Lfalex v1.1

Another +1 for the Attitude. The neck on mine is quite large for a 4 string. That said, My Warwick Infinity seems (without measuring) to be narrower but deeper. Perhaps it's rendered more awkward by the small body/short horn 26fret neck issue that throws the headstock almost out of reach because of the way it hangs.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='652404' date='Nov 12 2009, 10:59 AM']But IME unless you're paying serious money for an on board pre-amp (at least J-Retro minimum) then the circuitry isn't really going to do you tone any favours. Anyone with a decent audio electronics knowledge can build a musical sounding circuit when space is no object and you can power it off the mains - your standard amp head tone controls. The real challenge comes when you want to do the same thing in the space provided by a Jazz bass control cavity and power it from a single PP3 battery. That's why the active electronics in your average sub-£1000 bass are a poor substitute for what is already there on your amp.[/quote] Agreed, space and functionality / controlability may be an issue in terms of number of controls etc. Power delivery isn't as much of an issue. Batteries DO have advantages; Freedom from mains-borne interference and a cleaner supply than most rectifed DC sources can achieve without spending a fortune. A lower probability of killing the end user if your wall-wart transformer screws up mid-(sweaty)gig Freedom from another cable (to power your eq) Some circuits can use up to 36v, but I've often wondered how you rout out space for 4x9v batteries (assuming you don't have LEDs, too) and leave much bass behind?

[quote name='fatback' post='652387' date='Nov 12 2009, 10:48 AM']What I would like out of onboard active is intelligence. Or memory, to be precise. Does anybody make a digital onboard, so you could create presets on the bass and then simply select them with buttons (or whatever). The big + of onboard to me would be rapid sound changes while gigging. Control knobs n dials are great for most things, but no good whatsoever for recreating settings on the fly. This is the 21st century! fatback[/quote] Yup. Vigier Nautilus (Just check it out!!) They streamlined it down into the EQ avaliable on the Arpege s2 and s3 until they got to s4 and went to 2x 3 band. One for each pick-up...

Why necessarily go for Vintage instruments or Fenders? If you know what you're looking at (and, let's face it, quite a few people on here do!) you can spot good buys and shift them on at a profit in the short term. That's what I'd do - Think in terms of selling (dare I say it) Second hand cars, and apply that methodology. Make a bit on each one you sell. Maybe take the odd hit, but sell in [i]moderate[/i] volume. Best one I've got (so far) I paid £299 for. New. Best offer to date? £1100. I think I'd break even on many others. It's a stonker, though, so I'm not selling. I consider it a [i]bargain[/i] rather than an investment! Edit for neglecting to mention that you'd keep the really blinding instruments!!

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='371208' date='Jan 5 2009, 06:14 PM']I can’t believe Andy Rourke hasn’t had a bigger mention. Amazing bass player. Some of the lines he came up with for The Smiths were fantastic; so melodic, intricate, technical, and musically sound all at the same time.[/quote] I've read most of the thread, and if you hadn'y posted him, I would've. As an adjunct to that, I saw Morrissey last week. Highly entertaining! Played 6 Smiths tunes, too. Boz Boorer and Jesse Tobias (guitars) were very good, but still not Johnny Marr. Solomon Walker (Bass) was soild and didn't drop a note all night. Nonetheless, he was not Andy Rourke. Okay, Matt Walker [u]was[/u] better than Mike Joyce!

[quote name='Linus27' post='166447' date='Mar 30 2008, 05:52 PM']Who was the big stocky american with blonde hair that worked at the Bass Centre in the late 90's when it was at Wapping??? Is that Nick or Alex or somebody else??[/quote] That'd be Grant. Think he might have been Canadian, though. Cut me a superb deal on my Vigier...

[quote name='henry norton' post='646219' date='Nov 5 2009, 01:43 PM']There do seem to be active and a passive players on the forum. I like both but do think that most players would benefit from playing a single pickup, passive instrument regularly to improve their technique and tone.[/quote] That's a really good point. In fact, to expand further, many players would benefit from trying somethig [i]different[/i] occasionally. Whether that would be your suggestions, playing through headphones, fretless, an unforgiving instrument (try all-graphite with a phenolic 'board!!), going passive, you name it. In a way, I can see where the OP is coming from. After a profusion of actives (some better than others), I find a passive to be more "direct" sounding, with less in the way. I can only assume that a (relatively) direct coupling, minus Volume and tone controls further improves matters. You'll have us soldering our leads directly to the amp input at one end and pick-ups at the other next!! That'd be really cool !

Took it for a spin vs. a Drummer in a quick jam yesterday. Used my Warwick Streamer LX6 as a comparison also. Streamline delivers again. Cuts right through, but without sounding harsh. Made the Warwick sound rather dull by comparison. I'd definitely use it live. Dunno that the rest of the band would be so sure!

Nice one there, Nick. I played one a good while back (Passion S3, though) at the Wapping incarnation of The Bass Centre. Couldn't justify the outlay, though, as I already have a 'Ray 5 Fretless and a Fretted Passion S3 Fiver. Tried the S4 Arpege and Passion at the Bass Merchant a while ago, but again, not much point with the S4 at home (So I bought a Status Streamline from just down the road...) I wouldn't mind an S2 Passion or Arpege 4 string, but they're hardly cheap for a nice 2nd-hand example. Do you [i]just[/i] have the two Arpeges? (Your older S2 is an Arpege, not a Passion, isn't it?) Out of 66 (is it now?) 2 Vigiers is about the right proportion, I think!!

I've only ever seen one I liked, but damn, was it nice! It had a translucent Emerald finish over what looked like a nice (no defects, anyway) piece of Alder. Best of all, it had Chequered body binding and a matching headstock. Sharkfin inlays on a Rosewood fretboard. Lovely.

[quote name='machinehead' post='639974' date='Oct 29 2009, 12:55 PM']Regarding weight... My Streamer stage 2 = 9lbs 1 oz. My USA '75 Jazz = 9lbs 5 oz. My Spector CRFM 5 = 10lbs 3 oz, but it a 5 string and all maple. The balance is perfect though so the weight is not very noticeable. So the lightest is the Warwick. EDIT. I have another ash/maple jazz and it weighs 10lbs 4 oz. [/quote] Having seen this, and knowing my Streamer LX6 to be a weighty item, I weighed it just to be sure. Then I took out health insurance. 13lb 1oz. Shocking. Just as well I wear it relatively high and close in to my body with a very broad strap!

In fairness, the handmade Smiths are hardly sold in massive volumes, so they're going to be a bit harder to get. On the other hand, if ]you import a new one, at least you can specify whatever options they cater for. The downside is that you aren't going to get to play YOUR one until it arrives. And as for the KS business model, Status Graphite don't supply any shops directly (although for different reasons), and it doesn't seem to have damaged their reputation unduly. That said, I wonder if the Smith customer service experience can match Rob and Dawn's (rightly) legendary customer care.

[quote name='von Braun' post='642304' date='Nov 1 2009, 07:49 AM']Has anyone ever swapped out the bridge on a Westone Thunder 1A? The original bridge isn't bad but I think the bass would suit something a bit meatier.[/quote] I own a Westone Raider 1. Same Bridge as yours. By the looks of things (though I've not measured it) A BadAss II might be a good enough fit. The only reason I'd want to change it is because the brass has tarnished heavily over the years from sweat. That, and the fact that the R1 has Black Knobs, a Brass Bridge and Chrome Tuners. Looks like a right dog's dinner! The Thunders all seem to have better matching hardware...

My 2004 MIA s1 Jazz. (Most definitely Ash)

I liked the 4HH I played at Bass Merchant last time I was there. Funds do not currently permit GAS to function correctly. More's the pity.

[quote name='silddx' post='637232' date='Oct 26 2009, 07:27 PM']One thing, which I think Alex Claber might agree with, is to get one that's got a good unplugged tone. What I do too is play while resting my chin (teeth together) on the top of the upper horn, that will tell you loads about the inherent tone. Then stand the instrument on the floor, neck pointing upward, and put your chin on the face or side of the headstock, teeth closed of course, there should be a good level of tone and vibration coming through there too, almost as much as the body.[/quote] Thank God I'm not the only person who does this! (Not the floor trick, mind!) For those of you unfamilliar with this sensation, think back to when you were a kid and wedged your head between the headrests of the pair of seats in front of you on a coach. (Don't tell me that only Silddx and I did this...!)

A fiver fretted 35" scale Some sort of darker tonewood as a core material (Mahogany, Walnut, Bubinga) with a Maple or Zebrano cap in a Modern Jazz shape. A Maple neck will suffice, with either a Maple or Ebony fretboard. I really liked HappyJack's ProseBass Jazz with its twin Bartolinis shoved right down at the bridge. I could be persuaded to use this configuration but maybe add an EQ with a full bypass. EQ choice? Who Knows?! Too much choice!

Flat at the amp. Flat on the bass. Instrument volume on full. Pick-up pan centred. Set gain just below as high as it'll go without distortion. Turn up master volume to expected gig level. Set pick-up pan until it sounds sweet yet punchy- usually favouring the bridge a bit. To counteract any loss of bass and harshness this may introduce, I use the instrument's tone controls. I'll then re-check the gain in case I'm sending bigger peaks the amp's way due to any adjustments. The only amp EQ control I use is the good old Trace Elliot EQ Balance control. It subtly shifts the EQ without fundamentally altering your original tone. I set this by ear to compensate for bass boom or lack of bottom from the amp. I try to stop any one EQ stage from working too hard - it only introduces noise and unwanted distortion. Just my 2p. And I'm quite sure that my tonal preferences are different to everyone elses. YMMV, as it is said!

Not Teuffel, but along similar lines. Might be of interest if you've never seen them before... [url="http://www.spaltinstruments.com/introduction.html"]Spalt Guitars[/url]

[quote name='Linus27' post='635994' date='Oct 25 2009, 11:15 AM']Thanks for the help everyone, I do plan to pop down to Andertons and have a play of some soon. Lfalex v1.1, thanks for the input, especially as you have a Jazz and a Stingray like me also. How does the Streamer compare tonally? Can it produce a smooth tone, similar to a Jazz or does it have a very distinct sound like a Stingray?[/quote] As a rule, yes. Mine (an LX 6) certainly can. It has a Maple body, Wenge Neck and Duncan Soapbars in it. Roll off the treble a smidge, move my plucking hand toward the neck a bit and favour the neck pick-up. Do be aware that other variables really can alter the way a bass plays and sounds. The Warwicks all seem to ship with either Yellow Label (Nickel) or Black Label strings. Changing them can alter the tone and feel of an instrument quite dramatically. My 2 Jazzes (07 Squier VMJ and 02 MIA S1 Jazz) are wearing DR FatBeams and Sunbeams respectively. The VMJ can sound positively vicious if you dig in. The change to Sunbeams on the MIA was astonishing. The extra output not least. The 'Ray is fretless, so it's a bit of a different story... Moving away from the Streamer, the Infinity is excellent, very versatile. I agree that the design of some Warwicks can "throw" the first fret further away than a Jazz would, but the Streamer suffers less from this than the Thumb, Infinity, Corvette do. The Wenge Fretboards are a good thing IMO. They do subtly influence the sound, but are tough and don't show dirt! Ultimately, you've got to try them and see if they're for you. DO [b]wear[/b] one standing up, rather than balancing it on one knee (!) That way, you'll be properly able to judge weight, balance and reach. In terms of design, I'd rate the Streamer (and it's Spector realtives) as something of a "sleeper classic". No, it's not as iconic as a Jazz, Precision, Rick or 'Ray, but I reckon it slots in just beneath. There's a reason for that. It is a genuinely good design.

As a Jazz, Streamer (LX) , and Stingray (5) owner, I suppose I'm qualified to comment! The Streamer is [i]arguably[/i] one of the better Warwick efforts on a number of fronts; i) Ergonomics (Spector got it right. Warwick "borrowed" it) ii) Number of available configurations, 4,5,6 bolt-on, neck-thru, P/J, J/J, Soapbars, J/MM, MM/MM (the DoubleBuck) JJ (Pro M) Add to the mix good hardware and generally good build quality (all I've seen on here were knackered Truss-rods, and I think only 2 or 3) Tonally, just choose one that suits- Trying before you buy, naturally! The downsides? They [i]can[/i] be heavy. Both my Streamer and Infinity are. Others are not, though. They do polarize opinion a bit, but that's normally related to the aesthetics (and then seldom the Streamer!) and the neck dimensions of the 4 stringers- particularly the recent ones. I guess I prefer the Wenge necks to the Ovangkol, but they're both quite stable. Personally, I like the Jazzman. It's very versatile, as is the DoubleBuck Streamer. As for the 24 fret thing, you soon get used to it. It's not that great a difference, especially as the first 20 frets on both basses are in the same place realtive to the bridge (All the basses you've mentioned are 34" scale) The extra 4 just eat into the body a bit more, requiring deeper cut-aways. Do Stringrays and Jazzes even have the same number of frets? The 'Ray 5 has 22. I have basses with 20,21,22,24 and 26. Swapping to and fro rarely causes me much grief. Only occasionally do I charge up the neck and run out of frets, expecting there to be more... Hope this helps a bit.

One ex tried to saw the headstock off of one of my basses. In retrospect, it may have been an example of her work to support a job application at Status Graphite. Got to say, she did do a nice boiled rabbit though. Very tasty.

Look also to Warwicks for an implementation of this sort using an MEC Pick-up known as a TJ (twin Jazz). It's also sometimes denoted as JJ (as opposed to J/J as used in a Fender Jazz) The models in question? The Infinity, Vampyre, Dolphin and Streamer Pro M (I vaguely recall a Fortress Masterman?) The Infinity, Vampyre and Dolphin use it in parallel at the bridge, with a coil tap to switch it to single coil operation. They also have a J at the neck. The Pro M had its bang in the middle. If at all possible, I'd opt for a coil switch to allow series/parallel/single coil operation. If you intend to use another pick-up such as a J at the neck position, watch out for the increase in output as you change coils - particularly from parallel to series. I've often debated the merits of having a resistor put in the switching to match the output in series to that in parallel mode.