Dingus

Well , generally speaking it's easier to find light Precisions than light Jazz Basses, by virtue of the fact that the offset body shape of the Jazz is a bit bigger. Typical weights for Precisions vary greatly, obviously, mainly depending on the body woods used . A good weight for an alder bodied Precision is around the 8 1/2 pound mark. A lot of the 1960's- era Fender Precisions weigh in around that mark , as do a fair few of the current American Standards. Swamp Ash bodies can be even lighter than that, whereas Northern Ash and White Ash bodies can be very much heavier . The heaviest Fenders generally tend to be from the mid to late 1970's and even into the early 1980's. Anything under 8 pounds will feel exceptionally light, and anything much over 9 pounds will start to feel fairly heavy to most people .

Bruce Thomas - what a player! I know that in the early days Bruce used heavy gauge roundwounds and played very hard.

[quote name='thodrik' timestamp='1386416199' post='2299820'] I would happily buy a Fender over a 'boutique' bass if I found one that I really liked which played as well as a more expensive bass. The trick is actually finding the Fender that is 'the one' to you. If the OP finds a Fender, or any instrument at whatever price point that they really like, why not choose it over a more expensive custom job? The best advice is to go out and try as many basses as you can and see if what you like the best. [/quote] If you get a decent Fender worked on by a good luthier and finished off properly in terms of the fretting and nut ect , it really can play as well as a boutique bass.

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1386380683' post='2299629'] This may be a case of 'well you would say that wouldn't you' but I've just got home from a gig where I played one of my Ritter Coras. I can honestly say that I have more fun with this bass than any I've ever owned, my playing is way better than on anything else and I've never had so many compliments about my sound. It's a pretty expensive bass but, for me, it's in a totally different league to my '63 Fender J (which in itself is a great bass). The only hing that's come close to it was my '86 Fodera, which I also gigged regularly, but the Ritter feels even better to me. Just an absolute joy to play. In fact I love them so much I've just bought a Roya and ordered an R8. It is entirely possible that I may need to seek professional help. . . [/quote] I've never played a Ritter or even seen one in the flesh yet , but I expect they play and sound about as good as a bass possibly can . I suppose the choice between that bass and a Fender is dictated by what kind of a sound you favour at any given time . A lot of very high -end basses tend to sound very slick to me, for want of a better term, and myself personally I prefer a little bit more "grit" in my sound at the moment , and a good Fender or similar will give me that. There are, of course, lots of different great bass sounds to enjoy, and that very modern hi- fi tone is certainly one of them that I used myself for a long time . In fact, for a long time it was what I most aspired to , so trust me, I am not knocking it . Nowadays though, I am looking for a bit more of a " contemporary retro" ( hey, I just made that term up and I quite like it !) sound, and I am choosing my basses with that in mind. I used an active Jazz as my main bass for the best part of a decade, but being increasingly concious of how overused that sound has become , now I am avoiding that sound like the plague in favour of a more mid- Seventies Larry Graham -type vibe ( I hope) with my passive . Jazz Bass.

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1386405766' post='2299677'] Also, i didn't know the Tom Daley thread got locked......that is a surprise! [/quote] I would love to have seen what people said about that ( can't read it because I'm banned from Off Topic. Some people can't handle The Truth ). How could there be a ruck about Tom Daley? Young man who is good at swimming says he's happy in a relationship with a man...and so what? Even I can't see what there is to fall out about on that subject! Do some folks not believe him ? He looked pretty sure to me.

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1386365488' post='2299469'] Let me through, I'm a feminist!!! [/quote] Me too, but only because I look great in dungarees. What is ever so slightly risable about this article is that this woman is about thirty years behind the times with her angry, tight-lipped polemics about how life isn't fair for women . More astute socially - aware women realised a long time ago that life actually isn't fair for [i]anyone[/i], and stopped worrying too much about what men say and do in favour of worring more about what they themselves were going to do to makie the changes to their lives that they wanted to bring about . This kind of quasi-feminist diatribe belongs to 1973 far more than it does to 2013. This poor woman who has knocked up this article has done quite a good job at being entertaining and it is an enjoyable read - she has got us talking about it- so kudos to her for that, but if , as she seems to expect, she is seriously expecting people to get indignant and hot under the collar at such terrible social injustices as getting surly or patronising service in a guitar shop then she is a bit of a lost cause, despite her claimed credentials as a "feminist advocate". She may as well be advocating protesting against the Vietnam War, so out-of-date is her rhetoric. More accomplished spokeswomen in the feminist movement( if any such "movement" exists, which it doesn't) will tell you that one thing they [i]don't [/i]need to help their cause is people to go round looking for trivialities to get indignant about , because all that does is discredit them and undermine the serious issues . Unfortunately, it seems like this woman has got nothing but triviality to occupy her.

Those guys are favourite players of mine, too. I think most mainstream Precision pickups will give you that sound, including stock Fender ones that sound perfectly good to me. If you want a decidedly aggressive -sounding P pickup then Di Marzio's are usually a good bet, or the Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder. If you want to go a little off the beaten track then the Delano PMVC FE/M2 ( catchy name for a pickup) sounds great, as does the Hanson/Lakland Neopunch, both of which I can say sound very loud and chunky in a straight passive Precision Bass.

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1386357819' post='2299335'] I once asked a woman to help me get my car out of a difficult parking space she succeeded where I failed! [/quote] Ah , the old " can you help me get this car out of a difficult parking space" trick. Never fails . I think we all know what happened next .

To be honest with you, yes , yes, I know that some ( all) of those comments are potentially offensive to some people ( women , mainly) , but one or two of them would be rather funny in the right circumstances. If this woman ( who describes herself as a feminist advocate and community manager, so at least she got a real job then ) , really wants something to get worked up about for her next article, she should get in touch with me. If the mood takes me, I'll give enough material to keep her twitching until next Christmas .

[quote name='Dennis1971' timestamp='1386325011' post='2298706'] Driving myself mad, looking at basses in the 2nd hand section. I have a budget of about £500 and started looking at first in my local shop, limited in choice since it's mostly Fender/Squier. Didn't like the laquered necks on some of the squiers (classic and VM). Did like the Fender PBass American special but at £845 out of the budget. So maybe I should be looking 2nd hand, main problem and don't have experience with 80% of the makes/models so need some advice. I have had: Fender Jazz MIM (around 2000) - liked neck and playability but sound wise a bit bland Yamaha BB5 - played easy, didn't like 5 string did sound crisp but a bit clinical So my shopping list at the moment says, classic styled, 4 string, passive bass. Sound: I grew up with G'n R, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Live and now like about anything out there from Modern Country, Rock, Indie etc. But overall more classic bass sound Playing style: I am a finger style, no plectrum, no slappig kind a guy. Amp: The bass will be played through a Genz Benz contour 210 Any advice which basses to look out for that I might not consider..... Thanks Dennis [/quote] It's difficult to make an out-and-out recommendation when your net is being spread so wide, Dennis, but I would echo what other folks have said by and large. You have got a fairly respectable budget, so go out and try a decent Precision Bass, a decent Jazz Bass, and if you can fingd a Yamaha BB to check out then include that as well, and try and get a feeling for what you do and don't like and then take it from there. One word of caution would be that when it comes to Fender basses, there is[u][i] huge [/i][/u]variation in the neck profile and dimensions between one specific model and another, so an American Special Precision will have a neck that feels very different to an American Vintage Precision , for example. Just because you like the feel of one Precision or Jazz Bass it doesn't mean that you will like the feel of every single model that says Precision or Jazz on it , so try if at all possible to find out if you like the shape of the neck on any prospective purchase. Once you know what you like , then you can pick up some terriffic bargains from the classifieds on Basschat compared to shop prices , so it really is worth taking an interest in the For Sale section .

[quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1386352595' post='2299240'] The thing about having a bad day is being good enough to recognise it and do something about it. I make mistakes every night. Every single gig I play. Experience has taught me how to cover that and I bet most of you would never even know. [/quote] I often have good nights when I have felt rubbish all day and don't want to play, and bad nights when everything has been perfect up to that point. There really is no rhyme or reason to it. I am lucky in a certain respect in that a lot of the musicians who I played with when I was starting out were very good players , some of whom have gone on to be top working pros, and it is second nature to me to play with people who are hypercritical and not afraid to tell you when you are not good enough. The long-term benefit of that has been that I have quite often got higher standards that I expect myself to reach no matter what , regardless of what the other musicians in the band will settle for. A tight band is a tight band , and excuses count for nothing, as I'm sure you would agree , Dave. I think people often have very different goals when they start playing an instrument, too. Some people start playing because they want to be in a band, and some start playing because they want to learn how to play just for the sake of it, and then if they stick with it end up playing in a band ... just because that's what you're supposed to do !

I am not happy with my playing overall , but sometimes I am happy within the wider context of being unhappy, if that makes sense. The thing about playing an instrument is that you have good days and bad days, and it can be difficult to predict which you are going to have when , so you just have to learn to roll with it and take the rough with the smooth.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1386351276' post='2299212'] Was it a double-blind test? [/quote] No , but the fellow in the shop did wear glasses.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1386350951' post='2299207'] The amount of time you spend on here, I expect Satan himself is even now poring over your entire browsing history. BWA-HA-HA-HA! BWA-HA-HA-HA HAAAAAHHHHH!! *FX: Large Hall Reverb* [/quote] It only seems like I'm on here a lot. In reality I am devoting more and more time to my escort work as well as my numerous charities, and only occasionally break off from my clients needs to dispense sage advice out what to do if the pickup mounting screws have rusted on your Westone Spectrum , what colour underpants Jaco wore with Weather Report and why Wayne Rooney would be better employed as a bin man.

Contrary to some opinions people are expressing by implication , using better quality power cables can in certain instances make tangible improvements to the overall sound quality on some audio equipment, including bass amps and cabs. Have the people who are scheptical about the effects of cables actually listed to an A/B test and heard the difference? I have, and can attest to the fact that in a lot of cases better cables can bring out a pretty dramatic improvement in overall sound .

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1386320760' post='2298622'] Interesting to note that currently 109 members have voted on the crucial issue of power cables yet November's Composition Competition attracted only 26 votes in total. Thhhpp! Thpppp! Thhp! Thp! Having said that, I actually missed the voting deadline (due to life issues) so appreciate the hypocrisy of this post. [/quote] Composition competetition my arse! I never vote in any of these things. They can use your click to find out information about you and then sell it to Wonga.com and Rickenbacker. That's what I heard, anyway.

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1386344907' post='2299086'] Then it should also come with an instrument cable. The instrument cable is part of the amp. It's the part that connects it to the instrument. Oh, and a speaker lead if it's not a combo. The speaker cable is part of the amp, it's the part that connects it to the speaker. [/quote] Your reasoning is flawed here, my friend. The power cable is part of the amplifier because it does not work as a discreet unit without it . The instrument cable is related to the instrument , not the amplifier. Besides which, there are alternative ways of using the amp other than plugging an instrument into it with a cable, but the amp itself will not serve [i]any[/i] of the purposes it was intended for without a power cable. That is the fundamental difference. And if you bought the accompanying cabinet, the speaker lead should be included unless otherwise stated.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1386281634' post='2298369'] What do you mean, goes in your ear..? That's not where I've been told to shove it (...and more than once..!). Definitely uncomfortable, though. [/quote] Ah , my mistake. Just another reason why when it comes to vintage gear you really do need to know your arse from your elbow or you can end up in serious trouble! In that case , it must be the AC100 suppository kit like McCartney used with a 2x15 cab. It was a big part of how he got that sound with his Rickenbacker on "Dear Prudence".

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1386277473' post='2298280'] I wasn't supplied a mains lead when I bought my amp. Was I swindled..? [attachment=149923:Vox_Ampl.jpg] [/quote] Is that the classic old AC30 hearing aid , like they used to use back in the '60's? You can't beat the sound of valves. That bit that goes in your ear looks a bit sharp and uncomfortable, though.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1386276017' post='2298236'] Where to start . . . . . (we are having a laugh about all this aren't we - I don't want any falling out over a bloody mains lead! ) 1. The French DO use the same electricity as us - in fact they typically supply us with about 10% of our needs. But they just happen to be good Europeans and use the European mains connectors. I couldn't possibly comment on your other characterisations about the French. 2. You're right - amps ARE allowed to have detachable components . . . like instrument leads and loudspeakers for example. I look forward to those being included when you sell me an amp. 3. Don't start me on the sonic characteristics of mains leads, otherwise we probably will fall out! 4. Most modern amps have 'universal' PSUs, which is the [u]very reason[/u] why mains leads have become separate items over the years. It makes things easier and cheaper for manufacturers, so easy in fact that it's not unusual for products to be shipped with multiple mains leads - which is why I have boxes of European and US mains leads as well as spare UK ones. 5. Let the buyer beware? Yes! Don't assume an amp will be shipped with a mains lead - check! 6. All the above subject to (hopefully that'll be enough to avoid any offence). [/quote] The only way we are falling out is if you sell me an amp without a lead! ( I'm not French). The sonic properties of mains leads is a contentious issue, that is true, but amps with no mains lead all tend to sound very similar in use , i.e silent.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1386273753' post='2298197'] Er, quite easily. The power cable is demonstrably NOT part of the amp, that's why it's a physically separate item, in the same way that an instrument lead is not part of the amp either, but you won't get much out of the amp (more correctly 'into ) without one. Or a cab come to that. And the reason that the cable is not part of the amp is because different cables are required in different parts of the world. A UK mains lead is not going to impress anyone in France is it? Or vice versa. If you sold an amp to someone in France would you go to the trouble of buying a French mains lead for them or would you think it reasonable that they probably had a spare and if not could easily get one for a pittance? Talk about first world problems! [/quote] Firstly, French people's opinions don't count for much by virtue of the fact that we won two World Wars to save their useless cheese eating surrender monkey arses . They can either start using the same electricity as us or go acoustic , as far as I am concerned. My grandad didn't fight the Waffen SS in the bocage hedgerows of Normandy so his nearest and dearest had to worry if one of the local peasants could use their previously owned Genz Benz rig at the church hall without having to send off to Thomann for a cheap mains cable. The power cord [u][i]is [/i][/u]part of the amplifier. Are you saying that an amplifier isn't allowed to have detatchable componants? Where is that written in stone? Furthermore, it is a componant that, depending on its' construction and composition, can have a direct bearing on the sound quality of the amp. So what that different markets need different cables? They also need different output transformers, so you wouldn't sell an American a Euro voltage amp ( unless they wanted you to for some reason ) . Let the buyer beware, but it is not unreasonable for the buyer to assume that the appropriate means to access power will be included , surely?

They did indeed used to use some alder and poplar, but as far as I know they have all been ash for several years now, since around the turn of the Millenium. Alder was used mainly for the old Transparent Red finishes , and poplar for some opaque colours such as black , but the majority of Stingrays have always been ash, as far as I know. In terms of sound quality , you really can't go wrong with ash for a Stingray.

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1386263188' post='2297941'] A while back I bought a Korean Squier P off ebay for more risky gigs (festivals etc). The build quality isn't that great and the frets need some work but I actually prefer it to several of the boutiques I've had. As soon as I plugged it in it just sounded right and the neck is lovely. It cost me £130; I've spent 10 or 15 times that on basses I've liked a lot less and I prefer it to any Fodera I've ever played. [/quote] Thats fair enough, but I would make the point that you could just as easily have gelled with a similar bass that was a slightly more expensive, more upmarket model that needed less modification . It is folly to spend a great deal of money modding a cheap , poorer quality bass in most ( but cetainly not all) instances .

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1386260873' post='2297893'] A bass sold without strings..? After all, we all have spares, don't we..? Well don't we..? [/quote] Yes I have spare strings , and I would happily use them to strangle someone who sold me an amp without a bleedin' power lead !

Unequivocably, an amp should come with a power cable. How could it be argued otherwise ? The power cable is part of the amp. It's the part that connects it to the mains. I find that I get far more output from my amp when I use it in conjunction with electricity, and most other people probably find the same, so if I sold my amp I would include the mains cable it was supplied with . If I didn't have that mains cable, I would tell the buyer. .