Lfalex v1.1

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!

I've never played a set of soapbars that had exactly the same technical specs as a pair of "standard" J pick-ups, so I can't give you a fully qualified answer on that one... However, A lot of soapbars are Humbuckers. After all, why have all that space in a pick-up body and not have a second coil and set of pole pieces in it? (Or something else in the case of truly "active" pick-ups) I have three basses with what might be described a soapbars in (the rest are J/J, MMHB, MMHB/MMHB, P, MMHB/P or J/JJ) These being; Ibanez EDB600 (Ibanez branded Humbuckers) Warwick Streamer LX VI (Seymour Duncan Humbuckers) Vigier PassionIII (STD) V (Benedetti Single Coils) All are active and all sound radically different, for reasons that range far beyond their pick-up types alone. I (personally) would neither choose a bass on the basis of its pick-up "shape", nor re-rout an existing instrument to change from std single-coil to Soapbars. The reason for this? There's a whole industry devoted to producing pick-ups to suit differing needs and applications. There must be one out there that'll fullfil your needs [i]and[/i] fit in your instrument of choice. If not, seek out one of the many custom pick-up manufacturers. They'll do anything you want (within reason and feasability) pick-up wise. Hope this helps! As for the BB414 (with which I'm not [i]too[/i] familiar) If it's the bass I think it is, it's P/J in configuration, but the pick-ups are oversized. The J has an exposed "blade" style polepiece. The one I played seemed fine for the price, and the pick-ups would have been the last things to change IIRC. Plenty of poke! As for retro-fitting standard P/J units, they'd fit alright, BUT they'd have gaps around the edges from the originals being much larger/ different shaped. You [i]could[/i] have a scratchplate cut to snugly fit around the new pick-ups, covering the gaps, but it's all extra aggrovation for a relatively inexpensive instrument and would destroy its resale value (unless you find a way to make it "invisibly reversible") Alternatively, the custom boys might rewind or uprate the existing units (at a price) for you, such that you had new internals in the old shells... so they'd still fit. (Phew!)

I've never tried one, but I like the shape. I figure they'd be a good alternative to an Epiphone Thunderbird, given that they're in the same sort of price bracket...

Where's his Vigier?! DeHumanizer was good, too. But it's Ronnie James Dio on vox again, isn't it...

You REALLY don't want to know what all four of the ones I tried went for... I guess no-one really likes 'em. One black model went for £650, the other for £700 (different retailers) I paid £299 with a case for mine. Which was better than one black one, and more or less the same as the other two The other purple one went for the same... (I still should've bought it) (Runs away quickly) How much do the "standard" Attitude IIs go for? £899 @ GAK... (Breaks into a sprint)

[quote name='d-basser' post='56849' date='Sep 7 2007, 10:15 AM']that is one beautiful world of purple! i want one just for the sheer cheese factor[/quote] I'd agree. Until you plug it in and play it. Then everyone stops laughing. I've recorded with it, and the engineer struggled to keep the bottom end in check. (Live) sound engineers presume it to be active and ask me to roll the bottom end off... It's that "hot" and that deep. Except it's passive. Sorry 'bout the large images. I'm spoilt for bandwidth, it seems! Edit- and for what it's worth, I'd have preferred a black one. I've actually played 4 of these! 2 black, 2 purple. They only made 300. What's 1.33% of the entire production run doing in Essex? Still should've bought that second purple one, though...

[quote name='Johngh' post='56831' date='Sep 7 2007, 09:24 AM']+1 Your not kidding. I posted a comment on the EB forum about this subject and thought I was going to get shot ! [/quote] I'm assuming that none of them politely suggested getting a Status Graphite neck for it, then?! Following on from which; Phenolic fretboards seem to ameliorate the worst of the dead-spot issue. I'm assuming they're quite stiff and also more consistent than their wooden equivalents. Unfortunately, they're really unforgiving of dodgy technique and lack warmth and any "organic" nature to the tone. Does any wooden fretboard material seem better or worse than any other for smoothing out the neck's dead spots?

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='55720' date='Sep 5 2007, 08:54 AM']I've already got a Status KingBass & a Geddy Lee Jazz, so what else? Hmmm.... A Marcus Miller Jazz would be nice... And a Stanley Clarke Alembic Sig... Quite fancy the Billy Sheehan Yamaha Attitude as well... Cool looking bass [/quote] I can vouch for the Attitudes. Don't so much sing and twang as roar and thump! Definitely different. Otherwise; OLP Tony Levin Fender Roscoe Beck (but the pick-up switch has to go in favour of a Volume / Volume or Volume / Pan arrangement) Quite like the new Statii - Pino Paladino or Guy Pratt designed models. Dunno if they're actually signatures [i]per se[/i], though.

Might be okay for an acoustic/electroacoustic. I'd be concerned about the possible lack of mass, allied to balance issues. Are the guitars really 2,850 Euros or did I mis-read the order form? If so, add [i]cost[/i] to my list of reservations

Unfortunately, I live too far away, otherwise I'd come and help you out. I can't do fret levelling / dressing, and I'm no pro, but I'm alright with action/intonation/neck relief and have had to shim a neck or two. I am, however [i]very[/i] slow at it. I taught myself using a solid but cheap and (ultimately) disposable instrument. Just adjust the truss rod [i]really[/i] slowly. Allow it to settle for a while and note how any fret buzz moves around as you adjust various parameters. Look for a balance between your desired action and fretbuzz. Ideally, I run my action as low as possible, but high enough to avoid any nasty clanging when slapped or played (slightly too) hard. I adjust the intonation last. Be aware that large saddle movements to or fro can alter the action a bit! Don't overlook pick-up height and angle adjustments after you've set the strings up. It can further improve or modify the sound to your taste. I recommend a good (accurate) and mains-powered (so you can leave it on permanently while you adjust) tuner. I use a Korg rack-mount (DTR1000) but there are alternatives. The Boss TU-2 pedals I've used seem perfectly adequate, and can run from an adapter to save batteries. Hope this helps!

[quote name='Soulfinger' post='55546' date='Sep 4 2007, 09:18 PM']You might want to count the knobs again. The controls from neck to bridge are: Pots for - Volume - Treble - Bass Switches for - pickup selection (neck/both/bridge) - parallel/series - passive/active/active with boosted highs and lows[/quote] Thanks, you've saved me a few bob by DE-GASsing me. I [i]hate[/i] basses with selector switches for pick-ups. It kept me away from Fender Roscoe Beck sigs, and has just done the same for the ASAT! And I can't be doing with modding a bass to include something that I firmly believe should've been there in the first place (Either a PAN or Volume per pick-up!)

[quote name='The Burpster' post='45582' date='Aug 15 2007, 07:34 AM']Ibanez kit should never be overlooked, or dissmissed out of hand........ These are no exception, Very pretty![/quote] Well said. I find them to be of consistently good quality and good value for money.