HowieBass

I think the tort with black is a real classy look. Happy NBD!

Those are about the cleanest looking truss rod adjustment routs I've seen in ages, no need to hide them. As it is you'll probably lose them behind all the strings anyway! It's looking really good - think you'll have it ready early next year?

Haven't seen an advert on YouTube for years! Adblock Plus FTW

I think that you tend to hear more of the fundamental when you fret a string higher up the neck at the dusty end and I suppose that's because there's less compliance with the shorter string - certainly the area of compliance/vibration mode must be involved in the difference between a round wound and flat wound string (where as I see it the flat ribbon windings mean the string doesn't vibrate so easily with regard to the harmonic partials) so flats do tend to offer more of the fundamental. I don't really know why you're hearing the odd characteristics, but I wonder if the 'phasing' type sound could be that effect I've heard described when a string is too close to the pickup poles and the magnetic field is affecting string vibration? However if the pickup were too high you'd expect it to affect the string even more so as you fret higher up the neck (and the string to pickup gap reducing the higher you fret). For me the only times a string has seemed a bit dead when played is that critical area that seems to exist between audible fret buzz and the note being choked enough to sap the string of some energy (lacking the harmonics so you're hearing mostly the fundamental) and I've found that something like a quarter to a half turn on the saddle height adjustment screws has been enough to get the notes cleanly ringing out. Hopefully a couple more BCers will chime in with their ideas!

@tom1946 - string tension (as well as string construction) influences compliance and thus affects playability and feel but I think string type/construction has more of a bearing on the sound than tension. What you describe as 'numb' for the E for those frets nearer the nut sounds a little more like string choking to me - it could be the neck needs a tad more relief or the action needs raising a little.

What made it even worse was the fact the bass originally sold for something like £1,500 and was advertised on here for £3,500 before they'd even paid for it!

I think those of us who followed that for sale advert (and then posted amusing comments which were subsequently removed LOL) all thought the same...

Only 10 screws, the scratchplate and the strings need removing in order to change the batteries! Bargain!

Try and get to both PMT in Manchester (Salford really, near the end of the M602) and The Great British Bass Lounge http://greatbritishbasslounge.com/ which is also in the Greater Manchester area, not too far off the M60 - you ought to have a few more contenders among the instruments there.

Maybe that's actually the price in Roubles?

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1418890526' post='2634396'] I have legions of adoring female fans at all my gigs, so I simply have one of them hold my bass for me when I'm not using it.... [/quote] You obviously have rock'n'roll basses... bear in mind we're talking jazz here...

Andyjr1515 has done a few refinishes, here's a recent project http://basschat.co.uk/topic/246859-thunder-jet-yesanother-westone/

Until the other day (when I watched a bass master class video on here) I'd not realised that stainless steel is essentially non-magnetic so it's the core that the pickups sense. Nickel on the other hand is ferromagnetic so whether the windings are nickel plated or pure nickel I suppose they contribute to the signal alongside the steel core - this might mean that an Ebow would work better with nickel strings.

I think the stand thing is a bit of an in joke on here after that music stands thread... (or maybe cue Monty Python reference something like 'biggus standus')

This type without the lower cradle will probably be what you want http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Ultimate-Support-GS-100-Genesis-Guitar-Stand/HIX but note that those with the pivoting lower cradle also work though might not be as compact as you need.

@Twincam - though I can't tell you exactly what effects Jon Evans is putting his bass through during Tori Amos's 'Precious Things', I'm pretty certain it involves a ton of reverb particularly during the intro, same for guitarist Steve Caton... http://youtu.be/TjXZrzmdnAE?list=PLBAD5D456212BB401

I think of reverb and short delays as adding ambience to an instrument; you're clearly trying to replicate the characteristics of a performance space and to my ears it works well with chorus/detune used with a fretless bass. For me it seems to make an electric instrument sound a little more like an acoustic if that makes any sense? Longer delays are useful when you want to play around with the effect itself, doubling lines and adding complexity; probably useful in solos. To understand what combining chorus and a really short delay sounds like together just listen to Peter Hook's bass.

The relief on an electric bass should be about .01" at the 8th fret when you fret at the 1st and 17th, that's the thickness of a business card (made of cardboard) not a plastic credit card which is roughly 3 times too thick at about .03". I'm not sure how this translates to a purely acoustic instrument but I think your relief might be rather too much.

Great news! Now make some noise

I do measure mine but then I have that sort of approach to setting my basses up (I suppose it's the science training background) and I really enjoy the process (setting the right amount of relief so there's no unwanted fret buzz, getting notes ringing out with no choking, getting intonation spot on all the way up the neck). I'd happily set anyone's bass up for free... but that's just me. Each to their own if it makes their basses eminently playable.

1.5mm is very low if that's for the E string at the 17th (that's under 4/64") so it's no wonder you're getting a lot of fret noise. 2.5mm is about 6/64" which is what I go for on the E and 2mm or 5/64" for the G at the 17th. I'm really not sure what the big deal is about getting the action as low as possible; if you have normal strength in your fretting hand and the strings aren't really high tension then you should be fine without having to set the action really low.

Try giving it a bit more relief, it got rid of the unwanted sizzle for me.

If you're using steel roundwounds then nickels might lose the harsher treble element for you (plus they usually feel nicer for fingerstyle - I wouldn't go back to steels now). When you say "this has a push pull knob for active but it does not have real active circuitry" are you saying it's been gutted of its active circuitry completely or do you really mean the pickups are passive and there's still an active EQ module in there? The value of the pots need to be matched to the pickups and the tone circuitry they control and the pots you use with an active EQ might well differ from those you need for a totally passive instrument (so are the pots right for the pickups)?

Looks great and very nicely aged. Happy new/old bass day!

I'd suggest you check the soldering on the ground wires, particularly the jack socket before you replace the tone pot.