geoffbyrne

+1 to the above - you can't get the harmonic on the 5th fret of a Strat or Tele if you use only the neck pickup, as it's sat exactly on a nul point. G.

The OP mentions the Crate Powerblock. I use one of these for everything. In my office, I have a small mixer - this has a couple of mikes running into the XLRs, a guitar into a Digitech Genesis into channel 3, a bass into an MXR-80+ into 4 and a Zoom 123 drum machine into 5. My laptop is connected into the back via phonos and the desk is connected into it via two 1/4" jacks. Two 30W 16 Ohm speakers are run from it as monitors, plus my headphones come off the desk. The amp gives roughly 30W per side set up like this. Add to this I take it to rehersals through a 12" Ampeg Walkabout with a Beyma speaker, using the MXR-80+ as the pre, giving 150W bridged. I can also hook the Genesis into it & use it for guitar. I've even used it as a small PA. I believe these were £299 when they were first intoduced and when Sound Control blitzed them at £50 each I decided I couldn't miss out. The only peeve I have with it is that there is a constant 'crunch' underlying it even when set up very clean. G.

I use a silent jack of the 'sliding sleeve' type with 3 active basses and it works perfectly with all of them. G.

I've just got a packet of 3 x 5 string sets off Ebay for £11 odd(!!!!!!!!!) and in the first packet/set I've put on, the B is pretty dead - the rest are fine, but the tonal difference with the B is so great I'm forced to get a single B and replace it. I suppose at that price I mustn't grumble! Also, being nickel plated, they leave my fingers black. G.

Make sure you file the nut wider & not deeper.................. G.

[quote name='yorick' post='672851' date='Dec 3 2009, 09:05 AM']Had a look on youtube, but can only find live versions. Only got a laptop and sometimes the bass isn't very clear. [/quote] Headphones!!!! G.

Wait!!!! I haven't got mine either!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Damn - I didn't subscribe!!!! G.

I went to look at it & it was a bit 'reliced' around the back edges, & a couple of screws missing from the pickguard. Looks fine from the front, though. I haggled & got it for £100. Neck is pretty 'sturdy', but great action & plays really well. Pup sounds like it's wired in series. It's the 1 vol & 2 tones centred on different frequencies variety. If it had been the 2 coil/vol type, I have an Artec 2 band I would have put in it. Does anyone know if it's easy to open up this pickup & put separate leads on the coils? Needs new strings. I'll put up picks when |I get back home - I'm on a trip for a week at the moment. G.

Nope! You're on your own, Kid!!! Good luck!!! G.

I have the opportunity to pick up an OLP 5 string MM type for £130. Is that good, bad or indifferent? Geoff

I think the one pictured ( which is identical to mine) is about 5. I picked it up in the pannier market in Barnstaple. G.

I used a conical reamer - this ensures everything is kept centered. Work from both sides, uses a shallow an angled reamer as you can get. G.

Driving Home for Christmas - Chris Rea? Maybe moody rather than bluesy. G.

A Hohner stick bass would fit in the overhead locker.....just a thought! G.

If you're taking it apart anyway, swap the positions of the 'G' pickup and the 'A' and see if the problem migrates with the pickup then you can be sure it isn't a string problem. G.

I reckon the Hohner Pro Series are vastly underrated. I had a JJ Pro Jazz & it was an excellent instrument - I only parted with it because it had 4 strings. My current main bass is a Hohner B Bass V which is essentially a Jack with a headstock. The neck-through construction is excellent and it plays beautifully (made by Cort in Korea as was the JJ). In the long term, I've replaced the EMG Selects with Joe Bardens and the rather top & bottom-centric pre with a U-Retro. All makes for a superb (for me ) instrument. I've also owned a Hohner Jaguar-type thing and currently have an extremely sweet little Hohner Strat which is one of the nicest little players I've ever owned. These Pro instruments usually have maple necks & bodies & the older ones were made in Korea by Cort, which has now moved to Indonesia. G.

I play at an open mike night most Thursdays through an old Peavey TNT - I never cease to be amazed at the excellent tone from it. Peaveys are cheap and bombproof, but you might need that extension speaker if you can't quieten the drummer. G.

...........and you'll need to cut the nut slots lower.............. G.

Could it be the same as the 'ski jump'? G.

A friend of mine made a cheap & effective pedal board from a cheap shower board - from Ikea, I think - or Cargo.. G.

Assuming that nothing is actually attached to the plate, you could consider fixing it onto the bass with something like photographic adhesive spray - then you wouldn't need to put screw holes into your lovely bass. G.

..............or a Hohner B Bass V? G.

Try here: [url="http://www.axesrus.com/axenob.htm"]http://www.axesrus.com/axenob.htm[/url] and scroll down a bit - don't think they're walnut tho'. G.