Jean-Luc Pickguard

Whats up with the pickguard? The holes & the shape are all wrong.

I have one & it works very well. It doesn't track so well if there's a lot of ambient noise going on, but usually works fine. Its nice to leave clipped onto the NS upright -if anyone asks I tell them its a speedometer to keep the drummer in check. Mine has modes for Bass, Guitar, violin & a chromatic mode which is perfect for tuning ukuleles and the B on 5 string basses. I tend to use a planet waves SOS tuner for gigs as it isn't affected by ambient noise/rumbles, but I carry the clip-on as a spare.

I still say most of [b]my [/b]sound come from [b]my [/b]fingers. I have a few different basses in my house and I sound like me on all of them whether I'm playing through my gigging rig, practice amp or simple headphone amp. Sure you can tweak the tone as much as you like on the amp, but we're taling about the overall sound, not just the tone, so we have to consider the note choices, timing, groove, attack, plucking position, note lengths, muting...

I can see why the LMII could fail to impress in a shop. First time I tried one, the shop bloke had no idea how to set the eq and there was no intruction manual available to look at. To start with a flat sound the eq knobs are centred as normal, but the VPF & VLE should be turned fully anticlockwise. If all knobs are centered it won't be the best starting point for random twiddling. The second time I tried one elsewhere, it was explained that VPF is the "Pre-Shape" & VLE is "Vintage Loudspeaker emulator", the flexibility became aparent and I could pretty much dial in the sound I wanted with just those two knobs without touching the 4 band eq.

cut off the top horn & count the rings?

Fingers for me. Definitely

[quote name='phil_the_bassist' post='230485' date='Jul 1 2008, 01:16 PM']I know nothing about the serial # issue, but the starting price is pretty low for a vgc vintage Jbass isn't it?[/quote] Thata doesn't mean anything as there's a reserve.

I've just asked him: [quote]Did you use letraset to put the serial number & "made in USA" on or is it a fake transfer like the logo?[/quote] I'm not expecting a reply or for the question to appear on the listing though. It makes me sick that a-holes like this can pretend to be ignorant of an obvious fake in the hope of ripping off some sucker. He knows its a cheap copy with some bits added to make it look at a casual glance to be a USA fender. When the auction ends the buyer needs to be told what he has won before he pays Fender money for an argos bass.

That web site reads like it was written by a twelve year-old boy.

It shouldn't make any difference. Either way would put the two cabs in parallel.

I think I know about three facts about bullet basses: [list] [*]The pickup is the same as a mustang bass. [*]Apart from the Squier version there was also a fender version [*]It was available in short & long scale (I think ) [/list]

If they feel like sh*te & each string sounds totally different they'll be rotosounds from the same batch as the last three sets I bought

[quote name='GregRichardson' post='228851' date='Jun 29 2008, 07:46 AM']so if anyone knows what a cheap alternative to bass strings would be please tell me.[/quote] How about secondhand bass strings - I'm sure a lot of people here have loads of spare ones. Or maybe those crappy ebay strings that cost a fiver? or Flymo nylon - but only if you're using a piezo element instead of a magnetic pickup.

Its just a meaningless cliched shorthand phrase like "one lady driver" Guitars that aren't gigged are sometimes far more likely to sustain damage at home if the owner does not keep it in a case or on a proper stand/hanger, and a home-only player is less likely to have a case if they never take it out of the house. An actual indication of condition with any faults pointed out is always much more useful. However when I sold my Crate powerblock I gave a full description of its condition (immaculate, as new & fully working, no scratches, dents or other damage) and someone still asked "has it been gigged?" as if that would magically mean that it is suddenly on its last legs.

[quote name='Jobiebass' post='229227' date='Jun 29 2008, 08:14 PM']Doesnt really do much for me, Listened to half of it, Let me know if it got any better.[/quote] 'fraid not - a bit of a funk free zone. Impressive collection of beards though.

[quote name='Hamster' post='229080' date='Jun 29 2008, 04:24 PM']This is a rhetorical question right? - ALL basses are owned by Chuck Norris. He allows you to play HIS basses. Also, everytime you play a song on your bass, the original manufacturer has to pay Chuck Norris 99cents. Hamster[/quote] [url="http://www.boycottchucknorris.com/"]Chuck Norris is a f***ing idiot[/url], he can come to my next gig & I'll kick him in the nuts. [color="#808080"][size=2] sorry to go off topic[/size][/color]

[quote name='budget bassist' post='228809' date='Jun 29 2008, 12:22 AM']My guitarist won't let me have the explorer though because he uses a gibby explorer haha,[/quote] You should tell him to like or lump it. He can't dictate what you play unless he pays for it. Nice bass Sarah - I've always fancied an explorer, but the band I'm in has a kind of rock/blues/soul/country/rockabilly hybrid sound, so I settled for a thunderbird instead.

If you don't think you'll play it, don't buy it. If it's a friend selling it I'd feel a bit of an a-hole about buying it for peanuts, then maybe instantly flipping it for a profit. In that case I'd try to advise the seller how to best sell it for more, or offer to sell it for him and maybe taking a small commission for my trouble. If armed with the knowledge that he's asking way too little, but still insists on selling at that price, then I'd buy it no problem. If it isn't from a friend, however it depends how comfortable you feel about making a profit out of his ignorance.

[quote]the bass bearly comes out of tune.[/quote] If it was mine it would barely come out of its case.

If he doesn't repond - it'll automatically go in your favour. I hope it will be decided in your favour. If the procedure is fair it will be as [list=1] [*]The Condition was clearly misrepresented. Immaculate does not mean it has a few knocks & scratches. [*]The missing serial number is very fishy - as is his story about it. It should be up to him now to prove that the story he gave is true by giving a full provenance of the amp's history, to explain the lack of a serial no. [/list]

When we did a corporate gig at London Zoo, Three of us brought (and had lined up on stands): [list] [*]Fender Tele [*]Gibson Les Paul [*]Rickenbacker 12 string [*]Yamaha Acoustic [*]Tom Anderson Tele [*]Martin Acoustic [*]Gibson Semi [*]Fender Jazz [*]Epiphone Thunderbird [*]Dean Pace Upright [/list] I think they were all used on the night, but after that one we started to [i]try [/i]to limit it to a couple each.

My 12 Year old told me this morning she's taking a bass into school on Monday and has booked a rehearsal room (I don't remember having those at MY school) and she's recruited a guitarist, keyboard player & drummer. She has three short scale basses: a Fender musicmaster and two Daisy Rocks, but wants to use my Peavey 5 string!

The singer/guitarist ALWAYS breaks at least one string every gig so swaps from his tele to his strat. The other guitarist swaps over from Acoustic to electric depending on the song. I haven't broken a bass string for 27 years, but I always carry a spare set (as hopefully everyone else here does, even if its an old set). I normally take two basses, usually the NS upright and a Fender, as some songs are fun with the NS due to it having 5 strings and a very different sound, but when the "band area" (I hesitate to say stage) is a bit cramped and the gig is just a couple of minutes down the road from my house I'd just take the mustang. I'm really getting into Ashborys, so I'm taking my new blue one to the gigs this weekend - last time I took one as an "emergency spare" it stayed in its case, however I'm going to definitely play at least a few songs on Ashbory tonight. I can't wait to see the panic on my bandmates' faces when I get it out as the only time they've seen me play one was before I had my head around how to even approximately play it in tune.

Why did I click the link to Rondo with my kids in the room? My daughter is now nagging that she wants this: or this

[quote name='phil_the_bassist' post='227202' date='Jun 26 2008, 11:19 AM']Jean! That sucks mate! I feel your pain...hope it all gets sorted out![/quote] cheers. I've just ordered a single E tuner from Largesound.com - just Four quid delivered from the states - result!