Lfalex v1.1

Gassing BADLY for these at the mo' I live 45mins from Colchester, too! 1 question, though; The site says they're lighter than a normal bass. Does it affect the tone adversely? My Hohner B2A (V) is very light, and the fundamental output of the E and B strings just isn't there like it is on my Streamer LX6 (14lb!) Wouldn't want to splash that amount of cash and be disappointed with a lightweight tone. I've tried Steinbergers, and they're just fine ...

Great minds think alike, 'cept I did it on the cheap! No ashtrays, don't like them! Maple bodied, as it's a VMJ. It is wearing DR Fatbeams, though!

I have this; Evil. Super neck. (think Sterling, or more less tapered jazz) Virtually flat fretboard. Plays brilliantly. Wasn't made for me. It's the prototype! 18v electrics, East E-pro EQ, Seymour Duncan Pick-up, active/passive switching, Series/Parallel switching. All I'd change is the fretboard- for Ebony or Maple, although the Rosewood is a good example of what it should sound like. As for Mike, I can't speak highly enough of him. One of the nicest guys I've met. Nothing is too much trouble, and he'll talk bass for hours if you let him. He knows his stuff! Seek him out in his Witham Workshop.

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='360125' date='Dec 21 2008, 11:46 AM']Fender American Deluxe Precision has a double J humbucker in the bridge position too but without a coil tap.[/quote] I own a Warwick Infinity SN4 with a "JJ" or TwinJazz (as they're also known), and have tried a precision deluxe. I got results I liked with both. The JJ subtly thickens the sound that a single J would give, and it suits my taste perfectly. I'd love an Attitude-a-like with a the big HB at the neck for bottom end, the split "P" in the middle for the good old precision thump and growl, and a JJ at the bridge (tapped of course) for tight, smooth mid and treble. 3v 3t passive out to do it!!

[quote name='Golchen' post='355168' date='Dec 15 2008, 04:37 PM']I wouldn't reccommend a calendar. My wife is very fussy about calendars and what she will and won't hang up - and there's only ever one! At work, we get sent loads of calendars so most get binned. As far as getting rid of Calendars - they only have a short shelf-life. I'd say Dec to Feb max, after that people don't want to think about calendars and they won't be any use next year! At least a CD can be given out/sold all year around. If you are giving away something it needs novelty value eg something like beermats, or specially packed condoms! Something that will amuse people.[/quote] Which is why we did fridge magnets! Loads of people we gave them to still have them even though the band are long since gone!

[quote name='Huge Hands' post='348520' date='Dec 8 2008, 12:43 PM']I just tried the online time check. No wonder I gave up drumming [/quote] I couldn't even get it to work and give a result. Going back to coils and magnets. Which is a pity, as I've got an electronic drum kit coming for Christmas...

Looks like someone spilt some emulsion on a "ChromeTone", but somehow missed the hardware... Edit- Does anyone else think that the neck looks "odd" for a Warwick- It looks Maple, and that normally only shows up on Neck Thru instruments (which this doesn't seem to be due to the lack of the little ramp behind the fretboard. All Bolt ons and Set Necks have a short fretboard extension that cover the neck/body join and allows for the (common) curvature on Warwick bodies. This one seems to have gone missing!

Just to second Artisan and Essential Tension, I loved the Precision Deluxe I tried, but I didn't want one at the time... Twin Jazz pick-ups at the bridge sound wicked- ask all the Dolphin/Infinity/Vampyre owners out there.

If you want to fully explore stereo and bi-amp options, a s/h Trace will suit nicely. I can't think of any other pre that allows both. Might be worth scouring the Bay...

Three strings is the way to go. So intuitive. Super-wicked for slap; It's all just Root, 5, octave in one fistful- or any other three-string chord for that matter! Two is okay. I've got to like the purity of the concept, but I'd tune them a fifth apart, so E,B rather than E,A. barre "chords" ahoy! and it increases the range somewhat. (Thinks) D,A for drop tuning might be better... They don't say how many frets-worth of fretless fingerboard there is; Double octave? Theoretically you could play it right up to the pick-ups if the surface allows! Does it have a truss-rod? Didn't see...

Methinks it is the talking (properly vibrating) length of the string- From bridge saddle to nut. I think I see what you're getting at; The fix that some people use to improve "B" string tension by putting less turns around the machine head than usual? I think that works by reducing the perceived elasticity of the string. As you pull on the string when plucking (or strike when playing percussively) the string stretches. It is anchored at the bridge (by a ball-end) and at the machine heads by wrapping the string around. This is a less substantial anchor, as the turns around the post can stretch ever so slightly, softening the feel of the string when plucked/hit. Less turns around the machine head = less length of elastic string stretching under load. This helps to improve the string response. Now I think about it, it's part of the reason that double-ball-end string designs often sound/feel so good.

[quote name='alexclaber' post='354197' date='Dec 14 2008, 01:08 PM']f=fundamental frequency L=scale length T=tension m=mass per unit length f=(1/2L)SQRT(T/m) (2fL)^2=T/m m(2fL)^2=T So tension is directly proportional to mass per unit length and also directly proportional to the square of scale length (so longer scales are better at adding tension than heavier strings). Alex[/quote] Fine. But this notwithstanding, it's easier to change "m" on any given bass than it is to change "L"! "f", I presume, is dependent on the pitch to which the string is tuned, with the other values changing accordingly as a result. And... Titanium strings? Even Titanium [i]coated[/i] strings? Kiss your frets goodbye as they are devoured by your exceptionally hard new strings! The [i]other[/i] Alex.

I had an 1110 as my first gig-able amp. I paid £150 for it S/H. When I sold it, it cleaned it up, and P/xed it for a 1048h and a 122HSMX combo. I got twice as much as I paid for it. Wonderful amp, but big and oh so heavy!

Do you want to use the rig in stereo (with 2 cabs)? Can the power amp be bridged? either way, if you end up with only one output on the pre and 2 inputs on the power, you can overcome this with a "Y" splitter cable. Most pre amps have a 1/4" out (or two) plus a DI. Ideally, I guess you'd want to keep the DI free for the PA/Desk. I use/have used; A Trace head which uses the GP12 SMX for its front end. An Ampeg SVP-Pro. A Peavey MAX. Hartke VXL (floor unit) MXR M-80 (floor unit) I used the two rack units (Ampeg/Peavey) with a QSC power amp, but the Ampeg seems to be very vulnerable to vibration (acoustic feedback) from cabs etc. The QSC went belly-up outside warranty, effectively sending me back to the Trace. It really depends what features you're looking for, too. The Ampeg is wonderfully musical, has a phenomenal range of overdriven sounds (but they're not switchable!), but seems to lack a bit of bottom end. The Peavey gets it right with the A/B, A+B channel switching, but bins it all again with mediocre tone, an evil click when you switch channels, and NO SINGLE MASTER OUTPUT! Not only do you have to set the gain for each channel, you have to use each channel's volume control to level match the two to avoid big jumps in level when switching between them. If you want to reduce the overall level, you have to use both the volume controls to turn it down, thus upsetting the balance... Fine if you use a volume pedal, but annoying if you don't. The Traces (the ones I'm thinking of) are reliable, sound "clean" and aren't too hefty. They are a 2u box, have a plethora of connections at the back, plus a front panel like the flight deck of Concorde. That said, I've never found that the valve in the input stage makes [i]much [/i] difference. It's certaily never given me any drive, even with the gain cranked. In summary, I'd say the Trace from my experience. I can't comment on the other units you mention as I've not used them, but you might want to try a Line6 POD XT Pro (the bass one...)

Dr FatBeams are great. Expensive, yes, but excellent tone, feel and longevity. Elixirs ARE good and DO last, but only on some instruments! If you've got a woody sounding Warwick, they can sharpen it up nicely (if that's what you want). They're excellent on my Zebrano/Wenge/Ovangkol Warwick Infinity SN4. I don't like them on Wooden-necked instruments with Phenolic fretboards (Yamaha & Vigier) They seem fine on graphite/phenolic neck/ board combinations. Elites are okay as a stop-gap. Warwick Yellows are pretty okay as a budget nickel choice Warwick Reds, Ernie balls and Rotos can be quite rough, and all three seem to die quickly. EBs seem to sound wicked on Stingrays (I wonder why?) I expected a lot from Warwick EMPs, but they were not good for me. Dead out of the packet. In summary DR and Elixir are both very good, but be careful exactly how you use them for the very best results.

I came up with a similar idea (of sorts) It revolved around having a battery powered foot controller that interfaced with a compatible amplifier via Bluetooth (having seen how well PS3 controllers work) The said amp might well have some fx/features built in. You'd need a wireless system for yer bass to capitalise on it fully, though. All you'd have is a power cable for your amp, and (if necessary speaker cables for your cabs)

[quote name='paul, the' post='60140' date='Sep 13 2007, 09:02 PM']How's the Ovation? I'm very drawn to them and wouldn't e suprised if it were my only horizontal in the future.[/quote] Fine. Still going strong after a decade. With the usual Electro Acoustic moans about lack of volume and willingness to feedback in loud environments aside! And I'm now minus the Ergodyne. I dropped it. It broke. Luthite is not very impact resistant. The whole control cavity sheared off and busted the circuit board, too... Beyond economic repair. Especially after I kicked it (in annoyance) and broke the neck so badly that you could pull the truss-rod out. It lost half its frets too. Luthite bodies - Beware impacts Ibanez necks - Beware Sheehan neck-bends (or my feet of fury)

Yeah! My 2p pre-supposes that i) You know what you want ii) You know how to achieve it iii) You have the technical ability to modify the bass well enough to produce the desired result. And yes, it's easy to blow a fortune barking up the wrong tree, as it were!

You can run, but you can't hide. Jazz comes to us all in the end...

I agree with WH, but would add that modding can help to achieve specific ends that standard machines don't cater for. A common example would be taking a passive bass and adding an active EQ- Fender Jazz and a J-Retro, for example. On a more subtle level, Graphite necks, various bridges and a plethora of pick-ups all offer ways of not just "improving" an instrument, but tailoring it to the player's requirements. Now I'm gassing for a Jazz with a Graphite L/hand neck, Badass Bridge, D-tuner and EMGs... Curses!

[quote name='Tee' post='347767' date='Dec 7 2008, 11:15 AM']Are there any bassists who designed and/or built their own bass? ie not just picked up an exisiting brand/bass. For example in the guitar world, Brian May built his own guitar from a fire place and Nuno Bettencourt designed his owned signature guitar. Washburn had their own plans as to what his guitar should look like, yet Nuno said no, i want to build 'this' guitar (his design).[/quote] Some that spring to mind; Billy Sheehan - The Various Attitudes. Yes, they're based on a modded "P". But he did a lot of the mods on his original himself. Stu Hamm - Urge/ Urge II. Hardly standard Fender. Roscoe Beck - Roscoe Beck IV & V. Evolved from a Jazz, for sure, but with substantial changes. Took him years to perfect. Flea - Modulus Flea signature. Arguably their take on a MM Cutlass, but his choices, tailored to his sound and style Michael Manring - Zon Hyperbass. 3 octave (long) fretboard. Huge lower cutaway. D-tuners on all 4 strings and Fretless. The Ox - Buzzards, both Status and Warwick. I think it's more often the case (certainly like those above) that manufacturers approach the artist. Then it's up to the artist to lead the way or take the "Whatever" approach, and just let the manufacturer do it for them. Hats off to anyone who (like Nuno) says; "This is what I want. Help me make it." Or, in Roscoe Beck's case works the bugs out of it for ages before they'll put their name on it.

I put Fender 7150s (Nickel rounds) on my MIA J. I wanted warmth, and a cheapish set of strings. They've lasted really well and sound just the way I wanted them to. I shall be replacing them with more of the same.

Last time I bought a piece of amplification, I had someone else play into it with their bass, whilst I "adjusted" it to see what we could squeeze out of it. Then we worked our way through all the equipment I wanted to try. Works quite well if you realise that no two players are the same and bear that in mind! He'd just had his bass modded, and ultimately we disagreed on what amp was best. Needless to say, I bought the one I liked, as it was my money. Interesting exercise, though.

[quote name='BassManKev' post='346253' date='Dec 5 2008, 11:10 AM']don't quote me, but i would image if they are blade magnets as you said, there will be no problem[/quote] Wot he said +1

You know that you and I share an opinion on how wood and graphite should be used when it comes to necks & fretboards!!