molan

I'm looking forward to trying these head to head with Aguilar and maybe even MarkBass in a little fight of the lightweights duel! Shame my local MarkBass 2x12 has just sold as it would have been really interesting to match it up against the Berg. I know a lot of people don't rate MB cabs but I think some of them can sound really nice with a good head and decent bass. I definitely feel a bit of a shootout coming in April. Will definitely have to put an ATS 3x12 (not a true 3x12 as two speakers are some sort of passive radiator) into the mix as well. I've tried it briefly and it sounds really big from such a small form factor

Copies of the album should be available too - may be band members around to sign

I'm struggling a little to see how a '63 refin with non original pots is a bargain at £2,700? I've seen more original pre CBS P's sell for less than this

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1363962354' post='2020216'] All very, very nice [i]indeed[/i], but they're nowhere near gay enough - I want to see the Ritter, please! [/quote] By popular demand - the much gayer Roscoe SKB & Ritter Cora

So I thought I'd stopped buying new toys to play with earlier this year but succumbed to a few new purchases fairly recently - all of them are basic variations on a good old Fender J but each feels, plays, sounds a little different Thought I'd bung a quick pic up of the new ones next to my trusty old '63 Jazz for reference. Apologies for the pic quality, just a quick snap with flash which is showing a few reflections and some surface marks which I didn't clean off before taking the pic! The basses are, from L to R: [b]Celinder J Update[/b] - very '70's sound, relatively heavy, really punchy & maybe my current favourite of this bunch. [b]Alleva Coppolo #2[/b] - 2nd one ever made before Jimmy decided on a larger headstock. Has Seymour Duncan pickups & pre at the moment. Haven't had this one long enough to really get a good feel for it. Very light weight. [b]1963 Fender Jazz[/b] - classic pre CBS sound & feel, refinished in its original colour of Sea Foam Green, albeit a very long time ago. Again light weight and has an absolute dream neck profile & super worn-in finish. [b]Alleva Coppolo LG4[/b] - Jimmy's take on a 60's J. Finished in nitro and has his wonderful home grown pre-amp & pickups. Just a great gigging bass that's beginning to wear in really nicely. [b]Dingwall AB1[/b] - bit of a departure for me! Just fancied trying one and have only played it briefly. Super light weight with superb balance. Lots of tonal variation from a passive setup. Need to put in some more hours on this one. . . There's a Ritter & a Roscoe currently in the house too but I ran out of sofa space, lol.

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1363956407' post='2020093'] What I find odd is that custom instruments obviously offer a massive range of options and the whole prosess seems to be focused on how the thing looks rather than how it sounds. I would be more interested in a builder who (like Jens does with that guitar) sells it on how they built it to have a certain sound. My take on Ritter - I bet they play well, not overly keen on some of his designs, i think he as a person from what ive seen is pretty cool guy, would I buy one? Probably I would go with a UK custom builder myself [/quote] If you speak to Jens he's totally focused on sound of each instrument. I was chatting to him at London Bass Guitar Show with a prospective customer and the whole conversation was about what sound the customer was after and which woods, pickups, electronics etc would deliver what he was after. He then tried different body shapes and neck profiles to get a good idea of how he wanted it to feel. Only after agreeing all of this did they discuss colours and finish options. Sound was very much the key to everything. He took Jens's advice and placed an order

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1363955494' post='2020073'] It would be pretty nice to have an actual price list on his website, not that I'm in the market at the moment but still basic prices for each range and then the additional prices for extras (within reason) [/quote] Jens used to publish prices but because he sells so many instruments outside of € Zone it got really complicated dealing with overseas enquiries and fluctuating exchange rates. If you request a price on anything through his site you'll get a response inside 48 hours (usually faster).

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1363934825' post='2019679'] I couldn't agree more. The first Cora was an all white job that looked stunning. Even my wife loved it & she has no interest in basses! I didn't word that sentence too ll. It was just the 3rd bass (Royal) that was advertised at £9.5k. There used to be prices on the Ritter site up until @ a year ago. If I had £4-5k to spend on a bass, Jens would be my first port of call. I know the majority of Jens' basses are in that bracket. IIRC, the Raptor starts from @ £7-8k. That would be an interesting bass to play down your local. [/quote] Raptor is the most expensive of Jens' basses (apart from some Artist models). Dependent on exchange rate they start at just over £6,500 for a 4 string. The Cora is the lowest priced with a Roya about £100 more (it has more complex electronics) and the R8 another £75 on top of that.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1363951635' post='2019974'] I'd be going, Barrie, if I hadn't had a gig on this date in my diary for ages. I still hope to get to see Paul and Dan if they announce a date closer to Dan's home town. I'll even lend him a bass rig :lol [/quote] Nothing else currently in the schedule but they often play Bucks Uni short term gigs

Hi All, The wonderful bass wizard Paul Turner has personally donated a pair of tickets to high end bass retailer [url="http://www.bassgear.co.uk"]BassGear.co.uk[/url], from Twyford near Reading, to see his super funky new band Shuffler for their album launch gig at the Jazz Cafe in London on Friday 29th March. We thought we'd team up with Basschat and offer them to everyone here as a little competition prize In order to win all you have to do is 'like' the BassGear FaceBook page [url="https://www.facebook.com/BassGearUK"]https://www.facebook.com/BassGearUK[/url] and subscribe to their monthly newsletter by sending an email with the header "Subscribe" to [email protected]. If you're already on the list and/or have subscribed previously you have no need to worry - you won't start getting two newsletters if you send another 'subscribe' email. If you're not a FaceBook user that's obviously not a problem either - BassGear don't expect you to sign up to FB just to enter [b]Some background about Shuffler:[/b] "The four­-piece band, formed in 2011, combine the incomparable musicianship skills of Paul Turner – bass; Rob Harris – guitar; and Derrick McKenzie – drums, with the precocious vocal and percussion talent of Daniel Pearce" Essentially this is the core of the Jamiroquai live sound with Daniel on vocals and percussion - they are seriously funky and the freedom of having their own band really lets Paul, Rob & Derrick let rip in a live environment! [url="http://www.shufflermusic.net/"]http://www.shufflermusic.net/[/url] [url="https://www.facebook.com/ShufflerMusic?fref=ts"]https://www.facebook...erMusic?fref=ts[/url] Twitter: @shufflermusic Paul will also try to catch up with the competition winners to say hi at the Jazz Cafe - for anyone who's never been there it's a great little venue. You're not far from the stage wherever you stand! Here's a little sampler vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHR1KuFWmx4 Note to Moderators: This competition thread has been approved by Ped & Hamster

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1363886334' post='2018981'] But at @ £10k, I don't ever forseeing me owning one of those. So I'll be sticking with my manky old ibby! [/quote] You've really got to be going some to hit £10K on a Ritter. Our friendly UK dealer has a cracking brand new Cora in the, to my eyes, beautiful high gloss white finish with gold hardware (including the frets!) for under £4K Still big money but it is a thing of simple beauty . . .

Just completed another trade deal with Pierre - as smooth as a very smooth thing indeed & always a pleasure to chat to along the way

[quote name='pierreganseman' timestamp='1363792306' post='2017714'] Another Deal with Barrie and the folks at bassgear.... *ashamed* could not be happier [/quote] Good news Pierre

Haven't heard this for ages. I also have the original 12" - must dig it out

These are the ones I use and I usually buy them from this place. Never had a problem with Procells.

I saw one go for £750 through a retailer recently. Obviously a bit less privately as you don't get the credit card options and after sales backup etc.

Last Stingray I bought cost me £600 and it was immaculate. Rarely see them drop below £600 though.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1363603944' post='2014489'] Have to disagree with you there! ...But then if we all liked the same thing we'd be knee-deep in gay pixies... [/quote] Or Fenders

I was offered one of these for £800 and turned it down. It didn't even sound like a nice Fender

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1363594568' post='2014367'] Beauty is very much in the eye of the beholder I think. Fender is certainly iconic, but being iconic doesn't necessarily imbue greatness. Plenty of examples out there of icons that are not best in class but survive none the less. [/quote] Funnily enough I was at a gig not that long ago and someone was playing what looked like a 51 Relic Precision. Two guys standing behind me caught my interest when one of them when I heard one of them say "you know, people always say Leo got it right first time - well he didn't when it came to basses! What an ugly brute that guy is playing, hideous scratchplate and just about the ugliest headstock of all time!" I have to admit that when I took a good look at the bass I could see what he was saying. The early P bass headstocks just look 'wrong' to me somehow. They work on a small bodied design like a Telecaster guitar but look out of proportion on a bass. Absolutely agree on the pickguard too, again it just looks 'wrong' on any bass to me

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1363600441' post='2014424'] Plus, you'd feel like a gay pixie on acid if you actually gigged with one. [/quote] In that case I personally know 4 gay pixies - I must ask them about their acid supplier. I hadn't realised it was so plentiful!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1363557282' post='2014167'] Why do people think that kids only deserve crappily-made stuff, 'in case it's a five-minute wonder'? Self fulfilling, really. [/quote] Could just be that a got a 'Friday afternoon' bass but I'd been chatting to a young girl earlier the same day who had reached a point where she was either going to carry on with bass lessons (on a pretty nasty bass) or continue with ice skating lessons. Guess which one shed already chosen. . .

[quote name='Telebass' timestamp='1363552714' post='2014084'] Only to those who find this kind of thing 'nice looking'. Otherwise, the reverse is true. My personal view is that nothing built since 1957 is particularly good looking next to a P-bass. There's just no apparent form-follows-function, no matter the design intent. They just do not work for my eye. If you like 'em, etc etc, great, but don't go saying how BAD Fenders are because of it. Most of these won't be around in fifty years, and Fender will have knocked up its centenary. THAT'S class. Staying power due to pure excellence of original design. No other basses have this, and it's likely that few of us will live to see that change. Big claim? Sure. But probably valid. [/quote] I was trapped in a room with a '58 Fender recently and was physically sick, full-on projectile vomiting. I must ensure I never venture near to any instrument produced beyond 1957 ever again. . .

[quote name='Telebass' timestamp='1363551677' post='2014070'] If I were given one, I'd get rid of it, pronto. Horrible, ugly things. I don't care how they might sound or play, I could not look at it. Come to that, I'd have trouble being in the same room. Don't get me wrong, i'm not being negative for the sake of it. They just repel me. As do a good many other 'furniture' basses, it must be said. But, if pushed, I'd have to say that there's nowhere even faintly approaching £5000 of difference between any Ritter and a Mexican P-bass. There just isn't, period. And I know which I'd have, even if I had millions. And, to reiterate, I'm not jusrt talking Ritter here, but a myriad other so-called 'high-end' basses. They simply aren't. they are, in the main, just high-priced. [/quote] I had the huge misfortune of attempting to play a Mex Fender recently and was appalled at the quality control. Skunk stripe standing proud of the neck, fret ends slashing my fingers, really low pickup output, scratchy pots and a crackly jack socket. Designed as a 'starter bass' this was exactly the kind of thing to stop new young players from ever venturing back to bass playing