Dingus

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1371158043' post='2110765'] This is an interesting article.......... [url="http://planetbotch.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/vintage-guitars-prices-set-to-crash.html"]http://planetbotch.b...t-to-crash.html[/url] [/quote] This might cheer you up a bit . I saw these at Andy Baxters the other day and i they look remarkably similar to your beautiful early Seventies Jazz Bass you showed us : [url="http://www.andybaxterbass.com/details.php?id=228"]http://www.andybaxte...ails.php?id=228[/url] [url="http://www.andybaxterbass.com/details.php?id=402"]http://www.andybaxte...ails.php?id=402[/url] Looks like you have made a good investment there , regardless of how the market goes , and good luck to you .

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1371144650' post='2110515'] Ah, of course. I'm aware that they still do a number of double P pickup pointy basses. Of the current ones, the Mockingbird is the least "odd" one I suppose. I think I could almost see myself playing one of those. Will have a look around for the Eagle's. I guess they are US-made and expensive ?? [/quote] What you really want is an original U.S - made one from before the mid - 1980's when B.C Rich started to go downhill and focus more on licensing cheaper versions of their original designs . They were things of rare beauty , and they sounded great , too .

It's certainly not just Fenders . I've been looking at the weights of all kinds of boutique Jazz basses and they do tend towards being significantly heavier , on the whole .

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1371142408' post='2110470'] Nice pup or puppy thread [/quote] Looks like I might have started a trend here .

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1371136458' post='2110342'] I think the Roscoe Becks may be worth a risk... They get excellent reviews, there aren't too many around and they are no longer made, they can be bought very reasonably now. In twenty years time? Hmmmmm... [/quote] I think you are right on this , and the four string ones were made in even fewer numbers and so might be even more collectable . It helps that they were and are great basses .

[quote name='iiipopes' timestamp='1371137092' post='2110364'] And back on topic, the lower offset bout of a Jazz bass makes the body larger, originally to do two things: 1) more comfort when sitting down to play and 2) offset neck dive from the weight of the old "elephant ear" tuners. But it also depends on the density of the body wood. All basses made by Fender using "northern" ash instead of "swamp" ash will be more dense and heavy. A Jazz bass I used to own that was made out of swamp ash was actually lighter than some Precision basses I have played. It was a fine piece of ash. [/quote] I thought that might be the case , but I didn't know the offset body was to counteract neck dive , so thanks for that . The basses I have been looking at are all alder , but I know Northern Ash like Fender and Music Man used in the 1970's and EBMM use nowadays tends to be very heavy . I also know swamp ash can vary greatly in weight , between exceptionally light and just as heavy as Northern ash . I've noticed that even on the pre- CBS Fenders with alder bodies , the Precisions often weigh in just over 8 pounds whereas the Jazz Basses are usually closer to nine pounds or more .

[quote name='megallica' timestamp='1371136957' post='2110357'] I'll have a D please Carol and another [/quote] Yes .

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1371136069' post='2110336'] She must surely have had, er... surgical assistance? I don't remember her tumblers being that hefty. [/quote] I consider myself a bit of an authority on these things , and they look 100% natural to me . I would , of course , have to investigate further to swear to it in court , but on this evidence alone , I think they are real .

I have met Carol a couple of times and had no inkling that she was packing that kind of heat . Maybe now that she has lost her big bucks contract with Countdown she needs to use all her assets maximise her earning potential . Fine by me .

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1371134610' post='2110287'] Christ! I thought that pic had been photo-shopped ... [/quote] No , some man somewhere just the same as you or I really is that lucky .

[quote name='leroydiamond' timestamp='1371134659' post='2110290'] I could do with that kind of assistance in helping be get to grips with my personal finances [/quote] Let' s face it , there's plenty to get to grips with !

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1371134049' post='2110263'] More importantly, who is that is your avatar pic? There is more funk in a J, and funk has mass. It's one of the lesser known laws of physics. [/quote] I get a lot of questions about the avatar picture . It's this maths genius and personal finance expert : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqZ0ch2sHbY

Weight is a big issue for me nowadays when it comes to choosing basses , and looking at the stated weights of Jazz Bass- style instruments I have noticed that , very generally speaking , they tend to be heavier than Precision - style instruments . I have been looking at some Fender Custom Shop Jazz Basses on the internet and they uniformly weigh significantly more than the Custom Shop P Basses made out of the same body woods . Is this a recognised trend that I was previously unaware of ? The only explaination I can think of is that the offset body shape of the Jazz is in fact slightly bigger than the Precision , but to be honest , they look about the same overall size to me .

Great to hear that you have got John Etheridge booked . Saw him playing with Stephane Grappelli many years ago , and subsequently have seen him do a solo gig . Amazing guitarist up there with the very best and a lovely bloke . Wish you the best of luck with the whole enterprise .

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1371120845' post='2110015'] Lot of time for the P/P format, this one is mine: [/quote] If this is the real deal rather than an NJ ( which I expect are still pretty nice ) then I am deeply impressed . I spent many hours looking at these when I was growing up , and for bass players in the late 70's / early 80's they were one of the ultimate fantasy instruments . The only one I have ever played originally belonged to Geezer Butler and must have been the one I saw him playing with Sabbath in 1980 , and I was struck by how chunky the neck was on that one . Bernard Edwards had one , too . Even NASA can't work out what all the knobs and switches do on these . Tell us more .

[quote name='Enzo' timestamp='1371084444' post='2109733'] How do you know he's using a Custom Shop? I know he's not using his '77 all the time but where did you get the CS info? I've seen him using one with his signature on the headstock, like an off the shelf model, although probably upgraded. [/quote] I think Marcus has a few Custom Shop basses , but I know for certain that he has at least one because I remember reading how the Fender Custom Shop had to go to great lengths to find exactly the same preamp as is in his original bass . His famous 1977 Jazz has got a very early Bartolini preamp in it that Roger Sadowsky fitted in the late Seventies / early Eighties , and they had to track one down of the very same vintage to accurately reproduce the sound of his main bass . I expect he has got a few regular production models of his signature bass too , and I sure he sounds just like Marcus on all of them .

If no one has any to offer you , haveyou thought of getting a cheap offcut of wood the right colour and making the neccesarry dust yourself ?

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1371072297' post='2109594'] But a bass as an investment only realises its potential when you sell it. Until then its just a bass. And if you can't sell it for more than you paid for it taking into account inflation, then it's not an investment at all. [/quote] Most investments only realise their full potential when you liquidate them them . A bass isn't really any different , it just doesn't pay interest or dividends in the meantime . Even if you can't sell it for more than you paid for it in real terms , it's still an investment of sorts . The definition of an investment is not neccesarilly something which must return a profit . Limiting your losses is an established business strategy. A bass is an asset that has a limited deprciation , and that can be a good option . Spend two grand on computer equipment or consumer electronics of some kind and two grand on a bass and see what you can get back out of each of them in ten years .

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1371063851' post='2109439'] Eden is the maker, David is the product line, because they were competing with SWR's Goliath range. So they're Eden David cabs. [/quote] The man that designed them was called David , too , but his last name wasn't Eden .

On the wider subject of basses as investments , at least you do get some return on your money if you put your cash into decent quality gear . If your hobby is computers or hifi or going to lapdancing clubs , on the whole you will never see a penny back on the money you spend , but if you spend one or two thousand quid on a bass , if you look after it then in most circumstances you can get back a big chunk of that even after several years .

I would contend that you are actually far more likely to have your amp fail on you than most basses , but very few non - pros have a back -up amp .

Regarding the tonal imbalance between the P and J on a typical PJ bass , it is an inherent problem , and a pet hate of mine , but some designs deal with it far better than others . Unfortunately , the ones that deal with it best tend to be pretty expensive . Two that spring to mind are the USA - made Lakland Bob Glaub PJ and the Yamaha 2024/25 Super BB's . The Lakland uses a specially designed for that particular PJ model linear humbucker in the Jazz position that seems pretty even in relation to the P pickup , and the J - style pickup on the Yamaha is so beefy it would match any Precision pickup .

Lee Sklar plays a double P most of the time : So does James Lomenzo :

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1371052161' post='2109184'] I generally just have a shot of washing-up liquid and bang my head on a table. [/quote] That'll work , too .

If you look around a bit more , there are loads of PJ basses on the market of one description or another . If you mean vaguely Fenderish - style basses , take a look at the Yamaha BB basses , or the ESP LTD ( or indeed ESP made in Japan ) Vintage Series , or higher up the price scale Sandberg , Sadowsky and Lakland do cracking PJ'S . For more modern styles of bass , look at some of the Warwicks and Spectors , or Pedulla , to name but a few .