bnt

Tony Sales used a Vigier with Tin Machine around their second album, and live - sounded really good.

Thanks, folks. This year I expect to see packs of antiseptic wipes all over the show too. 😷

Possibly silly question: at a Bash, do people play each other's basses? It won't bother me, since I have a cheap bass, but if I brought a Fodera along, I would be paranoid about belt buckles etc. One major reason why I'm hoping to attend is to see and possibly try a variety of instruments, since the music shops here are not great at the best of times.

To me it looks like one of the Fender Vintera 50s P from a couple of years ago:

Ugh. So first we had the hype, now we have the inevitable "backlash", do we? Predictable, and neither tell us anything useful. I can't see myself buying either of those basses, not even if we got affordable Sterling versions, but I don't have any complaints about Joe's sound in its band contexts. I think it works well with guitars and drums, but then I'm not a fan of bass solos at all.

Is this the same guy who said, on the launch video for the original model, "no more government subsidies for active basses"? He's a motormouth with a faulty head gasket, he's tossing a word salad in these videos.

It's definitely tuned down: listen to the video, at the start he's hitting some open low Cs. I was wondering too, but checked against my own bass, and it's an octave below C on the A string.

Another factor affecting the bass tone in the video: it's tuned down to C standard (C F Bb Eb), and so those short scale flatwounds are slack. EBMM's website says the bass comes tuned that way as standard.

We have video: Nice Rutger Gunnarsson namecheck there. 💪

I've been wondering about this amp too, since I saw that video and others. I don't mind the low power out, since that would be fine for practice use, with the option of going in to a powered PA speaker or system if more is needed live. Only three amp models, but they cover the main vintage & modern areas. One point of concern for me: it uses a 28V external PSU. That's an odd voltage that would be hard to replace if it goes wrong.

I still hope to bring my EMG-swapped version of my Shamberg to the Midlands Bass Bash in September, where people can check it out. I find the reverse P tone to be very consistent between strings now, even without processing. But I don't have an amp (because I have housemates and neighbours) and so don't really have a feel for how it would translate in to moving air.

EMGs installed after some drilling to expand the wiring tunnel & sounding pretty good, though the bass has a new string set and rattles a bit. It needs a setup, probably tomorrow, to reduce the rattle. The dual nature of the MMTW means I have three good tones to play with. VVT controls: the planned switch is too big for the control cavity. Through the Brainworx Ampeg SVTVR plugin I'm getting tones with a odd Rickenbacker quality to them, for some reason. Though the P tone is still there if I want it only. Some quick pics: edit: just noticed that missing paint chip - must have happened during installation. Touchup required.

Chapman made this 4-string multiscale model, which you might be able to find second-hand. I believe it's 32.75” to 35".

The Ibanez EHB range are also very light - one owner on this thread weighed his as under 7lbs.

I thought I mentioned that I was going ahead with the EMG swap, but it looks like I didn't. I ordered EMG P and MMTW pickups a couple of months ago, they finally arrived earlier this week, and I started the installation process today. I'm currently off work recovering from heart surgery which was a long time coming (see the "falling apart" thread), and thought this would make a nice project to keep me occupied, but to no-one's surprise, it's not that simple. First of all, I can't install the MMTW yet, since the channel between pickup cavity and control cavity is too small to accommodate the cables; so further woodwork is required. That's a job for another day, maybe tomorrow. Getting the old pickups out was a nightmare, since I'm short on "core" strength at the moment. The standard pickup mounting screws are crap and some already had stripped heads when I got the bass. They must have been installed using a power tool, and it took me hours of work with knives, pliers etc. to finally get them out. I had to wire up the EMG power connectors to the existing battery compartment, and the ground wire was too short, so I had to extend that, which meant soldering. I also soldered up a 3-way Les Paul type switch and hooked it to the EMG switching block, though I'm not using it yet. The plan is to have the individual pickup volume controls, then switch, then master tone. The standard jack plate on the bass is threaded in metric. I have to use the EMG 3-pole jack socket, which is American. So I had to replace the jack plate entirely. Thankfully, I was prepared for this, having bought two new jack plates, since I still have ideas for dual outputs in the future. Actually doing dual outputs will require more woodwork, a job for the future. Once all the above prep work was done, it was no trouble to install the P pickup, volume and tone, with solderless connections, and it worked first time. The supplied mounting screws are much better quality, though it is catching on the pickguard a little - nothing a few minutes with needle files won't sort out. That will also help with height adjustment, which isn't quite right yet. The sound? I hear a solid P tone so far. A bit more "polite" than the fire-breathing standard Roswell, and the supplied passive tone control isn't as aggressive with cutoff as the old one. It's a lot quieter, of course. I'm disappointed I couldn't get the MMTW installed today, since that has the potential to make this bass even more versatile. It can operate in two modes: MM-style humbucker, or (via pull pot) as a J-style stacked humbucker. (Yes, it actually has three coils internally.) As for the old pickups, I have a vague idea of making a "balls to the wall" P bass with the Roswell P and the above-mentioned Artec Mudbucker. The Roswell MM pickup might be OK in a Stingray-type slap bass, but I don't know.

The Electra was remarkable for having modular effects in cartridge form that could be swapped in or out. Chris played it on Tempus Fugit (Drama), some nice Phaser there.

I got out of hospital on Monday and the EMGs were only shipped on Monday too, six weeks after I ordered them. The rest of the order arrived weeks ago, and the fret rocker has already flagged several high frets on the HB, so I can address those if I have the energy. (I’m still pretty much in hit-by-a-truck mode most of the day.)

I don't know if you would gain that much by ordering in from Germany, and would also consider ordering from the UK e.g. Andertons have instruments such as the Ibanez Talman for a decent price on their beginners page. In your shoes, for travel, I would have a look at the Talman short scale TMB-30 in particular.

VAT only applies to first sale, so that would not be relevant for used instruments. I'll check before I travel, but I'm fairly sure that a single instrument for personal use, not being imported, doesn't attract customs charges. There is such a thing as a musical instrument certificate, but that has to do with CITEs and there are exemptions for musical instruments, so you won't get fined over e.g. a Bubinga top. PS: no carnet needed for portable instruments, says the MU.

I have the 4-string version of this, which is well-constructed, though I wasn't happy with the passive volume & blend -> active EQ wiring. I call mine the Shamberg, and it's currently wired passive 2V2T with some EMGs on the way in a few weeks.

@Richard R - Brawley Artemis 4, Brawley Artemis 5, EBS Session60 amp, something to weigh basses with. @Frank Blank - Rob Allen Mouse Fretless, Rob Allen Mouse Fretted, Ibanez SRC6, QSC K12.2, HX Stomp. @Stub Mandrel - Fender Performer, Hohner Jack Custom V, Deathburger (HB kit build), TE 1110 combo? @petecarlton - Mayones Cali4 "Puzzle" Bass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYAvWZGwc4s&t=13s&ab_channel=BassTheWorld.com @Teebs - Erm...dunno What! Isn't my mere presence enough for you peoples!? Pea Green Bass and something else. @SpondonBassed - Jack. (That's not short for Jack all, it's just that I can't decide until nearer the time.) @Machines - Sire M5 / Yamaha RBXJM2 / GenzBenz Neo Pak / EICH112XS @bassmansam - Rickenbacker 4003s, Eppy Thunderbird Vintage Pro and Ashdown ABM 500 2x10 combo @jebroad - Not-fender jazz (maybe), squire silver series jazz, old Kay SC, Dingwall combustion, Ashdown 8x10 (Maybe) @Jabba_the_gut - 27" mini basses, Short scale telebass, whatever else I build by then, TC RS210 combo. Cakes @Oldman - @NickA Since the last one.. got a second Wal with an extra string and those weird metal things in the fingerboard ( supposed to help you play in tune I think, but cause all kinds of problems ). So, yes, please. I'll be there; Couple of Wals and some pjb amps. @Geek99 - POSSIBLE ... Ampeg AMP, bass-doc built relic P, homemade jazz with geddy lee pups, zoom b2.1 @bnt - TENTATIVE - Harley Benton MP-4EB Enhanced "Shamberg" w/ EMGs and its own Ryanair seat, tc SpectraDrive.

I have the MP-4 and have already expressed my dissatisfaction with the supplied wiring and active circuit, and that the P pickup dominated the tone. I have EMG active pickups arriving in a few weeks, which will be an interesting experiment at least. A couple of frets are slightly high, six months in, which I plan to tackle soon-ish.

At this point, just pondering the possibility of getting Ryanair in to East Midlands and maybe staying in Derby or Nottingham for a few days. A Ryanair seat for a gig bag can be literally cheaper than the baggage charges on other airlines, assuming it's off-season. I would bring my modded HB MP-4 Enhanced (ClonedBerg) and a cable, that would be about it.

For the location, are you talking about Doveridge (DE6 5JQ) again? It's a bit out of the way if you'd go by train, I suppose.

I’ve seen this, and was somewhat disappointed, because it’s very much about Frank Zappa the person, with his music a distant second. I might watch it again later, but t.b.h. I didn’t feel I needed to know that much about him .