police squad

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1383494858' post='2265015'] I'm with Dingus on this. These were entry level basses back in the 80s at a time when the demand for Fender basses had all but collapsed. Combination of shift to keyboards instead of guitars and basses in pop music plus a vast array of superb product from other manufacturers - eg Yamaha, Ibanez etc etc etc. I see the Fullerton RI 80s Fenders are selling in vintage shops for just short of a grand also!! In the 80s people would be paying about £1000 for things like a Steinburger. You really would have been in danger of being sectioned paying these prices......... What will happen when the bubble bursts?? You are surely safer buying a US standard or maybe a vintage reissue? [/quote] they just were not entry level basses. There were many cheaper bass guitars out there. This was Fender taking on Tokai. They needed too. The tokais were very good and cheap. Jap labour rates were low so Jap guitars were great value. I've had a lot of squiers over the years and they have all been good guitars. Currently my main gigging guitar is a 1984-87 maple necked strat. As good as any other strat I've played. I've also got a '62 JV bass which I picked up from it's original owner last year. It's very light and very resonant.

my '75 P bass has the green and red system but it's so worn I can't read it.I think it's a '75 because the pickup is stamped '75 and the serial number is about '75 too not that the serial number is totally accurate. In 1991 I changed the pots but didn't check the dates on them, because no one was interested in a '75 Fender at the time

If I had a spare £900 I'd buy this This was originally mine. I bought it new in '83. Paid £399 for it from Livewire in Cardiff. Someone on this site used to work there and did post about it when I asked if anyone knew where it was. It was a great playing bass, if a little heavy. It's for sale again back home in the Mansons guitar shop

semolina active electronics. had em, loved em, then hated them for years and now I have a couple of actives in the arsenal and don't mind them so much. The circuit on my fretless musician bass are really nice

I saw 'It Bites' when calling all the heroes had just been released. Great songwriter and player. and I love his voice. will track down the new album as I need something a little different to listen to

Saw him at the '83 Reading festival. He was excellent. Great band with him too. RIP

My first bass was a Tempest SG bass. The same as a Kay. It had a plywood body, 2 pickups and was a see thru wine red colour. It was £65 brand new in 1981. Bought it in Kennards in Canterbury. My elder brother, who had lots of years playing guitar thought it played well enough. Well I loved it. Used it for about 3 or 4 years till I got a Musicmaster bass which I then changed to a Manson Explorer bass 6 months later. I gigged with the Tempest and it was great. Good action and even though it was short scale and had flatwounds I even learned to slap on it. The most disappointing basses I've owned, 1. Pretty much both the Rick 4001 and 4003. In 1990 I sold the blue 4001 to the guy from the Swinging Blue Jeans. The 4003 had a Neck like a bananna and they just didn't suit what I wanted, (looked good tho) 2. Jaydee Mark King. Played like butter and sounded terrible. It had no depth or woodyness. (going back to 1989 here and I don't really like actives) 3. Squier JV '62 Jazz bass. I just didn't get on with it. So I sold it . But mainly I've loved them all and wish I still had them, except the Rickenbackers.

I'm running QSC K12s and Ksubs. Great sound and nice and compact. Very occasionally I run without the subs and the 12s sound full and rich. I think I paid £3150 for the lot, from pro audio systems. The subs weight about 30kg each but have excellent castors and the handles are so well positioned that they do not present any problems. We put everything through it, drums, bass, guitars and guitar synth. I've even used it outside with an extra Ksub (3 of them) and it was awesome

Silverburst!!

I've got one. Strung with flats. Great bass, love it

very kind of you Kev, thanks. Bidding on ebay at the moment so fingers crossed

that's great. I'm registered so will surf the forum for advice.

I've got my minitaur but nothing to trigger it with (yet) I've plugged it into my computer and have all sorts of software (editaur stuff) but can't find the manual for the editing software) any help greatly appreciated

cool, please excuse my ignorance in these matters. I certainly am liking the 12 step approach because of size and weight. Also I read you can use 'animoog' if you have an iphone or ipad but I don't. It's only 30 bucks too. From a looks point of view, it has to be Taurus pedals (the anoraks at the tribute gigs would be proud) from a weight POV, 12 step closest thing without masses of weight is roland PK 5/6 and minitaur. I do like my tribute band to look right as well as sound right. Still, I can't believe I want to buy some sort of keyboard thing and I'm quite excited by it.

[quote name='mcgraham' timestamp='1378801188' post='2204702'] Exactly. You can also set them to latch on, so you don't need to keep holding the pedal to keep the note going. You can also program presets into the Minitaur, then change them on the fly with patch change instructions from the 12 Step controller. No computer needed once programmed in. Super simple and super useful! [/quote] the 12 step has a range of built in sounds are they any good? If I linked it to a minitaur do I need the extra hub bit, or would it link direct via midi cable? thanks

[quote name='geofio' timestamp='1378822656' post='2205115'] I have a set o t3's. i owned the original pedals also 3 sets of those !!! the t3 is good in some respects sound wise they are close to the original but not exact, the original has that something extra that i can't expain. the originals are almost 40 years old i would not buy a set now they will be at the end of their lifespan. the t3 is around the same weight as the original they made a total of 1500 the original figure was 1000 but they sold so well they made another 500. they work , they have midi and very well made will they last 40 years?? i dont know, worth buying idf you can get hold of them. [/quote] great info, thanks

[quote name='mcgraham' timestamp='1378793339' post='2204642'] Best way to do it is with: a) Minitaur Midi pedals BUT! you can get the McMillen 12 Step - [url="http://www.keithmcmillen.com/12step/tour"]http://www.keithmcmi...com/12step/tour[/url] - much cheaper and far more tweakable if you're into that sort of thing. I got this setup and used it for a week long gig at a Christian conference. you can velcro it onto a small pedalboard or Gator tote bag and you're away. [/quote] Yep I'm liking that setup. much smaller area on the floor too

that link shows they are not available

[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1378741665' post='2204027'] The Police tribute thing has been helped by the recent reunion tour in terms of what look to go for and you dont have to be under 35 anymore. My favourite era is 1980-82 when he played his P bass, resprayed red, then switched back to his trusted J for a while before getting the Steinberger. The Synchronicity era was too glam for my liking. All big hair and big outfits. [/quote] I normally just do the flying suit and the natural fretless or Ibanez but I also do the modern thing. I need to sort out the gateshead gear so I can use the Steinberger more

that's a lot of gear but I reckon it'll be great, thanks for posting that

I haven't seen it yet but that's a mark1 set he's got there. I imagine he uses them on invisible sun too (intro) I've been doing a Police tribute for about 6 years but we use a couple of recorded intro's where there's a bass pedal but it's time to start doing it properly Sting's bass sounds nice on there too

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1378734668' post='2203866'] Moog Taurus 1 on eBay: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=231050460166"]http://cgi.ebay.co.u...em=231050460166[/url] Not a bad price - looks in very good nick from the admittedly shaky pics. [/quote] I saw that come up. I'm worried that an old one might be unreliable but as you say, it's looks in good shape. I've ordered the 'Certifiable' Police dvd to listen to Sting's on it. [quote name='KevB' timestamp='1378735367' post='2203891'] Seen PK5 pedals go for under £200 on eBay in the past, depends how quickly you need to be up and running. Not familiar with the minitaur. There are some decent moog type patches on the Roland 'vintage synth' card which can be used on some of their sound modules such as the jv series. If it has to be an exact replica of the tone it sounds like the minitaur would be the way to go though it would probably require some tweaking to get the patches spot on. [/quote] You can download loads of patches from the Moog site (so I've been told by the guy selling a minitaur on ebay) I'm in no particular rush as my first Police gig (with my new Police band, I'm in 2 now) isn't till the end of November but I would like to get some practice in with it. I'll keep my eye on the Taurus on ebay though as I'm a bit of an anorak when it comes to getting the Police gear right. I've got most of the basses sting used in the Police, (well the most well known ones, Ibanez Musician Fretless, Steinberger, Fretless P bass (maple on maple), '57 replica) still looking for a spector to spray white though. KevB do you have a PK5?

that looks the cheapest way really

it all sounds very exciting. The rest of the band will be blown away if I can do it

does the minitaur have preset sounds? or do you have to make everything