White Cloud

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1357593639' post='1925151'] Yer in me power! Absolutely no to hidden agendas. I love dissing the fender and you wont find me speaking ill of any respectable makers of MODERN quality instruments. I'm a basschat nut and mainly stick to the repair tech advice threads but occasionally cannot help myself when it comes to this kind of stuff depending on my level of grumpiness on any given day. My comments here rarely make me any new friends or sales as far as I know. [/quote] [quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1357595255' post='1925197'] Sound as. Thanks dl. With that avatar I'd expect you to have a different opinion Theres a time and a place for every kind of bass. With fenders its first thing wednesday morning on the pavement (bin day) [/quote] I have owned quite a few Fenders over the years (some of them desirable oldies), most of them good solid workhorses after being adjusted to my preference - but I laterally prefered Lakland for Fender style basses...better QC etc. I switched to Ibanez premium basses a few months ago...and I believe that they are one of the most playable underrated basses on the market. People look down their nose ask me all the time why I have switched to Ibanez after owning vintage Fenders, Wal's, Alembic etc etc. Its like being the hunchback of notre dame "The Ibanezzzzzzsss, the Ibanezzzzzzzzsss"...I'm a freak for playing Ibanez & not Fenders lol.

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1357591819' post='1925100'] I think the "superb luthier" may have an agenda which extends beyond enjoying a product though. [/quote] To be fair I have been brain washed by Letts basses lol...but thats another thread!

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1357558963' post='1924328'] You just discovered the meaning of fender. Heavy, plastic coated poorly made clones of the highest order. The name sells more guitars than the quality I'm afraid. I'm sure you can find 'good' ones or have one setup by a luthier (something you wont find in a fender factory/plant). You are much better off with your Ibanez. Gary Willis=Ibanez. Flea=fender. Says it all if you ask me. [/quote] This is wisdom...and coming from a superb luthier this statement is an absolute truism. I have been super dissapointed by most of the new Fenders I have played. Fenders stranglehold on the bass market is absolute...to the stage that when even considering criticising them you feel a strange sort of guilt and you know you will have plenty of players lining up to shout you down! Its almost like a form of brain washing. As I have been saying for some years...the best Fenders I have played have been Lakland skylines! Ahem...preparing for an ear bashing

Toyally agree with all the suggestions so far - but cant believe only one of you has mentioned Pastorius & Erskine. More of my fav's: Gary Husband & Jimmy Johnson Daney Carey & Justin Chancellor Gavin Harrison & Colin Edwin

[quote name='Chris Horton' timestamp='1357563543' post='1924459'] Thanks Harry , That video is not helping my GAS much you have a nice tone going on there [/quote] You certainly do have a great tone there indeed! Wals are fantastic fretless basses (as well as fretted lol).

Good luck with this. I have never seen a Fender with a non standard/direct fit replacement (Gotoh, Badass etc) bridge. My insticts tell me there is a very good reason for this! Remember though...music is art - there are no rules.

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1357312199' post='1920790'] I learnt a few chords on guitar at the age of ten, but never pursued it because I just did not think that I would ever be good enough to become a musician. But around five or six years ago in my [b][i]mid-fifties[/i][/b], I was the physio of a football club, and the players had put together a make-shift band to play at the end of season presentation night, and they needed a bass player, so I volunteered thinking that they would not be that good, and I wont look too out of place just playing root notes with a few little fills here and there. At the first rehearsal, I was shocked to find that they were all decent musicians, with quite a bit of gigging experience behind them, but I couldn't wriggle out of it as they had no one else they could call on. So for the few weeks leading up to the big night, I set about finding tabs and YouTube video's of the SIX songs we were to play. The crowd seemed to like what we played, and I must have been ok'ish, or at least shown some potential, because they decided to form a proper band, and asked if I would be interested in being the bass player. I have now gigged regularly since then with various bands, but I don't know any theory, I don't know any scales or stuff like that, I don't know what they are talking about when they speak in musical terms etc... and I've never had a lesson in my life, but I can learn a song pretty quickly just by listening to it, and working it out myself, or sometimes if it's a difficult bass line, I might look for a tutorial video to help me. I know how to play the original bass line to around 200 songs, although I do like putting my own take on things, but I still don't believe I can class myself as a musician, because I know nothing about music, other that I can remember where my fingers go. [u][i]So, my question is this:[/i][/u] Can I call myself a [b][i]musician[/i][/b], or do I just have a good [b][i]memory[/i][/b]? [/quote] You are a musician because you have a combination of cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills in relation to the way you play your bass. You are not just using cognitive (memory, knowledge thinking) skills - your participation with your band mates, your audience, yourself and the actual compositions you play will undoubtedly have an emotional impact (affect) upon you & to some degree everyone you play to. Further to that the physicality of playing an instrument is much more than simple muscle memory in the psychomotor domain. This is what music is. This is what makes you not just a musician - but also human! Just my tuppenceworth.

Aha, you have discovered the drawback of the non direct replacement bridge! This will involve drilling new holes etc...not ideal. I would avoid this option - but then again I am a wuss. My advice: DONT break any strings (I have never broke a string in 35 years!).... and fit a Gotoh 201 for ease of replacement. Its a really nice bridge, every bit as good as the much more expensive Badass & a dead easy fit straight into the standard P bass bridge holes.

After 30 years of Rotos I was sceptical of Elixirs until I bought a new Ibanez sr1205 that came with them fitted as standard. That was several months & gigs ago - and they still sound fresh. They aint cheap...but I wont be going to back to my "2 gig then dead" Rotos! Elixir are twice the price but last four times as long & sound/feel great. Its a simple choice.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1294314475' post='1079669'] All Fender prices have rocketed! [/quote] Very true. I would only ever buy used..this is where the real deals are to be had.

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1357312974' post='1920814'] I'm surprised at your surprise! To those of us with no training or experience in woodwork, maple just kind of "looks and feels" harder. Maybe it's because of the closer grain, or maybe the colour has an influence? I dunno. But I'd always assumed that maple was the harder of the two woods! [/quote] Not only is Rosewood harder...it is also much more expensive to buy in its raw form.

Well done Andy, it is beautiful! As a fledgling maker I would love to see the build process if you would be happy to share

[quote name='bassman344' timestamp='1357411330' post='1922367'] If a person had an old cheap 4 string bass that they didnt mind got wrecked and they wanted to try to defret it. What tools would they need and how would they do it ? I remember reading about Jaco Pastorius defretting a J and creating the bass of doom but is it as simple as it sounded ???? [/quote] The answer is no its not as simple as it sounds. To correctly defret a bass properly you have to know what you are doing or you will reap misery upon your bass! The good news is there are loads of good videos on Youtube that talk you through the correct procedure. Jaco Pastorius was infamously flippant with many of his claims and was not averse to exageration and the like when describing his antics. I believe he later claimed that he actually bought the bass of doom with the frets already ripped out (badly) - before fixing it up by filling the fret board and coating it in yachting epoxy.

Good luck with this. Dave Pegg is a wonderful bassist!

The name of the person playing the bass is much more important than the name on the headstock!

[quote name='Chris Horton' timestamp='1357335999' post='1921416'] No worries My pleasure I would defiantly recomend trying before you buy and having a play for your self if the chance arises. I see that you are in scotland but If your ever down this way you are welcome to try the basses out. I forgot to add yesterday .......... Before I bought the Sadowsky ,I was a bit worried because all Sadowsky basses (apart from the Will Lee model) only have a treble & bass controll. No mid range adjust. But since owning the bass i now feel that this is actually a big part of what creates the sweet Sadowsky tone (apart from the the incredible workmanship) and it is not a weakness at all. When Playing the bass live It just sits in the mix beautifully. [/quote] Thank you Chris, you are too kind! I understand exactly what you mean regarding the Sadowsky pre - for years I used the Sadowsky outboard version (exactly the same as those fitted to Rogers basses I am led to believe) when gigging with my Lakland Darryl Jones bass...and it was just so....right! The lack of a mid control was never an issue for me either.

[quote name='Chris Horton' timestamp='1357253512' post='1920047'] Well I have been playing both these bass guitars this evening comparing tones. First off, the sadowsky is much lighter as the body is chambered. I would say that the core tone of the Sadowsky is throaty and creamy sounding a bit like an active jazz. The Sadowsky is super easy to play with every single string and every single note on the neck sounding even and equal. The B string is the best sounding that I have heard , tight and focused. The tone controls do vary the tone a little but the core Sadowsky remains (that's not a bad thing) You just plug the Sadowsky straight into an amp and your set The MTD is a much more tonally versatile bass. It naturally has a very mid range tone with great clarity. The MTD can do it all ........super zingey hi-fi treble to low end fat dub to an old skool P bass tone to incredible mid range punch.......anything you want to throw at it really. The MTD is very responsive to your personal playing style. How you are feeling comes out in your tone. You can dramatically change your bass tone with your fingers , it's a wicked bass The downside is that you can spend a lot of time trying to find"your tone" but when you do it is well worth the fiddling. I hope that helps a little. [/quote] That helps a lot!! Thanks so much Chris for taking the time out of your day to compare and contrast between these beauties for me. Very much appreciated. In fact I would say that your description has me now convinced that the Sadowsky is the bass for me after all and not the MTD lol. Great stuff

Ahem, at the risk of being a bit controversial I still maintain that the best Fender jazz basses I have owned or played have been Laklands. If you catch my drift!

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1357303785' post='1920611'] In most cases a new pickup will be a lot cheaper, a lot tidier looking, and in nearly all cases will make the most dramatic tonal difference... Well, that or a fresh set of strings which will cost even less! [/quote] A lot of very interesting opinions and experiences being shared & expressed here. The problem with pickup replacement is that it is labour intensive and expensive (unless you do it yourself)...and may spoil the sound if you buy the wrong one in experimentation. Strings? I used to love Rotosound strings for many years, a fresh set fitted to a Fender or Rick bass being especially sublime - but this is probably the most cost intensive way to sound good. I liked the brightness & I found that after 2 gigs they were dull and after 3 they were spent...too costly for me. Yes, the Badass looks great, was cleverly marketed (even the name of the damn thing is so cool)...but are they pricing themselves out of the market now - or does high price add to the desirability/placebo???

Hi folks. As a relative newbie here please forgive me if this subject has previously been debated. On virtually every Fender bass I have ever owned since the early 80's I have installed a Leo Quan Badass bridge, believing it to significantly improve the overall dynamic response & tone of the instrument. Over the years however this has become an increasingly expensive mod. I believe now you are now looking on average at about £100 for one of these "bad boys" - almost a 1/4 of the price of a whole mex precision in some dealers! I recently decided to buck my trend and after much deliberation fitted a Gotoh 201 bridge on a cheap Yamaha Attitude (P style bass)...with great success. For a princely fee of £30 I reckon the Gotoh made every bit as much of an improvement as the Badass. Slightly less "brightness" (to my ear) but every bit as good in every other respect. My question is this...has my historical faith in the Badass as the ultimate replacement bridge simply been a kind of placebo affect? And is the Badass therefore really worth the value of 3 Gotoh 201's???? Bearing in mind the possability of a placebo its also got me wondering....is the badass even an improvement on stock pressed metal Fender bridges????

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1357230724' post='1919482'] I had the same problem a while back and it stumped both me and Charic - turns out that it just takes time for the database to upload and remember the new image - took a couple of hours for me IIRC. [/quote] This would be the ideal, and easy fix for me...I dont do IT troubleshooting. Takes me all my time to figure out how to operate my chorus pedal lol!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1357224208' post='1919338'] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/193219-cant-upload-pics-any-more/page__view__findpost__p__1885168"]Have a look at this post for more information[/url] [/quote] Thanks for your help. Much appreciated!

Hi fellow bass chatters. I seem to be having difficulty changing my profile picture here at the forum, tried to upload several new pics without any success, and have lost my original pic in the process too As something of a technophobe I am stuck. I hate not having a profile pic. Dont remember there being any difficulty when setting up my account here originally. Can anyone point out where I am going wrong & why pics just wont upload?