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HeadlessBassist

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Everything posted by HeadlessBassist

  1. HeadlessBassist
    Very true - to the audience and other musicians, "it's a bass."
  2. HeadlessBassist
    Okay, so I've owned quite a few Precisions over the years, from 2008 American Standard to AVRI to Nate Mendel & early Classic Vibe to Mexican Standard. Latterly, the only one I ever kept and used for about 5 years was the first generation American Professional (the white/mint one that was used in several Andertons videos - yes, that very bass), due to its lovely clear top end from the excellent V-Mod pickup. Sadly, after I left a named 60s band continuation to join another live show, it sat for two years unplayed, so I moved it on as per the rules of basses not earning me money. Oddly, I've never been specifically asked to play a Precision for a session, gig or show of any kind, but it's sort of received opinion that you should have one. Playing wise and sound wise, I've always been more on the Jazz bass side, both for it's relative delicacy and adaptability. What's feeding this line of thought? I played a £5000 Olinto Precision at Andy Baxter's the other day. Obviously I'm not going to pour that kind of money into one, but maybe another 1st/2nd gen American Professional may be on the cards..? Whadda-ya'll reckon? Discuss...
  3. HeadlessBassist
    I'm mainly active (7), but have two passive Jazzes (soon to be three when the Walnut/Graphite build is complete.)
  4. HeadlessBassist
    Congratulations, MrFingers. Make sure you have an Air Tag hidden in the case. Looks like a lovely bass, a great talking point and something to enjoy and be proud of. 😎
  5. HeadlessBassist
    Erm... It is. Most stringed instruments gradually gain resonance as the wood seasons over time. Damn, the 'ToneWood Police' will be here soon - better scarper!
  6. HeadlessBassist
    Yes, I've looked at it several times. Oops, just did it again! 🤦‍♂️
  7. HeadlessBassist
    That's fascinating - I had a similar issue with the pickup placement on the original Jason Smith designed Fender Rascal. The pickups were too far over to the left of your playing position, making the bass virtually unplayable on a strap. Rickenbacker have made some very odd choices here...
  8. HeadlessBassist
    Sarcasm is often difficult to detect in text form - Illogical, Captain. 🖖
  9. HeadlessBassist
    Nice weekend all in all - Friday was a local charity gig. Nice little five piece with an old friend and his son and daughter involved too. Sadly, a total 'Guitard's valve amp setup was far too loud, so we just did the usual backing right off until he realised he couldn't hear us due to his own row! Nice evening all in all, although was a little broken after three hours' playing! Saturday was a Duo job in a large club in Stoke-on-Trent. Club land can often be depressing and I've not worked the clubs for a long time, but this was a nice and welcoming one. As a complete contrast to Friday, it was a joy to play quietly and we had folks up and dancing all night, right from the start of the evening. We also used no monitors this time and had the system behind us. (Sometimes tricky for feedback issues), but it sounded really good. I hate monitors. These two jobs were also a good opportunity to road test my recently acquired GB Spitfire, which I have to say has punch and tone in spades. Dig in a little harder and it's metallic-like punch is like a hammer hitting an anvil! Noice 😎
  10. HeadlessBassist
    I've always found that it gives you a little more bottom end sustain. It's not as important as good quality grade woods, but I guess all these small things add up.
  11. HeadlessBassist
    Ah, I see. Yes, that can often happen. I just refuse to increase volume just so I can hear myself. Responsible [and professional] players listen for the balance. I played at a charity gig on Friday which had a guitardist who insisted on playing ridiculously loud. The rest of us just played more gently and then he eventually got the message when he couldn't hear us over his own row!
  12. HeadlessBassist
    Agreed. I always set my sound/eq before I play and leave it alone. In fact, I usually use exactly the same eq settings most of the time.
  13. HeadlessBassist
    Apart from the American basses using better grade woods, completely different pickups, through body stringing and much better quality hardware. Or at least they do at the moment... Wait for the inevitable cost cutting skunk stripe neck and top loading truss rod coming in the successor to the American Professional II. I wouldn't be surprised if the through body stringing is deleted as well, as well as the £38 big square high mass bridge being adopted too.
  14. HeadlessBassist
    The Status Graphite neck fingerboard is actually a 'Phenolic' material. Basically, very hard and very light. They never wear out, either.
  15. HeadlessBassist
    I know what you mean. I've been out playing my Status basses, GB Spitfire and even my regular American Elite Jazz regularly on jobs for a few weeks, and the other day I sat down and got my Fender American Original Jazz out for the first time in a while. There's a simplicity and naturalness to the tone of a really good passive bass that's both refreshing and hard to beat. Yes, sometimes we need some active preamp shove, but that pure simplicity of a good passive bass is so satisfying. Interestingly enough, my new walnut/graphite Jazz build is going to start out passive with the Fender Pure Vintage 66 pickups and the initial plan is to see how I like it passive. There is the possibility of a John East Jazz preamp lurking in my mind, though...
  16. HeadlessBassist
    That looks great. Hope you'll report back on how it sounds in the field.
  17. HeadlessBassist
    As others have said, it's really down to the individual instrument. As always with Fenders, if you can, try before you buy. One will stand out as the bass for you. As for the price/quality difference between the Road Worn Vintera and the Squier, the latter have been consistent for a long time, but the Mexican Vintera II models have really upped in quality over the last few years. We're living in a world now where an American Professional II (originally the entry level USA bass) costs nearly £2000, so the Vintera II range looks and feels like a comparative bargain. I'd also have a look at the new 'American Professional Classic' range. They look very good for the money & the new 'Coastline' pickups are a retune of the Pure Vintage series, which always sound fantastic.
  18. HeadlessBassist
    That's a very distinctive looking bass. Mayones are often deceptively good and usually punch well above their price point. Congrats!
  19. HeadlessBassist
    To be inspired to play more is all you can really ask for
  20. HeadlessBassist
    That's an interesting choice of string for a Bongo.
  21. HeadlessBassist
    Congratulations JazzyJ! Looks lovely, particularly the 'Pewter' like finish. Being a HH, it should be mighty too. Enjoy!
  22. HeadlessBassist
    For Sale: 1995 MusicMan Stingray 2EQ "Velvet Satin" Ltd Edition in Natural Ash with Aguilar Pickup & Aguilar OBP-2 Preamp. I'll start by saying that this is the best Stingray I've ever played/heard (and I recently owned a nearly new Stingray Special 5 amongst several others in the past.) It has a beautifully satin lacquer finished (not gunstock oiled, thankfully!) slim neck, and the punch/tone from the Aguilar OBP-2 Preamp & Aguilar AG4M pickup are second to none. I had the Aguilar pickup reinstalled earlier this year, which is voiced like a late seventies model. (There is a routing for a single coil under the scratch plate as well, as this bass was previously modified into a HS by a previous owner - this means it has four controls, but the second knob only blends to a single coil on the Humbucker.). This Ash bodied Stingray is also very light, at around 8.8lbs. Condition wise, I would give it a solid nine out of ten. It has the odd tiny, almost invisible ding, but this is in remarkable order for a 30 year old bass. Also, 30 year old Ash/Maple also resonates like you wouldn't believe. It has sustain for days. The bass comes complete with a 2005 MM Anniversary brown Hard Shell Case with gold interior & an unused spare String Mute kit from Bass Direct. Price is £1550, interesting trades considered. Buyer to collect from Derbyshire DE7, or will meet half way up to 100 miles. (Up to 200 miles total distance.) Sound Clips: (Recorded with Sennheiser Podcast Microphone from TC Electronic RH750 2x10 combo.) 95 Stingray 01.m4a 95 Stingray 02.m4a
  23. HeadlessBassist
    Good job I'm not a U2 fan. Not sure my bank account could take it! This one of those situations where the maker (Warwick or Fender, etc) supply several identical basses for a tour, and the player obviously cherry picks the best ones from the batch. These are obviously the surplus ones that probably got played a couple of times, or were kept as backups. (Apart from the 60s Fender, of course!)
  24. HeadlessBassist
    Also, the screws and through-body-stringing ferrules are the wrong colour. The bridge pickup is too far away from the bridge too. Definitely not American Standard 60's pickup spacing.
  25. HeadlessBassist
    "I'm sorry - Is this the five minute argument, or the full half hour..?"
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