its mainly because thay trust them and also don't expect radical amounts of eq - quite wrong most of the time!

Lets have a go.... [attachment=37380:DSCN1099.JPG]

Yes, that's the one. But mine hasn't got any electronics and the usual aluminium bride/tailpiece is made of rosewood instead. BB

Thanks again to the organisers - p#ssing rain and crap traffic couldn't ruin the fun! Highlights for me - the chance to play an Eminence, Wal ProIIE and see some lovely Shukers..and to meet some of the real life BChatters I've been talking to for a few years. Now I've got to decide which bass gets the new strings.....I like that sort of problem. BB

There are two main differences (apart from the size). The bridge is usually wound hotter to get a similar output to the neck (less string movement near bridge=less output) but also they are usually reverse-wound so that they hum cancel as a pair.

I've used the nickel rounds for years (on and off) and also the flats. The flats are nice - just like flats used to be. The rounds are good, perfectly usable but not as nice as the DR or Thomastik I normally use. Having said that, they are around half the price, or even a third of the UK price for DR's. Pete the Fish used to fit Picato's as the factory strings in the later days of Wal..and Mo Clifton uses them for extra long/short custom strings for his designs (short scales with a heavy core wire). If you are a down- tuner I'd talk to them for suggestions? As with all deals, try them first.

I'd suggest a used GK Microbass combo - they really are small and pretty light and can gig very well (with DI). Can't really go wrong with one?

Best all round option I've found is the Hiscox case. Its not indestructible, but is very very resiliant and does protect the instrument well (even if the case gets a battering). Also they are not very heavy, so not such a pain for all the other carrying around airports busses and hotels etc. My last one had done thousands of "van miles" car miles and a few flights before I used it to ship a bass I sold. The case had a few dents (one or two were more like punctures) but all the latches still worked and nothing had ever happened to the contents in 4 or 5 years.

The Eden traveler is a good amp, but not a loud one. Mine (earlier 300 or 400w version) used to overheat if used at 4ohms or pushed loud into 8ohms. I found it works well as a preamp - get a used power amp and enjoy? I now use the EA 500 head, which is fantastic, loud enough (for me) and versatile, once you understand the preamp (looks complicated, but isn't). If I want a warmer sound I use my old Sansamp in front to fuzz things up a bit.

Again, I'd suggest the DiMarzio model P - like an old Pbass, but a touch more output and mids. Try it without the Sansamp (although I like them...but into an Ampeg??)

Its worth contacting Nigel Thornbury (luthier and co-designer of the Ashbory). Yonks ago when I had one of the Guild versions he supplied some blue strings which were tougher than the clear ones. I think it was what they used on the second longer-scale version, that hasn't been revived by Fender as it was never distributed in America. I think his retail site is highlystrung.co.uk or something similar?

Chris May at Overwater was very involved in the design - do a search on Talkbass and you'll find his comments. From memory, the guy involved from Carlsbro died and that pretty much ended the project..but there's obviously more to it than that!

I know of at least two in the UK. One was owned by a BCer, but it may have gone by now?

I've always liked the jack socket "feature". Just goes to show - wouldn't life be dull if we all played Fenders (yes, I play a jbass most of the time currently!)

I'd love to try one. Although they look a bit odd at first the designs make sense. A much thinner body than usual, long top horn and good neck angle all sounds like good stuff to me. Also Carl's background in repair work/pro guitarist looks like a great starting point for good bass design. I admire his assertion that he can't really tell you what different woods will sound like - but you will sound better if you practise more. Refreshing advice in a world full of spalted/quilted/bur/curly tone wood that will make you sound just like [insert favourite player here].

I've got an old GP11 preamp, for mainly historical reasons. The pre-shape seemed fantastic back in the early 80's, but I would never use it these days - too much scoop.

I also tried out my Clarus into a Barefaced compact. It worked very well, the "voicing" of the cab brought out the best of the amp, and its was a powerful focussed sound. A fender jazz sounded fantastic with no extra eq - that doesn't happen with my usual EA cabs. I've not tried any Acme cabs but I have seen the TB discussions over their thirst for power, so I suspect the Clarus would sound great but may struggle to produce real volume? The Focus version is the same size/weight, so I'd try and audition one of those? I'd love the try the EA or Clarus with a Barefaced Midget T....one day!

I've used the EA 500 (older bigger amp) for a couple of years, and a AI Clarus for two years. I would say that the issue about the taper with EA volume controls seems true - you really do have to turn them up more than any other amp I've used, and the sound is better when you get used to it. On most other amps I run the input gain around half way..with the EA its usually more like three quarters up and theres still plenty of "headroom" for louder transients. The same applies to the output, although I rarely need to go above half way for my gigs. The AI is a fantastic amp and very powerful for its size (rated at 400w into 4ohms) - but its not a loud amp in the traditional sense. Also the preamp is very honest and the eq minimal. I can use it (with EA cabs) happily with active basses, but a passive bass needs extra outboard eq to shine. I'm not heavy handed with eq...but I find the AI preamp a bit minimal. A lot depends on how loud you need to be...but I can use either happily for most of my work (pubs, clubs, theatres etc) with DI support when needed.

The Seymour Duncan standard vintage jobs are great - and are pretty good for single coils - healthy output and not bad for hum. My Bravewood has Voodoos (not the right spelling..) which are very musical and honky, but the output is fairly low and they are microphonic. For a 70's jazz I'd consider the Dimarzio humbuckers (model J?). They're not really a jazz-type, but I've never heard them sound bad. More powerfull, and darker (in series) but a great sound. I'm thinking about putting a set in the Bravewood. Dimarzio also have a new set (Area?) which look more traditional, and seem to be derived from the ones that they make for Sadowsky? There's also the EMG JV if you can squeeze the battery in. Never tried them..but thought about it.

The LaBella set is really good - a very funky flatwoundbutwithabitoftwang sort of sound. Heavy gauge, but they will last a long long time, so I think they're worth the cost and a bit of set up. The Roto tru-bass is similar but doesn't sound or feel as good - a bit more wobbly sounding and the intonation can be strange. The Status version is good, but with a regular gauge they are very low tension - I foound I had to move the string height up a lot to get a good feel (like Thomastik flats). Pyramid gold - the best trad flatwound. Sound 20 years old out the packet, and feel old and solid (but not very high tension like most flats). If you only want to buy one set of flats (and your bass is very regular Fender type dimensions) these ae the ones - Thomman were the cheapest last time I looked. Hope that helps