White Cloud

Even Mark King has bad days...not his finest hour! http://youtu.be/VElv-wrqWIA

You are all entirely wrong...this is THE GREATEST bass solo ever captured. http://youtu.be/waIhJDgC5dQ

I personally would advise against using Danish Oil on a fretboard...period.

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1381236488' post='2236158'] What's the mystery? If you can use a screwdriver you can do a set up. Yet there's this notion that there are special people who do "good" set ups. Reality check... A "good" set up is like a "good" oil change. It's either done right or it isn't. There aren't variables. Bridge height is a matter of taste but other than that, the intonation is in tune or it isn't. The neck is either in a good position or it's too flat or too bowed. That takes a bit of an eye and I understand that some people have it and some people don't. Some people can't hand a picture straight. But that doesn't make picture hanging a special skill. I believe everyone should learn to do their set ups. You won't hurt the instrument unless you do something ridiculously foolish. Everyone should also be aware what is needed -- either neck relief or string height. Sets ups do not fix humps or dips or warped necks. They don't make an Affinity Squier sound like Fender MIA. It's really just a step up from knowing how to tune a guitar. [/quote] Totally agree.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1381064465' post='2233872'] I personally think that neck woofer pickup looks great on that bass. I suppose it would be a bit of a drawback if you were a slap player , but otherwise I can totally see the reasoning behind the whole design . Contrary to quite common miscoception , a regular Precision -style bass doesn't actually have a particulaly bottom-heavy tone ( unkess you go out of your way to E.Q it that way). Mixing in some deep bass with the midrange growl of the P pickup sounds like a pretty exciting idea to me. Combining a bridge position Jazz pickup with a Precison pickup can be quite problematic , I agree , due the the difficulty matching the perceived output volume of the respective types of pickup , and the amount of phase cancellation you usually get when both are on full. The neck pickup on your Yamaha expands the tonal optiond on a P-style bass whilst avoiding all those typical PJ pitfalls , so kudos to Yamaha and Billy Sheehan for that. [/quote] Excellent post Dingus and bang on the money regarding the pickup dynamics! Incidentally slapping is actually relatively easy on the 714 despite the woofer. It is a wonderful bass for the gigging player...

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1381001666' post='2233328'] I think Yamaha make some of the best basses out there at every price point. That 714BS looks like an intriguing design , and very useful for all sorts of musical situations , whilst being something a bit different and unusual at the same time . [/quote] Many players shy away from it because of the woofer in the neck position. This avoidance is born of the unconventional appearance (in contradiction of the standard split + bridge position jazz pickup template that most players have been traditionally exposed to). I am now of the opinion that the neck woofer is more useful than the traditional bridge position jazz on P type basses. Billy Sheehan knows what he is doing.

Personally I cannot abide Maple boards...but that's just me. Rosewood feels, reacts and sounds quite different to Maple imo. I have owned basses with Ebony & cocobolo boards but disliked the brightness of both.

Had almost the same experience with an off the shelf Fender Jazz. This the downside of mass production and variable QC.

I picked up a Yamaha BB714bs a few months ago for a steal and it is my go to bass. I echo the sentiments of the OP - it's not exactly lightweight but balances perfectly and the neck is just right. It also sits in the mix in a band situation like a dream (the neck woofer pup too!). I will never sell it as they are like hens teeth these days..

Totally agree with Karl's frustration...sellers, do the decent thing - buy a box and ship the bloody things. Anything else is laziness!

Landmark recording...love this era of Miles's work. I like to drift off to sleep listening to this and "in a silent way" on my headphones. Jazz fueled dreams man!

Peter Gabriel is at the top of the food chain. Awesome!

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1380556787' post='2227037'] I honestly believe that 99% of players ( myself included) could be perfectly well-served by a decent quality off the shelf, mass-produced bass. From my own experience, the difference between a good mass produced bass and a custom built job in terms of the usefullness of the final product is often minimal . I'm not saying this to be inflamatory or provocative , but a good Fender Jazz Bass, for example, will do just the same job for you as a custom -made Celinder or Alleeva Coppolo or whatever, and you can have just as much fun playing it . Of course lots of high end basses have their own strengths and are great instruments to own and use , but a whole industry has grown up around the questionable idea that ditching one perfectly good bass for a subjectively better one will make you a more satisfied player and therefore a happier person . Listen to some of the bass comparisons that crop up on Basschat every so often and there is no automatic direct correlation between top priced boutique basses and the best overall sound . There are players out there who have discovered that their own individual style does actually neccessitate a custom -made instrument , but they are few and far between . [/quote] Couldn't have said it better than this.

I empathise...wholly unacceptable in my opinion. Disappointed to hear about Letts basses in particular. Would like to hear Jon's perspective on this (reputation is everything).

Have you considered hypnotherapy? It is a VERY POWERFUL and EFFECTIVE treatment for chronic pain. Physio/Chiro = well worth a go. Doctors = pain killers.

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' timestamp='1380465386' post='2225648'] Although not an SR300, I have a 1984 Ibanez Roadstar II RB650, which I bought it last month for £199 + £20 postage and all I had to do to it was to give it a thorough clean, I've had to scrub some serious dirt and grime from the neck and cavities and after a set of new strings and a quick setup it plays better than a bass worth at least a thousand notes. I was reading about it on TalkBass and some people there were saying the pickups was the only thing that let this bass down, but I reckon whoever said that don't know what they are talking about, these pickups are fantastic, clear as day, loud and the simple controls work like a dream, infact to me this is one of the best P/J 4 string basses I've ever played. [url="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.587046798004670.1073741870.446213212088030&type=3"]https://www.facebook...12088030&type=3[/url] [/quote] These are wonderful basses....and yes, great sounding pups!

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1380385657' post='2224619'] Scientifically speaking ( and I've got a Grade 3 C.S.E in Biology , so I know what I'm talking about ) , older wood usually has a lower moisture content and the resin contained within the grain of the wood crystallises over time , supposedly giving it a different resonance [/quote] Absolutely correct!

Reliced instruments are extremely "fashionable" at the moment...purely for reasons of aesthetic trend. Pristine instruments were the "fashion" of that period of time. Fashions change almost as often as the weather. For example just look at the hair style and clothing of the 70's muso's playing those pristine instruments!

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1380293501' post='2223411'] I'd love to try and get a finish like this - won't sanding it down remove the grain finish though? [/quote] No.

The type of body wood will affect the way you need to approach this as different species react differently. Danish oil is a great, low skill/maintenance option especially when mixed with oil based stain...but care needs to be taken to avoid patchy satin patches. Being careful in the rub down process will take care of that easily enough though.

[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1379621863' post='2215049'] I have never expressed this view upon seeing any bass player play because I fully believe that with the right amount of dedication, persistence and hard work, anyone can play anything that anyone else can play. I hear and read the phrase a lot though. If this is a realistic acknowledgement of lack of time, pressures of everyday life, etc. I understand. However, if it's due to a perceived lack of talent, or the idea that it would be impossible for one to reach a particular standard, I say that's rubbish. [/quote] I agree in principal...however would add the word "Education" to your assertion that sufficient dedication, persistence and hard work are required. Having a great coach would undoubtedly help.

[quote name='DarkHeart' timestamp='1379702825' post='2216009'] Ok this is probably a pointless thread but as the title says im a fretless virgin, what are the best tips to success for someone who has always had frets to rely on? I will eventually get pics of the gorgeous fretless jazz ive just built when the person (not from here i hope) that ive bought the control panel off, gets his finger out of his arse! [/quote] I don't think this is a pointless thread at all. I think it is an excellent question! My advice...as previously stated avoid overuse when it comes to the old vibrato.