Dingus

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1376731523' post='2178435'] Had a chat with Jimmy about all of this last night. Some 'interesting' stuff going on behind the scenes that didn't hit the public domain on TB. He's decided, wisely I think, to keep it, mostly, to himself. Needless to say it was some of this stuff that made him so angry and, I'm sure, lead to his public response. I'm not sure there's anything to be gained from stoking the fires any further either. One thing appears certain though, his dealers around the world haven't picked up any negative feedback from people with orders in the pipeline and there's been no reduction in demand. Could be early days of course. . . [/quote] Just like I said , there are two sides to every story , and Jimmy is an expert at building basses , not at public relations and making statements about unproven accusations . Trial by the internet mob in his abscence is no kind of justice at all . Not at all surprising then , that by the time JC responded on Talkbass he was perhaps a little bit angry and emotional . I am sure that a month from now all this will be forgotten , someone else will no doubt be singled out for self-righteous indignation from all and sundry , and AC will go on just as if it had never happened . I know for a fact that if Jimmy had a chat with Roger Sadowsky , Mica Wickersham at Alembic , or Rick Turner , to name just a few , they could all swap tales with him about similar disagreements and "issues "with customers . No doubt Jimmy will have learnt lessons from all this , as will the disgruntled buyer . One to chalk up to experience , I think .

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1376744718' post='2178590'] I don't know if you've heard CA but a lot of the songs feature the string section. Rush simply wanted to be able to play the songs live as they are on the record, not simply to 'inject some novelty'. It also gave them a chance to dig out a lot of older songs they haven't played in years - The Manhattan Project springs to mind. In fact the setlist for the CA tour is very different to the last few. Having followed Rush obsessively since the age of 14 I can honestly say with CA, and the CA tour, they have done considerably better than they have done in living memory. [/quote] If they didn't feature a string section on the other dates on the tour but they did for the shows filmed for the DVD then it is a novelty . I heard CA when it came out , and have absolutely no recollection of hearing a string section on it .I have no recollecttion of anything about that album except that the single , Headlong Flight , had bits that were reminiscent of "Bastille Day " , and that the rest of it sounded like the post - millenium Rush- by-numbers that , depressingly , I have come to expect . They keep turning to "hip" contemporary producers , but that can't compensate for the poor basic material they are creating , I am very sorry to say . Nick Raskulinecz was a particulaly poor choice .Those Foo Fighters records sound uniformly relentless and densely textured , an aesthetic that is the antithesis of the one Rush need to cultivate . I have been listening to and following Rush since the 1970's ( !) , and they will always be a special band , but , if they want to go any way towards recapturing former glories they need to start being brutally honest with themselves about the quality of what they are creating . They have fallen into the trap of becoming artistically lazy and relying on their reputation and their amazingly loyal fanbase to enable them to put out one substandard album after another . They should tighten up their game or call it a day , in my opinion .

[quote name='Mr Bassman' timestamp='1374082355' post='2145137'] Had a nice chat over the phone with Phil at Bassgear yesterday. I ordered a Neotech strap and it arrived today. Now that is good service! It's a great strap, makes my 75 Jazz seem like half the weight. [/quote] It's great that there is a shop doing hard- to- find bits and pieces like that . I had to send to the States to get one of those back in the days before Bass Gear , and they are indeed very useful straps .

[quote name='iceonaboy' timestamp='1376672238' post='2177859'] I couldnt agree less. Clockwork Angels is a great album, but then its all down to individual taste innit? [/quote] I suspect a lot depends on how old you are , as much as anything else . I remember when each album that Rush brought out was a eagerly -anticipated event , and the L.P's they delivered - Farewell To Kings , Hemispheres , Permanent Waves , Moving Pictures , Signals - lived up to the anticipation , and exceeded expectations . For me, that set the benchmark for what these three truly gifted musicians are capable of . If you enjoy their more recent work then that is great , but to my tastes they have been in decline as a band for the last thirty years . They've still got it in them to make a great album before they call it a day , though , of that I am sure . I just hope they realise it before it's too late .

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1376675049' post='2177930'] Try selling a high end graphite necked bass at the moment - they are really out of fashion. I wasn't at all surprised they had problems [/quote] You would have thought that the Flea association would have kept them going , but as I alluded to earlier in this thread , people aspiring to your basses doesn't earn you a penny as a builder . It's only the people who become customers and actually hand over their cash that make any real difference . Legions of teenage slap bass - playing Flea -wannabes who aspire to a Modulus as the ultimate obviously didn't translate into overwhelming sales figures for the brand as a whole .

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1376674474' post='2177908'] I'm curious as to why a "boutique" bass would play with less relief in the neck than any other. A vibrating string doesn't care how much you paid, the laws of physics remain the same. A bass with perfectly levelled frets will be playable with less relief and lower action than one without, but it's simple enough to achieve a good fret job and setup on almost any properly functioning bass. OK, only the higher end instruments come like that from the maker, and perhaps that's what you meant. I'd agree on the usefulness of a stable and stiff neck though. [/quote] All I mean is that , for whatever reason , if I sit down with a perfect example of an EBMM bass as it came from the factory and a fine example of a handmade , hand -finished custom bass then in practise I can set the neck straighter and the action lower . Regardless of what ought to be , in reality the EBMM basses usually require a fair amount of relief to play cleanly at the lower end of the neck and the action has to be set a certain height to avoid excessive fretbuzz for most players . Why that would be the case is probably due to a number of factors , including how perfect the fret job is , how the neck behaves under tension , how true the fingerboard is , the pitch of the neck and the amount of fallaway manufacured into the fingerboard , and probably a few more things besides . I agree that many factory -made guitars can be improved by some after -market care from a skilled luthier .

Just had a look . No doubt ardent Rush fans will snap this latest offering up , just like everything else they do , but to my sensibilities this business with adding a string section smacks of desperation to try and inject some novelty into procedings to try and sell a few more DVDs . The simple fact is that if you've seen them play Spirit Of Radio , you've seen them play Spirit Of Radio . The something really important missing from most of Rush's music for the last couple of decades , namely enough decent songs to make an album , and if I were them I would go away and have a serious think about whether it was really a fitting end to such a monumental band's career to become a prog rock cabaret show that does the circuit between sub-standard recordings . This is , after all , Rush . Could and should do better .

Alanbass1's '62 Precision Bass .

If you getting out there and enjoying playing some songs with a decent group of people , does it matter what era they are from ? There were so many great songs from that decade that I think it could be a blast playing them . I can see no reason whatsoever to reject this oppotunity out of hand because it's '60's music .

I would say that , in my experience of comparing them side by side , what you get by buying a good ( emphasis on [i]good [/i]) high quality , high -end bass over something like an EBMM , which I would class as a [u]very [/u]good quality factory- produced bass , is that a boutique bass will play with far less relief in the neck( if you want it that way ) , the action can be lower(if you want it that way ), and a quartersawn and reinforced neck will feel more solid and need less frequent adjustment . In terms of the overall quality of the sound , however , at what they do , I think EBMM basses can match many or even most bespoke basses .

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1376659720' post='2177533'] If that's Genz... that would be Fender then? [/quote] I suppose so , so that would make very little sense . I have heard very conflicting reports , but it seems that Modulus quietly went under just after New Year , and are currently on "hiatus "as a brand while it all gets sorted out ( or not , as the case may be ) . It just shows you what a tough business it can be at the moment . What [i]is [/i]actually happening at Modulus is a bit of a mystery at the moment , but they don't seem to be trading as usual at the moment .

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1376655486' post='2177418'] Or modulus this time [/quote] Modulus are not currently trading , from what I understand , although I've heard a rumour that Genz Benz might be buying the brand .

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1376641022' post='2177109'] Can you (would you) unbolt the neck from the body? If so you can easily slash the carriage costs, length of package being the killer when costing to the USA. [/quote] The bass is in its' dedicated fitted hardcase and cardboard packing carton , so by neccessity the package willl have to be full size , but thanks for the tip , my friend .

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1376638509' post='2177063'] Sympathies Dingus, I've just had a dose of the flu or something similar. Second day in, I thought I was on the way out . Still not properly recovered and have been left with a sinus infection, which is miserably painful. [/quote] Sorry to heat it . I hope you feel better soon . I am suffering badly today . It's like a hangover without the fun the night before . Women may go through the pain of childbirth , but could they withstand the relentless misery of man flu ? I doubt it . I have made that point to Mrs Dingus in the last couple of days. She seems unmoved .

No , fretless isn't fashionable again like it was in the 1980's when you would hear it on half a dozen or so of the tracks in the Top 40 at any given time , played with wildly varying degrees of taste and competance , I might add. That said , it might be having a mini-revival on the margins of the music world that I personally am not aware of .

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1376651412' post='2177315'] Just look at what's happening with disco right now. [/quote] Something's happening with disco ? Why wasn't I invited ? I am disco personified .

[quote name='Acebassmusic' timestamp='1376591761' post='2176623'] APC couriers? [/quote] [quote name='molan' timestamp='1376608762' post='2176932'] Parcelflight are good. I've used them for professional delivery and collection all over the world [url="http://www.parcelflight.co.uk/"]http://www.parcelflight.co.uk/[/url] Not sure if you need a business account but, if so, buzz me a PM and I'll see if I can help [/quote] Thanks for the suggestions , chaps , I will look into them in the morning . All the help is much appreciated . I've somehow managed to get the flu (!) in the middle of August and have still got to deal with all sorts of things such as shipping this bass and then also another one to somewhere the U.K ( thankfully now sorted ) that I have no inclination towards or energy for at the moment , so a heartfelt thanks to all !

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1376596091' post='2176698'] Well, I played it at band practice last night, and now I'm not so sure..... definitely sounds different, more full and rounded, and the D and G strings come through much better. I think I prefer the tightness and definition of the stainless strings though. The biggest issue is adjusting to the increased tension, I really don't know if I can cope with it. I'll gig them tomorrow and Saturday and see how I get on, maybe I'll get used to it. What a tit, I bought two packets as well! Anyone want a new pack of D'addario XL nickel wound .045"-.130"? [/quote] If you like the nickel , but find the tension too high on the XL 's , have you thought about trying a set of DR Sunbeams ? They are a fantastic-sounding nickel string with a very low- tension feel compared to your D'Addarios and they stay sounding good longer than any other string I have ever used . Even after they die off a bit they still sound good , and they don't go properly dead for absolutely ages . Well worth trying , despite the high price compared to most other strings .

Thanks Kevin , I will look into them this evening .

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1376586214' post='2176542'] The colour 's ok . Not sure about the bass tho' . (Sorry) [/quote] I've actually got a four string one of these and it's great . I can see how it wouldn't suit everybody , though , that's for sure . Unfortunately , mine's white , not Lamourghini Orange . This one was a one-off custon piece for Randy Jackson . Lucky Randy .

[quote name='Norm' timestamp='1376522729' post='2175609'] Mark bass stuff. It's the yellow. They sound good but they're yellowy. Tories. [/quote] I am with you on the Markbass being too yellow thing . A little bit of yellow would have been O.K , but they have been silly with it and lost my future custom as a result . That's what you get for showing off . The fact that they are Italian puts me off , too . Don't get me wrong , I am an avowed Italianophile and love the effortless style and sophistication that is synonymous with that great nation , but when I was a kid we has an Italian-made Zanussi fridge that decided to stop working on Christmas Eve , ruining the whole contents and leaving the poor young Dingus with no turkey and no trifle on that most festive of days . I have never really gotten over it , to be honest with you . Why would a bass amp be more reliable than a fridge ? You hear about problems with bass amps breaking down far more frequently than you hear about fridges stopping working . You can see why I would be cautious . And bitter . Above all though , I don't blame the Italians for all of this so much as I blame the Tories . I'm not exactly sure how , but I am sure those bastards will be responsible for this sorry state of affairs somewhere along the line .

[quote name='Moos3h' timestamp='1376584195' post='2176496'] www.interparcel.com - fantastic [/quote] Thanks for that , but, unfortunately , they only offer insurance up to £1000.

I need to ship a bass to the States in the very near future . I just rang Parcel Force and got told they can only send such a high -cost item Next Day Delivery and it will cost approximately £350 (!) , and even that is with insufficient insurance for the cost of the goods . Can anyone recommend me a reasonably priced and hopefully safe and reliable carrier to ship to the States with ? I need to insure the bass for about three grand plus , and a lot of the places offering cheap deals online won't offer any cover over £1000 . Any shared experiences or recommendations gratefully received .

[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1376562652' post='2175942'] This has been my thought all along; when the dust settles I can't help thinking that this will have served his business well without him having to have lifted a finger, or spent a cent. [/quote] I think folks might be surprise how little difference this little spat makes to AC's order book . A lot of the pontificating about how they would never trust Jimmy Coppollo with their money is by people who were never , ever going to order one any way ! That fact shouldn't be overlooked . It's a phenomena that workd both ways in terms of positive publicity , too . Part of the reason Jimmy Coppollo and Roger Sadowsky don't give basses away to big -name players is because they have found from experience that the kind of exposure doesn't neccesarilly directly equate to increased sales and more overall profit . You don't make any money from people dreaming about buying your basses . It's only the people who actually hand over their cash that really matter . Once a builder has a certain profile , it can even become much more of problem to keep up with demand rather than to court new customers .

Probably due to my conservartive upbringing and my instinctive good taste , I am much too sensible to have ever owned a bass in any of these ridiculous colours . However , that doesn't stop me from casting a sideways glace at them and wondering what it would be like to come home to the offbeat charms of one of these monstrocities . It's like looking at a Chav woman in the supermarket sporting gaudy makeup and offensive children and wondering what it would be like if you gave her a job as your cleaning lady and let her into your home . Would she steal from you and laugh all the way to Cash Converters , or would you end up giving her a special Dingus "Christmas bonus " one afternoon and run away together to start a new life on benefits in Luton ? Could I , Lord Dingus of Nowhere In Particular , really go out in public with a yellow bass ? Or a green one ? Or a woman who buys her clothes from a sports shop ? I've got a red bass , but even that is Fiesta Red , a classic Fender 1960's custom colour , and makes me look a bit like Hank Marvin with clinical depression . Basses in these strong colours are O.K as a novelty , but that would wear off very quickly , I suspect . I love this , though : Lamborghini Orange . I could live with that . It would go lovely with my brown chocolate cords I got from Gap , too .