Lfalex v1.1
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Everything posted by Lfalex v1.1
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Also on my hitlist, but I doubt it'll ever come to much. I'll have to stick to my plastic Ibanez instead!
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I didn't realise this was actually yours...
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Back on topic... I do not suffer from bass prejudice! I'll play anything. Once, in IKEA, there was a P bass copy adorning a wall in one of their rooms. It was knackered and had 3 strings. They'd screwed it to the wall to prevent people stealing/playing with it. Undeterred, I plucked a string. BOOM! The stud wall it was screwed to acted like a huge soundboard. And because it was screwed to it, the energy transfer was very good! I tuned it to itself, loosely in EAD, and played it (fretting it from the front) until they asked me to leave because of the racket. Moral of this story; Play everything you can get your mitts on. You might get a pleasant surprise! It's easy for me; tone & ergonomics > aesthetics. Others' mileage may vary, of course!
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I'm going to guess that it's a modern, headless iteration of the 60's Fender V, tuned EACGC. With midi, too.
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I have a Series III Passion V. The necks are quite shallow, so I don't think you'd find the 48mm width too much of a difficulty. I certainly don't. Sounds and plays rather nicely. I've had it from new since 1997, and not so much as a hiccup.
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**SOLD** - Resonet Arco electric upright
Lfalex v1.1 posted a topic in EUBs & Double Basses For Sale
For sale, my old Resonet Arco electric upright. It dates from the 1950s, but I can't find enough images online to work out how original it is. The only obvious item missing is the headstock badge Still working. Plug it in, play and sound comes out! Strings are tired but playable. The tone is fine and it holds tune. One tuner rattles as its "elephant ears" are a little loose. It won't come out, though. The pickup is magnetic - I think it's just a whopping humbucker and is actually quite high output. No piezo pickups here, and no tone control, either! The endpin folds up, reducing the instrument to about 5' (160cm) long There's no case, but I have a thick, strong vinyl bag for it (beware, it's bright orange!) No shipping on this one, I'm afraid, so it's cash on collection from my home address in Chelmsford, Essex. I'm looking for £150... Or make me a sensible offer! Thanks for looking. Alex -
I've skimmed the thread, and I'm surprised that no-one's said that they use a different strap for each instrument that they own. Over the years I've amassed a few straps, and see which ones work best with each bass, adjust according to my taste, and that's it. It's partly driven by the fact that the instruments have a combination of Schaller locks, Dunlop locks and various sizes/styles of strap button.
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I can't even remember if I approached them about it. That instrument was ultimately a big disappointment and I just wanted it gone. Don't think I'd have another Status now, though.
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Oddly, none really! Hate's a strong term! Maybe the Ovation electro-acoustic, but only because of the limitations of the type of instrument or the tiny likelihood of my ever being in a position to make proper use of it. Had a Stingray 5 fretless. Looked, played and felt great. But I prefer the tone of an EUB. Status Streamline; Too light and sounded it tonally. The custom wiring (series/parallel) needed a buffer or trim pots to balance the output between the two modes. The limited choice of Double-ball end strings was a pain. Having sharp ends of single ball ends sticking out from under the clamps really was painful from time to time. Phenolic fretboard started to delaminate, so I got shot of it and lost a fortune in the process.
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Probably a daft question (watts, ohms, etc)
Lfalex v1.1 replied to Newfoundfreedom's topic in General Discussion
To reinforce the point about big amps... I used to use a QSC power amp capable of 400W rms into 8ohms with a Trace 2x10 whose drivers were rated at 80 watts each (160 in total) and which presented an nominal 8ohm load. Went much louder than my Trace head could manage, with the benefit of a low end roll-off filter and much better driver control. Never blew or melted anything. A little amp being run into clipping does far more damage than a big one just coasting along. -
Yep. I also like the Marcus Miller Fatbeams. Nicely balanced but really punchy sounding. And they last quite well, too.
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I have 3 out at any one time. 2 out on hangers, and the EUB just stands there on its own (!) The rest are in cases and get rotated in and out as I see fit..
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I use the "swing string" ones. They pivot, and the bass will hang naturally, whatever its shape.
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No, the sticks aren't that heavy at all, but I'd prefer something that supported the bottom of the Stick and the middle of the neck as the weight distribution is different to that of a bass.
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The headstock doesn't widen like on a bass, and all the weight would bear on the first pair of tuners... Probably less than ideal!
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I hang/ have hung all of mine... Except this one Going to have to improvise something...
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Suggestions: songs from the 80s that work acoustically
Lfalex v1.1 replied to Brook_fan's topic in General Discussion
It certainly does work well. "Wouldn't it be good" is way better when stripped of its pop trappings and 80's production values. And "Dancing Girls" is simply sublime compared to its pop counterpart. -
Are you listening to these other basses through your headphones too? How were they recorded? Maybe someone had access to a really nice compressor and knows how to use it subtly but to good effect? There are just too many variables to make a definitive judgement until you've got access to all of these basses and can play them through your equipment. And even then, as always, YMMV. I also find that Headphone listening is very revealing of on-board EQs. I run my Vigier with it off for that very reason. It's by no means poor, but it's better switched off.
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Yup. This. I have very corrosive sweat, so generally use coated strings. Of the uncoated ones, Rotos die first...
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That's very true! It's a real leap in the dark, even if you get to try one out, it feels even more alien than the first time you get any other stringed instrument strapped on. It's like an initiation... The feeling of ineptitude, but I think you've just got to possess the stubbornness you've described and persist with it. I've been going about 6 weeks now, and sometimes something resembling a tune comes out, and every so often I'll manage an "Oh! That was alright" moment where I'll take a chance and improvise or wind up getting a note way up at the Dusty End that actually fits. My style is beginning to develop a direction, too. I tend to play bass lines with chordal embellishments from the Melody strings. Or just go the whole Levin and play 2-handed bass lines! 😁
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36 inch scale means the string tension is lower than you're used to. The board isn't as big as you think.. and the "neck" is shallower and helps improve your reach. I don't struggle with that aspect in spite of having less-than enormous hands! The hard parts are; (IMO) How do I get to try one? When I've got one, how does it fit into a band in a musical sense?
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You're right. That is odd. And true. I tried it! One of the best pieces of advice I've had so far, the others being; Get close to the rear edge of the frets for best tone and clarity. Don't be afraid to use the flat portion of the neck for your thumbs. Don't think of it as a tapping instrument. Think of it as a "gripping" instrument- lightly but firmly. Don't be afraid to experiment with it. If it works for you, then do it!
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Whats on your 'no limits' Christmas list?
Lfalex v1.1 replied to gpw5150's topic in General Discussion
Any retirement package that looks better than "Death in Service"... -
What do you value about your local music shop?
Lfalex v1.1 replied to MiltyG565's topic in General Discussion
The only one left that I frequent is Strings Direct / Holiday Music, and then only if I fancy a trip out that way. They're primarily an online retailer, but piggy-back a retail shop off of the online warehouse. Monumentally huge selection of strings and stuff. Generally very knowledgeable staff, too. Very few instruments and zero basses these days, though. -
PMT can be very variable. I've had both good and diabolical service in the Romford branch. They sold me a Warwick and were very accommodating. Some time later, I asked to try a (Korean) Burns, but even when tuned, the strings lay flat against the frets (!) I asked if it could be set up, but the guy said "only if yer gonna buy it" So I walked. I still find them very hit-and-miss, and I've had them be fine to me and rude to other customers. Weird.
