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hamfist

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Everything posted by hamfist

  1. hamfist
    SOLD A completely unique bass. Recently purchased from Paul S on a bit of an impulse. I like this bass a lot but due to the slightly unexpected purchase of a Warwick I feel I need to recoup some money on this one. OK, so it's a Matsumoku-made 1984 Westone Thunder Jet, redone in a Stingray pickup configuration, routing and pickguard done by Bassdoc I believe. It has an alder body, a maple neck, a Wilkinson Stingray pickup and an East P-retro preamp. This bass has been played a lot in it's 30 years of life, mostly by someone wearing a belt buckle I think. The rear of the body in particular has a fair amount of scrapes. The front of the body is much less marked but still has quite a few knocks around the place. The neck is in much better shape, the rear of it being in particularly good condition for a bass of this age. Fretwork is good. Being black this bass looks completely COOL on stage. The neck has a 40mm width nut, but is fairly slim, measuring 20mm at the 1st fret front to back. Just FYI, the body has a 63mm neck pocket and will also take a standard Fender neck, but would need the bridge moving about and inch further back to compensate for the reduced number of frets. It actually plays really, really nicely. Very lightweight too, at just a fraction over 8lbs. The pre-amp is the highly rated East P-retro unit, which works very well with the Stingray pickup IMO. However, the volume/tone dual concentric knob took a bit of a bash on it's journey to me. It all still functions 100% fine, but if you want to turn the volume or the tone controls, you simply need to hold both at the same time or they will bind and move round together. They're not hugely stiff to move, but do need to both be held to be moved independently. Please contact me for more details if you can't quite get what I mean about that. Difficult to price. A perfect condition P-retro on it's own will go for more than a £100 itself. But you can buy this whole bass for £135 couriered to your door, in mainland UK. [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/jet-main.html][/url] [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/jet-full-rear.html][/url] [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/jet-body-front.html][/url] [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/jet-body-rear.html][/url] [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/jet-hstock-front.html][/url] [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/jet-hstock-rear.html][/url] [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/jet-neck-rear.html][/url] [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/jet-main-b.html][/url]
  2. hamfist
    [quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1406408054' post='2511337'] Apparently you can pick up a Stuart Zender signature Warwick for £700-800 on www.thomann.de!! Erm....this changes things..... [/quote] A Warwick SS1, Fortess or Streamer LX should still be in a different league. It's all in the woods used. The Zender bass is from the Korean Pro series I believe. Cherry (or Alder according to the current Warwick specs) body and maple neck. It will surely be a decent bass but not tonally in the same zone as German Warwicks.
  3. hamfist
    Thanks everyone. And yes, Martyn, the Wizard pickups are certainly a great combo with this bass.
  4. hamfist
    [quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1406392373' post='2511162'] Really leaning towards a Warwick SS1 at the mo. Where's the best place to pick up a second hand one? Ebay? [/quote] Ideally from BC, from someone with a known good sales record. Ebay is a bit more of a crapshoop but, of course, you can pick up some gems there too.
  5. hamfist
    [quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1406396526' post='2511215'] There's so much scope for jokes about asking people if they'd like to stroke some wood, it doesn't bear thinking about [/quote] Don't worry, I used the potential wordplay to great effect. With a fortress, the upper horn is just the right shape too.
  6. hamfist
    I bought a 1998 Warwick Fortress one from Bagsieblue a couple of days ago. Whacked some decent strings on, had a play and it was clear that this is a magnificent bass. And the all Wenge neck is an absolute treasure. However, it's been around the BC ranks over recent years and has been rather abused in terms of it's finish. Someone (I forget who) decided that they really didn't like it's original green stain finish and removed it. The bad news really began when someone else was let loose on the body with some unknown stain/paint. If I'm honest, it was one of the worst finishes I've ever seen on a bass, and such a great bass too ! It was lumpy, smeared, uneven, truly horrid. Here it was. I actually wish I'd taken my own higher res photos of it to capture it in it's full glory .... [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/img-20140721-192634814.html][/url] [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/img-20140721-192603327.html][/url] So Martyn let me have the bass at a slight discount under the knowledge that the cosmetics of the wood underneath was going to be a bit unpredictable. Anyway ... what a pleasant surprise I had. After several hours sanding I got down to lovely clean maple (it's a 2 piece maple body) There is still a hint of green at a couple of places on the end grain, and around the pickup cavities. The stain simply soaked in too far to completely get rid of it at these points. I just think it adds character though. This is the first maple body I have refinished and it certainly finishes much smoother than ash or mahogany, which is all I've used before. Sanded down to 2000 grit, it felt simply gorgeous to the touch. Even my wife and next door neighbour were impressed at the tactile feel of it. On the back it's got a slight flame to it. On the front is a slightly more random grain pattern but still pleasant. I gave it my standard Colron natural Danish Oil (2 coats) and Briwax (natural), 2 coats. Put it all back together and I'm thrilled. THe look now matches the rest of the bass ! [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/fortress-front-full.html][/url] [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/fortress-body-front.html][/url] [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/fortress-body-rear-b.html][/url] [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/fortress-rear-full.html][/url] [url=http://www.ephotobay.com/share/fortress-body-front-b.html][/url]
  7. hamfist
    Oooh, that's nice. Too many strings of course though.
  8. hamfist
    [quote name='Pinball' timestamp='1406309040' post='2510520'] .... it may be worth you watching out for an older SR. I had an SR1300 with a Bart P/J set up that was a killer bass. [/quote] Completely agree. I'm the current owner of that same bass. The Barts have gone (replaced by much cheaper and IMO much nicer pickups). It is very special and definitely leagues above the SR500 in tone, punch and sheer quality. THese 90's SR prestiges seem to go for about £500, and seem to come up reasonably frequently if you keep your eyes open for one (in the UK anyway).
  9. hamfist
    [quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1406238448' post='2509762'] Folks have mentioned Warwick Streamer LXs but you could find a pukka used SSI for under £1k, which is frankly a steal. [/quote] It's true. It's simply embarrassing how little you need to pay for a used German Warwick these days. The mainstream bass-playing public has no concept of how good they are.
  10. hamfist
    Slimmish necks will limit you a bit, but not too much. COnsider .... 1990's Ibanez SR Prestige MIJ, Not played the current SR1200/1800 range, but they are not quite as special as the prestige stuff. Yamaha TRB4 (I love these. One day I will get around to buying one of my own) Warwick STreamer LX or Fortress Stingray Classic or Ray 34CA (has that slim neck) Lakland 44-01 (I prefer these to the 44-02), if you can cope with the looks G&L - the M2000 has the slimmest neck of the non-J bass G&L tributes, but at 41mm is still a bit wide for me. Oh, just forgot - the SB-2 (great bass but that's passive) Spector - THe EURO basses are good but might have slightly too wide necks for you. Perhaps the Legend Classic ..... has a 40mm nut and they don't make them out of basswood any more. I'm ignoring Jazz basses as I simply don't like them, but obviously if you like thin, weedy neck pickup tones, then they are worth considering too.
  11. hamfist
    Just bought a Warwick bass from Martyn. He sent it safely with a courier, communicated well and did absolutely everything he said he would. A pleasure to deal with. I would be extremely happy to deal with him again.
  12. hamfist
    [quote name='nick-harrison' timestamp='1406061450' post='2508024'] Thanks for the interest guy's amazed that I have no offers! [/quote] I'm sure you will have soon. You've got my attention anyway !
  13. hamfist
    THis could be a cracking MIJ bass for £99 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-RBX800A-Electric-Bass-Guitar-with-Flight-Case-/321467153928?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4ad8ef7e08 If I lived nearer I'd be taking a peak. Reviews in the past have been extremely positive.
  14. hamfist
    Oops
  15. hamfist
    [quote name='Rumble' timestamp='1405586143' post='2503212'] Don't get me wrong, I appreciate how versatile the eq is, but to my ears, I like to hear all the frequencies the bass is generating. It feels like every turn off a knob is dialling some of them out to the detriment of the overall tone. [/quote] Sounds like Filter-based pre-amps are not to your taste then. There are no rights and wrongs here. It seems like you have discovered something about what you like and what you don't like. If you don't like the ACG preamp, I suspect you will have no problems selling it. If you already know and like Glock preamps then getting one seems like a pretty sure-fire winner for a bass that you already love it's natural tone.
  16. hamfist
    You seem to have the electronics problem sorted. However, if you are still looking for info on wax potting, I have done it a few times, and it's seriously easy. I melted up a couple of big candles and some beeswax in a glass bowl. I had the glass bowl sitting in a large saucepan half full of water .... melted wax is flammable and you need to be careful how much heat you give it access to. So melt the wax slowly in that type of setup. Only heat until all the wax is melted then turn the heat off. Most wax melts at about 60 degrees Centigrade, so you don't need to boil the water. Suspend your pickup (not including the pickup cover ideally) by string and lower it into the wax. Leave it there for about 20 minutes. You will see lots of bubbles rising from it as wax replaces the air spaces in the pickup. Change the pickup's orientation once or twice during the process. When bubbles no longer rise, or after about 20 mins remove the pickup with the string and gently wipe it down and let it cool. Job done. Another caution is to be fairly careful with the windings of the pickup as if you break them the pickup will become useless.
  17. hamfist
    [quote name='addam360' timestamp='1405437875' post='2501903'] Anyone know a Schecter bass stockist in the Newcastle/Sunderland/Gateshead area? [/quote] Guitarguitar stock Schecter and seem to have a Newcastle shop
  18. hamfist

    Feedback for mSz

    hamfist replied to ShaunB's topic in Feedback

    Sold a pedal to Marek. He communicated superbly and made the whole thing an easy, easy deal. Thanks mate !
  19. hamfist
    The Lakland 44-01 and G&L tributes are both superb suggestions IMO. The 44-01 I used to own had a magnificent P-like neck pickup, and all the other tones too. ONe I definitely regret selling on. I would own a G&L L2000 or M2000 if they didn't have such stoopid large, chunky necks .... but then that's what you're looking for. Or, of course you could buy a Precision neck to stick on your Jazz, and get a luthier to rout out the neck pickup slot for a Precision pickup (really is quite simple and shouldn't cost too much at all. Bass Doc will do it (and I guess you still live somewhere near him) for an extremely reasonable fee. Then you would have a great and already well loved PJ Jazz with the Precision neck you crave.
  20. hamfist
    Yes, HowieBass is right. Cabs and connections like these are virtually always wired in parallel.
  21. hamfist
    [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1405159852' post='2499236'] Clever idea, but shouldn't the tuner circular slots be slightly extended towards the nut to prevent string catching on the circular edge? [/quote] Good point. I didn't spot that in my appreciation of the general aesthetic beauty of the whole thing.
  22. hamfist
    SOme great, dirty bass tones there Gaz. You fill the space quite impressively that your quite "cleaninsh" guitarist leaves. What are the basses/effects used on each track ??
  23. hamfist
    [quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1404855013' post='2496475'] If you get fret-buzz on the higher section of the neck and cannot get rid of it without having seriously high action, then this would sound to me like the angle of the neck in the pocket may be wrong. This problem would sound to me like the angle of the neck as it sits in the pocket is pulling the headstock back and pushing the top of the neck up (to make it too close to the strings). Clearly tweaking the truss-rod isn't working unless you make the action stupidly high. So this would sound to me like there's a shim in the bottom of the pocket when it's not needed. Do you have a shim in the pocket? If you do, take it out, screw the neck tight back into place and try again. [/quote] Having re-read your post, I understand what you are saying and you are spot on. Don't quite know what I thought you were saying previously. SOrry for being an ar$e. I knew that there wasn't a shim in the heel slot (having sold the bass to Mornats) but it was worth suggesting to check for one. Lots of good points suggested by many. I have also found that on some necks, truss rod adjustments can be unpredictable once you get close to "ideal action". SOmetimes the neck is simply not built to a standard to have an even, very, very minimal curve (which is what I would describe as the ideal) whatever the truss rod adjustment. SOmetimes you just have to compromise with the best that you can get. I have to say that my method for truss rod adjustment is to get it roughly OK by eye and then tweak. If I get more fret buzz near the nut (first 5 frets say), then there is too much straightness (or even backbow), therefore loosen the truss rod. If there is more fret buzz nearer the bridge (frets 10+) then the neck is too concave .... tighten the truss rod (and will also need to raise the bridge saddles a bit). If there is no buzz, then the bridge saddles are too high. If there is even, buzz all along the neck, the bridge saddles are too low. That's about it. Works for me.
  24. hamfist
    [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1405117899' post='2499061'] Good call Pete, I usually find on my basses that if I get it right at home, live it`s wrong, so now always do this kind of adjustment at practices. [/quote] AGreed. Taking a screwdriver to rehearsals with a new bass is mandatory IMO.
  25. hamfist
    Wesely are a bit under-rated for low end guitars. I still miss a Wesley Jag-style bass I had a few years ago. Played beautifully. It just needed a preamp for it's 2 x MM pickup setup. At the time I was not confident enough to do such a thing, so I sold it.
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