dub_junkie

you can’t go wrong with black/maple. Best look on a Stingray imo I swapped my natural Classic StingRay for a 3TS Classic Sabre. As good as the Ray was I have no regrets.

On a MM/J set up on a Cort GB75 I had, the humbucker seriously overpowered the neck single J but by dropping the humbucker and raising the single coil, I got them sounding balanced in output when isolated as well as when both were on together. Same deal with a G&L SB-2 which is a P/J. On that bass the I’ve read that the bridge J pup is meant to be used to add a bit of colour to the split P MFD in the neck but I managed to get a good output balance between them both. Worth half an hour or so experimenting imo

They’re both lovely in the violin burst finish. I had my USA Deluxe 4HH up for sale but I’ve again gone off the idea of parting with it as A) the Valenti I was after is no longer available and B) the Dimension is a super versatile bass that’s going to prove its worth in my new project. I’ve recently applied a number of coats of oil and wax to the unfinished neck and it’s now lush. Very similar to an EBMM neck in how tactile it is.

I had at least three regular StingRays with alnico magnets, 2EQ and contoured body. The last one was a black/rosewood which was one of the ‘133 series’ Rays. Basically a 2EQ StingRay in black,Pearl blue or Candy apple red with either maple or rosewood fingerboard and a MusicMan gig bag instead of a case. No other options. Bought it new for £1099 in late 2014 when there weren’t many left kicking about. They were originally £999 which was a great price at the time for a USA MusicMan. I also had a teal/maple 2EQ and a sunburst fretless 2EQ like Pino’s one but with an unlined pau ferro board. Don’t know what the nut width was for sure but 1 5/8 or 41.3mm rings a bell. and iirc the difference in price between a regular production 2EQ and 3EQ was only something like £40

Very nice! I have the CLF L-1000 which Owen tried out at the bass bash a couple of weeks back. Mines is exceptionally light and the fit and finish is top drawer. Sounds huge too. If mine is anything to go by, the CLF research basses are a bit special and if I had the money I’d try and get hold of an L2K like yours as well.

I’ve been downsizing/consolidating since before and after relocating from the west coast of Scotland to Shropshire. I had fourteen basses at one point. I’m down to five now and if the Dimension and G&L sell I’ll be at three. One P type, a super J and an MM. Got myself into a band again. Feeling ready to go and the three are all getting equal playtime. Really lovely SR5!! Tort plate would look great on it btw🙂 Keir

Shame that the Sadowsky is a pain to fit as the one on my Valenti with the VTC paired with Aguilar J pickups sounds the dogs doo-dahs.

Very nice! my first ever Bongo was a white 4HS way back in 2005. Even the regular production white ones were/are rare.

Hi Andy was good meeting you yesterday and thanks for bringing your Sire 5 string which was a lovely thing. be careful of the classifieds on here, especially the basses for sale section. Dangerous place for your wallet. Keir

Saw (and played) some great basses this afternoon, including those by local builders. Enjoyed playing (in no particular order) a Sadowsky 5, Overwater Progress 5, Fender flea jazz, Fender Performer as well as a Manton medium scale P bass with a really great feeling and comfy neck. In all truth I fell in love with the Sadowsky 5. If this is how it is to be then so be it for I have found a new itch I didn’t know needed scratching before today. Amongst others, I missed out on playing a Sterling short scale Stingray pictured above and an ash Warwick Corvette much like I once owned. Hopefully next time. Also, being possibly one of the last bassists to actually experience playing one, I got a late in the day audition on a Sire V7 five string. I was very impressed by it too and they now find themselves on my radar too. thanks all for a nice bass day. Put me down for the next one. Cheers! Keir

Lovely looking bass btw

I asked about this bass. I said ‘Is this your bass?” Wasn’t expecting the reply “it will be in five minutes” 😂😂

Lovely looking basses though think I would want that sage green with a tort pickguard and the morado/pau ferro board option. I found the back to front pickup blend on the Sadowsky preamp on my Valenti really illogical. Just couldn’t re-train my brain, no matter how much I tried, so changed it to what I know.

I’ve owned a 5HH deluxe and still have the 4HH listed above. The only control options on the Deluxe that I know of are : Single H with vol/treb/mid/bass Or Double H with addition of the five way switch. Positions 2 and 4 on the switch are both inner coils and both outer coils on the humbuckers which I believe is similar to a Stingray HH. And there in lies the problem that the Dimension seems to be viewed mostly as Fender’s failed Stingray clone which does the bass a bit of a disservice as it’s also got its own vibe and sound. This is purely my own personal opinion and from experience but the natural ash five I had felt very close to an SR5 in the neck shape, feel of the unfinished wood in the fretting hand, string spacing and general ergonomics. And though it didn’t nail the stingray tone on the bridge humbucker it really was close to a Stingray 5 in overall feel. I do regret letting that one go now. The 4HH neck to me, is not similar in profile to any MM neck, more like a modern P I guess, though it is still unfinished. The Deluxe is a great bass for covering a lot of sounds. Again in my humble opinion, but probably works better in certain situations than say a Jazz bass, the Dimension really grinds and sounds dead ballsy with a pick which is something I’ve just come across. It also has some great two pickup slap tones (pos 2,3 and 4) There’s also the fact that you’re getting the fit and finish of a USA deluxe Fender for two to three hundred quid less than an equivalent Jazz or Precision deluxe. edit: should add that the Dimensions have a compound radius fingerboard, truss rod wheel adjustment at the body end and graphite strengthening rods in the neck. Neck is very stable. I don’t have to touch the truss rod on mine I haven’t come across any major flaws in the bass though I’ve found the preamp is neither stellar nor rubbish but seems adequately up to the job. It is 18v though and seems to have enough headroom. Pickups are obviously an unusual shape which will kill any future modding plans if that’s your thing. The looks aren’t everyone’s cup of tea (smaller horns and pickguard shape spring to mind) I put mine up for sale when I got my Classic Sabre and I’m still undecided about it. Not because it’s not a good bass because it clearly is, but more because I’m having trouble deciding/justifying where it fits in with my set up at the moment.

Patrick traded his Gretsch bass with me earlier today for my 90’s Ovation electro acoustic guitar. Lovely guy to deal with who makes a decent cup of coffee too! just to add that he is a man of impeccable taste and has some of the nicest gear. many thanks Patrick.

Still planning on being there unless my new job throws a spanner in the works Valenti Jazz, Fender Dimension Dlx HH, G&L L-1000 reissue, TC RH450 with BC208 cabs