JamesBass

Might well be a P with a Jazz pickup as well? I noticed the block inlays on the live video, however as WOT says, that's classic P with rounds primarily, nice bit of mid boost and most likely a valve amp and some extra crunch, sans amp VT bass rack?

Will have a peruse around the house I think!

With the risk of seeming extremely naive and uninformed, but, what is the best foam to stuff next to your bridge? I've had a brief search and there's so many different types I'm all a bit overwhelmed!

[quote name='oggiesnr' timestamp='1401086455' post='2459791'] Is your friend getting money from sales or from writing credits from radio plays? Makes a huge difference if it's actually your words and music. Steve [/quote] Performance credits. He's a session drummer, though I know he's produced one or two of the bigger numbers, which obviously boosts his pay!

[quote name='Diablo' timestamp='1401056793' post='2459702'] I believe the cost of a hit varies with the geographical location and the intended target. As low as £100 in South America perhaps, but into tens of thousands for a European capital dweller. [/quote] You say it varies geographically, but I think you have generalised there a tad. I have a friend who's band were signed and fairly well known during the 90s and he regularly receives cheques each month of £5k or more and he reckons 85% comes from SA sales, his band here are much more cult-niché and experience less in sales. The article however, is very interesting but sadly lacking in concrete facts in terms of actual figures, though the explanation of the industry was spot on and shows people just how hard it is as a musician. I can also confirm that Amy Winehouse's band used to get paid a pittance per night, roughly £250-£500 each, if they were lucky that is. I know of pub bands who play her songs that get paid more than that each. Fairly ironic isn't really.

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1400937680' post='2458341'] IIME any reasonable bass will sound good with new strings, [b]but only a P bass sounds good with new and old strings.[/b] [/quote] I wouldn't agree with that at all, my ric sounds lovely with dead strings on or with fresh strings, like many things with playing it does still come down to the bloke or gal playing the thing, though the tone is influenced by the strings. FWIW I played a Stingray which had dead flat wounds on in the studio the other day and it was tonally beautiful! Bright enough but still thumpy as hell!

[quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1400916363' post='2458084'] I use a MB bass head either a Little Rocker or a MOMark both very light amps .I also use a wireless system , a rack tuner & a sliding shelf that holds just one pedal . All of this is in just one flight case making it quite heavy & I pulled a muscle in my back shifting it the other day . The thing is The wire less comes in handy for sound checks But do I need it ? If I get rid of the shelf & have the pedal on the floor I still have to run leads from the pedal to the back of the wireless . So I'm thinking of just going back to leads & a couple of pedals on the floor & just the amp . Has anyone else done this ? [/quote] My rig is ridiculously simple, it goes a little like this; Bass -> lead -> valve head. No pedals, no wireless, and no fuss! I might at some stage add a sansamp VT bass pedal for some extra fuzz when I need a cleaner tone and fuzz together, though that's not come up as of yet!

[quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1400916363' post='2458084'] I use a MB bass head either a Little Rocker or a MOMark both very light amps .I also use a wireless system , a rack tuner & a sliding shelf that holds just one pedal . All of this is in just one flight case making it quite heavy & I pulled a muscle in my back shifting it the other day . The thing is The wire less comes in handy for sound checks But do I need it ? If I get rid of the shelf & have the pedal on the floor I still have to run leads from the pedal to the back of the wireless . So I'm thinking of just going back to leads & a couple of pedals on the floor & just the amp . Has anyone else done this ? [/quote] My rig is ridiculously simple, it goes a little like this; Bass -> lead -> valve head. No pedals, no wireless, and no fuss! I might at some stage add a sansamp VT bass pedal for some extra fuzz when I need a cleaner tone and fuzz together, though that's not come up as of yet!

It's a hard one, sometimes a P can really cut through and give a nice clank with zingy new strings on, it's something I love yet at the same time I like that super warm, almost wet sounding thunk from flats/dead strings! Something to just help it groove! Which is why I want to get another P bass and stick some flats on it, keep the PU cover and the bridge cover and the foam on the bridge and just flit between those two and my fantastic Ric! Which evidently sounds lovely no matter what!

Alternatively give Andy Baxter Bass a visit as they sell these all the time! Or any shop in Denmark Street will take this and pay fairly well for it! www.andybaxterbass.com www.notomguitars.com

[quote name='Bassman Steve' timestamp='1400736514' post='2456462'] Radical thought. Why not use the Ric for the punk outfit and stick flats on the Precision. Again, you're more than welcome to dive round and see if anything I've got provides a solution. There's old and new to compare. Courtesy of my Rotosound deal I'll even supply your first set of flats (provided you like 45-105). [/quote] Will PM you later tonight and arrange a meet up

So if I were to opt for the build it myself route, where is the best place to source parts from and to get refins done etc.?

[quote name='stingraybassman' timestamp='1400529182' post='2454738'] 64? pretty sure there was only a 62 that has been replaced by the 63. What colour was it? I have a 63ri strung with flats, best PBass I have owned. [/quote] Indeed, it was a 63, my bad! Bloody flailing fingers as I typed! It was a 63 AVRI and it was seminole red, which was damn purddy but alas, it didn't play right for me! I have just been playing both my P and my Ric and I can get what I deem a better "vintage" tone from my Ric with the treble tone rolled all the way off and the bass tone pot to just under half, plus a little mid scoop on my amp and away I was! Still fancy another P mind, I do have a Squier affinity body sat in a case under my bed along with the slightly warped next which I was gonna de-fret. I may now get a neck made up from somewhere, or purchase one and get some custom wirings and have the body re-sprayed? Hmmmm.....

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1400525331' post='2454675'] Yes, those Fender CS pickups sound great. Another big fan here. To be perfectly frank , I've owned a fair few old Precisions that people now consider vintage ( late 60'-early'70's era) and some were really nice and very enjoyable basses, and I love the romance of old Fender basses as much as the next man , but I have to be honest and say that I think a great deal of what people attribute to those basses is exactly that, romance. Some people are so in love with idea of the magic that supposedly surrounds these old basses that they think it makes a tangible difference to the sound, far more so than it actually does. Yes , some old Fenders sound amazing, but so do some new ones if you try a few and find a good one . [/quote] Very true on shopping round and trying as many as you can find, something I've done a bit of after finding that magical 66 P I tried, sadly my hopes were high for the AVRI64 and it failed to get ANYWHERE near them, it was either extremely boomy or just clanked and sounded horrible in the treble register and I felt the lacquer on the back of the neck was FAR too thick, my thumb was getting stuck in place! Certainly wouldn't have purchased that bass! Perhaps I should just keep looking and see what comes my way!

[quote name='OliverBlackman' timestamp='1400495788' post='2454298'] I've written a similar reply on here a few times but these are just my thoughts. I've played quite a few vintage Fenders, from a 60 to late 70's, and despite the playability and condition differences there was a part of the tone each of them shared that I love. The way I describe it is as a dark, earthy, wet kind of sound. Something closer to the DB tone than modern basses achieve. Now I've discussed with a few people why modern basses don't share this sound. Lots of people say it comes as the wood ages but I think the most likely reason was that there were less restrictions on what woods could be used in those days and as a result some of the trees cut down to make the guitars were old trees and had experienced different conditions to those coming from india and china, or those that are grown specifically to make newer guitars. I've tried hundreds of Fender replica's; Tokai, AV's, AC's, Nash, Fender Re-issues and none possessed the tone that I hear from an original vintage Fender. The closest I've come is Thomastic flats and Lindy Fralin P/U's on a standard P. So for me, an old fender is definitely with the money as I can't find anything like it. [/quote] THAT IS SPOT ON! That's the sound it had! The dark woody tone that still had just enough treble and mid to help it cut and give clarity when the tone pot was rolled all the way off, and with the tone pot full on it snarled more and had some bite to it! If only it was re-creatable without dishing out the money for an original!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1400488608' post='2454204'] Put some flats on it. Play it through a valve amp. Turn down the treble. [/quote] It goes through my CTM300 as it is but it's my main bass when I'm with my punk band so always has bright new strings on it think I need two Ps setup differently, or alternatively I stick flats on my ric and fiddle with the EQ on the amp?

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1400488608' post='2454204'] Put some flats on it. Play it through a valve amp. Turn down the treble. [/quote] It goes through my CTM300 as it is but it's my main bass when I'm with my punk band so always has bright new strings on it think I need two Ps setup differently, or alternatively I stick flats on my ric and fiddle with the EQ on the amp?

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1400450803' post='2454054'] Even '70's P basses are selling for a lot of money nowadays. Have you tried any more recent Fenders and seen how they compare to a real vintage one, James? Once you put preconceptions and/or prejudices aside( presuming you have any of those things) you might find a newer bass can offer a lot of what you got from the vintage one, except maybe the played-in feel. A few years ago I went out with a big chunk of cash to get a Precision Bass , and ended up getting a brand new American Standard one. Felt great, played great, sounded great to me . Job done with money left over. Maybe you could look at some vintage reissues from Fender, or something like a used USA Lakland Bob Glaub . A lot of folks think they capture the vibe of a pre-CBS Fender particularly well, but with more solid and reliable build quality. [/quote] I have a modern MIM P and it covers all of the more modern tones perfectly, however I find it a tad too middy and trebly to get a true vintage style warmth from. I did recently play a limited edition Seminole Red 64 reissue and sadly I found it way too bright for what was a vintage tone in my books, plus the example I played was, in my opinion, badly set up. Will look at the Laklands, but am thinking maybe a custom build might be the best bet for me!

[quote name='basshead56' timestamp='1400449822' post='2454030'] Knocking over something easier - an armored truck maybe? Have you tried any 70's models? Some are OK, some are terrible and make you question the QC they had back in the day BUT some of them play brilliantly, look the part (in terms of vintage) and are relatively inexpensive by comparison. You can always mod the pickups to make them sound a bit more 'old school' if required and add chrome covers, thumbrests or a tort pg for aesthetics. I have quite a few 70's Precisions. A couple are totally mint and 100% original (both are 78's), the others have had some mods done in places (either by me or the previous owners). My black/maple/black 73 looks really 'vintage' because the maple neck and headstock have got that lovely aged amber look you get in an instrument that has been in its fair share of smokey pubs over the last 40 years! I usually get a few questions about it when I take it out gigging. Plenty of early to late 70's P's on here in the for sale section. Have a look around Good look on the quest - nowt like getting that first vintage Fender! PS: If cash is a real issue, check out the Squier Classic Vibe 60's Precisions. Serious vintage tones and vibes there. I'm definitely in the market for one of those wee beauties! Cheers Colin [/quote] Cheers Colin, I have had a look at some of the 70s P's on offer but sadly they too are out of the price range for the foreseeable future, really looking for that pre-CBS - Transition vibe. The P I tried out was a mint 66, and as I mentioned in my other post it was just an utter dream to play, the neck depth and width was perfect, the tone pot did it all and it just looked the absolute muts!

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1400449438' post='2454027'] Well, I use Seymour Duncan SPB1 pickups on my bitsa P Bass. I get close to a vintage tone with these, but a lot of it is in your fingers and amp settings. [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/bass-pickups/pbass/passive/spb1_vintage_fo/"]http://www.seymourdu...pb1_vintage_fo/[/url] [/quote] I'm able to dial my more modern P Bass in to a vintage tone with EQ on my amp as well as how I play but I'm looking for that more rounded tone. This P I tried out was just sublime! It could do any tone you wanted, the tone pot went from deep and warm to bright and thunderous and anywhere in between! I could also swap out the pickups and the wiring from my P but I use it a LOT in my punk band as it's perfect for that sound with the more middy pickup.

So after trying out a 66 P in London about a month ago, I have got SERIOUS GAS for a vintage P, or at least a P that covers that more mellow 60s tone. Sadly the P I had my eye on is now nowhere near my financial reach after having to purchase a new car! How can I get that vintage feel and tone without resorting to robbing a bank?!

[quote name='Emanew' timestamp='1399926917' post='2449118'] There is Custom shop Slab 66 here : [url="http://www.coda-music.com/fender-custom-shop-masterbuilt-slab-body-precision-p-18234.html?oscsid=fea2751165fa87cb58f505496fc51cf1"]http://www.coda-musi...8f505496fc51cf1[/url] [/quote] Stunning! Shame it's nowhere near me otherwise I'd be trying that out!

I was saving for a 69er as well! So after finding this yesterday, it really piqued my interests. I'm very curious to hear both the new cabs. Not sure why 12ohms as a choice, but no doubt there's some method to their madness! Being able to build a 6x10 up from the 2x10s is also a good idea, gives more portability and customisation for recording, gigging and rehearsing! So pictures of both of the cabs would be nice Alex, if you're reading this of course!

So browsing on Facebook and I notice that Barefaced have released two new cabs while removing the 69er. From what I have read about them, they both sound like some amazing cabs! I'm certainly interested in hearing them! http://barefacedbass.com/product-range/Retro-Six10.htm

Whenever I've been in Denmark Street every shop has had a great attitude and been extremely helpful!