Jonesy

Other than knowing they look really sexy and I want one, I know nothing. If they made a bass in the shape of the Wingman with humbuckers then I'd be very interested. The clips on YouTube sound great though.

I'm sure a Ray nerd will be along in a mo to tell us what it is. Failing that, I contacted EB help with a query I had about a bass I was potentially looking at buying 2nd hand and they were very quick to respond (a few hrs). There's also a forum on the EB site with a bass section if no one here can help.

If there was a Ripper in line with the Thunderbird pricing then my wallet would be back in peril. Otherwise I think I'm out. Though that G3 is very lovely.

Although, if that's a sig model then it'd be near the £1300 mark, so my wallet may be safe.

Here's another pic.... I hope they release the natural finishes. Hmmmm, now I have to start thinking about what to sell......

If there are plans in the works then I hope it means Grabbers and Rippers are on the way too......

And I just thought I was settled and happy with what I've got.......

Like others have mentioned, the last set of Fender flats I had had a lighter green silk on them, almost sea foam green. Just done a bit of digging and they could be...... https://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/collections/flat-wound-bass-strings/products/hofner-40-95-contemporary-series-flatwound-bass-guitar-strings Hofner might do a regular scale set too? The other option is Fender 9050s. Looks like someone asked a similar question over on TB a few years back. Yours still look darker than the 9050s though and more in line with the Hofners, but they might have darkened with age. https://www.talkbass.com/threads/what-kind-of-strings-are-these-are-they-fender-9050s.1309451/

You could probably pick up a 2nd hand Harley Benton for £60-£80 - appreciate that it's still a lot more than £25 to buy now, but it's cheaper than the drop in value on your Schecter imo. They're really decent basses, not just decent for the money, but they're all nice players and easily on par with Squier (maybe not the CVs). Some might be a little on the heavy side or have cheaper bridges/tuners/pots etc, but I've never had one with tuning or intonation issues, so the hardware does its job. The pups in them are decent and will be up to the task. This is a pretty good video to compare the difference in sound between a lower end Squier and top end Fender..... There is a difference, and most of it will be in what you feel, but from the sounds they're all fairly close. My assumption is those Fender stickers on the headstock must be really expensive to make compared to the Squier ones, and the Harley Benton ones must be dirt cheap....

You'd be surprised. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/386979719367?itmmeta=01HZ00EJ5N5F45VPWCKVBTDKZM&hash=item5a19c9e8c7:g:jLUAAOSwaVNmLfW4&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4FHbMdBWydeo99Xe8YghwMLhvLzN%2BSfCoLETO%2FmuTSGb5aebRu4h7a46n3NipbRuFD1i6sGvBwpl%2F8PGLFgY18o7hSmF0ELT%2FNDjfpeMtJyh7IxbNCzlXyTpCnIAx8Y9rUEopZdRYMPRCoIgPf6uysTxjPdItAnNJqLy5rP9kdMzojONiS8JQ8P3bZgE2bgmlZGUDZE3dyZrzEd0FdXaIU7nIUgzqy53QPZkrt5LChDN6XL7zVqnJnladsvuvwhRgMP1BRAqHXTznHC9eXJeU0JQf%2BORtwiCJe5QfYY3xE71|tkp%3ABk9SR4ijuoD4Yw https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326066167879?itmmeta=01HZ00K2VS2YDC15R30D4VFD0G&hash=item4beb0ee047:g:iV4AAOSwLHVmAVtm&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAAwA7%2FRlnJFle2G7qHPpJrJUBnqLH8LtzmdNj4VWGTetGu7c3FaaDLwsaawBDoN4oCDzSCbbEkgf0wvMWhkQu3jEOSuzQqpCNp8T1As00p%2Fpok2MdeNwwPdS5yW3DJzzxCPAwaNx2Gmlhi%2FvUfFs4EF73qaqO3vRN%2BrErK%2B48U0O6L86bAkSwEzHgkv5hIlxjUHMszI5XQN9J2%2F0y4wYkYsL2Tjy0bRgym2LVHh0vGK6ohS3JEdH0PdHvSBkKp3W3IIg%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR4yuzID4Yw https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204796133941?itmmeta=01HZ00EJ5JB3KWWRYX2HR35N0N&hash=item2faecd0235:g:1PYAAOSwm01mSZcC&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAAwChVMZVTmyfXLhFrJ%2Bus84LT4bdCAFD9Zxr8aRFyB5v%2F%2BCTQ5Fx5AlaoTijJGtZ7lQDYgBrlzLEARMJ7Gq5U1B30pTo%2BH67DhGMWCgNhImO42rL04R3stLPoiIf7gVKCBXzCom4wkQiKQ9JdrJ8%2FusWuNH%2BonT1i5QyBhYw2IiaVDPIsVgyu4LvudjtXVqz2fTyXuUMRRQ1ekqnYCrYSO9yfRscEbCcFVPp0c1LVq38Bj6eCxXqErsx432wHzG9vRQ%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR_6iuoD4Yw https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166726704860?itmmeta=01HZ010TAJ43H9FPW1Q8C8GTMN&hash=item26d1af9edc%3Ag%3ANOQAAOSw6DtmJk1T&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4OuG1FspX6ofhKg34RKIxwfdY%2FoaXEnC%2Frbryw2gX6OOZF%2Bio2Q5IV4c70Oiu0e1zCVy3eU474JU%2FNGpPNpVJyhiPgHq9zinl1LLVeX5ON4phOAZlxe4mfvjapaxsgqp65rrtA0IG2X4DWHsh%2FgXF2PRCN7VhhGm%2FeMyVRBF1V8XZkjQz37Sp5DNYBb2uvh%2FzF7wVePepOdz1f3Q42yyEa5QDPkkt3v0ODTBoWRoeqk%2BY1ONnpeBuxUruf6KSK%2BqbIz7T5xWJzmluRJAfWgbCAo5eM2QFtpRfe1DVItoiGB%2F|tkp%3ABk9SR66lg4H4Yw&LH_ItemCondition=3000 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204689217347?itmmeta=01HZ010TAKW6AYPVVP3PWZ5CR4&hash=item2fa86d9743%3Ag%3A6pAAAOSwbhNl7u3~&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4OShDSveYJHzCcDm%2B%2F%2BJVyY8BPF0%2Bervgh0t%2Fp5XogoQ9dOEx%2B9Wk%2B9vARPYKlu76IIF--iqbprfVaDQtDIPKWlE3ORvEwkVVBFtHzYdbnvnBguWD6HOjSSP%2B7IEz4R1YUf5txry2WDrqNI7sxHRduBIXIn0%2BHGSXVvxBcbwpvnfIsZ5ZoIeEPCuv1TwlD5chs2gOcufvUppTXw4rcahWTnu0lFetJbz6TrTlX2i6L%2BJKi3S3fB%2BQ7KUMH7Cw%2BsPfaxXAblZRKk4RcX0oMVwfNlpDreoAM3eD%2Fv%2BOY%2Bcywop|tkp%3ABk9SR7Clg4H4Yw&LH_ItemCondition=3000 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/364915763191?epid=2255435440&itmmeta=01HZ01C3TDCRMPCNTEVH1Z3B0E&hash=item54f6aca7f7%3Ag%3Au9wAAOSwxv9mVNyR&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAAwOL7gYjVp5LLjsywWhBDv3zBo0v2fk9XVQIXuoDvHPPjIwvsPM3k2wcetmMeA%2FtegYIuchbpR4nz7NrHQ3Ght323mGjEBcp8awjEH1doQ9a07LYeL1GLN5pGsntQFZQeNH6rRn4Jv8ChGZ9UolrlnBuiZ3exwgkkLrfNiQv%2F2R4s1gQm%2Ff97jmW%2BQGhllY0I7CRFdua%2FCQpj6IOPJTUqcMvO%2FBHlNLeVE9jYvWc5W3abi3%2FRiU6bAfmxc5CzhPs3yw%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR7K9sIH4Yw&LH_ItemCondition=3000 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/404988051715?itmmeta=01HZ01C3TE5P1A2JBX58AAQYKJ&hash=item5e4b2b4103%3Ag%3AnC0AAOSwh9ZmS5Dy&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0Oeq1eIZfCrxTA0MlNQFDbCmUvxPRRVUBsYnkIdBEovnT24c2ZkyT1lhl%2F4Se7oFEBxse2Bq1bPofmhKukJeyW1Ry2G0iswiB8aVRtLDuF3yNDMMrYk3vF8RoDS58RAw3siC%2Fh%2FfXhGjsmkGzy53PtLx0pwP8%2BelNMlMJRoiE3kxRlZw5Y7CzH11OAEJ1460hdJ3AmoFDl30gER%2BUsYZb6VGygcvqJW9GoGBS2e7XSfKDD7R4L14npYymnd0UjU2M1GG%2BxcurWWBCNjkYvtrMjo%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR7K9sIH4Yw&LH_ItemCondition=3000 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226152012045?itmmeta=01HZ01C3TE5RMX3ECVXN64E2EK&hash=item34a7b5d90d%3Ag%3AlYUAAOSwN7dmSOP-&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0ALJkc%2BUDQSTywAn2kHb8kJKITUfwoj9ApKpWAZB5FGSlXGwLCtgBFVHO6GCOXd9FYTuupQ7JR5cYRK5g6mDN%2FypPLvoaT8pNtZxOvo3HUeN3%2BU43Loe7vMSUxO7wIO%2Bft7zZYpYYsfO%2B7G8FTEN%2F%2BbWUal%2FTStJbXKNs3EfVD4UsWzJ%2Flkn%2FRGxv4JnsVprZ9nv6mzlrXLYIr%2FvPoU2ibyhU%2BWG30LGZ0uXAtO1KzlXYPdTra300ipfXyXtX3RVHO3aM7Oapq6vmegIn6omsjQ%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR7i9sIH4Yw&LH_ItemCondition=3000 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/276436821549?itmmeta=01HZ01C3TGBD9VFZ44XNPS1YDS&hash=item405ceb262d%3Ag%3ALgMAAOSwk7ZmJ9WL&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAAsEJMvvtjya8nNgCaPQnPydBbHZsMQWRIWCs82pV8Wmo8kvi2oHd7dvRBoKCPzPRu2E9RNLbJufuBPUP7JAjbFwsvHdnla235MQcHI0tKVJVLzoVu7gqDyV7c9IsJvUVo9pfvQmrFRB4npcsXWCaHXnGDHCoMCHbCxJK%2Fhxub%2BUeXEMf47u%2BH8lIITmCS5Ir1%2FQ2qXuqbbcQrf2k474Xc7bwK9HMWjuRG9XFxR6uDQyh%2B|tkp%3ABk9SR8C9sIH4Yw&LH_ItemCondition=3000 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326125514395?itmmeta=01HZ01C3TH5NGZJC0PYJJRJ4K1&hash=item4bee986e9b%3Ag%3Aa5wAAOSw4j5mQiu8&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAAwBaaA1vqyr8KXRwxGwAWqQjitUZ6ghzdsR01p2PEJxi4cCqEvWZl6JMGvnE1joVBPXtxaDtvOLBNMmMocKGvqBPqHHN%2FHNxkpjfVSdLKFVd24COUjc2%2FVt%2Bb26QP9VufFt0QDW6NE%2BQ8IjSMoU777KA1%2BIlKMG7Iw16H1Z1lvOjq0tqwPPF%2Fhwzoi79At%2FVWMGv4eSDTJYX7Eu6JX64rvrYD8CVIR%2BgSIikOgE1RGta8UIJab%2FZGdvuD5VKdvra4IQ%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR8S9sIH4Yw&LH_ItemCondition=3000 Are they as good as a Yammy? No. Are they good enough to gig? Yes. Are they good enough to decide whether you prefer flats or rounds on a P? Definitely. You could flip it once you're finished playing around for a net spend of close to £0. Even if you kept it, by the time you take into account the spend on the pup and the drop in value on your Schecter, you're still spending about the same amount

I think everyone on the forum would say 2 P basses were essential, for your exact dilemma - one for rounds and one for flats. Prices have gone insane over the past few years, but there's still plenty of good basses you can get at the lower end. You'd be able to get a cheap 2nd hand Harley Benton (or even a new one, depending on the model) for not much more than the price of a P pickup.

Ah OK, in which case I can save you a lot of time, damage and injuries from a chisel.........put flats on the P and keep em there 😂. I put flats on a P after using rounds for most of my playing life and I'm a convert. They sound brill. Depends on what music you play I guess, but I use them for a blues band and they're ideal. I know this won't fit your decent amount of time criteria, but there might be other members near you that already have flats on a P and would be more than willing to let you come over and play around for a while. You'd at least get an idea of if it was worth then modding your J. Even then, by the time you buy the P pickup, flats and consider the drop in resale on your Schecter, looking out for a cheap P sold with flats on it might be the cheaper option.

Just thought - if you're looking for a bigger sound from your J and don't want a permanent mod made, have you thought about a series/parallel switch? I bought a (really lovely and well made) loom from ki0gon and really love it. It doesn't make your J sound like a P, but definitely helps beef things up a bit. It's a really great mod.

I don't know how much these go for, but if it was £300-£400ish for an unbutchered one second hand then I'd be happy to buy it as long as the pickguard hid your handywork. I'd look to pay less than an unmolested one though, how much under would depend on how many times your hand slipped with that chisel 😃 As others have said though, if you fancy having a go at this sort of thing then I'd suggest picking up something for around £100 and having a go on that before attempting to mod a bass you really like.

Ok, so...... I filed away the nut slightly on each side and the string looks like it's sitting in there a lot better..... But the buzz is still there. 😮‍💨 Here's a quick vid so you can hear what's happening. When I press the string down on the other side of the nut, it's still buzzing and I can afford to push the string down a fair bit on the fretboard side before I hear it hitting the first fret. Fretting notes was fine before (I think), but now I'm not so sure as I can hear a slight buzz, particularly at the 5th fret. PXL_20240522_141048440.mp4

The break angle and windings around the peg seem OK. As I understand it, if I were to press down behind the nut then the rattle would stop if it were to do with the break angle? I've tried doing that and the rattle is still there, so I'm assuming the angle is fine.

All screws seem fine and there wasn't a rattle before I changed the strings, I've held down everything when playing the A open and the rattle is still there. I reckon it's likely the nut as @LeftyJ has suggested. I just have no idea where to start with filing it down 😃

Ah, that could well be it. Here's another pic.... If that's the issue, do I just file down the sides of the nut ever so slightly? And is the best way to go about it to mark the sides with a pencil/marker then just file that off a small bit at a time?

The gap there seems ok. Are you thinking it's catching the 1st fret? If I play an open A and then start to press the string down on the fretboard side of the nut, I can push it down quite a bit until I hear it buzzing on the 1st fret.

Ohhh, so there's potentially a range of basses on their way....

Looks like they're just a regular P this time...... Although, are those HBZ pickups normally in active basses?

Can someone help me get rid of a rattle before I smash this bass or jump out of a window please? It's driving me insane! The issue is a rattle that sounds like it's at the nut when I play an open A, all other strings are fine. It all started when I moved to tapes from rounds, so I'm guessing I just need to file a bit of the nut? I've done some digging and I don't think it's the angle of the string going towards the tuning peg, it also has enough winds. The angle looks about the same when compared to the other strings and it also doesn't disappear when I press down behind the nut. I don't think the nut is too low and it's hitting the 1st fret. I've tried putting pressure on every screw when playing, but the rattle is still there. The truss rod isn't loose when I tap the back of the neck. And I don't have a pick holder on the back of my headstock 😂 The string looks to be sitting in the nut ok, but I have no experience with playing around there, so I have no clue if I need to take a bit off the sides, bottom, or change the angle of the bottom of the nut. I've also tried putting some foil under the string to see if it needed to be padded out a bit. That didn't work. If anything I'd say it made it worse. Any help would be great! I've attached a couple of pics, but if you need any more or a vid then just shout.

Jerry Jemmott laying down a lovely little line in this.....

They're really nice basses and Fender Fever are ace to deal with. I'm not playing mine much and always pick up my Limelight first, so am umming and arring over selling it. Then I play it and just love the neck. Seems a shame for it not to be played so I keep on thinking about shifting it and the loop starts all over again 😂

I'm not sure you'll get a MIJ 62 reissue within budget, if you see one at that price then snap it up. They're a fantastic bit of kit and my favourite Fenders. If you haven't played on before just be aware that they have a gloss neck, narrow frets and a more curved fingerboard radius. Some people don't like a gloss neck, but that and the frets are what I really love about that range. Sire do make great J's and they're worth a look. If it were me though I'd be picking up a G&L Tribute JB. The neck is glossed and it's also a tad wider/rounder in the hand (back to front, the nut width is the same) than the current Fender MiM line up. They're nice basses for not a lot of money. There's one in the classifieds now (that has nowt to do with me)