JapanAxe

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but Frank Zappa and Steve Vai did this on 'The Dangerous Kitchen' and 'The Jazz Discharge Party Hats' (both on the album The Man From Utopia).

This thread needs more pics!

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1466942846' post='3079850'] I got a set of imperial and metric Allen keys from B&Q for about £8. [/quote] So did I!

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1465061970' post='3065068'] I am struggling to not comment........... [/quote] I also brought it in from the car at a party band rehearsal, after 2 songs' worth of hideous non-tone from the rehearsal studio's Peavey (Max 115?) combo. Nice but not loud enough, unsurprisingly.

[quote name='dodgnofski' timestamp='1466618069' post='3077317'] Is it possible to obtain a deep, warm, rich bass tone, only at low volumes and obviously not in a gigging environment - but just for home and studio use?? [/quote] Yes it is. See [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/282383-just-ridiculous/page__p__3065068__hl__ridiculous__fromsearch__1#entry3065068"]here[/url].

The trouble with setting your bass control high is that it only boosts notes low down on your bass. As you have discovered, this does not help when you venture up the neck. Mids are your friends! Rather than boosting any particular frequencies, knock your bass control back a bit (say 10-11 o'clock) and raise your overall volume - see how that sounds.

Good call! I've been there too, several times - go out thinking you want a particular thing, come home with a Precision!

That Tone Butcher - does it really need to be so big?

I have a Midget and a Compact. The Compact is my 'big' cab - I only take it if the Midget won't be enough!

I've always thought Teles were a good fit if you came to guitar from the strummy acoustic send of things - you can certainly play a Tele like that, but I couldn't say the same for humbucker-loaded Gibsons or their clones.

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1466677748' post='3077788'] What pickups do they use in these? [/quote] [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1466678089' post='3077792'] The spec on the Fender site says 'Vintage Split Single-Coil Precision Bass', so your guess is as good as mine. [/quote] Yet another bass I was leching at before Karl put the CAR Japanese P up for sale. The ad described the pickup as US Vintage - could well be the same unit, as mine too is somewhat lower in output. If anyone has in-depth knowledge of CIJ bass pickups, please weigh in - without derailing the thread of course!

I may be stating the obvious but the way the bass balances also has a big impact on the perceived weight.

Well I never! I was eyeing up that '57 AVRI but I much prefer solid colours to sunbursts so it looks like Karl's mate did us a favour.

I have the DM2W for guitar. It's like 2 pedals in one, aDM2 (or 3), plus a Carbon Copy Bright (but no modulation of course).

I can now reveal that it was I, yes I, who bought Karlfer's Japanese '57 Precision in Candy Apple Red. And for the first time ever, I bought a bass unseen. But why? OK, reasons first: 1. It's a Precision. I like Precisions and they seem to like me. Three times I have gone out to buy a Jazz, and three times I have come home with a Precision. 2. It's a 50s model, albeit a reissue. I have an original '73 and a RI '62, so it seemed the sensible thing to do. 3. I used to own a CIJ '62 RI in Fiesta Red but I sold it when I got my Sandberg VM4 (another Precision basically, and in a shade not a million miles from CAR), and it's the only bass I have really regretted selling. 4. Just look at it! Candy Apple Red , anodised plate . 5. Plus I'd just sold my 5-er (bet loads of 5-string-only gigs come in now) and I had a pocket full of £50 notes. Bwahahaha... So what's it like? As received, like this (although I immediately removed the covers): Finish: Even more luscious in the flesh than in a photo, notwithstanding 10+ years of honest, light wear. Frets in very good nick. Neck: Very comfortable indeed, and much as I remember my CIJ '62 RI being (although that had a rosewood 'board). Tuners: A little bit of backlash maybe, but not a problem if you tune up to the note (as I always do). Weight/balance (before anyone asks): Karlfer had this down as 8lb14oz iirc, but I haven't weighed it properly yet. Hangs well on the strap anyway. Sound: see Strings Playability: see Strings Strings: Came fitted with some flats that could have been a number of things, but weren't Chromes (my first choice). Sounded good as it was, but maybe a little light on output compared to my other Ps. I think this was partly down to the pickups sitting somewhat low in the body. I tried to raise them, but there wasn't enough foam behind them to push them up. I had a set of LaBellas bought nearly-new from BC, so I tried them - stiff or what, they felt almost rigid! Then I dug out a new pack of D'Addario half-rounds. Much better combination of sound and playability. I had a gig Saturday night and used the '57 RI for the first set of swing, and the '62 RI for the second set of pop. The '62 sounded and felt much more grown-up and was way more forward in the mids. Also I got somewhat irritated by the rough feel of the half-rounds. Not there yet then. I had a rehearsal last night, and I found time to remove the half-rounds, pad up the pickup with some more foam, fit the 8-month-old Chromes from my '62 RI, and tweak to taste. At home it sounded better already, but on the rehearsal (through a Streamliner 900 into a BF Midget) it really shone - lots of phatness and growl when needed, and a smile on my face. So in the end I was happy with my purchase. I'm amazed at the difference the strings made though...

Try this link on the EU's official website Europa: http://europa.eu/eu-life/index_de.htm - there are links on import/export and tax/customs.

I don't really have a strong preference one way or the other, as you can tell from my signature.

Mi hijo vive en Madrid. Él toca el bajo eléctrico: https://www.facebook.com/The-Blues-Culprits-799437836753981/

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1466436372' post='3075793'] Nice Matchless! [/quote] Cheers! My gigging amp for 7 years. Despite being 'only' 15 watts, it's always been loud enough.