Jean-Luc Pickguard

Since I had the j-retro fitted at the same time and I can go from Marcus kicking over a bucket of spoons to bowel opening dub without touching my amp eq its hard to say how much is actually due to the pickups, but they seem to have a wide frequency reponse - I have a passive danelectro and the low-tech "bung a load of coiled wire into lipstick tube" method of construction does seem to give an extended frequency response at both ends of the spectrum.

I do a fair bit of rockabilly and what some might call country. I use flatwounds thomastiks and usually take a my mustang or Epi thunderbird pro-v, although I have been known to use a precision, ns upright or ashbory depending on the gig.

I ownder whether they use focus groups or ask informed gigging bass players what they want? It looks like it has the typical useless Ashdown 'deep' switch and the eq looks confusing and clunky. I'm sure more people would prefer a compressor/limiter built in, perhaps even a knob to add sansamp-style valve-sounding grind and maybe something [s]ripping off[/s] inspired by the MarkBass magic EQ knobs - the VPL & the STD or whatever they're called. I can't get my head around the point of the custom control panel - is it like apple engraving iPods to prevent people returning them if they change their mind after hearing it

I have them in a highway1 Jazz - I'm not too good at describing how pickups sound, but I like the sound and they work well with the j-retro in the bass to give a wide range of tones.

[quote name='dougie' post='1186426' date='Apr 3 2011, 02:11 AM']....moulded pacifically[/quote] In the Ocean?

I used to use two cabs with an ashdown Mag300, but I wanted something smaller & more convenient. Now my Schroeder 1212L and Markbass LMII are loud enough that I can be 'too loud' for any pub gig if I wanted to. Not bad for a rig I can carry with my bass from the carpark to the stage in one trip.

[quote name='BottomE' post='1186364' date='Apr 3 2011, 12:37 AM']For blues just think sad funk [/quote] Careful - it could go a bit Jamiroquai with that advice

[quote name='Dom in Somerset' post='1185635' date='Apr 2 2011, 10:41 AM']The Brandoni kits sound interesting, is that the original neck?[/quote] Yep - I went to the warehouse & picked out the sunburst body & finished fretless neck with ebony board - there was an upcharge for this of course. I didn't use all of the hardware that came with it as I had some Fender Hardware & eventually upgraded to hipshot lollypop tuners. The stock pickup I got as part of the kit appears to be a Kent Armstrong Alnico one - or something very similar which sounds very nice indeed. I was going to chuck in an 80s EMG, but liked the passive one so much and couldn't be bothered to route the body for a battery that I used the standard one. My Tele was made using all the standard bits - although I paid a few extra quid to get a lacquered neck. I dyed & Danish Oiled the body. I can't post a pic as its out on extended loan to a mate who seems to like it a lot. Brandoni's Fender style bodies & Necks were all Japanese-made when I bought mine (I can't tell the difference between the sunburst body of my fretless & the one on my 1990 MIJ '62RI Fender P except for the grain pattern). Not sure whether they are still selling MIJ ones, but my impression was that they had a huge number in stock.

The best quality I've found for an affordable self build is: [url="http://www.brandoniguitars.co.uk/kits.asp"]http://www.brandoniguitars.co.uk/kits.asp[/url] I've built a fretless P bass & tele guitar - both are comparable to my MIJ Fender Precision & tele in quality. [attachment=76459:fretless_precision.jpg]

reminds me of my old crate powerblock.

Could have been a fake - there was one on ebay a while ago.

Six Days on the Road - Flying Burrito Brothers / Taj Mahal The Weight - The Band Heart of Gold - Neil Young Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks Big River - Johnny Cash Long Black Veil - Johnny Cash / The Band / Nick Cave Baby, Let’s Play House - Elvis Presley All Along the Watchtower - Bob Dylan / Jimi Under My Thumb - Rolling Stones From a Buick 6 - Bob Dylan Gone Gone Gone - o5b original I Shall Be Released - Bob Dylan Stir It Up - Bob Marley Knocking on Heavens Door - Bob Dylan Ophelia - o5b Original (not the Band song of the same name) Paint It Black - Rolling Stones Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan Let’s Work Together - Canned Heat Tumbling Dice - Rolling Stones Man Of Constant Sorrow - from 'O Brother Where Art Thou' Your Cheatin’ Heart - Hank Williams Ain’t No Sunshine - Bill Withers We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Place - The Animals You Ain’t Going Nowhere - Bob Dylan & the Band The Joker - Steve Miller Band Get Rhythm - Johnny Cash If I Lose - The Band / The Stanley Brothers Move It On Over - Hank Williams Going Down the Road Feeling Bad - Woody Guthrie Cry Cry Cry - Johnny Cash Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison Get out of Denver - Bob Seger I Fought The Law - Bobby Fuller / The Clash Mystery Train - Elvis Presley All Over Now - Bobby Womack / Stones Folsom Prison - Johnny Cash

Definitely a bassballs. I used to get the exact same sound out of mine. Unlike David J I never found a use for it as its an really stupid and annoying sound.

I don't normally take a second bass, but in the rare occasions I do it's usually an ashbory as it weighs nothing and takes up no room in the car.

I don't play my '81 Precision much as it is made of lead cunningy disgused as ash, but I wouldn't part with it as to raise the money for it I had to endure a summer of working in bejams between leaving school and furthering my studies. The other one I wouldn't part with is my CIJ mustang. It only cost £300, but when I first got it I took it to the Gallery for to have the frets levelled, so now it plays wonderfully with TI324s.

Let the breadheads take a bigger share, but charge them a fee for every lead your website generates.

I really miss seeing bands who look like this

Perhaps a bitzer someone put together?

I want the daphne blue mustang on the product info page, but without the stupid squashed slug things.

They were [b]much[/b] better with John Fogerty before they shortened their name.

When I had weekly jazz bass classes I'd left my bass [b]on its side[/b] at the front of the class so the tutor could use it (he only had an electric plank with him that day). Some idiot of a girl hadn't noticed this blummin' great piece of wood on the floor & tripped over the endpin causing it to resemble a giant game of spin the bottle. The bass was alright, but I use a bass stand these days.

Double denim or whenever possible, triple denim

Are they all Rock mags? No Jazz Mags?

If the rest of them were any good, wouldn't the band have been gigging or at least playing at open mic/jam nights rather than rehearsing for er... nothing? They sound like a bunch of idiots. Don't give up bassing, get into another band or form your own. I'd recommend getting to a few local jam nights.