HeadlessBassist

Glad you got it sorted in the end, Rob. Typically, I sold my last Cort Space 4 to a pupil and now have another Space 5. Hope you're enjoying the EHB!

I'll second that, Lozz.

I'm a late-comer to the GB family, but had a long term loan of one of the early Goodfellow Standards back in the early 90's while my Status neck was being repaired. Acquired this early model 1988 Spitfire a couple of weeks ago in a trade at Bass Bros. I think I got the better end of the deal. The tonal punch is anvil-like and it's such a lovely thing to play and hear. Definitely my kind of bass.

I regularly use bank transfers on here, but I often travel the country and deliver basses, or at least meet half way. I only accept payment when the purchaser is happy with the goods. I never post instruments, because that's where I've been bitten in the past, where one instrument was damaged beyond repair by UPS. It's nice meeting new people and putting faces to names, too.

My third foray into the Cort Space Bass world was guaranteed to happen. These compact basses punch well above their diminutive weight and I never sold one because I didn't like it - more because pupils always seem to want to buy them from me! So to get this nearly new model for a bargain price was too good to turn down. Back to the 5-string this time, I've added my usual Elixir 40-125 set and it plays really slickly. Perfect for teaching duties, or as that spare bass that you keep in the car boot, it can always hold it's own with it's clean, hifi sound. What's not to like..?

Congrats Pow - I remember talking to you in the status updates a few days ago re this bass. It really is lovely. Hope you're settling in well with it. You mentioned one thing that really is important when getting a new instrument. Always swap it to your usual favourite strings asap, as that always gives you a proper impression of how it plays and sounds. As I told you, I've been hanging my nose over Rickenbackers for a while now...

I usually go in with a passive Jazz and something active, usually either my Jazz Elite or a Status. It really depends on who is engineering. Some want to bury the bass in the mix, and others want it prominent, equal with the other instruments. I always ask the producer & artist(s) what kind of sound they're aiming for beforehand and I've never been asked to 'bring a Precision'. I've often found that the best way forwards is to keep your playing relatively on-point and simple, and to add tasteful fills at key points. But saying that, some producers don't even want any fills - just the bare baseline. It really depends on the tastes of who you're working for at the time.

I tend to be pretty pragmatic when it comes to instruments. I try [really, I do] to only keep basses that are earning their keep and actually earn me money. I currently have nine, which seems to be the level I always return to these days. I have the Jazzes for anything vintage, like the live tribute shows, and all of my active basses for the more technical trio stuff and duo work. Any sessions I do these days have several bassy options, depending on what kind of sound the folks want. I like to think I have most bases [basses!] covered.

They're looking great, Kiwi. It's hard to tell whether or not it's the camera artifacting and making certain areas up, but are the graphite weaves all even to the naked eye? For a prototype batch, they seem to have all come out pretty well. I'll have to send you some more money soon!

I see what you're saying here, and yes, in some ways you're absolutely right. A lot of the premium 'Super Fenders' by the likes of Sadowsky and Mike Lull, and even the German and newer Polish contenders can seem a little sterile for their comparatively huge price tags. Most don't even sound like a good example of a Fender. The answer continues to be, if you want a really good Fender sound, go out and play Fenders until you find a good one. I've only played one Sadowsky I ever loved the sound of, and that was a Japanese 2 band Will Lee Signature. The rest sound bland and sterile to my ears. I tend to like the Mike Lull instruments better, but they still don't have 'that' Fender sound. For me, Bernie Goodfellow got it absolutely right with the Spitfire. It has the Jazz ergonomics and playability, but plays and sounds like a totally different kind of bass, much more premium and hand crafted and it doesn't try to sound like a Fender. It's truly a bass from the top tier of makers that can out punch a Stingray with it's metallic anvil-like attack, and has a sweet tone to boot. I've been sorry to hear what's happened with G&L, but at the end of the day, they seemed to stop innovating in terms of the bass range some years ago. They certainly have their fans and I know @Mike Brooks really likes his newly acquired American L2000 CLF. Maybe they will re-emerge as a Fender sub-brand (particularly the excellent value Tribute models)?

Oddly enough, in a curious twist of fate, I'm picking up another Space 5 today...

They make an excellent backup bass, and they sound fantastic. Very hifi, clean sound. Easily small enough to keep in the boot of your car when you need a backup or quickly need a bass. I've owned two, a 5 and a 4. I've never sold one because I didn't like it, instead usually because students always want to buy them off me! Would have another one in an instant. In fact, once my Walnut-Graphite Jazz is complete, I'll be looking for another one. My last Space 4 was a demon with one of the fastest necks I've encountered this side of a Status.

Maybe you just need to order one and if it doesn't suit, send it back, Steve. I did that once with Andertons and had no problems.

Now that looks amazing, DJ. Congratulations on your lovely new bass! I was only playing along with "Rio" & "Hungry Like The Wolf" on my GB the other day. Enjoy!

That's definitely a valid concern, Marvin. I've never been able to change the one on my American Original, although it's thankfully never needed it in the 6 years I've had it, and I definitely don't want to be taking the neck off. Nooo. It's interesting how all Fender's modern necks (except the Vintera/Vintage models) have been through production streamlining now, and all now have truss rod adjustment at the nut & a skunk stripe on the back.

So does that mean you got a full refund on the bass and walked away?

I've gone for the full AUROK branding on the front. Flying the flag for this excellent venture, as it were. I've also had the body logo'd with MGCS Basses, in order to promote @Silky999's excellent work too. I just ordered another set of the Fender Pure Vintage 66's today, and the Gotoh black lollipop tuners.

🥲

@Silky999 I hope your wife is as understanding when I drag a MarkBass amp into your living room when the Walnut-Graphite Jazz is complete… 😁

Having played both, I'd say that they both feel of similar quality. My more recent experience is with the Squier 40th Anniversary Jazz and a nice example Firemist Gold Vintera Jazz that was for sale in a branch of PMT. The biggest difference you're going to find is in the pickups and the wood choices. The Squier pickups were the usual Duncan Designed ones which are, in isolation, pretty good. But the Vintera actually sounds like an alder 60's Jazz bass, much like my American Original with its Pure Vintage 64 pickups. You also get the tall and thin vintage reverse tuners on the Vintera. If you can find a nice one, a used Vintera 1 would be a great buy. The neck profile of the Squier is a pretty standard modern C-shape, but the Vintera is a little narrower and thicker (fingers to thumb), again, like a 60s Jazz.

No problem - I'll happily do the "under 20kg" £40 option if that still stands?

They're looking very good, Kiwi! Sounds like we're getting there... Btw, is it okay if I have mine sent directly to @Silky999? He'll be doing the final build of the Graphite-Walnut Jazz.

If there was any way around it, I'd prefer no Scratch Guard, however the control rout will be visible, so I guess there has to be one. To that end, I have a black pearloid one on order, which will match well with the rest of the black hardware and the black(ish) graphite neck.