4000

Before I got my Sansamp VT500s I always had to do the tone roll back thing as my sound clashed with the guitars (you'd be surprised how much difference such a simple thing can make; please try it before committing to anything else, just in case).The VTs mean that's no longer necessary. Much prefer them to my old BDDI. I like them so much I bought 2 heads and a pedal.

A P typically has more in the way of low mids. Try re-Eqing with this in mind. Alternatively use your tone and volume controls, as there are a lot of different sounds available if you experiment. If I want a more in-the-mix, less up front sound, I tend to back off my tones to about half or less (although I do the same on Ps too). If you really want to try new pickups you could fit HB1s as per the 4004, but it may simply be that the P does what you prefer. Having just read your comment about it sitting in the same space as the guitars, try backing off the tones as above.

[quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1478712141' post='3171137'] How did you set your action, and was fretbuzz/flapping a problem? Which brand did you use? I imagine they'd be great for slap bass. [/quote] As Martin Petersen will tell you, I like my action VERY low. I generally play so lightly that fretbuzz isn't really a problem, but having said that when I want to I utilise it for a bit of extra grit. I used Rotosound - still do - and was never much of a slapper really. I suppose my style was always guitaristic, although I've lost some facility in recent years due to nerve problems. To be honest 35-95 are not that light, plenty of people use lighter. Mark King uses 30-90, Les Claypool used to use two 30s and two 60s, Joey DeMaio uses 40,50,60,70 (or did when I met him). I'm sure there are people on here who use lighter.

[quote name='Barking Spiders' timestamp='1478681305' post='3170795'] One of THE great bass albums, as are the next four. SZ was a hard act to follow but IMO Nick Fyffe pulled it off nicely. [/quote] For me Stu just had something else. Touch, feel, tone, a combination of the above. One of my favourite players, certainly on those albums.

[quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1478634707' post='3170526'] Good grief, they must have been hellish for any kind of speedy runs and such, no? Can you tell me a bit about what they were like to play? [/quote] I loved them actually and I spent a LOT of time playing speedy runs. I was kind of noted for it in those days. ;-) I play with a pick and both pick and fret extremely lightly; I found them very expressive and am actually thinking of going back to them.

His original was a Stage 1 four string, no markers. His famous five (see what I did there) was a Stage 2.

Back then was a Warwick Streamer Stage 1 four string, Stage 2 fiver (the Jamiroquai bass with the blanket paint job), Stage 2 fretless (can't remember if it's on the records), Stage 1 eight string (ditto), and Alembic Essence 4. Seen him using a P back then once too. Used 35-95 strings back in the day according to interview, same as I used to use. There were a couple of other Warwicks too towards the end IIRC, possibly one chrome five and one white five?

[quote name='thodrik' timestamp='1478358390' post='3168605'] I always use the Pre Shape 1 when I use my Trace Elliot combo. I found Pre Shape 2 to be far too muddy in terms of sound. I know 'mid cut' or 'smiley face' pre shapes are unfashionable these days, but I always thought that my Trace Elliot combo was naturally pretty middy sounding anyway. The Pre Shape helped to open up the sound and remove the natural 'boxiness' of the combo. I would always add a bit of the mids back in to even out the sound. I could try and EQ the sound in I wanted using the graphic without the pre shape, but I found the whole thing a bit fiddly and the pre shape was just quick way of getting a half decent 'reference sound' to work from. [/quote] This. Everything also depends on what sound you produce in the first place (i.e. with your hands), what your bass sounds like, what your speakers sound like etc etc etc. I always found Trace the easiest amp to get a big, aggressive, cutting sound out of, but of course YMMV.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1478217549' post='3167716'] Bassomatic is essentially William Orbit, so hardly a one-hit-wonder. [/quote] You know, that's exactly what I expected you to say. ;-)

I Lost My Heart To a Starship Trooper by Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip. Why? Donna Fielding (short blonde member with the Purdy cut), my all-time crush by a nautical mile. And yes, I'm aware that all she does is dance. ;-) Great thread and some great tunes listed. Crash by the Primitives? Fascinating Rhythm by Bassomatic?

Yep, walnut facings (see below). There was another, with slightly less figured walnut facings, which I played prior to ordering mine. I played your Jazz too!

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1421529825' post='2662440'] A close up: [/quote] I'm not sure why, but that's the nicest Stage II I've ever seen. Always wanted one but the weight of the majority of them put me off as my back and shoulders are a mess. Now I sit down all the time it's not really an issue anymore.