Lfalex v1.1

Some awesome handiwork on this thread. I'm particularly liking the way the grain is oriented on both the GSR and the (Fender/Squier?) Jazz... Here's an idea (or two) to steal; Lighter (coloured) veneers with coloured stains over "natural" bodies. Matching headstocks!!! Still awesome, even without those!

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1257584' date='Jun 5 2011, 06:48 PM']It used to be fairly straight forward. Short scale basses were 29½-30½", Medium scale was 32" and long scale was 34". Then came the extra long scale basses from makers like Overwater which were 36". However nowadays you can get basses with all sorts of different scale lengths. Birdsong basses are 31" and they class them as short scale. There's plenty of manufacturers making 35" scale instruments (usually with 5 strings) and there are at least a couple of BassChatters with 33" scale bass. And then there are companies like Knuckle Guitar Works who build 39.55" scale length instruments. These days I find it easier to ignore the old labels and simply refer to the actual measurement.[/quote] And then there's Rickenbacker....

[quote name='4 candles' post='1280216' date='Jun 23 2011, 09:43 PM']avoid women singers they are a f**king neusence![/quote] Without wshing to appear sexist.... Amen, bro! Advertise for a singer prepared to drive, lug gear (other than a Mic!) and (occasionally) sing... At least that way they'll be useful (?)

Yep. One and a half times. I regret not buying "that" Ken Smith BSR VI in the Wappng Bass Centre when I bought my Warwick Streamer LX VI instead. And I had the money, too... Moral of that story; Never take a money-grubbing (ex-) girlfriend with you when bass shopping. It was [i]only[/i] £2750 w/ a full flight case... And not buying one of the sister Yamaha Attitudes to my 10th Anniversary when I had the chance. I'd have kept the "better" one (if any) and sold the second for a tidy profit. Otherwise? Nope.

[quote name='xgsjx' post='1278752' date='Jun 22 2011, 04:58 PM']Could always get a 5,6 or 7 string bass if you need the higher notes but don't want 24 frets. I want one of [url="http://www.ritter-instruments.com/item_info.php?i=129"]these[/url] or [url="http://www.ritter-instruments.com/item_info.php?i=363"]these![/url] That way I needent worry about running out of frets. [/quote] Now I think of it, there aren't many sixers with less than 24frets. Perhaps the Fender Steve Bailey? I seem to manage alright, in spite of having had 20,21,22,24 and 26 in the collection all at the same time. I seldom get above 20, so I don't really miss the extras. 21 seems makes "sense" on a 4 string, as (assuming EADG tuning) the last (21st) fret on the G string is an "E" to match the open "E" 20 feels like an old and random convention. 22? Don't get it. 24 Double octave. Makes perfect sense. End of 26 Why? Next one that'd make sense is if someone fretted a Michael Manring Zon Hyperbass. 36! Edited for- Hi Marshall... Didn't even see you'd started this! What Fender V are you looking at? I liked the P Deluxe V (the old one) and the Roscoe Beck sig... Never really liked the Jazz Fivers- The Vigier's got that covered!

[quote name='pete.young' post='1272898' date='Jun 17 2011, 04:15 PM']Sorry, but I don't buy this. An extra 90lbs is insignificant when you consider the weight of the vehicle is going to be at least a tonne to start with.[/quote] Not so. It's still nearly 2% extra mass for the car to pull around, wear out tyres, decrease braking/suspension performance (and longevity). I've modded my car for better fuel economy and performance. First thing I did was chuck out as much redundant weight as possible, starting with the (full sized) spare wheel.. And remember, cabs die in hot cars.

Not an expert, but I've never seen a lacquered Rosewood fretboard either, irrespective of the serial# issue. Not sure? probably Best avoided unless you get to play it and it proves to be a blinder regardless of origin...

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1273555' date='Jun 18 2011, 10:50 AM']Spill the blood of a virgin jazzcat on it and you'll be fine[/quote] Fixed.

I have a reasonable selection of basses to draw upon. If the gig is not overly important, I will often select an "inappropriate" bass. Pointy Westone for a folk gig... Purple Yamaha for a Metal gig... Warwick for an Indie gig... However, The Funk/Punk/Pop/Grate/Grind/Thrash (delete as applicable) is in your fingers/plectrum. What you play and how you play it is infinitely more important than your choice of bass, and particularly what colour it is.

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1273471' date='Jun 18 2011, 09:17 AM']Abd the award for the 2011 'Basschatter that starts the most weird threads the most' - Its PETE ACADEMY (cue thunderous applause.....) Sorry, peeps. I often leave home and do not need the toilet until I get home 6 hours later. I am, of course, an android and do not drink liquids.[/quote] I, the inverted camel, can last almost a day without need to urinate or defecate. 'Tis a useful talent if needed... Otherwise, I find this thread just a bit too "Iggy Pop" for my liking. Why? Someone once gave him loadsa pills. Which he duly ingested. No. Not illicit narcotics. Laxatives. He did the gig half-on, half-off-stage, with his a**e over a bucket! What a pro!

I was going to say; Ped, one of the Bass Docs (never can remember user names!)- Nick, not Howard!, or or (humbly) me.. Do be aware that they've "evolved" a [i]lot[/i] between Series1 (like this one) and Series4 (current), with numerous changes in between. They have, however, retained many of the same central design and construction concepts. Oh, and the fit, finish and QC are beyond reproach. I've never seen, heard of or played a duffer yet. I have an S3 Passion 5, and it is utterly superb.

[quote name='Linus27' post='1268525' date='Jun 14 2011, 12:34 PM']I have no idea what nu metal is [/quote] old-hat.

Very nice. That's two of these that have passed this way second-hand recently... Don't tell me they're "unfashionable"!

[quote name='Delberthot' post='1269827' date='Jun 15 2011, 11:14 AM']Maybe beause a lot of people love them and pour out all their emotions about them here. Someone reads it and thinks 'that's the bass for me'. Buys it and then wonders what all the fuss is about so sell them... ...There will be other reasons and perhaps some of what I have said is sh*te but sometimes Fender is made out to be the be all and end all of basses - I've even seen threads where people have said that 'I have X Y and Z, all I need now is a Fender' Why?[/quote] When I was saving for my first new bass (after my s/h Westone), I decided to try a Fender Jazz, and liked the shape and balance of the instrument, and it seemed logical to aspire to something I'd tried and liked. Ultimately, I saved up too much (!) and had a budget 3 times greater than a Jazz would've cost, so I opted for a Fiver instead, and after rooting through loads of stuff at The (Wapping) Bass Centre, purchased a Vigier! Which brings me neatly to the second point. I had X,Y&Z (Vigier, Warwick, Musciman, Yamaha Attitude, Ibanez), but still felt there was a place in the collection for a Jazz. With a good collection behind me, there was no rush, and I simply tried every one I saw until I found a corker and bought it; Ash-bodied 2004 MIA S1 Jazz in Trans Sunset Orange. Currently strung with DR Sunbeams. Really nice bass. Perhaps I should tweak the action a smidge lower. Then again, perhaps I shouldn't! Maybe I just like the Ergonomics of the Jazz in general? Not so keen on the Precision... But that's just me.

[quote name='deepbass5' post='1269358' date='Jun 14 2011, 10:30 PM']He probably knows if he puts them on, on the last day they won't be able to resist staying behind to pick up the rubbish. [/quote] Yeah, I thought that. Hope it doesn't rain too hard, it'll be a bugger to get the mud out of their fur. Last time I saw' em on TOTP or whatever, the one playing bass had a Ken Smith 6 of some sort (seriously), so I guess they're doing ok... Or is that another thread?!

[quote name='mrtcat' post='1269067' date='Jun 14 2011, 07:26 PM']Thanks for the input guys, all points are noted. Should stress that I'm not going to try to make a living from this as I have a decent day job already. It's just that I'd like to offer the service and use it to fund holidays / new gear etc whilst enjoying the building. The limit on builds allowed by the franchise would never allow it to become my sole income. It's interesting to hear that vmaxblues has struggled to sell a cab as they're very good sounding kit. I wonder if the fact that prospective buyers could choose their cab and spec might help.[/quote] I would keep a bare minimum of stock (if any, in fact) and maybe have a couple of demo models for those nearby to try. Otherwise, I would build to order, taking a deposit in advance. Offering a variety of colours/finishes would be cool too. Outside of these criteria, it might be a good idea to try and establish a realistic lead time from receipt of order to completion of cabinet. There's nothing worse than ordering something and being kept waiting longer than you were told it would take... Good Luck, though!

These have got to be good for modification purposes. Chuck a BadAss (other bridges are available!) on it, add an EQ or two of your choice, definitely have some series/parallel/single coil (delete as appropriate according to model of choice) switching, and away you go...

One need only listen to "Look Sharp" and "I'm The Man" (Joe Jackson LPs).. His ability and talent is immediately evident, even in a studio environment. Playing an Ibanez IIRC... Awesome.

I like JJs. I liked it in the "old" MIA Deluxe P in the bridge position, and the MEC versions found in the Infinity/Vampyre/Dolphin/Fortress MM etc. work a treat, too. In reality, they don't work or sound [i]that[/i] different to what you'd expect a MMHB to. I don't think Fender are just chucking stuff together. These configurations have already been used by other manufacturers. I do wonder which neck is on which bass, though. To be really perverse, they could use a P neck on the Jazz body and vice-versa for the other model!

I like. I like both. Especially if one or both of the JJ(big block)pick-ups are coil-tapped. But... Why put the PP in a J body and the JJ in a P body. Surely it ought to be the other way around (mind you, it'd put the P-lyte out of business, so to speak) Pity they didn't go for the Warwick/Enwistle PP with the reverse offset P at the bridge position. Still, if I want a JJ/JJ with coil switching in a J body, there's always a Roscoe Beck... If I can get one. I like the fact that Fender are trying new stuff out, What we need now is a J/P/JJ "Super-Urge" or a HB/P/JJ "Tele-tude"!!

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1264684' date='Jun 11 2011, 10:12 AM']I have yet to work out why so many people want new instruments. If it's not a Custom or something really unusual that you just [i][b]have [/b][/i]to own, then let someone else take that initial hit.[/quote] Maybe I just have a talent for buying awesome basses at very reasonable prices, even when they're new? I've only bought 2 s/h basses so far. I have taken a slight loss here and there on some I sold on (through lack of use) but nothing major. I reckon at least five of my instruments purchased new would break even or hit profit if I sold them s/h. One would make sufficient to cover any losses on the others in any case! Meanwhile, back on topic; How can £1048 (surely some bizarre Trace Elliot reference!) be acceptable, and £1167 be too much? There's only about 10% difference, and you can always stretch a little bit... I don't get the big price differential between the Rosewood Am Std and the Maple Am Std either.. Did I miss something? In any case, sounds like a toss-up between the Maple Am Std and the 60th Anniversary to me. The 60th might re-sell better... Until the 65th, 70th, 75th etc. come along. You could always start saving for the centenary edition. When will that be? 2051?

"Musician's BlingRay"

"MusicBland SuckRay"

Not a lot more than a [b]Re[/b]-fret. £150? Watchout for 'board markers; The edge markers will align with the frets, not the "gaps". Being a fretless originally, I doubt it'll have markers on the front face...

Get a soundhole plug. Helps stop the top resonating. Less prone to acoustic feedback.