Maude

The above wasn't meant to look smug by the way, reading it back does look a bit that way.

It's taken a long time get here but I'm finally in a place where I have everything I want from my set ups. Band 1, My bass gives me exactly what I want/need from it and after a refinish looks perfect, my effects are sorted, amp does everything I want it too. Band 2, My Double bass plays/sounds/looks lovely, my pre-amp and amp just work together like a dream to give me what I need/want. I'm happy with it all, my bands are happy with it all .................... so why is browsing various sites on the web for gear an almost daily occurrence?

It seems to me that as your wife is the one insisting on using a DB then it's her that needs to move aside to make room for it. It would be a lot cheaper putting a seat up on the roof rack for her than buying a waterproof DB case for up there! Sorry. It don't know if you can get a fully waterproof case but if you can it will be expensive, and possible extremes of temperature may be an issue.

[quote name='Mr Anthony' timestamp='1394384414' post='2390863'] That looks absolutely great! Nice one. Much better than how it looked before What did you use to paint it, if you don't mind me asking? [/quote] It's 2K acrylic car paint which is pretty much the same as the poly finishes on most basses but not as thick/dense. Automotive paints have pretty much been the same as guitar finishes through time. Early on it was nitro cellulose lacquer, the car industry called it cellulose, the guitar industry calls it nitro (cos we all want to be Americans ) , then it went to acrylics, polyesters and polyurethanes which are all very similar. The very old Fender custom colours were actually car paints apparently, which would have been cellulose back then. I'm sure I read somewhere that PRS use DuPont car lacquers for their guitars. It's quick drying and tough as hell compared to "nitro" which doesn't have all the properties I've heard folks claim. Oh yeah, and polishes up a treat .

[quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1394310700' post='2390244'] Good work, tis a lovely looking tool. [/quote] Thank you . The build diary is here if anyone's interested .................... http://basschat.co.uk/topic/227483-variax-make-over/

Oh and thanks Dad . It amuses me that Line 6 went all the trouble of doing the electrics and forgot about the styling .

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1394297645' post='2390040'] Looks awesome. Like, REALLY awesome. Just out of curiosity, is there a reason why you didn't bind the F-hole too? [/quote] Thanks, I did do the 'binding' round the 'f' hole but it didn't look right. With the edges of the hole the same colour as the body you see the 3D shape of the cutout against the dark (shadowed) background, when the edges were black they merged into the shadowed interior make it look a bit 2D, like a sticker. The way it is now accentuates the effect of having an actual cavity.

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1394295448' post='2390009'] That looks lovely! [/quote] Thanks, I'm very pleased with the way it's turned out. You have these ideas in your head but never know for sure until it's done wether it'll work or not, personally I think it's loads better. I'm thinking about some black nylon tapewound strings, as well as sounding lovely (I have some on my fretless P) I think they'll look superb with the new colour scheme.

It's not finished yet, just the heastock to decal and lacquer but as the 'white bass' thread is at the top of the page, why not add to it . Here's my Variax which started out black but I really never liked the style of it but loved the versatility of it, so refinished it with a smattering of Fender Tele Thinline influences. [URL=http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/080320141556_zps375e4924.jpg.html][IMG]http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/Maudebass/080320141556_zps375e4924.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/080320141554_zpsf4fe8ab4.jpg.html][IMG]http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/Maudebass/080320141554_zpsf4fe8ab4.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/080320141550_zps5c268901.jpg.html][IMG]http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/Maudebass/080320141550_zps5c268901.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I like threads like this, you go down through all the pictures and it's like, 'that's good, and that's good' and it really is good, but then you scroll to the last picture and 'holy sh*t that looks good'. Love it .

I got a bit delayed on this one, been a bit busy lately but this week I found the time to finish off the body and rebuild it. Just waiting for our drummer to do the logo for the headstock as he has the stuff to print waterslide decals. As it's a Variax which has been restyled with strong influences from a Telecaster thinline I've renamed her a 'Varicaster' . I've put the faux binding around the edges and lacquered it all in and given it a damn good polish, which I kind of hate because every single finger smear shows, at least it's not a dark colour . I've also painted inside the 'f' hole bronze which will be lacquered as well and the headstock logo will be highlighted in the same bronze just carry it through. The Tele bridge cover will be fitted once strung up so it can be perfectly aligned along the string. Here's a few piccies to show off that shine. [URL=http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/080320141549_zpsc661678f.jpg.html][IMG]http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/Maudebass/080320141549_zpsc661678f.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/080320141550_zps5c268901.jpg.html][IMG]http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/Maudebass/080320141550_zps5c268901.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/080320141551_zpsdb533f32.jpg.html][IMG]http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/Maudebass/080320141551_zpsdb533f32.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/080320141552_zpsf6396693.jpg.html][IMG]http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/Maudebass/080320141552_zpsf6396693.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/080320141553_zpsf64b8291.jpg.html][IMG]http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/Maudebass/080320141553_zpsf64b8291.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/080320141554_zpsf4fe8ab4.jpg.html][IMG]http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/Maudebass/080320141554_zpsf4fe8ab4.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/080320141555_zps595362ee.jpg.html][IMG]http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/Maudebass/080320141555_zps595362ee.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Maudebass/media/080320141556_zps375e4924.jpg.html][IMG]http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t49/Maudebass/080320141556_zps375e4924.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Sidestepping the bickering for a moment , @ the OP, I assume the band uses a PA, another option would be to run into the PA and just use a smaller amp as a monitor. This is what I do, I use a Line6 X3 Live and run an output to the PA and an output to my amp, I only use an Ashdown Perfect10 Minirig which is a 60w head into two 10" cabs. When playing gigs this works well as you can turn up or down the Ashdown to hear yourself but it won't change the sound out the front which is through the PA. At rehearsals I can hear perfectly well running the amp at half volume competing with two guitarists, one using a Rickenbacker and Jam fetish so loud and 'spiky', and a very hard hitting drummer. If your amp, or one you get, doesn't have a DI output then a Behringer BDI21 will do the job very well for around £25/£30. It's just an option and will save you a lot of money on expensive amps, but where's the fun in not buying big amps eh?

Or the intro to this, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbIhw_36vNA Sounds awful on it's own but in the mix sounds great, a great example of what works at home doesn't always work in the band

Flea plays with a very low buzzy action which adds character to his sound. Lots of isolated bass tracks on youtube, eg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoeLpv8-l1I

I don't want any different pick materials, the reason I use a pick on some songs is to get an aggressive punky sound so don't want felt or leather, I'm happy with my trusty old Dunlop 1mm nylon picks . The Fender nylon tapes I have on the fretless have a sound a bit like old rounds (which I like) but feel lovely to play, a half way house between flats and rounds if you like. This is why I'd like to put them on my main gigging bass, I want the same sound as the old dead rounds but with the lovely feel of nylon tapes. Now all this talk of leather and nylon is starting to make me come over all unnecessary . Thanks guy.

Well that's a good enough reason not to do it! :-) Thanks guys, I had visions of the tape splitting and leaving rough edges to play.

Just had a thought and it might be silly but how do nylon tapewound strings hold up with plectrum use. I have Fender tapes on my fretless and was considering using some on my main gigging bass as I really like them, I mainly play with my fingers but do use a plectrum on some songs. Just wondered if a hard plectrum would damage the tape wrap or not. Any experience peeps?

I eat my peas with honey, I've done it all my life, It makes my peas taste funny, But keeps 'em on my knife.

I'm excited for you, it's a great day when that big box arrives

Which order do they sound best in ?

Not used a pedal but the acoustic setting on my Variax is pretty good, captures that hollow sort of rattly sound without being unpleasant, it's meant to sound like a Tacoma Thunderchief but who knows. The Doublebass setting sounds kind of DB-esque but not being fretless cannot emulate the nuances of a real DB, sounds alright in a band situation though, if we rattle through Lovecats it's passable. In short I would use the Variax instead of an acoustic guitar at a jam night if that sound was needed but wouldn't attempt to use it for a DB gig.

I use a Perfect Ten mini rig and can plug a piezo (J tone) straight in with no pre amp and it sounds good. I use a BBE Acoustimax pre amp when going to the PA and when I was fiddling with it to get the sound I liked I realised it was exactly the same sound as just plugging the bass straight into the Ashdown, bass, mid and treble set to centre and the deep switch off gets a very nice clean representation of the acoustic bass, so plenty left to adjust tone to your liking.

I use these, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jim-Dunlop-electric-acoustic-properly/dp/B002905YTQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393371292&sr=8-1&keywords=dunlop+strap+locks Have done for as long as I can remember. And my stupid stage antics include holding the bass upright by the neck while playing it away from my body in a true rock cliche style, even with a slack strap slot on the top horn end the strap's never come off.

My black Yammy BBG5s has all gold hardware which is just tarnishing slightly and it looks awesome, any other colour just wouldn't look 'right' .

What I've always loved with The Cure is that they put amazing songs on B sides, most bands just chucked any old rubbish on there to fill the space but a lot of The Cures B sides could easily have been Singles. 'I'm Cold' is a favourite, and is there a happier song than 'Throw your foot away'? And people call them a miserable band, pah!