martthebass

Loving that Sterling! I use my 'Starry Night' Ray4 in a Glam band - looks awesome with good lighting.

I can get quite anal about dings.....but mainly if it's a pristine bass and especially if I'm not convinced it's a keeper. My main workhorse is a MM US Sub which has the 'indestructable' finish but it still manages to get headstock chips; it gigs weekly so I look at it as honourable collateral damage!

I think my US Sub comes in at about 8.5lbs but it is the Sterling model - lovely bass. Picking up on the neck profiles; I'm surprised at the level of variation. My (new to me) PDN 2016 Ray with a roasted neck is quite a bit chunkier front to back than my 2001 Ray and the other 4 2000's Ray4 s I've had in recent years. Still comfortable but very different.

I loved my TE sound back in the day but I'm more than happy with the better flexibility of my current MB set up soundwise. Nostalgia isn't what it once was......

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1505750286' post='3374014'] We don't have pub gigs over here. I think our bar gigs are a little more lucrative then your pub gigs. Blue [/quote] From what I've seen Blue there's more similarities than differences. The main difference is the duration. In my neck of the woods a total playing time of about 1.5 to 2 hours between 9 and 12 is pretty typical.

The Squier Mikey Way sig is quite tough to get hold of over here (as I found out), as Paul above says, unless you really have to have the 'My Chem' connection grab a VM Mustang. If you can get one though I can confirm that they are a nice solid playable bass, I'd rate the quality level a bit above the VM Jag bass that recently passed through my hands.

Human League cover of 'you've lost that loving feeling' - always loved that.

Fantastic score for £405 - I paid nearly that for my US Sub Sterling.

I've pretty much been exclusively fingerstyle for the last 30+ years. Occasionally I get the urge to expand out into pick playing and can play ok with one but not as well and I find (due to lack of practice) that my wrist aches after a while. I'd make more effort but haven't ever found anything played on a pick that I can't play finger style and a quick play with the 'knobs' can dial the sound in if necessary (having longer nails also helps here). I respect pick players but don't get too upset about not being especially proficient myself.

Did you find the A bomb NJ?

If all basses were the same, life would be very boring and there wouldn't be much use for this forum. There are design issues with most basses, you either accept them or don't - sensible people then spend accordingly. I don't much like Warwick Thumb basses (because of the neck dive) but going on about it is pointless as it's a personal opinion. Do I like Rics - yes, would I elect to have one as my only bass - no. Regarding some of the aforementioned issues: 1. Bridge design - certainly 'industrial' but once set to your liking seems perfectly ok to me 2. Tail lift, mine's ok so no real experience of this. Probably wouldn't equip it with very heavy strings though. just in case. 3. Finish issues, I think Ric could learn a thing or 2 from Squier but I cant complain on the ones I've had (no bleed or flaking paint) 4. Weak neck pup; it's quieter than the bridge pup but that's what the knobs are for....

Think I'll stick with my regular 2 x 45 plus encore.....

I don't get on with fivers and don't own a bass with a drop D detuner; if I'm doing any low D work I tend to take the Streamline as it's so quick and easy to change tuning accurately, so don't worry about the headless 4 option.

I think you did well with the price there Wotcher; you'd be lucky to get it for £250 in the current market.

getting a 404 on that link MM20?

I think it does depend on the instrument and what's being played when. Knowing how to cover up a gaff on the bass is part of the skill you learn. Making a mistake in a well known lead guitar solo is always going to be more obvious that making a mistake in a chugging 12 bar rhythm line.

That's what I meant Jono, the MII MW does have a better fit and finish than the MII VM Jag long scale that I've just sold. Finish, frets, fretboard edges noticeably better. But the Jag is only £211 new. I think the MW was about £250 when it was sold in 2012.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1499868519' post='3334177'] Maybe, but that's looking over one's shoulder; there's principles involved, whoever the 'other crooks' are. On the other hand, it certainly makes [i]our [/i]option of not playing for payment much easier on the conscience, anyway..! TheTaxman is welcome to his share of nowt..! [/quote] If it went zero cash Doug I'd probably play for free or 'bass equipment in hand'. I think I pay more tax than the current front bench combined and I certainly wouldn't want to contribute further lol.

[quote name='Jono Bolton' timestamp='1499873009' post='3334233'] Which Mustangs are you looking at? The Fender Japan FSR Mustang Bass retailed around £500 recently, which I think is a fair price. It can still be found online too: [url="http://www.scayles.co.uk/ProductDetails?ID=Mzg4MQ"]http://www.scayles.co.uk/ProductDetails?ID=Mzg4MQ[/url]== [/quote] Well initially I was looking at the MW but cast my net wider after drawing no success. The straight squier vm Mustangs also seemed to be around the £325 - £350 mark if you could find one. Just a bit surprised really when Squier vm Jags were £190 to £211ish new. Though I have to note that the fit and finish on the MW model though Indonesian does feel a notch up quality wise over the current MII Squiers.

Fortunately up here in the North it's still all cash in hand for the gigs I play (c. 50 gigs/year). I think a lot of 'weekend warriors' would have to look at things seriously if it wasn't this way.....

After a lot of searching I finally managed to track down a Squier Mikey Way Sig to a small outfit in the West Midlands. Now I know this was a special edition and supply might be tight but even with that in mind I paid 'significantly' more than the last few sales on here over the last few years. When I looked deeper I noticed that the price of all Mustangs seems to have inflated above the average. What's going on?

All the very best guys!

[i]The Sherlocks are brilliant, played with them in September and they're superb[/i]. These guys when they were just starting out cut their teeth at one of the local jamnights I helped run. Always hoped they were destined for good things.