Lfalex v1.1

Just don't get a tutor like the one I had (definitely past tense!) who only wanted to teach me what he wanted to teach me, and not what I might have wanted to learn... I was willing to compromise- 50/50 of what he thought was good, allied to what I actually wanted to learn. (Slap technique was a request) Y'know... bit of stick, bit of carrot. I told him to shove it. Sure he was good in some ways, but couldn't play by ear as well as I could OR play straight "rock" tunes either (Jazz was his forte) A decade later, still no slap and a REAL aversion to teachers. Damn I need some love!

Cut 'em with a router with a 45degree bevel bit in it. Bingo. No need to angle your jigsaw. Clamp it to a bit of chipboard or MDF on a workmate so it won't skid. Use a template if need be, and leave the protective sheet on it to prevent scratches from the soleplate. Good thing about routers is you can set the plunge depth very accurately, and it'll cut through scratchplates like a hot knife through butter!

I don't really get slap either. I know what "good" sounds like; Miller, Levin, Johnson, Edwards, etc. But I can't replicate it, nor find any accessible tunes to use as a starting point. All I have learned (from experimenting) is to strike the string lightly and swiftly, and from not too great a distance away from the string. As with all things bass, economy of movement is key. The guys who are good make it look like no effort at all. Not because it is "easy" [i]per se[/i] but because the actual effort involved is quite small. It's how the small amounts of energy are precisely directed that governs the sound. (Which is true of all styles, in fact!)

[quote name='Beedster' post='68171' date='Oct 1 2007, 02:45 PM']All true, no complaints, they are great bridges, but perhaps the need for such hi-fi tine and the design of the bridge was a function of its time (i.e., 1970s). A lot of players - myself included - have reverted to original Fender bridges, which are, in keeping with many aspects of Fender's craftsmanship, somewhat cruder but have a tonal quality of their own. My '73 Precision, which has a lovely low growly thump with the original bridge, sounded much less so when I installed a Badass, so I re-installed the original. Like so many other things in music, the idea that a technology 'improves' something such as tone is more accurately stated as technology 'changes' that thing. 'Improvement' is a very subjective term. Having said that, I have a Badass II on my fretless Precision! Chris[/quote] I have a BAII on my Squier 70's VMJ, but a Fender unit on my 2004 MIA Jazz. The Attitude still has its standard (hefty) brass bridge... Different sounds for different basses. It'd be dull if they all sounded the same!

They may not be pretty, but do have a greater degree of engineering content than the original Fender/Squier items. There are other bass bridges out there (ABM, Kahler etc.) and these all have their various merits and de-merits. The BadAsses do improve the attack/sustain and clarity/harmonic content of notes, giving a more modern tone than the stock items. Many famous Fender users have them fitted; (and they appear on their signature instruments also) Marcus Miller Mike Dirnt Geddy Lee Steve Harris (no signature that I'm aware of) This at least gives you an opportunity to A/B a BadAssed (!) Fender Model against a Non-BadAssed model. Lots of people here own Marcus Miller/Geddy Lee Jazzes. They're well regarded instruments, on the whole. I've never seen any complaints aimed at the bridges (yet!)

[quote name='E_MaN' post='66660' date='Sep 27 2007, 10:45 PM']I put down yyz perfectly twice but never done it again ever...I hate that song now....[/quote] This comment exemplifies why I try not to ruin (difficult) songs that I love by spending ages trying to learn them. It can rob them of the Magic. If I listen to something and have a "lightbulb moment", I may attempt it, but otherwise.. No. I've solved Deeper Underground by Jamiroquai in that manner , and Selling Jesus (Skunk Anansie) also. There's lots of tunes I can't play, but lack of time, inability/unwillingness to slap and unwillingness to de-tune/re-tune are the main reasons. I'm lucky if I can get through a single song uninterrupted (by other people) these days!

Failure's version of [i]Enjoy the Silence[/i] by Depeche Mode is at least a match for the original (and it's hardly a bad song to start with) Tori Amos' [i]Smells like Teen Spirit [/i]is very different, and arguably better. Overkill's [i]Frankenstein[/i] really does better the Edgar Winters Band's original, complete with BC Riches and Double Kick drums! I'll add more as I think of them!

Don't rule out FatBeams! They're good (but quite soft feeling- due to the round core) If they're good enough for Marcus Miller, they're good enough for me... (45,65,80,100)

I own an SRX700 (and I'm not selling it!) and an EDB600, the Luthite one. They're both excellent (for the money) The EDB cost £80 secondhand. The SRX was about £450. The EDB has the better EQ, the SRX the better pick-ups. both play really well (with a bit of nifty setting-up from yours truly) Good string choices; Elixirs (as fitted from new) DR Marcus Miller FatBeams

[quote name='King Tut' post='64538' date='Sep 23 2007, 10:51 PM']You're correct - you don't need to wax the coloured oil finishes. I use furniture polish....shock horror!![/quote] Yup! I have a Streamer LX6 in "Honey Violin". I just use a bit of polish on a cloth. Wax the back of the neck if you like. I've used Lemon oil (very sparingly) on the Wenge Fretboards with no ill-effects. Just don't go turning that open grain into lots of little lemony reservoirs!

If Born to Rock did a J/J or a J/MM or a J/JJ versions, preferably active, I'd own one by now. That said, with the Dollar crumbling, you might scrape through at about £2k to get one here... I am tempted, but I'd have to play one first!!

With the current level of lending, borrowing and general financial unease, people will be; i) Hanging on to what they've got ii) Not [i]investing[/i] (and even I use the term loosely here!) in new kit iii) Rationalising their collections to obtain extra cash All of which tends to suggest "buyer's market" to me. Are other manufacturers similarly afflicted, or have the "Big W" fallen from grace?

[quote name='Russ' post='64620' date='Sep 24 2007, 08:47 AM']The SUB 5 and Stingray 5 have very different electronic setups, as well as quite different pickups. The SR5 has a 3-band cut/boost active EQ and a coil-tap switch, whereas the SUB 5 has a 2-band, boost-only circuit with no coil tap. The SR5 pickup has an extra phantom coil for humcancelling purposes, and uses ceramic magnets, as opposed to the alnico magnets used in the SUB 5 (4-string Stingrays also use alnico pickups). They do sound quite different. The SUB 5 sounds a lot more like an old, 2-band, 4-string Stingray (some say the classic MM sound), whereas the SR5 has its own distinctive sound. I'm another one who loves the sound of a Stingray 5, but, appearance-wise, just can't get over that enormous scratchplate... it's hideous! If I only had the £2500 I'd need for the scratchplate-less Anniversary model...[/quote] [attachment=2451:Stingray_edit.jpg] That's my all-black SR5 fretless, which doesn't look quite so bad... It's a 1990, so... Alnico pole-pieces No quick access battery cover (just the chromed steel plate) No phantom coil in the pick-up to hum cancel in single-coil mode (not that I like it much, prefering series or parallel) Edit- I like theosd's incoming SR5, the blue/pearly combination is nice. I also like the "Carbon Blue Pearl" Scratchplates... I am sorely tempted to buy a Status (Fretted) neck for my SR5, but if I'm doing that, I might as well buy 5 more tuners so I can switch necks. By then, you're talking about £400+. For which I could be well on the way to a Warwick Corvette $$ 5 string...

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='61928' date='Sep 17 2007, 09:51 PM']If it's new, shop around for the natural maple Squier Vintage Modified Jazz... But otherwise, anything used that fits Look for a Hohner Jack Custom with the active circuit for one suggestion, or the B2A stick bass.[/quote] Strangely, I own both a B2A (V) and a Squier 70's VMJ. Both are very good instruments for the money. Neither was over £250. My vote goes for second hand. I bought an Ibanez EDB600 for £80 just recently. I still haven't put it down! Excellent for £80. A few dings, but it's really tough and feels very solid.

Here goes. Hope I get it right... [b]Stingray 4[/b] Available with 2 or 3 band Eq. No coil switching. [b]Stingray 5[/b] All have 3 band Eq. Coil switching for series, parallel and single coil operation. [b]Sterling[/b] Dinkier body than the 'Ray 4. 3 Band Eq. controls are mounted from rear, not on the scratchplate (as Ray5) or control plate (as Ray 4) 3 band Eq. Coil switching as per Ray 5 [b]S.U.B.[/b] "Sports utility bass" As previously mentioned, a cut-price variant, disguising cheaper cuts of wood with solid finishes. Painted finish on necks. Same hardware as more expensive models, so the potential's there. All 2 band Eq (IIRC) No coil switching, which some prefer. [b]Cutlass[/b] Not currently produced. Simply a Stingray 4 with a Graphite Neck. May crop up second hand [b]Sabre[/b] Old-school 2 pick-up variant of Ray 4 (HH/HH) Quite rare. No longer in production [b]Newer additions[/b] Most Stingray models now available with other pick-up configurations to rival the Bongo (but not the 4 band Eq!) Piezo Bridges also an option. [b]General notes[/b] Bodies mainly from Ash (trans finishes) Alder or Poplar (solid finishes) Status make Graphite necks of you want your own "home-brew" Cutlass. (which isn't a million miles from a Modulus Flea sig when all's said and done!) The General consensus is that the 2-Band eq Ray 4 epitomises the "Stingray Sound". The 3 Band isn't quite the same. I've liked all the Sterlings I've played. They feel more manoeuverable due to their reduced bulk. I own a 1990 Poplar bodied Fretless 5 (unlined). It's a super instrument.

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='61953' date='Sep 17 2007, 10:41 PM']Greets... ...My setup is due for an upgrade, what "cheap mixer" are you using? Pete.[/quote] It's branded "Phonic", and cost me about £80. It's a "table-top" model, so doesn't fit in a rack, but that's no big deal. 8 channel (4XLRs, and 2 stereo 1/4" jack) 3 band EQ on the first 4 channels Phantom Power. It seems very quiet, but can clip a bit too easily on the channel I use for bass if it gets "pushed" by heavy EQ on the instrument itself. Otherwise, it resolves the differences between instruments very well indeed. Ive tried it with 5 basses so far; an active 5, an active 4, two very different passives and an acoustic (via piezo bridge), all to good effect. I don't use a compressor ,one [i]may[/i] be next on the list of additions. That, or an Aphex 204 or some similar... (If you smell Gas, call 0800 9 60 50 40)

[i]Avarice [/i]is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, and, like [i]Gluttony[/i], is basically a form of greed It appertains to the collection of material wealth, whereas Gluttony refers to the consumption of food. With regard to the OLP withstanding "overuse" of effects, it seems to be a characteristic of single pick-up instruments. They're often more "focused" sounding, at the expense of tonal variety, and this seems to cut through a lot of phase/modulation effects. I'm surprised that Ernie Ball / OLP didn't use a higher spec model (Sub or MM) as the Levin signature, or at least push the boat out a bit on the QC front.

[quote name='Mike' post='60893' date='Sep 15 2007, 05:29 PM']Guys, ring Mike Walsh at the Bass Merchant - I bought a comfort strapp from him the other week, no fuss, good price, top service, as always !![/quote] Yes, I noticed that he has them last time I dropped into BassMerchant. Give Mike a shout, he's a top bloke, who understands how customers support his business- and he treats them accordingly...

Drummers, always drummers....

Er... lots? Westone Raider 1 Columbus series 2 fretless Vigier Passion III (std) V Warwick Streamer LX VI Ovation Celebrity Musicman Stingray V fretless Iceni Zoot Chaser Some Botched-up old Arco EUB Ibanez SRX 700 Yamaha Attitide BS sig 10th Anniversary Warwick Infinity SN4 MIA Fender Jazz (S1) Squier 70's VMJ (modified further) Ibanez EDB600 "Ergodyne" An old aria that's in bits... Oh dear. 15. I have "issues", don't I?

Here's mine. 1990 'Ray V fretless. Unlined. Once owned by Boz Burrell (apparently) Currently tuned CGDAE. Another black one, I'm afraid.

[quote name='Sean' post='59082' date='Sep 12 2007, 07:48 AM']I've always loved the look of these beasts and had big cravings for one but I have one question... What are mortal men like me supposed to do with the twin output sockets? Can one of the outputs be used as a conventional socket where you can mix outputs or do you have to switch sockets for different sounds?[/quote] The "P" volume contol (nearest the sockets) has a "push-to-make/push-to-break" switch. When it's "UP" the outputs are combined- It doesn't matter which socket you use. The two volumes work like a Jazz Bass. When it's "DOWN" the outputs are specific to each pick-up. Using them separately has its benefits. It's good in the studio. Keeping the Neck HB central in the mix, thin out the "P" a bit and pan it L-R, for example. At home, try running FX on the "P" and leaving the HB dry. Mix the wet & dry signals before they hit the amp. That works live, too. Live, I doubt most soundmen will bother to let you have 2 or 3 channels of the desk for bass alone, even if you take 3 heads, 6 cabs and a stereo chorus/flanger/delay (plus the roadies to shift it all!). I just use it with the outputs combined! I like what looks like the black pearl scratchplate on the black one in the link. I'm not posting any more pics of mine! Y'all must be sick of the sight of it by now!

Schallers for me. But DO tighten them well, use two nuts on 'em and/ or use threadlock on them, as they [i]do[/i] loosen over time. Make sure that your strap buttons are tight- filler or plug the holes so the screws really bite well. No good having tight straplocks if the buttons fall off the bass! (That goes for [b]ALL[/b] methods!) One to watch for- The screws holes in the Schaller strap buttons are quite small, limiting the size of the screws you can use with them, and consequently increasing their tendency to work loose... Still Schallers for me, though!!

[quote name='dood' post='58147' date='Sep 10 2007, 12:39 PM']I always thought a PJ-Ray or even a stu hamm style JPJ-Ray would be a rather cool instrument. Or go the whole hog and have the MM pup AND the P pup. Now there's some tones I'd like to hear![/quote] Or... Shove a Humbucker up at the base of the neck, and leave the "P" where it is... Hang on! Yamaha already do the "Attitude"!!!

[quote name='Cygnus x-1' post='58937' date='Sep 11 2007, 07:59 PM']Anybody any idea what size allen key to use to adjust the truss rod on a vintage modified fretless jazz? 4mm seems too loose, 5mm too big. is it 4.5mm? I dont have one- do they exist? or is it imperial? if so what size. any help apreciated[/quote] I adjusted my Squier 70's VMJ a little, but it was quite some time ago! I have a mainly metric set, and one specifically marked imperial Allen key for my MIA which has an imperial 'rod. I'm 90% certain that I didn't use it to do that 'rod tweak, but I'd mail Squier to be certain. Failing that, do what I did for the MIA. Find a local (quality) tool shop and take it in... My local shop were astounded when I popped open the flightcase... The young chap was "offering up" various Allen keys to the 'rod head, when the owner comes over and says; "What a lovely piece of Ash! Don't scratch it, Billy!" +1 for local independent tool shoppes when you're in a jam!