Dankology

I'll try and keep this short. I recently picked up a second hand Relvelation PJ with a known issue with the pickups. On playing it, it seemed that both the P and J pickups were fine on their own but when set at the same volume (ie both full open), the D and G strings became very tinny. I'd already ordered a new loom from Kiogan of this parish and had hoped that installing this it would rectify any dodgy wiring issues. Sadly the D and G issue remained. I tried swapping the white and black wires from the P around but by the time I tested this, the P pickup on its own now had a huge volume difference between the E/A and the D/G. So I suspect I've broken (or at least finished off) the half of the P pickup that covers the higher two strings. I was looking to replace it like for like as I really quite liked what little I heard of the Entwistle PBXN before killing it. So, two questions, please: 1) is there anything else I can do or check before replacing the pickup? 2) if I do replace it, can I save a couple of quid by buying the standard PBX pickup and swapping in the neodymium magnets from the existing pickup?

I like HW, they seem like decent people. Although I do recall one of the staff threatening to impale my friend on a Les Paul about 25 years ago... The friend did have it coming in truth. I was wondering if this might have been Rimmers, who I recently had a slightly underwhelming experience with.

Ah, no. But it would make my comment above even more distasteful...

Is the large shop in Bolton part of a chain with a slightly amusing name? (amusing to someone with my puerile sense of humour, anyway)

I've now had a listen through an amp. It definitely needs a new jack socket (or possibly a bit of bending to innards of the current one). But explain this one to me: when both volume pots are wide open, the D and G strings are suddenly very tinny. This only happens during the final couple of degrees of their range and for the rest of the range they have no effect at all when used together. Either seems to work fine when the other is zeroed. I'm hoping the new wiring will sort out any oddities but just curious to know what might be causing this particular effect.

It arrived early! Just been messing about with it unplugged so far. The strings seem a little on the thin side for my tastes so I'm hoping some heavier ones will solve the nasty rattle that the A string has at the nut when played open. There's also some slight choking of the A and D stings around the very top of the neck. Not really sure what to do here but will probably treat myself to a nice set up once I've restrung it and got the new loom in place. Reasonably happy thus far...

I think I ignored the Basschat results, assuming it'd just be discussion 😃

I've had an unlined acoustic for a couple of years - really wanted a lined electric but the price on this one was too good to let go.

Where does one get one of those from - Google doesn't appear to be my friend on this one...

I'd been holding out for a fretless Jazz of some variety but with studio time booked I couldn't resist a £110 Revelation RPJ-77 on Ebay last night: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Revelation-4-String-Fretless-Bass-RPJ-77-Sunburst/264877128842 There's an odd comment about a phase issue with the pickups but I'm presuming that will be a straightforward fix. I know a couple of people here have owned the same model so please tell me what a smart buy I've made and what cool mods I might consider...

I thought I was the only person who remembered that... one of my all time favourites too, despite having otherwise little interest in either artist.

I've just had to double check London Calling's tracklisting. The Clampdown, Rudie Can't Fail, The Card Cheat, Guns of Brixton, I'm Not Down, Train in Vain, London Calling itself... I can see why it blindsided some punks and it certainly waxes and wanes over its full length but the Clash would go on to much, much worse than this. On topic though, I reckon the White Album, Tusk, Physical Graffiti and Trout Mask really work. But it's a bit hard to call nowadays as someone said earlier: almost every album that has come out since the early 90s would have been a double vinyl record back in the day. I especially like Wreckless Eric's Big Smash LP - but that's a bit of a cheat as he interleved a new album and a singles collection across the four sides.

Having worked on far too many live recordings for my own good (all very low level stuff btw) I've long reconciled myself to things like vocals and mic'd instruments being overdubbed after the fact. But what narks me is additional fake audience noise, especially when they get it wrong. The original pressing of Dylan Unplugged had a terribly obvious loop of audience whooping running incessantly through one song... I think there is a long history of dropping audience noise from one recording into another: the famous Oasis live cover of I am the Walrus I think has crowd noise from a Faces bootleg; Lou Reed Live has a John Denver audience - although I'm not sure the cry of "Lou Reed sucks" comes from the JD gig. The Woodstock live LPs have several tracks recorded elsewhere sneakily dropped in - always been particularly annoyed by this one. And speaking of Woodstock, the more recent Hendrix releases ov his set have everyone other than the basic trio essentially mixed out... Was a bit gutted when I heard the raw version of the Doors doing Gloria having spent years marvelling at what a tight "live" performance it was on Alive She Cried. I recently mixed a live recording for a reasonably well known US band where there was no chance of overdubbing anything. Cheats I used included: -muting a lot of bvs -putting the main vocal through a valvey distortion effect to thicken it up -re-amping the rhythm guitar throughout -copying a couple of passages from one part of a song to another to cover flubs -a few instances of stretching bass notes to hide chokes -loads of automated eq to kill feedback So nothing controversial or too devious but a massive amount of work to make it sound halfway decent. I can definitely understand even the most well intentioned verite project fast descending into studio trickery.

Once the machine is actually playing tapes why not play them into your Zoom 4 track rather than buying a new audio interface?

I think this is aimed more at people who have being streaming other people's material eg DJ sets or playlists. The press release/announcement that had been most widely shared does not make this clear but there is further detail out there that would suggest that this is not as draconian and nonsensical as it first seems.

Over lockdown I've been involved with a weekly series of compilations to raise funds for independent Manchester venues. Vol 15 came out today - we've so far compiled 150 tracks by 148 artists, a mixture of old, new, local and famous - all the tracks can be sampled as streams without having to pay. While not all of it is entirely to my tastes, I'd feel very sorry for the person unable to find something new, good or both in here: https://lockdownlive.bandcamp.com/

Do not do this.

I'd hope they were filled with lovely clear fluid rather than pus.

Weirdly, something similar happened to me this week - I assumed mine were caused by using a non-bass guitar for the first time in a while. As a doctor I would say leave them be and let them mend themselves. As a bassist I'd be rather more cavalier if they were getting in my way...

Thanks for the advice. Nearly fell into regretable payday temptation there... Apologies if I missed the previous discussion.

I've been looking for one for a while and these two are around the right price... I quite like the black hardware added to the Mexican one but I really like my Japanese Aerodyne so the other one really appeals too - but I don't know enough to know if this is a wrong un or not. Neither are near enough to have a look at in person - anyone care to offer some thoughts? Currently my brain is saying that the Mex is one of the earlier ones that people say sometimes have QC issues, the Jap may be a cobbled togeher bitsa and maybe I'd be better off overall with a Sire... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Fretless-Jazz-Bass-Sunburst-2001-with-Upgrades-UK-Buyers-only/164351349318 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Fretless-Jazz-Bass-sunburst-good-condition/184374194763

What a great story - and fabulous photo to top it 😀