Lfalex v1.1

Well, not on the same model or type of bass, but yes. I own a Warwick Streamer LX6 with an all-wenge neck and a Wenge Fretboard. I have various Maple-necked instruments, sporting (equally variously) Rosewood, Maple, Pau Ferro and Phenolic Fretboards. The Wenge necks can be a bit rough to begin with, but they soon wear in. The Streamer's neck hasn't been adjusted since I bought it. 10 years ago! It does seem to stay put, but it is a big bit of wood! It's quite open sounding, and contributes to the old Warwick "Grrrrrrrr". Plenty of mid articulation. Maple is smoother to the touch and gives a variety of differing tonal characteristics dependent on the fretboard. Phenolic is almost "Not there" in a tonal sense. Maple is really punchy and has a degree of "compression" to its sound that cuts through he mix well. Rosewood is more neutral than Maple, and more even and mature sounding - an airy upper register and smoother darker bottom end result. I've had some maple necks be affected by humidity and temperature changes. Nothing chronic, though. Hope this helps a bit

Custom probably [i]is[/i] the way to go. Failing that, I'd have mentioned (in addition to your choices) Fender Roscoe Beck V Warwick Streamer Jazzman V Musicman Bongo HS V Warwick $$ V Thru-neck (Bubinga) They're all in your price range. I know you said you don't favour any of these brands, but I'd try them out in the name of [i]"research"[/i]! At least then you'll know what you do and don't like about each, right down to the Nth degree. You may even find the tone to die for in there, too. With that kind of money to spend, I'd try EVERYTHING, just to make sure a killer bass hasn't slipped through the net, as it were. Ultimately, if none fit your tonal and aesthetic needs, at least you'll have a wealth of knowledge to help you through your discussions with any luthiers. The more you can brief them, the more accurately the end product will fit your requirements.

I can't accomodate 3 finger playing, although I've dabbled with it. (I've dabbled with plectrums, too, but that usually lasts about 2 notes before they get chucked across the room!) My technique uses the usual i-m alternating pattern, but the ring finger moves to damp the string immediately above the one being plucked. The plucking finger then "follows-through" to such a degree that it strikes the string above (damped). It's a kind of "perpetually right-hand damped rake" motion. It's probably really inefficient in absolute speed terms, and it's likely that I'm playing far too hard (!) It just gives such an excellent tone, large and smooth. If I deviate this technique, it all goes a bit "thin" and "reedy" sounding" Any solutions? (Don't even [i]ask[/i] about my fretting hand!)

[quote name='nick' post='32978' date='Jul 17 2007, 12:31 PM']I've had Badass on my Tokai, & tried Schaller too before on other precisions in the past. I can see why vast majority bassists prefer this with lot of modern music. I'm probably one of the few, but I prefer the sound with original bridge. I like the more 'pokey' sound, albeit with less sustain. However, I do find saddles can slip around. I use original style bridges with tracked saddles, which are cheap on Ebay. Horses for courses, I suppose.[/quote] Which is why my Squier wears a BadAssII, and my MIA Jazz doesn't! Horses for courses indeed!

[quote name='Bassassin' post='31793' date='Jul 14 2007, 03:39 PM']Some good pics & info here: [url="http://www.littleguitarworks.com/instruments/torzalstandard.php"]http://www.littleguitarworks.com/instrumen...zalstandard.php[/url] Trying to get my head around how this works - how string height can stay constant along a neck that presumably has a degree of curvature. It's making my head hurt! Engineering aside - I would be fascinated to try one. Jon.[/quote] If the Neck could be twisted about an axis that was (notionally) a string at a reasonable height above the 'board along its length... That might work, but well done to them for crafting it to that degree of accuracy!

Hmmm. None have foxed me yet! Not the novax fanned-frets of the Dingwalls Nor the lap-jumping curves of the Thumbs (or my suicidal Iceni) Not the big, bluff edges of an Indonesian Squier Nor the concave back of a Streamer LX6 Mssrs Steinberger, Kubicki, and Vigier have all tried (painted neck on the last one!) but failed. The neck dive of my Yamaha Attitude is formidable, but I adjusted a strap to compensate. I can handle 20/21/22/24/26 Frets, and even 34",35" and 36" (just) scale instruments. I'll take the blame for my rotten intonation on my (unlined) fretless 'Ray 5 Still, I've yet to try; Falling over to the left with a Tbird Getting my fretting hand caught in the lower horn of an SG shaped Gibson (EB0 or EB3?) Fighting the slightly odd ergonomics of a big horseshoe magnet in the middle of a Rick Sub 34" scale instruments- I reckon on starting with an Ashbory and working UP!

[quote name='Toasted' post='30058' date='Jul 10 2007, 11:24 PM']It's nice to find people who are skilled at what they do. I'm looking in Leeds at the moment.[/quote] Try local tool shops. I got some imperial Allen wrenches from my (excellent) tool shop. I took my MIA jazz in to size them up against it, and they nearly fell over backwards, mumbling; "What a lovely bit of ash" and "Don't scratch it!!" Bless them! +1 for local specialist tradespeople! Also worthy of mention are specialist fastenings shops. My local guys helped me hang an LCD TV on a wall bracket that wouldn't quite fit AND sold me rustless (stainless) scratchplate screws at the same time!

[quote name='The Funk' post='26371' date='Jul 3 2007, 09:59 AM']I should have given [url="http://www.delano.de/english/5-string/mc5hy.html"]a link to the particular model[/url].[/quote] That won't fit without surgery, I'm afraid, the mounting ears are in the wrong places... Curse those non-standard MEC pick-ups!

It was my first mod to a bass, too. I put my experiences on the old BW sticky, and they're on the new one, too. I paid £52 for mine. New. It's a worthwhile purchase [i]if[/i] you want a more contemporary edge to your tone. If you want the dull "thump" and "singing" tone of a vintage bass, I'd advise against it- or be prepared to roll that tone well back and use flats!

I must be [i]lucky[/i]. I seem to be able to find the good points in almost everything I play (Assuming I liked them [i]enough[/i] in the first place!) . And the longer I'm exposed to them, the more I find to like. That said, I don't really get put off by odd aesthetics, unless the ergonomics got messed up, too. Otherwise, the more barmy the better, as long as it plays well and the tone is good. Yep. I've got two Warwicks; A 1997 Streamer LX6 with an all Wenge neck and SD Basslines in it. A 2002 Infinity SN4 with an Ovangkol neck and Zebrano body - It's got the "usual" J/JJ pick-ups. The Streamer is a classic, shape-wise, albeit in a 6 string format. The Infinity is a weird amalgam of Corvette and Dolphin, but is still quite conservative.

Delano are the only people who make a twinjazz pick-up like the MEC one, aren't they. I own a (still original) Infinity SN4, and was contemplating going the same way due to the sterile sound of the MECs. I had a happy discovery; Elixir Strings sound great on it, and a Fatfinger added that last little bit. As a result, I left well enough alone. I do like the TJ bridge pick-up. The unit in the Precision Deluxe sounds good, too. I'm surprised that more manufacturers don't follow a similar route. My custom (give it 10 years!) will have a TJ in it, methinks.

They are indeed imperial. Worse luck!

Now that[i] is[/i] nice. Perhaps a black pearl pickguard, and it's the whole nine yards, so to speak. Unfortunately, I already have too many black basses...

[quote name='phsycoandy' post='24656' date='Jun 28 2007, 10:53 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-Bass-VI-Original-Vintage-75_W0QQitemZ120134851163QQihZ002QQcategoryZ33039QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-Bass-VI-Origi...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url] Is it a guitar or a bass, tremelo arm ffs!!![/quote] Baritone Guitar, methinks!

The T-Bird sound, surely! The Attitude sound. I agree with the Ibanez tone statement. Especially since I put some DR Fatbeams on mine. It's very nice now. I've sort of got my own favourite; a sort of "singing" mid-range sound, but with a mildly rolled-off top and a smooth low-end. Odd how similar designs can sound so different; I've two Jazzes, an MIA and a Squier 70's VMJ. They're like chalk and cheese. The MIA is all smooth and soft, but with that singing mid. The Squier seems to thing it's a G&L ASAT or a Fender Marcus Miller. Grrrrrrr! (and it slaps and grinds well, too!)

There's two "F"s in "OFF" (BlackAdder II, methinks!)

[quote name='Brandonh' post='24242' date='Jun 28 2007, 03:07 AM']The Gary willis website says you have to help the truss rod out and place your knee on the back ect in order to tighten it. However I did not do that. Is that going to mess up my neck?[/quote] No, it shouldn't. The "stick yer knee in it" method is okay to help it out, but (again) you need to know what you're trying to achieve, or you really will mess it up! Personally, I adjust mine with the bass just laying on my lap, without any pressure bearing on the neck. Make only minute (8th of a turn at a time) adjustments. Remember that any changes take time to settle in fully depending on the shape, size and material of the neck in question.

[quote name='Oxblood' post='23392' date='Jun 26 2007, 09:58 AM']Hell, you have been having a bad time! There may be some undiagnosed common factor going on. Something that's not immediately obvious. Here's a shortlist of possibles: 1) Dodgy local mains supply (unlikely, but...) 2) Mains wiring fault in your house/rehearsal space 3) Faulty wiring inside one or both of your speaker cabs 4) Having met a mysterious stranger at the crossroads and signed a contract in your own blood... My money's on the last one. C'mon, don't you remember me...?[/quote] Errr... 1 IS unlikely. 2 House? No. Everything else works okay, no issues there, methinks. 3 Nope. Checked them internally AND my cables for dry joints, shorts, crappy terminals, damaged cables etc. 4 Satan is in my amp. Seems likely. My Mrs has the same effect on cars, particularly FIATS. Maybe I should go "rigless" and use in-ear monitoring...

[quote name='dabootsy' post='23760' date='Jun 26 2007, 09:31 PM']bryan ferry kiss and tell is a great bassline from Marcus miller[/quote] I've loved that since before I'd even thought of picking up a bass! A taste of things to come. I didn't know it was MM playing it, though! My 2pence; Jump into the fire (Harry Nilsson); Herbie Flowers. He de-tunes his open E down to about C whilst syncopating. Unbelieveable. This is the picture (Peter Gabriel); Bill Laswell Babooshka (Kate Bush); John Giblin- Fretless players, have a listen and weep!

[quote name='Muppet' post='23917' date='Jun 27 2007, 10:30 AM']Nope - pretty sure you're in a minority of one there! "Basses" would be my guess as far as innovations go, I'd like to be able to recall preprogrammed preamp settings, though I'm sure someone's though of that already.[/quote] And as well as the Vigier Nautilus system (on the bass), there's the programmable Trace Pre-amps (separate from the instrument). A couple of folks on here have them. I forget the official designation....

Whilst I recall someone (Binky?) giving Born2Rock Aluminium (Sorry, Aluminum) Tubular basses a pasting recently, it is worthwhile noting that their string tension is carried by the "spar" above the fret board, and that the neck really does "float", being held in place by the strings' collective tension. Trekker (as previously mentioned) spring to mind also, in addition to the Basslab L-Bow (perhaps) and Vigier Passion/ Arpege instruments. These are all variations on the same theme; Taking the pressure off of the neck itself. Crazy innovations? Anything with moveable pick-ups, such as the Westone "rail" , Viper Bass etc. (there's a motorised one out there somewhere with a recall facility for the pick up positions.) The aforementioned B2R tubular instruments. Bizzare EQ options; Vigier's Quasi-parametric system; you can change [i]f[/i] but not Q or bandwidth... (shame about the Q, but Patrice Vigier did mail me back with a modification!) Warwick's Fortress and Streamer "Pro M". Stick a Twin Jazz Pick-up half-way between the bridge and neck and apply a separate 2 band EQ to each coil. Bet it worked, but where is it now? (I'd like to try it!) That's all I can think of right now..

Nice triumvirate! Given my proximity to Colchester, I really, [i]really[/i] ought to pay Mr. Green a visit at some point. (GAS attack ahoy!)

Excellent idea... with one caveat; Do they do them in black?!

I've decided I hate amplifiers. That, or they hate me! Tube or SS, you send 'em, I'll bend 'em. (And it's not like I'm some psychotic volume freak who wires it all up wrong, either. Before you ask!) I need something that will not go up in smoke at the sight of i) an input signal ii) a pair of cabinets. Not very constructive, I know, but I'm sick of things breaking without them suffering what I'd call abuse.

Can the said power amp be bridged? I ran my QSC PLX1202 in bridged mode to great effect. Until it died. Which was (of course) unrelated. That was a good month. Pre-amp died (valve) Power amp died (solid state). I'm taking up the recorder, now! I still can't afford replacements...