HeadlessBassist

By all means, Kev - Height to the top of each key is 31mm above the headstock and the keys are 40mm wide.

Sounds good to me. I was playing mine earlier through the TC Electronic Plethora Tone Print pedal. Action has settled down quite easily. I don't like the 45-105 D'Addario strings. I may have to invest in my 5th set of 40-95 Elixirs in the last month. Obviously it's down to Lee reducing the prices by 50%, but I still can't believe such a nice instrument was only £149.

I have a Jazz with Schallers which seem to have small heads. They're like a flatter version of the elephant ears. I understand what you mean, though. The Sire tuners seem too tall/round and out of proportion. https://schaller.info/en/bm-schaller-style/1025

I'll reserve the neck for you if I break it I looked the other day and the roasted Fender neck alone is £380 these days! I seem to remember that the original builder spent £8-900 on parts alone. Having played it hard in a three hour session yesterday to get a new drummer through a whole trio set, I can confirm it's lovely to play - just that harsh edge. It's also my years-old gripe with Mark Bass amps which suit Status basses to a tee, but anything 'vintagey' sounds a little too harsh and artificial through them - my back likes them, though!

Oddly enough, I did the same some 17 years ago when I was dissatisfied with the sound my then 2008 American Standard Jazz. The Sadowsky Pre Pedal was a very good option for a bass with standard pickups. In this case however, I think it might just amplify the angrier aspects of the EMGs.

Sound advice, Lozz. Thank you.

Beedster, what's that dark coloured 'bitsa in the middle of the box with the very flamed neck? (Third from left.)

Hi everyone, looking for some pickup advice. I recently picked up a 'bitsa Jazz with active EMGs in it. It's a great bass to play and the EMGs certainly cut through easily, but there's no bottom end richness or warmth. That rich scooped out bottom end Jazz sound just isn't there with the powerful snarl of the EMGs. My other two Jazz basses (a 2018 Fender American Original 60s with Custom Shop Pure Vintage 64's and a 2012 FSR Limited Edition Hand Stained Am.Std with the 2008 std. pickups) both have the rich bottom end tone by the bucket load, despite being very different instruments/voicings. Obviously a lot of that is down to the other materials, such as the 60's Original's Nitro finish and the FSR's hand stained ash body. Having listened to sound samples of practically all the high end pickup makers, I'm thinking of ordering a set of Lollar Jazz Pickups for the 'bitsa. They seem to have the best combination of punch vs vintage tone. My question is, would you throw £200 at a pickup set for a £400 'bitsa, or keep it as it is with its snarly bite..? Typically, I have other much more glassy and snarly basses too, so it's not an alien sound to me, but it just feels like a Jazz should have that bottom end richness to it's scoop. Am I making any sense here?

"Not me - I already got one."

Agreed, Machines. After my next long distance couple of Warners/Thesatre gigs next week, I've got an outdoor pub job for the May Day weekend. That will be a perfect opportunity to road test it.

Similar to others on here, including the OP, the truss rod setting was excellent with just a small amount of relief from the factory. The bridge saddles needed about three [plus] turns each to get a nice low action. There are no real dead spots on the neck, or buzzes that I can find. In single coil mode with the three-position switch in the middle, you have a nice bright 70's Jazz bass sound with a fair scoop. The neck pickup solo'd in single coil mode is very P-alike - you can take about 40% of the tone off before it gets muddy. The bridge pickup with 50% tone produces a fair to middling Jaco sound. The humbucker setting can be overpowering. Not in terms of physical output, but due to how the pickups are wound/wired. The front pickup in humbucker mode solo'd gives you something like an EB-0 with lots of gain style gritty tone. Run the instrument as a single coil at the neck and a humbucker at the bridge and it does a very reasonable HS impression. Build quality is great. No blemishes or chips in the finish, fretwork is good overall and the neck profile (fingers to thumb) is again very Jazz-like. Hugely playable and comfortable. Okay, so what's not to like for £150? Thanks Andertons

Mine arrived at 8am today. Haven't had a chance to de-tag or set up/plug in yet. Will report back later...

Hi, from his description it sounds like he's created hum cancelling 'stacked coils' like the Status single coils. (Tell me if I'm way off here, anyone!) Is your Wal-alike build going to have a similar parametric-style eq to the original? Did you try looking on TalkBass, being as the maker is American? (Good luck with their rather random search box!)

Right - the challenge is on for the most artistic Soloking photographic shot! (I particularly liked the stairs one. Almost like a scene from Fantasia where the Basses come to life, hopping down the stairs in time to 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice'!) I'm thinking of a cheapest and most expensive shot for tomorrow...

There's an automated 'contact us' page on their website - solokingguitar.com

Very nice Andy. Hopefully mine will arrive tomorrow. Looks like excellent quality dark rosewood on the fingerboard too. It's a pity Andertons didn't bring in any of the trans white or trans red finishes. According to the manufacturer's website, the reds are all sold out, but the trans whites are still available at £295.21. (Not sure whether they'd still come through Andertons, but anyway, you could get two like my Lake Placid Blue one for that!)

I played one recently that belongs to a friend who owns a Music Shop in the SW. I have to agree re the sound - phenomenal growl and a great B-string too. The Thumb BO has always been a very individual sounding bass.

Cosmetically, beyond a good clean I wouldn't do a deal. It wears it's age really well. Do you have any plans for the electronics? Maybe another pickup in the bridge position?

I'd imagine that depends on the order value - yours is twice as much as mine, Andy. And apologies to Neephid for all us buyers hijacking his NBD thread!

No, that's including the postage

Oops...

Playing with others is definitely a large part of playing. It develops the ear and teaches you to lock into the tempo with the other players, but initially, I'd suggest getting a teacher. Make sure you learn to read proper notation too - it makes everything so much easier in the long run. But most of all, make sure you enjoy your playing