Lfalex v1.1

Was seriously considering one of these. Then I RTFM online. No auxiliary in for MP3 player, so I'll have to break out my mixer... At least I can phantom power it via XLR... Nope. And if I could it'd be in MONO. What's the point of stereo effects if you can only send a mono feed to the desk? Jack of all trades, master of none, I fear. It could sound phenomenal, but the power leads are too fragile even for heavy domestic use, and the lack of appropriate connectivity hamstrings an otherwise good unit. Off to sulk now.

The grammatical issues arise from one person purporting to represent several. That it has been done so badly suggests that the author of the letter rarely does so. That, or they suffer from some sort of multiple personality disorder. How does this individual know the names of the band members? It's quite unusual for venue owners to acquaint themselves with bands this closely. I conclude that this letter has been sent by an envious spouse/partner or perhaps another band wishing to harm your excellent reputation. A "hoax", but an unintentionally amusing one that can surely only serve to improve the standing of your band in today's depraved public arena. /Sherlock Holmes. NICE ONE !

lol... I'm sorry I even suggested it!

IIRC, many of the s2 and s3 Vigiers had single-coils in big housings. Nearly all were of Benedetti manufacture. Mine has, and it's a '97. Just off to have a Google

[quote name='garry71' timestamp='1368465574' post='2077421'] Interesting replies, very informative thanks. Wonder if Yamaha will ever do a JJ version as well as the PJ configuration? It might win over some Jazz bass fans. Cheers Garry [/quote] Jazz fans will be wanting at least VVT controls. No pick-up selector switches.. Probably the main reason I've never bought any of them.

[quote name='Josh' timestamp='1368340730' post='2075765'] Sorry for the nihilistic tone... [/quote] No need for apologies. What gear do you use to get your nihilistic tone? Or is it all in the fingers?

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1368269202' post='2075113'] I have to agree with this - unfortunately I wasn't chosen. I had a Kingbass for about 5 minutes and really couldn't get on with it. It was the fastest sale of an instrument I've ever I've ever made I do know people that love these though - a real marmite bass if ever there was one. [/quote] I wasn't chosen either. I tried one chez Status, and the damn thing wouldn't hang right on me. Even Dawn said so. I bought a Streamline instead. And what a waste of money that had proven to be... I have basses that cost a third as much that don't look/feel like a toy, and sound better...

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1368132922' post='2073746'] In all honesty, I`m yet to find a bass I really don`t get on with... [/quote] Same for me, but it's a matter of degree. Most are fine, but my least favourites from my collection are the Yamaha Attitude- modelled on a '51 "P", and the Warwick Infinity SN4. The Yamaha is wide at the nut and deep. The Warwick is slim at the nut, but even deeper. Proper baseball bat territory! I tolerate it because it's not that much of an issue, an the tone is great. Best necks? Vigier, Stingray 5, Fender Jazz, and (oddly) My NS CR5 EUB...

More importantly, which metals are best for cables? Apparently, silver and copper for what we'd use them for... Aluminium for those big overhead power cables...

[quote name='dincz' timestamp='1368124675' post='2073591'] The problem with thin cables is not so much resistance - the cable's resistance will be negligible compared to the input impedance of an amp. The real problem is capacitance, especially with long cables, and it will cause a reduction of top end response. [/quote] +1 There are SO many variables in cable construction. Resistance Inductance Capacitance Skin effect Strand to stand conduction Geometry Shielding Dielectric Connectors Etc. Some may have a discernable effect. Some may not. The only way to minimise the interaction between cable and signal is to reduce the amount of cable to to the minimum length that is practically possible for the application in question. The added bonus is that shorter cables are cheaper! I'm still using some cables a mate gave me when he gave up guitar. They are Whirlwind branded, and are visually identical to some Fender branded cables. They are now nearly 20 years old, and I've done every gig, practice, rehearsal and recording using them. I don't foresee needing any cables in the immediate future...

[quote name='Dr M' timestamp='1368116811' post='2073447'] The trouble you're likely to have is the fact they're about one inch thick (25mm). Most bodies tend to be about 35 - 40mm. You'll probably find one piece is too thin, but two pieces are too thick and weigh a ton. My Dad's found the same thing, although he's had some success using iroko. It's got quite a nice colour and a similar feel to korena. The grain can be quite deep though. [/quote] A solution might be to make the "wings" of a through neck 2 pieces thick. Cut them to a rough shape. Chamber them before glueing them together and then contour them etc. Just a thought for the brave/skilled or those with too much time/ too many router bits on their hands...

Some "customs" hold their value. Wal and Alembic for two. Some Status basses hold their value, but Streamlines can be tough to shift. Iceni bass values drop like a stone. Sei seem to hold value well. Can't speak for GB or Shuker.

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1367934327' post='2071169'] I am interested in this, are you running it with no preamp at all then? Straight from piezo? Does it have enough output straight into the amp this way? I quite fancy doing this to mine now, just to see what happens. The less things with batteries in, the happier i am. [/quote] From an EUB position, it's worth noting that the NS NXTs are, to the best of my knowledge, passive, with just a volume and passive tone control, plus the ARCO/PIZZ selector. Whether they incorporate a buffer of some sort, I do not know. Oddly, I'd say the pre in my NS CR5 is excellent, and only reveals any gremlins when you crank the treble up...

Bubinga's Nordstrand picture raises an interesting point (given that it's looks to be a PJ) Namely: What defines a bass as a Jazz? Is it; neck dimensions, the off-set body shape or the use of two single coil pick ups at the bridge and mid positions? Or a combination of these? Otherwise, bases like the Thumb, Vigier Excess/Passion/Arpege and even Status S2 begin to creep in...

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1368022587' post='2072147'] Err, nothing, it was offered as part of an explanation as to why prices on the whole are low rather than taking exception to the question. Or did I read it wrong? [/quote] No, you didn't. It was intended as at least a partial answer to the question in the OP. And to Timmo, I did type it in haste, and it does seem a trifle blunt. It certainly wasn't meant as some sort of admonishment, more of an explanation of what I personally do to try and get the best value. Sorry for any misunderstanding..

Buy on BC Sell elsewhere. Forum rules (no auctions / statement of item value) coupled to people's knowledge and a broad range similar or alternative instruments conspire to keep prices on the low side around here.

Black or silver would've saved the day, even with the sparkles! Silver with black hardware. Mmm

I've only seen full sets of G,D,A and E Elixirs. Low B and high C are available separately.

[i][b]Preamble[/b][/i] Well, where do I start? Having had a quick browse through the reviews section, I couldn't see [u]any[/u] Electric Upright Bass reviews. Maybe they're in that [i]special[/i] forum.. No? It is a bass... Of sorts, so here's the review! [i][b]Background[/b][/i] Why an EUB? Having flirted with fretless (an old Columbus S2 Jazz and a Musicman Ray 5) I discovered that, whilst I could play such an instrument, It couldn't reproduce [i]that[/i] DB sound. Nor can an EUB. But it does get closer. And it's smaller And you don't have feedback issues And they're available with too many strings (five, in this case) And you can use effects with them And amplify them straight from the box without modification And many can be readily set up at home without specialist tools/skills I'm guessing that the DB purists will have hit the "back" button on their browsers by now, so I'll continue! In all seriousness, An EUB represents the right compromise for me. A sort of halfway-house between fretless and DB that's more portable and convenient. Why the NS? For me, it had to be a 5. It's now my choice of fretted bass, so to be able to play/re-interpret some material it was entirely necessary to have that fifth string. That limits the number of purchasing options, even in the EUB field. I'd originally targeted an NS Design NXT 5, but a CR 5 came up second-hand, and at a good price, So that forced my hand somewhat. [i][b]Features[/i][/b] Made in the Czech Republic. A diminutive Maple body with a flamed Maple cap (about 3mm thick, if you look closely) A full 42" scale Maple neck, scarf-jointed to the body. This is of [i]much[/i] higher quality than either the body wood or the cap, and is beautifully finished is a gloss lacquer. The fingerboard is of Macassar Ebony, and has small dot markers at every position from "1" to "24", with double markers at 5,7,12,17,19 and 24 positions. Yup. A double-octave neck that's completely accessible due to that dinky body. The transducer is a piezo electric bridge fashioned from phenolic resin. It's adjustable for action/side to side tilt from behind with two 3mm Allen keys. It's a doddle. No Magnetic pick-ups in this model. That's the "M" String spacing could be changed, too, if you wanted to file a few (more) small slots in the bridge. As it's removable, you could possibly obtain a new phenolic blank from NS (not that I've tried) The electrics are 18v active, with controls for Volume, continously variable Arco/Pizzicato control with centre detent, treble and bass. The tuners are Schallers. A regular Bass guitar type, but they're the smoothest, most positive tuners I've ever encountered. Period. The nut is phenolic, too, by the looks of it. It all stands atop a tripod. Yes. It stands up all on its own. No leaning it in corners or buying stands. It's remarkably liberating to be able to just walk away from an instrument and not have it follow you in some way. That might sound odd, but if you've just swapped from a Bass Guitar, your shoulder won't miss having a lump of wood hanging from it! End pins and shoulder straps are available as further alternatives. The package comes in two tubular soft cases with a degree of padding. One for the stand, one for the bass. [b]Simple, minimalist design, with good quality construction and selective application of excellent quality materials where it really counts, particularly the neck and fingerboard. 10/10 [/b] [i][b]Sound[/i][/b] In a word, Massive. Makes my "biggest" sounding bass guitar sound like toy. Yes, that's partly a function of the energy transmitted from all that extra string mass, but the Piezo system conveys the player's input with great accuracy, and the 18v electrics give plenty of headroom. Best of all, the EQ controls are not an after-thought. The extremes of adjustment are too much (particularly if you wind the treble up all the way- its uncomfortable through headphones), but used sensibly, they affect exactly the right parts of the sound in just the way I'd want. [b]Powerful, flexible and intuitive.. Great with (subtle) effects. Noise and feedback free. 10/10[/b] [i][b]Action, Fit and Finish[/b][/i] Very good indeed. Everything feels remarkably solid. All the joints are tidily constructed and there's no sloppy workmanship to be seen.. The only shortcoming is that the inner faces of the (open) headpiece are not finished to the same standard as the rest of the bass. The neck has a truss-rod, so it's adjustable, as is the bridge, so you can tailor the action to suit your preference. I opened the back panel up to have a look (slacken the strings or the tension will fire it across the room!) It's all tidily wired and very well shielded inside. The Tripod stand is very stable and adjusts into some weird positions if you want but allows a good degree of flexibility [b]Solidly made, with only a few compromises visible. Plenty of adjustability. 9/10[/b] [b][i]Reliability[/i][/b] I purchased this instrument used, and am at least its third owner. It has seen plenty of action. And it all still works exactly as it should. [b]No issues here, then.. 10/10[/b] BUT [b][i]Durablility[/i][/b] Here's the catch. All that Maple, particularly on the body, is soft. It can be dented easily. And this has been. Especially around the bottom edge of the instrument. The Flamed face has some gouges in it from fingernails when players have overshot the G string. The headpiece is fine. The padded bag for the bass is not up to the job.It has insufficient padding in the ends to prevent damage to the instrument. The manual states that you can get the stand (in its bag) in with the instrument in its bag. Not a good plan. The stand has the ability to damage the instrument. Bagged or otherwise. The previous owner had purchased a proper flightcase. That's more like it. Time to try and steam some of those dents out with a soldering iron/damp cloth. [b]Inadequate protective gear supplied. Durable if you treat it [u]carefully[/u]. Buy a proper case! 6/10[/b] [i][b]Overall rating[/i][/b] Cracking design (if you favour minimalism) Sounds superb and plays really well- and I've only used it to play Pizzicato. Great clarity and sustain- really sings in a way that makes a lot of Bass guitars sound a bit thin and weedy! Excellent neck access. If your intonation is up to it, you can go "Cello-Chasing" A really good blend of design, features and construction, with materials that can only be described as "premium" used in critical areas (neck and fingerboard) Let down only by the soft bags and the fact that the body damages easily. The strings can be kinked against the (square) tail-end of the fingerboard if it suffers a big impact. If the instrument bag was better, it might not happen... [b]Overall? 8/10 as if bought new. If only it came with a proper case. These are approx £1700 new. Inadequate protection is a serious flaw at this price point Otherwise I'd probably bump it up to 9 or even 9.5 out of 10[/b] Any questions? Fire away? I'll try to sort some photos in due course...

2nd-hand Warwick. Thumb 5 Fortress Masterman 5 Vampyre 5 Streamer Jazzman 5 Corvette FNA 5 Infinity SN 5 Plenty more where they came from...

Does it have a truss- rod that could be adjusted? Did the change of strings also include a significant change of gauge?

What sort of a hot-rod is it, and which pick-up config is it? I have visions of a Maple Thumb with double-Ps in it...

[quote name='bagsieblue' timestamp='1367669108' post='2068165'] Cheers - I don't want to really mod the bass and I don't really want to get rid as it is a beautiful and lovely bass to play, fussy bugger eh? Not familiar with DR Fatbeams, will they give me some more thump as I would hope that flats would? [/quote] Fat beams may give you a slightly more scooped sound than you're used to. Nice strings, and easy to play due to the round cores, but not the game-changer you're looking for. I'd have said change the pick-ups and pre- amp. Keep the originals, and at least it's reversible. Maybe an outboard pre-amp? Tone hammer, EBS, Paradriver etc?

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1367460317' post='2066007'] Yup. My Status loves The Sheehan EBS and the B3K The Marleaux HATES drive of any kind. The P loves the B3K and the Marshall Jackhammer. I have about 20 drive pedals. Clearly I need 20 basses! [/quote] My Vigier is a complete fx dodger. I think it's the low (600 Ohm) output impedance.. Best all rounder I've found is my Ampeg SVP pro. Lots of tube niceness..

Not sure I liked that. Over-application of a tap-controlled flanger/ noise gate combined with short slides sounds exactly like the sound effects they dubbed over laser bolts in the 80's. A smidge of ring modulator on the top end, and I reckon you could nail the Battlestar Galactica tone. But that's probably NOT what I bought an EUB for...