4000

I bought mine for £220 brand new; it had just come out. That would've been early '80s. I sold an early 70s P Bass to pay for it.

Can't watch as I'm at work but Frank Marino was actually a huge early influence on my bass playing. His speed and fluidity really registered with me and were things I really wanted to incorporate into my playing.

[quote name='bassninja' timestamp='1381443641' post='2239379'] Anyone might like technically 'unimpressive' things too, or both, or not be bothered either way. Personally, I get as much out of [b]Richard Bona[/b] as I get out of [b]Motorhead[/b]. I think we probably agree about the joy of enjoying a rich variety of music. [/quote] Two of my favourites right there. Good call. The fact that some people seem to have a problem with technical stuff in its entirety or simple stuff in its entirety baffles me. As further examples, I love John McLaughlin and Jah Wobble. And Return to Forever and bagpipes.

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1381426444' post='2239034'] Not my thing at all, I got about 30 seconds through and then enough was enough. I have no problem with people experimenting like that but I'll always think that the electric bass is voiced so badly for this kind of stuff. Why do something on a 7 string bass that can be enjoyed and performed infinitely better on a guitar or piano, something with a stronger melodic voice? [/quote] +1. I tend to think if you were simply listening to it rather than watching it it would sound like a badly played harpsichord.

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1379283159' post='2210930'] To be fair, and I love Pino as much as anyone, but what he is playing there - although a quote from The Rite of Spring - is more than likely to be a quote of Jaco quoting Stravinsky. I have been listening to all of them for decades and only recently made the conection. http://tomkenrick.wordpress.com/category/jaco-pastorius/ [/quote] This.

Absolutely can't bear him. Sorry.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1381416281' post='2238783'] Playing with a band isn't supposed to be interesting, its supposed to be part of the band being interesting, otherwise its playing in spite of the band. [/quote] Pretty much this. Solo bass playing is really rather beginning to get on my nerves. Not that I liked it much in the first place.

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1380981286' post='2233078'] I bought a 2011 P Bass last year. got it a bit cheaper coz the 2012 was coming in. I had it set up by the shop before I collected it. When I got it home I played it for a bit, but for some reason I couldnt get on with it. It had random buzzing spots, and was uplayable up on the top register frets. So I gave the neck a tweak and raised the action but it still wasnt right. So I took it to Chandlers who took one look at it and told me it had that infamous Fender hump high up the neck, and it would need a neck tweak and a fret dress to make it playable. Its great now, but I cant believe Fender would let it out the factory in less than high standards. [/quote] And this is exactly my point over in the Setup thread; setup isn't easy if there's an issue with the instrument, as IME there often is. FWIW my Roadworn Jazz needed the neck replacing from new. As no new bass I've ever played in a shop is setup right for me I've usually had to assume that my 40-95s and low action will be do-able once the bass gets home. Wrong! I always factor in a fret-dress now at the very least, because the majority of basses I've tried need one to get them where I want them, new or used.

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1381349998' post='2238081'] I can't? Well, golly, I'll be damned. : ) [/quote] Sorry. I forgot you were the Chuck Norris of setups.; -)

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1381338109' post='2237858'] Comes down to what you mean by "perfect" and "decent" and "low action". Also depends very much on what the action is when you start and what you want to achieve. [/quote] Which is exactly my point. A set up of sorts may be relatively easy. A set up of 2mm at the 12th E (I've had mine less before now) with a lower G is often a different kettle of fish. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of basses I've had that haven't needed some fretwork to play how I want them to.

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1381323276' post='2237542'] Because if someone doesn't do a good set up, the bass will still work and they won't get electrocuted. : ) WIth electronics, you must know the specifics, with a set up, you can "see" if a neck is backbowed and you can "feel" if the action is too high and you can "hear" is there's buzz and the solution is obvious. I understand some people just can't do it. Some people can't fry an egg. Some people can't change a light bulb. My point is that I think a lot of people think it's a complex skill best left to professionals and it's really rather simple. [/quote] I have a friend who's an electrician. If I asked him to set his guitar up he'd cry.;-) Again, what you define as a setup may be simple, but I would include things in a setup, at least potentially, that you wouldn't. Unless your frets etc are perfect, assuming you like low action, you simply can't do a decent basic setup.

I have absolutely no idea what it is. Seriously.

[quote name='iiipopes' timestamp='1381273887' post='2236954'] The folks at rickresource.com can advise you completely. [/quote] This. If you want info on Rics, that's the place to go.

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1381309935' post='2237202'] I've actually been quite lucky when it comes to sh*t basses. I've owned a few that haven't really suited me, but actual 'bad' instruments? 2) Musicman Stingray 5. Too light, Truckstop [/quote] The first point is very pertinent. I've played very few basses that weren't vaguely playable with a reasonably workable sound, in that they actually made a sound and played in tune. However the majority of basses I've played - thousands- haven't suited me at all. In that sense they've been bad, but they haven't really been [i]bad[/i], just not suitable, as you say. Although from the examples I've given, every Fender or Fender type-bass I've ever owned bar one has had a major neck and/or trussrod problem, I had a Status bass with a neck twist (yes, really) and 2 with both serious electronic and major ergonomic issues, and the fingerboard on my Wal hadn't been levelled correctly at the factory which meant I could never set it up to my satisfaction; the next owner had it defretted, levelled and refretted. As for a Stingray 5 being too light.....

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1381282567' post='2236991'] How do you know it's a low standard? Because I don't have "Professional Setter-upper" as a title? lol. Trust me, my basses are set up perfectly. it's not that hard. I don't do electronics because I never learned how. One can't "eye" electronics. But millions of people can do it so I'm sure if I learned it wouldn't be that difficult. Nut cutting and fret dressing is not a "set up." [/quote] No, it's not that hard to set a bass up, providing that the nut is cut properly and the frets are properly dressed (and assuming there are no other factors like neck twist, truss rod not working etc etc). Therefore "nut cutting and fret dressing" are an essential part of any set up, even if they are not necessarily what you consider the setup per se. Semantics, ultimately. As you have pointed out, electronics probably aren't that difficult, yet you haven't learned them and don't do them. That's how many feel about adjusting necks etc. I'm perfectly happy adjusting necks but many of the bassists I know personally are terrified of doing it, partly because of the horror stories (often myth as much as anything) that they've heard, or because they simply don't know where to start. They don't feel comfortable with it or have no experience. Just like you with electronics. How is one ok and the other not?

[quote name='Jimryan' timestamp='1381247747' post='2236413'] I do all my own because I know how I like my bass set up. After my bass had some work done, the guy set it up and I hated it and had to re do it. I'm not saying he was bad, but why leave a personal issue to someone else? I always have mine set with strings as low as possible and my neck just shy of dead straight. Many would argue it's not right, but it's perfect for me. This is why whenever I leave the house with my bass, I've a large screwdriver, a set of precision screwdrivers and a set of Allen keys. [/quote] Because sometimes the right person can do a better job than you can, depending on any issues your bass might have in the first place. Martin knows how I like my basses set up and always accommodates, but he has extra knowledge, experience and skill that enable him to do a better job than I can. If you buy a bass and the neck's perfect, the nut is perfect and the frets are perfect then you're good to go. However this often isn't the case. FWIW I like my set ups similar to you and some repairers won't set my basses up like that, saying it's "a guitar setup", but that's how I want it. It's about finding somebody who understands what you want, which Martin does.

I do all my own setups unless the frets or nut need work, or there's something possibly more sinister going on. I prefer very low action and play with a very light touch. Once upon a time I had a Warwick that I could get really close to how I wanted it, but something wasn't right around the D and G string first few frets; there was an extra tension I couldn't put my finger on, if you'll pardon the pun. I fiddled and fiddled over a number of weeks and just couldn't sort it. In the end I took it to Martin Petersen, who picked it up, played it for about 5 seconds & diagnosed the problem, which was a slight twist in that area. He did a fretstone on it and it was fab. That's what I pay for when I do pay. I'd love to learn to do the whole kaboodle but given how much spare time I get (almost none given I have a full time job, spend 2 hrs a day travelling and play an average 4 nights a week) I'm not sure I'd have the time to make the most of it.

The first guitar I ever played (?) was an Egmond. Absolutely impossible to play, hence the question mark. One thing I can't help thinking as this thread progresses is that many people are obviously after the opposite of what I want. Which is absolutely fine by me.

So it begins with S then. [url="http://www.rickenbacker.com/service_serials.asp"]http://www.rickenbac...ice_serials.asp[/url] 'Nuff said.

In fact looking closer it looks almost exactly like my old '76, even down to the crack in the pick guard that happened after I sold it! Whoever told you it's a '73 is very wrong.

Like I said before, somewhere between '75 and '80; looks exactly like my old '76. The serial number should be on the jackplate, something like PE123.

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1381059746' post='2233799'] It's my style to take both! [/quote] With a name like that I'm not surprised!

The worst I've owned have been the Jazzes (ESP, Tokai, Fender, with a special nod towards the ESP), my first Jaydee (looked great but really wasn't!)and 3 of my 4 Status basses. Oh, my 1st Wal was a bit crap too; much preferred my Westone Quantum and Hohner Jack to any of those. The worst I've played? Probably a Hondo Rick copy and an F Bass. Despite the price there was absolutely nothing about the F Bass I liked.

I've got an '89 P and I really like it..

It's not a '73. Fat horns, 1" neck high gain; more likely between '75 and '80. If you find out what the serial number is, the first letter tells you what year. I had a '76 that looked the same.