uk_lefty

Updated family photo... P bass has gone, jazz has arrived. Aria needs a new pickup then she's good to gig!

Isn't mahogany an incredibly fast growing wood, making an abundant supply, which is why it became so popular for furniture many years ago? I would suggest watching the last series of Poldark as that is why my mahogany knowledge comes from, and stay away from any produced by the chap who becomes Poldark's nemesis in that series, he was a bad'un.

Well terrible photography conditions here, including the idiot holding the phone camera... Here's a 1984 Aria Pro II SB-Elite I giving a cheeky flash of flesh through the (used to be) pearl white paint. And some lovely wood grain visible through the butterscotch finish on my latest squeeze, a Fender MIJ 70s jazz reissue.

I have an RM500 with RM cabs as my gig rig and the practice room has an RM800 on top of ABM cabs which in true rehearsal rooms style have at least one knackered speaker. I find the amps identical with the exception that the RM800 is scientifically speaking a "f#ck ton" louder. I reckon the ABM cabs help a little with that. This doesn't mean the RM500 is a quiet amp. It most definitely is not. I've never had either amp farting when pushed or wimping out but then again I like my amp clean, not pushing the input too hard, and if I want drive I use a foots witch to bring in the drive setting or my fx pedal. I also have never ever had need to push the master volume over half, for gigs I'm usually only on about 30%

Love my Stingray... Its kicked my P Bass out of the collection, but can never replace a jazz (IMO)

As already said, maybe your specs in reality weren't what you expected in your head, or didn't all work together in the same bass? Either way, once it's gone and its replaced with something you do want then it will be a happy memory. My P Bass is. When I spent serious money on a bass 18m ago I wanted lack of choice. That sounds daft but I went in to Wunjos with a budget and bought the bass that sounded and felt right for my gigging needs, though I could have spent months online agonising over fretboard woods, etc. I don't regret the choice at all!

Right, Fender give me a job NOW!! Half asleep from teething baby this morning I thought what if.... Fender need to make a paranormal series bass where the body is TORT and the pickguard is sunburst. A P bass body with a single J pickup in a white pup cover in the P position and the crappy white plastic knobs they used in the 80s for a while, gold hardware, upside down headstock, fretless all maple neck, only available left handed. The most divisive instrument they can make. They can call it the "Furk You" bass.

I think if you'd left it red it would look like a cheap bass, but now there's a bit of mystique about it, keep going with the mods!

Me too!! Though I don't think I'd have much use for it I just like things that are a bit different!

From what I saw from a dealer last week, you never know what was going on in Fender Japan, there's always some surprises there!

I have a bit of a thing for 70s and 80s style basses and Japanese made. Shame I had to move on an MIJ bass to get it but it was the most sensible thing to do!

I think I've ruled myself out by buying a jazz bass yesterday. I know they're worlds apart but I'm trying to limit myself to 4 basses or less.

So some strange twist of fate happened last week. I had been toying with selling my MIJ 1970 P bass reissue because I have three single pickup basses and it was too good to not be played, but I think my Stingray knocks the P bass out. I had seen an MIJ Jazz, 1970s style, butterscotch finish and pearl blocks a while back. I thought they only did the 70s reissue in black... Anyhow I'm thinking of this bass so I email a dealer of Japanese guitars asking about lefty basses. Then I see the for sale forum here and Kevham is selling the exact bass I want! I message Kevham straight away. Then the dealer gets back to me saying he's got a 70s MIJ lefty jazz, but it's been modded and not very well and he still wants almost a grand for it. So I list my P Bass for sale on Facebook and it gets some interest but no bids so a few days later it goes on Reverb at an optimistic price and I get an acceptable offer within an hour! Kevham is a gent and great to deal with. So the Jazz. Its butterscotch which you can see the woodgrain through. The neck has a lovely vintage tint and thick cream binding. The blocks are stunning, not too shiny and colourful, quite creamy. I'm not sure the bridge pickup is actually in 70s position but that's OK. There's a three screw neck plate. The whole feel is solid, pure MIJ build quality. The pickguard is pre drilled for a thumb rest and neck pickup ashtray cover. I've only had a few minutes playing through a practice amp but it's familiar jazz bass sound in a luxurious body. Decisions coming up include to ashtray or not, and if so both or just one pickup? If I don't ashtray the bridge pup do I put my Badass bridge on it? Do I put flats on for some warmth or use bright zingy rounds to get the snappiness from the maple board? I'm a very happy left handed bassist.

I don't see the point when even the left handers come up quite often and at affordable prices considering the quality. I'd rather trawl ebay or the Facebook groups for a reasonable condition 2nd hand one, or as I did an absolute wreck that needs cash investing in it. I reckon my 1984 with a neck repair and a brand new replacement pickup will have cost less than this Eastwood. They should get back to making the lefty flying V bass I have no issues with that whatsoever!

I would love one of those!

Sires are awesome. Can't speak highly enough of how much you get for your money with the V7 range. I don't know much about the V3 but it won't be rubbish. It's the active preamp that really sets them apart. Mexican fenders and even the Chinese squires (really, Chinese made instruments can be excellent and these are) are all very good too. There's a lot of choice out there for you, and as already mentioned the Sire P7s. What pickup config do you want or what sound(s) are you after?

Thanks everyone, got it set up, left it to settle then next day had to give a minor tweak again but all resolved. Nice low action as I want it and the best playing neck I've ever had.

I had a German Warwick Streamer LX around 2007ish. Components, build, looks, all outstanding. Am sure you will be getting something similar in terms of feel. In terms of sound I struggled with the 2 band EQ at the time but I'd not had a bass of that quality or active EQ before, so it was most likely user error. I still can't get on with 2 band EQ but find 3 band really intuitive, so I am the problem! Gorgeous looking and feeling bass though, it's one I wish I'd persevered with, if anything just for the job of waxing it regularly.

Not sure if it's in the realms of what you want to do but Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds has time sig changes. Will follow this thread with interest because my drummer has his toys out the pram about having to play four on the floor all the time instead of just thinking about how he can make it more interesting for himself.

Exactly! I wanted a jazz bass because I had 3 single pup basses... I know how good Sire basses are and could do with a five string. I spent a few hundred more and bought a Japanese Fender J because... I did. I sound like my daughter when she's been caught doing something she knows is wrong.

Certainly a lot of praise for the mexican made fenders these days. Thing is if you're gigging somewhere you don't have control over sound or it's a quick setup you could be playing a Fodera, a knackered Ashton acoustic and later a Hofner, the audience might see the difference but if the sound man isn't bothered that day they'll just hear a low end mushy rumble. I went to a Marcus Miller masterclass and he was talking about the Sire basses. At the time the V7 was the "bottom" range and he was saying, I'll paraphrase, about the V9 and V10 range that all the details like flame tops etc doesn't make much difference to sound its for you to enjoy looking at the bass, holding it, inspire you to pick it up and play it. But he's happy playing his V7. I thought that was anti-marketing! Same principle applies across the board: get a good tool for job, and if you want bells and whistles the differences are for your enjoyment more than any conceivable difference to others.

Thank you! Made a very minor adjustment and tested, there is less string on fret rattle already. Going to leave it a bit, I should be working tbh, then do another minor adjustment... And so on until I get there. Thank you all for the advice and the patience with the "my left or your left?!" questions.

Holding down the first and last frets the strings are flat against the frets, so this a loosen job... I think?

Here's the problem so I've put a photo in...!! From Bass Cultures mail I need to loosen the rod. There is a wheel at the bottom of the fretboard. If holding the bass as I am in the picture though I've pulled my legs out of the way the headstock is resting against my chest, which way do I turn the wheel? My left (towards E string for me cos I'm a lefty) or my right? It's such a stupid question but the whole left and right handed perspective thing can get v confusing!!

Is there a whole thread we could do on existing Volvos?! My first car was a Volvo...