martthebass

[quote name='drewie' post='369627' date='Jan 3 2009, 10:27 PM']Hi all, I'm the seller of this bass, so if anyone has any questions I'll be happy to answer them. I've been a member here for a little while, but rarely visit. The reason for my very recent registration on Ebay is that I just haven't bothered before. Anything that I have bought or sold in the past has been through family or friends. I have a few things I want to sell on at the mo, so rather than burden them with it all I have registered myself. I can very well understand somebodies reluctance to bid on the bass for that reason. Good to speak with you Simon (Old Git) earlier - hope to see you at The Claude in March. All the best, Paul[/quote] BTW Paul, the control knobs look the same as the ones that were on my old 57 reiss JV Precision (Large Fender/Small Squier on headstock).

£650 heh. Are prices looking up?

IIRC Bongo's pricing 2nd hand is just as dire as Rays/Sterlings. May be worth selling the Suba and putting a want ad on here for a Bongo? I would never buy (another) new MM.

The natural Jazz looks the way to go for me. It would add a different complexion to your playing and complement your Stingray nicely. The Sterlings a beaut, but it still basically sounds like a MM. If the JV had original pickups or something more trad (EMGs - no!) well...... The CIJ P bass - well that would be my 2nd choice.

I find with me it depends on the bass. On my old MIM jazz (now long departed) I found the strings (Rotos) lost their edge after about 3 gigs (c. 7hours play time). Fortunately I like 'played in' so I left them this way for 6 - 12months before changing. On my Ray4 - I rarely change, I just dial in some treble/mid if the zing ain't there. I only change when there is obvious wear in the strings above the 'most common' fret positions. Here the natural 'zingyness' of the bass coupled with active electronics helps the cause. My P bass has very old strings - I haven't changed them since I got it from Old Horse well over a year ago so god knows how old they are. I use this for mainly rock n roll and 60's stuff so dull as dishwater suits well. I generally found that Rotos were pretty crap at holding the new sound tho some people tell me they are now much better in this respect. I've found EB Slinkies to hold the new sound for longer.

Too much gear movement this year, but will be less 'transactions' in 2009. In: MarkBass LM250 MarkBass 151HR MM Ray 4H MM Ray 5H G&L L2500 MIA Fender Jazz F'Less Lakland Bob Glaub Out: Lakland Bob Glaub MIA F'less Jazz G&L L2500 Lakland DJ5 Warwick Thumb BO4 Trace GP715SM

Not sure on this one, but I guess my opinion is 'the more options the better' and let the buyer choose. I like shiney new guitars and get a bit upset when new ones get dinged, mainly because I see each one as depreciating its value should I choose to sell/px it. The only bass I have where I don't feel this way is my 2004 P bass becasue it's a keeper and in 20 years time it'll look like one of these relics but probably wont be worth much. Ironically I played a 1969 P bass yesterday that looked like one of these. It rattled/buzzed and played like a dog, however if someone had offered it to me in a trade against my 2004 I would have snatched their hand off so I could sell it and buy something decent. I can understand the relic thing if it looks like the 1969 I played but played like the 2004

And you got a free T-Shirt? Santa's been kind hey Rich?

[quote name='BenHorne' post='366379' date='Dec 30 2008, 04:42 PM']I thought about the Status neck. Then I would have to send my ray to your little Island all the way from Norway to get Status to fit it. (I would prefer Status to fit the neck..) This would mean that I would never use the original neck again, and then I would have a Stingray that probably would be very close to the Flea, so I'd lose the versatility of the Stingray. (If a Stingray w/status neck = a Flea sound- and playwise) But I have to admit, the graphite stingrays are very sweet.[/quote] Don't disagree - I probably would get Status to fit the neck on my 'precious'. Having said that it was a simple swap out on my old (now departed) Fender Jazz. You could sell the Ray neck (should be £100 - 150) or keep it to one side to refit if you ever sold the Ray. If my old Jazz was anything to go by, no versitility was lost, the sound just became more 'focussed' and the playability was much improved. The basic sound was still retained. I think Bassmankev would probably agree with this for the Ray conversion?

I very nearly bought a F bass earlier this year - and would have had to sell my Ray4 to finance it. In the end it didn't happen but in some ways I'm glad. I've rediscovered the Ray, I found that while I hate the sound of it at home or while recording nothing much beats it live. Like some of the guys above I love graphite necks - not so much for the sound/feel but for the stability and fantastically low action you can get. On this basis if I get GAS again I think I would stick with the Ray and stick a Status neck on it and get the best of both worlds.

[quote name='Russty_dub' post='364624' date='Dec 28 2008, 09:30 AM']only thing is i cant really tell the diff between the sub n ray, and ive played the sterling, i did not like that at all,[/quote] Looking at the way you play (assuming that's you in your Avi), In the long run I think you'd find the Ray more comfortable than the Sub - profiled body!

Owned a few of both Rays and Jazzes. For £600 you'll get a near mint MIA Jazz or Ray4. TBH you're wasting your time asking our opinions. They are completely different beasts but are both basses! - so therefore you could use either in a band for the low end. Only you can decide whether it fits in with 'your' sound. IMHO neither is more versatlie than the other but if you're more of a 'Rock God' I'd go for the Ray.

Often wondered about this 'shock'. A couple of pubs I used to play - I was always guaranteed to get Mic shocks. Only happened at these 2 - despite using RCD extension. Pi**ed me off so much I went wireless - never looked back.

[quote name='G-77' post='144405' date='Feb 21 2008, 02:30 PM']dont tell Warwickhunt but i got one as well a few weeks back, just havne got round to posting pics yet. [/quote] That is so....................huh *** How many basses in my sig below would I have to sell to get one of these?

Is it me or does that have a seriously bad neck pocket? You could get 4 plectrums in that Also - 11lb 10oz - not exactly a lightweight..... Has that put you off?

Some basses have a default (either a push pull knob or a switch) to turn on/off the pre-amp. G & L L2000/2500 do - so if the battery runs flat you can switch to passive and it still rumbles. The Stingray doesn't so if the battery runs flat you get no sound. There's usually fair warning of this - the sound starts to distort. I guess different basses are more efficient with battery life; my Ray(s) generally had 12 months+ with weekly use, wheras an old Westone Thunder 3 I had was dead with the same use in less than 2 months. Always take the jack plug out of the socket when not using it - this drains the battery. No jack plug - no draining.

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='355546' date='Dec 16 2008, 12:37 AM'](but then I rarely go up the dusty end anyway).[/quote] A man after my own heart - you mean there are notes above the 12th?

After 25+ years of playing I had my first crack at a 5 at the back end of last year - Lakky DJ5. For me I couldn't get on with the flat FB, string spacing (too wide) and 35". Having said that I could see the potential, for a lot of the stuff I play with the band (general R&B and Rock n Roll) being able to keep above 5th fret could be a bonus. I've now moved onto a G & L L2500 (courtesy of Essential T) and couldn't be happier - I might even start using it on the odd gig against the P/Ray4. I still find the 4's more natural, if I get carried away on the 5 sometimes I get confused and trip over meself mid song, but with perseverence I can see the point of the 5 and strangely enough it makes me a bit more inventive.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='353161' date='Dec 12 2008, 09:35 PM']Class! Saw YMG at the Boat Club in Nottingham in 1980. One of my all-time favourite gigs.[/quote] Unfortunately never got to see em myself. Didn't really catch on to how good they were until 81-82ish. Talking of obscure - caught the Human League in Sheffield last night and they pulled 'Empire State Human' out of the bag. Nice one.

Brand New Life - Young Marble Giants

[quote name='Jase' post='350117' date='Dec 9 2008, 07:35 PM']Hmm, not looking too good so far![/quote] Don't get me wrong Jase, the Status replacement necks are great - I would have a fretted one in an instant on my Fender P or Ray4 (or GnL L2500 for that matter if they made them). BUT I would have it fitted by Status. The fretless resin board is a bit marmite to me - I'm sure there are just as many that prefer it to wood - I'd just try one before you buy.

I fitted a Status fretless graphite neck to a MIM Jazz (2001). I had 2 MIM jazzes at the time the 2001 and a 1996 - the neck was a crap fit on the 1996 but a great fit on the 2001 for some reason. The neck was excellent, never went out of tune or move in any way and could get a really low action. Somehow didn't feel right to me tho - I came to the conclusion I prefer a wood fb on a fretless.

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='347397' date='Dec 6 2008, 06:33 PM']Very nice, Paul. I played the one Mart had a while ago & that was one of the nicest sounding jazz-clones I'd ever played. Great score, mate! Rich.[/quote] Yup Rich, Lovely bass. If only it had been available with a SR5 neck and 34" scale I think I would've found my ideal 5 string.

This is the twin of the one I used to have (also a 57 re-ish JV02). Don't ever sell it - I've regretted my 'loss' ever since Traded mine for a 82 Jazz (pillock)