Bassassin

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' post='943645' date='Sep 2 2010, 04:49 PM']It's not an eBay link, but I spotted an Aria pro II ZZB (the pointy blue one!) going for £149 in Cash Converters, Dalry Road in Edinburgh this afternoon. I'm skint and not a pointy bass fan, but it could be a good find for someone.[/quote] Bit dear for me - but I'm half tempted to say I want it just to see if some miserable, weasel-faced scrote will jump in & grab it first. Which reminds me - I [i]must[/i] start that vintage Washburn thread in Porn... J.

I bloody wish I was! I should advertise my services on Fleabay (at a very reasonable £50 p/h plus 25% commission) - that would save people trying to shoehorn in entirely irrelevant discussions about some guitar or other. I like the idea that I have a recognisable style. People will be saying I have a character next! J.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='941903' date='Sep 1 2010, 11:59 AM']I know these things! Anyway - I thought I'd have a word in his lughole: Let's see what happens... J.[/quote] Just to drag this kicking & screaming back on-topic, I got a reply, quite made my morning & the best laugh I've had in days: [quote name='Illiterate Ebay Bullsh!tter']Dear mister scam artist suggest next time you research properly the history of fender and don't waste other peoples time with drivel like this in the hope of driving the price down[/quote] to the power of [i]pi[/i] Of course he didn't quite have the testicles to post my "drivel" on the listing. J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='942216' date='Sep 1 2010, 03:15 PM']The trouble is, the libertarian in me recognises that the purpose of communication is to get your message across, and if I understand what was said then presumably that's a piece of successful communication. lolz l8rz m8[/quote] Absolutely - and language, both written and spoken, is a fluid medium and in a constant state of evolution, alteration and adaptation. We should accept and embrace these changes. And I'll be doing that, right after our new Americanized, txtspk, glottal, mispronounced, misspelled, bastardised, misused dialect has driven me into an indiscriminate killing frenzy. J.

[quote name='Lozz196' post='941678' date='Sep 1 2010, 07:43 AM']Ordinarily I`d suggest Fender MIM, either Precision or Jazz depending on yr preference, as they are, imo, better instruments, but u said it has to look the part for metal, and T-birds certainly do that.[/quote] Nowt wrong with playing a Jazz in a metal band - ask Mendez from Opeth: And that's not just any old Jazz either. Jon.

[quote name='Paul S' post='942136' date='Sep 1 2010, 02:28 PM']Jon, thanks for that. I'll view it with academic rather than financial interest.[/quote] There's another one being discussed [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=101000"]here[/url]! J.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='942096' date='Sep 1 2010, 02:09 PM']Why oh why oh why oh why do people put "brought" when they mean "bought". I see it all the bleedin' time and it gets on my hairy tits. I'm not being racist or facetious with this but as a Scot I wonder if it is a thing that English people commonly say?[/quote] It's a thing that lazy & ignorant people say, based on the fact the words are spelled similarly and it's way too much effort to bother differentiating them. J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='941885' date='Sep 1 2010, 11:50 AM']How can you be sure it's not a [i][b]transitional [/b][/i]example, perhaps of a [i][b]prototype [/b][/i]with unique features? [/quote] I know these things! Anyway - I thought I'd have a word in his lughole: [quote]Hi - your bass is a Japanese copy from the mid 1970s. It was probably originally branded Columbus. There are numerous ways of identifying it: no Fender has ever had an Made In Japan-stamped neckplate, there were no Japanese Fenders in the 70s anyway. The body has large black oversprays on the contours, this is to disguise the fact it's made from plywood - no Fenders have ply bodies or this type of overspray. The pickups have rounded ends typical of Japanese Jazz copies - Fenders are squared-off. The bass has a Gibson-type nut and has originally had a large chrome truss rod cover - the 3 screwholes for the cover are clearly visible - you will never see this on any Fender. There are various other details but these are the main & obvious ones. I'd recommend that you change the title of your listing to indicate that the bass is a Japanese copy, otherwise you're breaking numerous Ebay terms & conditions and your auction will likely get cancelled. Cheers - Jon.[/quote] Let's see what happens... J.

Plywood Columbus copy with a crap sticker on it, being sold by either a very stupid & gullible person or a liar. What do you think? Jon.

I tend to wander past the [s]massed ranks[/s] half a dozen basses, scanning for the unusual, the esoteric, the exotic and the interestingly vintage. Following that, I walk out, my stature fractionally but tangibly diminished by the incrimentally increasing weight of the burden of disappointment. Basses? In shops? How [i]quaint[/i]. Jon.

They sound like a bunch of prima donna f@ckwits. Walk. Jon.

[quote name='Paul S' post='939014' date='Aug 28 2010, 08:30 PM']I was wondering which model would fit - possibly the GB7?[/quote] I think so - as far as I know the Westone tuners were rebranded Gotohs and it's fair to assume the Mat-era Washburns were too. If you're looking for a black GB7 it so happens I've got one gathering dust - I had it on my Ibanez SR800 which I recently swapped for a Peavey T40, the Hipshot wasn't required. It's in pretty much new condition, I've even still got the packaging somewhere. If it's any use to you make us an offer. Jon.

[quote name='silddx' post='940846' date='Aug 31 2010, 12:12 PM']I love it! Looks ace! I've always wanted a lucite bass.[/quote] Me too - right up until I put it on a strap - oowwwww! I have to say I am delighted with how good it looks, and pleasantly surprised at the support I'm receiving for this act of utter folly! Band practice tonight - I'll get to find out which I succumb to first - spinal damage or the ridicule of my bandmates. Will I make it through an entire song? J.

[quote name='Paul S' post='940913' date='Aug 31 2010, 01:17 PM']Are Columbus any good? There's a do-er-up-er on at the mo currently showing a £30 bid. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130426530953&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT"]70s Columbus Jazz[/url][/quote] Not great but not awful. Plywood bodies but everything else is pretty decent, mine had a nice neck but maybe a bit chunky for a Jazz. It'll probably go a bit higher than 30 quid though! J.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='940625' date='Aug 31 2010, 08:07 AM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Maya-Bass-Guitar-/180554993690?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV"]Maya Precision bass[/url] The seller says "You'd be pretty lucky to find another Maya bass to buy". That's hyperbole, but at least the bass has a low starting bid, so the market will work out the price. Unlike (6 string alert) the guy selling an "old, pre-Ibanez, CSL" LP with a £600 starting bid.[/quote] I love the way the [s]tosser[/s] guy flogging the CSL crows about how he got it from a car boot for a tenner! That's really going to make punters want to hand him his £590 profit for not even bothering to research the bloody thing properly! Realistically though that's a £300 guitar - he'll get bored repeatedly re-listing it when it doesn't sell at that stupid price. Nice looking Maya and a sensible start price too. It's academic whether or not I could find another to buy because I've got one in the lab, admittedly somewhat lower-end, with a well-dodgy refret job and in serious need of a bit of sorting out. J.

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='940468' date='Aug 30 2010, 10:35 PM']Where did u get the body from?[/quote] Bought it off Neepheid on here a while back. It's from an Axl brand cheapo from a few years ago. J.

There's already a thread about this in builds, but I thought I'd share it with the pornographers: [attachment=57772:pink800.jpg] On closer inspection it's less a bass, and more a portal to other dimensions & realities: [attachment=57773:inside2.jpg] More pics & boring tech stuff [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=100767"]here[/url]. Jon.

[quote name='AndyTravis' post='940174' date='Aug 30 2010, 06:26 PM']hoho, super, cheers. ...dimensions wise, are they pretty bang on to a Fender? If i stuck a Fender Gregory on there, would i look like a berk?[/quote] I'd say it looks dead-on, I don't have a pukka Fender to hand for a comparison, though. As far as I can measure without ripping it all apart, the neck pocket's 64mm at its widest point, and 18mm deep. The original bridge had standard 5 screws at the back with 2 extra at the front so a Fender bent tin or Gotoh/BA2 replacements would drop right in. Pretty sure you'd need to drill new holes if you were going to use a different scratchplate, but like I said it's easy material to work with - just start the holes with a sharp bradawl and it drills like wood - with the added advantage that you can see exactly how deep you're going! Marvin - it doesn't play that badly, to be honest it needs a bit of setting up. I did the fretwork before I modded the headstock, and built it up to see how it played then & it was quite a bit better than it is now. The neck's moved a bit while it's been off the bass, & also I originally had ugly-looking wood shims in the neck pocket. Having swapped these for acrylic ones, I don't think the neck's sitting exactly the same in the pocket now, probably because wood's compressible & acrylic ain't. The alignment's shifted fractionally too - not a problem with the Schaller bridge, but annoying all the same. The single biggest problem with this bass is the weight - it's starting to make my house subside! J.

[quote name='cameltoe' post='940224' date='Aug 30 2010, 07:10 PM']I had considered lightweight tuners but wasn't sure how much of a difference this would actually have (can anyone confirm?)[/quote] You'd be surprised how much weight there is in a set of tuners - and in this instance you're basically putting 4 big lumps of steel at the end of a long lever! Out of curiosity I just weighed some bits I have lying around: Ibanez Blazer neck (1 fret longer than a standard P neck) - 770g Ibby Blazer tuners, minus screws (these are a good bit smaller than Fender-type tuners) - 370g Schaller BM full-size lightweight tuners - 190g Considering the weight of the neck is spread along its entire length, I do think light tuners will make a big difference. I doubt you'd need to add weight to the body. J.

DiMarzio Model J pups I'd say - those cream covers were proper big in the 70s/80s. And here they are: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-x-jazz-bass-guitar-pickup-covers-/130317289442?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-x-jazz-bass-guitar...tar_Accessories[/url] Jon.

Lightweight tuners (Hipshot, Gotoh, Schaller etc all do them) is the first thing that comes to mind - there's not a lot of weight in the average neck so this should make a big difference. Maybe try using a strap with suede or similar high-friction material on the inside. Jon.

[quote name='AndyTravis' post='940121' date='Aug 30 2010, 05:14 PM']where would one get a acrylic p-bass body? i like the idea very much...[/quote] This was actually from an Axl - branded cheapo, I think they were around five or six years ago now. They come up from time to time on Ebay and don't tend to be very dear - which might be connected to the hideous headstocks they had: [attachment=57758:Img_3572.jpg] J.

They say you're not done with music until music's done with you. They're right about that - give it a while, you'll be back. Meanwhile, enjoy the downtime! Jon.

I'm finding this to be the case with a Peavey T-40 I got a few weeks ago. While I like the neck & it's pleasant enough to play sitting around, as soon as I put it on a strap the 10 3/4 lbs weight kills my shoulder & back, the sharp edges of the body dig into my arm and I can't find anywhere comfortable for my right hand. And with all its undoubted tonal versatility, I can't find a sound that's right for what I want - either that or I give up in agony before I can locate it. Bloody shame. I wanted one of these for years. Jon.

Not sure whether this should go here or in Porn, since it's pretty much done now, but I'm sure you'll agree, this ain't something you see every day: [attachment=57742:full.jpg] [attachment=57743:headstock.jpg] [attachment=57744:front.jpg] [attachment=57745:back.jpg] This sort of combines two things I've hankered after for a long time - a P with a maple/blocks neck, and a see-through bass, which I've wanted ever since seeing that pic of Geezer Butler playing a Dan Armstrong on the Sabbath Vol 4 album sleeve! The glitter is just an added bonus - as will be the colour-changing LEDs once my battery box arrives... This has been an ongoing project for some time, starting with the body & scratchplate which I got off Neepheid probably about 2 years ago. I was a bit concerned about this because there's quite an ugly-looking crack running from one of the screwholes in the neck pocket. However it originates inside the pocket & doesn't go through the body, meaning with the neck in place string tension actually pulls it closed, and it shouldn't get any worse. I flowed superglue around it & plenty was drawn deep into the crack so I think it's pretty stable. My personal prerequisites for a project P involve a Schaller 3D bridge, DiMarzio Model P pup & a blocks/maple neck. I'd hoped to put a pearl-block neck on this - in fact I bought one of a BCer earlier in the year but the ParcelFarce gremlins had that one. Anyway, Mr Foxen on here sold me a cheap, nasty and slightly broken black block neck ("Artist" brand, which I think was budget Korean stuff from a few years back) for very little money, which made it fair game for some experiments. I re-shaped the area behind the nut, which had been badly damaged and more badly repaired and installed a Gibson-type nut, like on old JapCrap P copies. The headstock was a bad attempt at a Fender shape so I hacked it down to resemble a '51 P. This was the first time I've reshaped a headstock & I'm very pleased with the result. [attachment=57747:P1010580.jpg] [attachment=57748:reshape800.jpg] The body came with an insipid translucent red glittery scratchplate, which I didn't like particularly - however a bit of black paint on the back improved it massively, in fact I liked it so much I decided the headstock should match... Things could have been a lot quicker & easier if I'd known about[url="http://www.specialistpaints.com/product.php?p=flakes-canz"] these guys[/url] at the time, but all my searching turned up no rattlecan glitter paint! So I ended up spraying the front black & while the paint was tacky, sprinkling a tiny amount of red glitter (from the local craft shop) onto the head. Ten million coats of lacquer later, the result was pretty convincing. I've cut it back but it's still a bit orange-peely - even after allowing it 3 weeks to harden it's still a bit soft, presumably due to the amount of lacquer. I might have another go in a month or so, if I can be arsed. Anyway having acquired/raided the spares box for all the bits (the DiMarzio came off an old P copy I got for £40. And sold for £150...) it was time to put it together. Surprisingly it all went well - drilling the body to fit the Schaller bridge wasn't the terrifying ordeal I expected (acrylic's as easy to drill as wood) and I shimmed the neck to fit the very wide pocket with pieces of thin perspex, cut to shape & tacked to the heel with dots of superglue. There are still huge gaps between the scratchplate & the heel and I've yet to devise a way of making these less conspicuous, but I can probably live with it. So what's the point? That's debatable - the neck is not fantastic, it's a clunky treetrunk of a thing, the frets are rough & badly fitted, even after re-gluing several loose ones, tidying up the ends & crowning/polising the lot. It plays OK but not great, sounds very good, and weighs in at a fraction under 14lbs. I somehow doubt I'll be gigging with this! Its future - if it has one - possibly includes a better neck and a different scratchplate, and if it's ever going to get out of the house, my future involves weight training... Jon.