martthebass

Blue, I think your mind is made up, but you're still requesting comments/thoughts? If you are dissatisfied with your current gig and truly believe you're worth more then go with it.

A staple in our 80s set also. Fretless 2 band Ray into a Markbass with a Boss Chorus. Lovely.

Never had an issue with the ergonomics of the Streamie. The strap placement and balance of the instrument is such that you can place the neck where you want it and it stays there which is always a bonus (for the Wymanesque moments....). I generally find it more comfortable to play than my MMs - certainly on a longer gig. The only learning I had was the 'singlecut' nature of the bass, you have to get used to the 'groove' on the back of the neck from 12th onwards, that didn't take too long but I would reccommend that you try one first to see how this feels for you.

I've had GAS for a Stealth2 4 string for a few years but they are like hens teeth second hand and c.£2k new is hard to justify. I've heard a few comment that the sound is a bit 'brittle' however which means I'll probably hang on to my Streamline which I've always found quite neutral and even warm with the right eq.

I always thought this FD. However when I switched to Status Hotwires I found no real difference between tensions on the same gauge (40 - 100s) on flats and rounds.

Loverlee, I've never got on with 5ers but I'd love to have a crack on one of these. Many underestimate the nice deep tone you can get from a Streamie, the MB 12s are a good match too!

My mother, a down to Earth Yorkshire lass, used to say ' everyone has talents and abilities, in some it is more apparent than others, in no-one is it buried so deep that it can't be coaxed out with gentile persuasion'.

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1470161217' post='3103754'] Folks, My medical woes continue, but I've been experimenting with different basses to find a way forward. I've found that: As suggested by many B/Cers, a well-balanced bass is just as important as a light one. Holding up a neck-heavy bass while playing very quickly leads to arm and neck pains. I've cobbled together a waist strap that takes a lot of the weight of a bass off my shoulder. I've discovered that the key thing is to have an extra strap running from the waist to an extra strap pin close to the tip of the lower bout. With my Yamaha BB's, this also really helps with the overall balance. 32" scale helps. So, my revised shopping list for a bass is: 32" scale Lightweight. Doesn't have to be as mad/creative/different as I was originally thinking. Just light, that's all. 3 Kgs would be good It[i] has[/i] to be nicely balanced on a conventional strap with no neck dive. P/J, or maybe P/MM pickup configuration. I've never really been a J-bass fan but, you never know... Budget is £500 max I thought about starting a new thread, but decided that slightly re-orienting this existing one would be a better option. Mods - please do advise if you think otherwise. Steve [/quote] I empathise with your pain Steve, I get bouts of spondylitis/spondylosis...always forget which - the one related to joint wear rather than being Rheumatoid. It manifests as neck, shoulder pain and arm weakness/numbness. I had to sell a particularly nice Limelight 63 Jazz which I'd bought new as a YOB bass because it was exacerbating the problem which was a real downer. In terms of basses that I can comfortably play when I'm 'having a bout', I've only found one that ticks all the boxes and that's a Status Streamline. I think it's because it's light weight and you can move the neck to whichever position you want and it just stays there. Hopefully that would make your scale length requirements obsolete, however you can get it in 32'' scale if you find one with the bendwell option. The major drawback is that it's well above your budget, second hand I think a standard one comes in around the £1k mark. If you can find one to try though I'd recommend you try as it could put you back on the road so to speak...you're welcome to try mine but I notice you're a good 90 minutes away. All the best, Mart

I tend to find that if I'm playing the same songs in differnt bands in differnt tunings then I spend more time looking at the fretboard than I'd like. My muscle memory doesn't likey!

Andy picked up one of my spare MM Ray pickguards.....what a geezer! Top bloke to deal with

I can sometimes feel this way on active basses. Not sure what strings you've tried but I tend to put Status half-wounds on my actives which dials the harshness out sufficiently for me. I've had a Sandy Basic in the past (a Ken Taylor 5) and I couldn't get on with it either, somehow the Delanos seemed to be both dark and harsh at the same time. I couldn't deny the quality of the bass; if it had been a 4 string I might have persevered a bit longer however.

[quote name='Dan Dare' timestamp='1469715419' post='3100595'] Easy. Just post an expensive instrument in the for sale section for 50 quid, no questions asked. You'll get barred in no time [/quote] Not a problem......I might have a spare £50 knocking about for a nice pre CBS Jazz.

I'm with Karlfer on this one. In an ideal situation I guess the values, trade and sale, should be the same. I generally put the trade value a little higher because if I am going to take a px on something, I will likely then have the hassle of selling the item I took in trade. The increased trade value takes account of the risk taken as the item taken in trade may not achieve the expected value on selling on. With cash there is no such risk, unless you were paid in Turkish Lira etc....

I use an Akai Miniak. Compact, powerful, loads of sounds. Not the easiest to program but generally don't need to. About £140-150 on the bay of E.

I generally take what is appropriate to the gig. The 80s band gets the Streamline and the Ray Fretless. The 70s band gets the Rick (even though it's a -3 not. -1) Dep gigs at crapholes get the beater......currently a MM Sub Sterling.

Cheers Stoo, I'll start light and see how it goes! If the worst comes to the worst ill take it to a guy who knows what he's doing!

That looks pretty classy Stoo, but a bit outside of my work working abilities. What did you strip with?

I've just picked up a nice Musicman SUB USA model, you know, the one with the satin black neck. Over the years the finish on the back of the neck has gone shiny and a bit tacky; it's easily marked with a fingernail and feels like I could scrap the top coat off easily with said fingernail. What would be the best way to restore the surface? The bass is a player, not a piece of art, but I wouldn't want to butcher it unnecessarily. Thanks for any comments guys.

Sold my Epiphone Jack C to Rich yesterday. Miserable weather in Glossop but a great guy to deal with! Enjoy the bass Rich.