Doctor J

I suppose, when you consider the price of an old Fender... ...I'll get my coat :brow:

You could just lower the P pickup/raise the J pickup until you find the balance you're looking for.

Or, alternatively, you can buy the whole FS section on Basschat for a custom Fodera.

If there's someone out there ready to pay it, well it just makes sense that there's someone out there ready to exploit it

Half the fun of this whole thing is taking a chance and trying other instruments. Bid farewell to sentiment and follow your gut, take chances and play as many different instruments as you can, even if that means moving on former loves.

You can set it at whatever level you want, don't worry about it.

When you run at full volume on a passive bass, essentially you're letting as much of the signal through as possible, as if there were no volume control at all and it's fine, your amp can handle it no problem. Instruments with active EQ, however, have a EQ boost funtions which can dramatically increase the output of specific bands of frequencies and can sound unpleasant to the ear, I'm sure everyone has heard the Stringray all-on-full sound more than once. Some active circuits come with an output level - usually found on the circuit board, which can cut or boost the general output level of the active circuit by quite a lot. If you've ever heard someone move from active to passive mode with a huge drop in volume, that's what you're hearing. Distortion isn't quite as desirable in bass as it is with guitar so decent bass amps, unlike guitar amps, generally have an input level control as well as an output level control as onboard active circuitry is quite normal in the world of bass and can accomodate passive and hotter active signals without distorting. The input level controls just how hot a signal is allowed into the preamp. Most amps will come with a clip light (or a needle on Ashdowns for example) where you can gauge when the preamp is starting to distort - as a rule of thumb I usually keep it just below the point of clipping. If you're still worried you can lower your pickup down, away from the strings and it will result in a quieter output.

It's a great ad, in fairness [quote]These first few years (1982-1984) of reissues are some of the finest to ever leave Fender's Factory, the very same factory distinguished for its Golden-age- pre-CBS instruments. And when the factory was reopened in '82 those skilled workers that had been retrained to follow quality control reminiscent of pre-CBS instruments.They used many of the same materials, tools and machinery that created the legendary instruments. The Fullerton era instruments' superior build quality is revered today as being unsurpassed in Fender reissue history.[/quote] Of course, the same tools and ,achinery were used during the CBS era too, but let's not delve too deep, eh? [quote]It has a strap, although one if the strap holder needs screwing in, a very small job for someone who knows what they're doing...[/quote] For £1100? :wacko:

In regards to these, and indeed the famous Smith strats of the same era, you need to factor in just how poor things had gotten in the late 70's and early 80's. When better quality instruments finally arrived you need to consider that at least some of the good reputation will be in relation to what had gone previously.

As good as pre-CBS? That all depends, do you believe in magic?

Two? Somebody's indulging just a little

Funny you should say that, I actually sold one of those a while after getting the Godlyke, nice bass but the Godlyke's a lot better IMO.

Haven't had one particularly bad one, but have been offered several cheap (sub £200) instruments for one expensive instrument (over £1000) more than once.

Versatility is fine, but if they don't work together without tweaks, something's got to change. Just wondering if it's worth going with a humbucking J or taking the plunge and routing out and putting another MM in there.

I own an Ampeg solid state guitar amp. Does that make me a bad person?

Yep, if I was going to spend huge money, Japan would be the first place I'd look... and in Japan it'd probably be STR who'd get the cash. They're the "best" basses Deviser make, which leads me to believe theyre very special indeed. [url="http://www.deviser.co.jp/modules/str/garage/eng/2009/02/07-200939.html"]http://www.deviser.co.jp/modules/str/garag.../07-200939.html[/url] Something along the lines of...

I've a rather tasty Godlyke Disciple 5 which I has a Nordstrand mm5.2 and a nj5 installed, both fine pickups in their own right. The problem I have is that they just don't seem to work well together, the single coil nj5 just sounds too bright in relation to the mm. Even though I've a coil tap on the mm, I just can't find a spot where I can switch from one to the other without having to tweak the EQ. I was thinking of going for a HH setup and install another mm5.2 instead of the J. Any HH owners have any opinions on this, is the H in the neck position just too much? Should I just change the single coil J for a humbucking model?

Got to be the Wave

That's a spicy meatball, very nice!

You asked permission? I just went ahead with it and asked forgiveness

[quote name='Raggy' post='941869' date='Sep 1 2010, 11:39 AM']Thats flippin' ace. But can I ask why it might be a bad idea to hang them on your wall, I was thinking of doing that.[/quote] I just thought they'd take up too much space and be too exposed to potential damage from general gobsh*tery and clumsyness. This way, it's much less obvious to the missus when something new arrives discreetly

[quote name='Tengu' post='942017' date='Sep 1 2010, 01:25 PM']The language pedant in me can't walk past without suggesting that the name should really be "Wardbass", seeing as a wardrobe is a ward for your robes - thus this is a ward for your basses, not a bass for your robes. I am very sorry, this is an affliction of mine and I can't help it Excellent idea though. I only wish I had enough basses to justify the work.[/quote] Hmmmm, I see where you went wrong there. Quell your inner language pendant for you'll see that is it is not a Bassrobe, no. The extra d you've overlooked belongs to a word I made up during the construction process for a stylish container for fabulous basses, a drobe. Hence, Bassdrobe™. Were it erroneously derived from wardrobe it would then be Bassrobe, but that just would make as much sense as calling it a Guitarcape. Nor even Bassddrobe, I'm all for double d's but not in this context. Let it be written in the good book of bass! Good effort though

Why is having more than one an issue? Surely you can use just one bass for the time being and leave it at that? At least you won't have to splash the cash when you snap out of your fever realise how crazy this is

[quote name='Fat Rich' post='936803' date='Aug 26 2010, 09:41 AM']How about a walk-in Bassdrobe? A bit like this one but for basses..... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9oy9Kl3ROw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9oy9Kl3ROw[/url][/quote] That'll always be the dream

[quote name='Stingray5' post='936621' date='Aug 26 2010, 12:00 AM']Looks a neat idea but is that bare wood that the basses are being held by? Don't mean to pee on your parade, Dr J, but might there be a slight risk of the odd ding or mark on the necks? Perhaps some sort of protective cushioning (rubber strips, etc.?) glued to the edges of the wood? If I'm on the wrong track here, please excuse me and I'll grab me coat... [/quote] Start coat grabbing Cheers lads, I'm quite pleased with it, even if I do say so myself. It's foam lined where it counts, there are two foam padded bars running along the bottom which support the weight of the basses and the mdf rack which keeps them upright. That's also foam lined (actually with that sticky backed draft excluding foam) where the necks rest in each slot. I plan on covering the whole thing with velour or something similar in the very near future.