Lfalex v1.1

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1317879' date='Jul 27 2011, 01:34 AM']I absolutely love the many sensible answers in this thread. A year ago it would have been full of pseudo elitists spouting as many exotic sounding names as your keyboard could handle. Well done Basschat you are learning to think for yourselves.[/quote] But everyone (Mpingo) is (Paduak) arriving (Wenge) at (Ziricote) the (Afzelia) same (Zebrano) conclusion (Macassar Ebony) Is (Honduran Rosewood) this (Rock Maple) really (Walnut) the (Mahogany) result (Alder) of (Maple) independent (Ash) thought (Ovangkol) or (Basswood) the (Pau Ferro) result (Swamp Ash) of (Lacewood) a (Spalted Maple) change (Poplar) in (Cherry) consensus? And HJ, I revisited my Streamline after a long absence. To say it is annoying me (both ergonomically, tonally and in other respects) would be an understatement. I was looking forward to it, too. Seriously, I could've reduced it to splinters, so I went back to my [insert deeply unfashionable German Manufacturer, known for a feud with Status] Fortress, and all was well again. And it had a B string, too.

Bienvenue a Basschat. I, too like Kyuss (and Sheavy, Fu Manchu, etc.) Best "nasty" tone I ever got was by using a Wah pedal as a filter- Set it and don't move it! Used before an Overdrive Pedal, it can sound utterly huge. Apparently Frank Zappa used a Wah pedal like this, too...

[quote name='Dread Bass' post='1314552' date='Jul 24 2011, 10:53 AM']I have a Fortress Masterman and i would not dream of changing anything on it. It is the perfect bass for cutting through metal guitars, especially when using a death metal "clacking" sound like Blood Red Throne. However if the pickup upgrade works for you then great. I find the fortress one of the best balancing and comfortable basses to play.[/quote] But that's no regular pick-up. The MEC JJ is a [i]super[/i] pick-up. It's great in the Fortress MM5 I own, and it'll do more besides Death Metal. No coincidence that it's found in Infinity/Dolphin/Vampyre also...

[quote name='dood' post='1317624' date='Jul 26 2011, 08:53 PM']I like the White or the Green! That said, I kinda like the idea of a set of cabs in British Racing Green with a black grill and maybe chrome hardware. Then maybe an Aston Martin badge on the front! (Well, that or Austin Mini!!!!!!!)[/quote] Old Trace, here we come! They're (nearly) BRG with black grilles.

From what I can ascertain, it looks like an Ibanez EDB600, except it only has 5 controls (BMT, Pan & Vol). The newer EDB550 has only 4, but has J/J pick-ups rather than the soapbars. The '600 had soapbars in, but not Barts. They were Ibanez' own brand (though it did have a Bart-derived EQ, IIRC) The body may be either Luthite (plastic resin) or Wooden. Best way to work that out is to have a look inside the control cavity. If it's as smooth as a baby's behind, or has any casting marks, I'd bet on Luthite. Luthite is kind of yellowy-off-white, so if it has any buckle-rash or scratches, it'll show through. If the body has any "dents", then it's probably wooden, as Luthite "chips" away, a bit like flint! Either way, nice bass. If it doesn't have any cosmetic damage, well done for scoring a minter!

Welcome to BC!

[quote name='Marvin' post='1316190' date='Jul 25 2011, 08:16 PM']Why don't we get 4x10's stacked vertically? Probably because as consumers we are very conservative and would rather it looked nice rather than worked effectively.[/quote] Two more practical reasons spring to mind; 1) Lower centre-of-gravity 2) a "square" 4x10 arguably fits in a car boot better, in spite of it being harder to handle than a line array would be.

If I were doing one, I'd go for a Yamaha Attitude-style HB at the neck, P in the middle, and a JJ (coil tapped) at the bridge...

[quote name='leonshelley01' post='1313397' date='Jul 22 2011, 11:35 PM']So was I Killer Dwarfs supporting![/quote] And me...

[quote name='bubinga5' post='1313310' date='Jul 22 2011, 09:53 PM']i dont usually go for this. " oh i love the tone of this bassist" but ive got to say i love the tone from Juan Nelson on this album.. its deep and funky... i wonder what bass it is.... oh its a frickin awsome tune too.. smokin with this on is a great thing.. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ywLe0AukTo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ywLe0AukTo[/url] this is a great vid of Juan playing with Ben.. i like him very much... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2_f2YhSCOg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2_f2YhSCOg[/url][/quote] Yup. +1. Always liked Ben Harper. Excuse me mr. is even better.

Ahhh... Graffiti Yellow. It'd have to have black hardware and a b/w/b scratchplate, though. Edit- did I mention the matching headstock?

No. Never buy a mediocre bass because of its colour. OTOH, don't ignore a good bass because you don't like the colour. Just like a worn out shark, you can always get a re-fin.

I like the binding. I don't like the fact that the scratchplate doesn't match it. That neck heel is utterly awful for a through-neck bass. I don't mind Ricks [i]per se[/i] but I don't like the company's attitude to copies and the prices they charge /waiting times and all that business. Still wouldn't buy one. Certainly not for big money.

Errr... That ain't no Dingwall. Looks kind of Germanic in a Warwick sort of a way...

[quote name='tbonepete' post='1309341' date='Jul 19 2011, 04:43 PM']Hi, By Cleaner, I mean just that. Not the Stingray growl, grit ,grind, thud, clank,wool,etc. I'm after a more Hi Fi sound, such as the Fortress Masterman5. In hindsight the Stingray was a mistaken purchase, and I've never bonded with it's distinctive sound. I'm just trying to get another pickup/preamp to fit so that the ray doesnt spend most of the next nine years in the case. I use my Skyline 55 02 deluxe for everything at the moment, as it's my only other bass, and its lovely, if a little POLITE!. If any out there in Bass land has changed their Stingray pre/ pickup to get a different sound palette, please tell all, and why you did it, and if the results were good. Many thanks Pete[/quote] I've gone the other way. Sold my Stingray 5 fretless. It wasn't getting much use. Bought a Fortress MM5. I think I know what you're looking for. I don't think the MEC twinjazz will fit in the SR5 pick-up rout. To my eyes, it's too slim. (runs off to measure...) The TwinJazz is about 95mm x 44mm (long x wide) I don't have an SR5 to measure.... and it has lugs for the mounting screws whereas the SR5 has them built into the housing. That said, it's not impossible. Just consider that you'd not get much re-sale value on a modded SR5. Worse still, I'd wager that more than a little of the Fortresses appeal is due to its twin EQ and pan pot, which the modded SR5 would still lack. In short, sell the SR5 and buy another Fortress Masterman, if that's the sound you're after. I paid just over £500 for mine on this very forum. They're still around from time to time...

[quote name='TimR' post='1308789' date='Jul 19 2011, 08:59 AM']I've said it before and I'll say it again. Every originals band that is serious about it needs a manager and a producer, AND needs to listen to them. There's a lot of misguided talent out there, it's a shame.[/quote] Serious about being good- Don't need a manager/producer Serious about "making it" (whatever that is)- Yes you do. It is possible to be in a superb originals band and just do it because you enjoy it.

[quote name='Fat Rich' post='1308004' date='Jul 18 2011, 03:56 PM']Interesting stuff, Wikipedia says it doesn't sound like any tonewoods.... so how does it sound?[/quote] He-he. I wrote part of that! It sounds like the same sort of plastic/resin that they make ten-pin bowling balls out of. It's related, apparently. It's not especially heavy, nor super lightweight. It's heavy enough to counter-balance a slim Ibanez neck when mounted on a Jazz-esque EDB600 body. In terms of it not resonating at bass-frequencies, I'd say that it probably has a resonant frequency outside of the audioband. That would account for its lack of "obvious" character. On the other hand, it's sufficiently "stiff" that it doesn't damp any particular freqeuncies either! In real terms, it sounds like nothing, really. The pick-ups, Pre-amps, Strings (as stated previously) and neck all make a greater contribution to the tone. That may be good in some ways, but means the instrument might sound a bit bland to some. If you fitted a carbon fibre neck to one, it would sound decidedly devoid of character. If it had a phenolic fingerboard, even more so.

[quote name='dc2009' post='1307350' date='Jul 18 2011, 12:46 AM']That Tokai Talbo looks sweet as a nut - did they make any, and can you find any nowadays?[/quote] They can be had. At a price. Someone on here has one, but I can't recall who. Not exactly common, though. [useless snippet] "Talbo" is a contraction of [b]T[/b]okai [b]AL[/b]uminium [b]BO[/b]dy [/useless snippet] They did guitars, too. Prime_Bass - A Status neck for a 'Ray would be less than £500, inclusive of VAT and inclusive of drilling the headstock for/fitting tuners and attaching the neck/setting up. The necks alone used to be about £300, but may have increased in price. Someone (not the someone with the Talbo!) has an OLP MM3 with a Status neck on it that was supposed to be very good indeed...

[quote name='Johnston' post='1306969' date='Jul 17 2011, 07:26 PM']Don't put that vinyl sticky backed plastic on anything.[/quote] Not even a scratchplate? And, more generally speaking, Perspex basses I recall; Wesleys in varying shades. Ampeg Dan Armstrong Sandberg Plasma- is that the aforementioned model?

I currently own; Status Streamline - All Carbon Fibre. Vigier Passion s3 - Alder/Maple and a healthy dose of Carbon fibre (with no truss rod) Other basses inc a Fender with Graphite reinforced neck and all-wood basses. I have also owned a Luthite-bodied Ibanez EDB600. I've also played a Cutlass and a Peavey G-Bass (with a Moses neck IIRC) Without boring you with the all the details, it's fair to say that the determining factors in the sound of a bass could be summarised as follows. These are in a [i]vague[/i] order of importance, as many will find them to be in a slightly different order!!! Player/Technique Strings and string condition Pick-ups Electrics [b]Construction materials[/b] Construction method Hardware Notice I've got materials well down the list. Carbon fibre is used in Bass manufacture for the same reasons as it is used in Aerospace/Motorsport etc. It's light, strong, rigid, resistant to heat,cold and humidity and can be (certainly in woven form) manufactured in a function-specific manner. It's best musical attributes of evenness of tone and lack of deadspots are less important than its practical benefits of stability, rigidity and light weight. Don't get me wrong, it's all good, but it's not the be-all and end-all. The Status is a great bass, but not just because it's Carbon Fibre. The Vigier is phenomenal (and I've never seen, heard or played a duff one) but not just because it's got carbon fibre in the neck. The Fender is a nice bass, but as far as I can tell, the carbon fibre is just keeping the neck where the truss rod tells it to be. The Vigier and Streamline are a difficult pair- there are no conventional equivalents. Status don't make a wooden Streamline as a basis for comparison. Same for the Vigier. There's no "regular" model. The Peavey I played was a m*nger. End of. Sonically drab and the neck profile wasn't very nice- and I don't often bother that much with neck profiles. Not so the Cutlass. That was like a Stingray (which it is) on Steroids. It was an Ash-bodied 2EQ with an original Cutlass Neck. It just made it that bit "better". Like a Modulus Flea, in fact. So carbon fibre can help. The best basis for comparison would be a before/after test of the same bass that's had it's original neck replaced with a carbon fibre one (Status do them for Jazz, Precision, Stingray4 and 5) Down sides? It can sound cold and clinical. Not as warm as wood. This is not aided by the fact that nearly all Carbon necks have phenolic/phenowood/ebanol fretboards attached. Wood (Ebony!) would be amazing, but as the two materials expand at different rates and respond so differently to humidity, it's not a happy marriage. Last of all, the Ibanez EDB600. It wasn't alone, either. There's an EDA,EDB and EDC variant (all no longer produced) They had luthite bodies (some Corts still do) Wooden necks, though. The two EDBs I've played (owned one, but it broke ) They're very good. Really even, smooth sound, but with a real depth of tone to it. Definitely at it's best with good strings, DRs in this case. Don't expect miracles from the synthetic/composite materials. They're generally very neutral and even sounding, and above all, consistent.

Kahler 2400 Bridge! Don't see many of those around! Nice bass!

Good question! And permit me to direct you to this gem; [url="http://www.liutaiomottola.com/myth/perception.htm"]http://www.liutaiomottola.com/myth/perception.htm[/url] Makes for good reading about "tension/compliance". Others here have posted it before, and the consensus seems to be that it's accurate enough.

I have three. All German. All excellent. 1 was bought new and is a good bass. I was bought new and was £540 less than list at the same time that The Bass Centre (II) had it up for £990 [i]above[/i] list price. Don't ask me how that works! The final one was purchased secondhand on here and is superb, as someone else has spent 14years playing it in for me! Second hand. All the way. There are some super basses to be had at crazy prices due their being grossly unfashionable at the moment.