Bassassin

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='686022' date='Dec 16 2009, 07:56 AM']Thanks. Also, what is an Aria Pro 2 "SB Special"? And how does it compare to the classic SB 1000s, etc? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250548961629&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT[/url][/quote] I saw that - it's rather nice! This isn't really a proper SB - it's based on the RSB bolt-neck series (I have an RSB Deluxe II). I don't think it's medium-scale either, I think the guy's getting confused with the similar-looking RSB Medium. Essentially this bass is the same as the RSB Deluxe that I have, apart from the finish, & fact mine has a J-type pup in the bridge position. Same hardware, control layout (stack pots & phase switches), headstock etc. Necks on the RSBs are a bit skinnier than I remember SB necks being, and they're a bit lighter too, I think. J.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='684988' date='Dec 15 2009, 11:43 AM']Are these as good as the seller suggests? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MEGA-RARE-1970s-LYLE-Bass-Guitar-MIJ-Ref-Matsumoku_W0QQitemZ200418064238QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item2ea9d8f76e"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MEGA-RARE-1970s-LYLE...=item2ea9d8f76e[/url][/quote] Dunno about good, but old & uncommon, certainly. That's a Matsumoku-made bass, late 60s probably. You'll see more of these branded as Commodore & such in the UK, as Lyle was a US importer brand & not available in the UK. Presumably someone's imported this or brought it back from their hols - the American brand name doesn't really attribute it any particular collectable status over & above UK brands, but that odd 4-a-side headstock might. This is the fourth time he's listed this bass - previously it's had a BIN of £550 and then £500, so I'd expect his reserve price to be somewhere in that locality. Which is really quite a lot. J.

[quote name='dwh87' post='684513' date='Dec 14 2009, 09:14 PM']Modulus Vertex [/quote] Oooh! Carbon graphite GAS incoming! [quote name='xgsjx' post='672904' date='Dec 3 2009, 09:59 AM']Now that's a clever idea, just a shame westone was a sh!te make from the 80's.[/quote] You might want to do a bit of research. MIJ Westones (including The Rail) were built by Matsumoku & were excellent quality & the ubiquitous Thunder Is are getting quite sought-after now. Stuff like Rails, Quantums, Super Headless, Thunder II & IIIs can fetch some pretty silly money. My Bass Of The Moment - Lace Helix: I think part of the reason I like this is that it's the sort of thing Matsumoku might be building if they'd kept going. Should turn up in a day or two... Jon.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='684994' date='Dec 15 2009, 11:44 AM']I'll be interested to see/hear what you think. I should point out that the model reviewed in last month's BGM is a revised version over the model I (and from what I can see you) have. Certainly the bridge is much improved from the one on mine. I'm suspecting that there are inconstancies in the output of the Alumitone pickups, as from all the reviews and reports I've read people are saying that the output is either very good or very low. My Helix is definitely in the low output category - in fact it probably has the lowest signal level of any of the basses I own active or passive. I don't expect it to compete with the massively loud output of my Gus basses, but it ought to be on par with my Wesley or the Squier I used to own, and it's not even close. Of course it might be the price I'm paying for being an early adapter. My Helix is Fretless 5 #0002![/quote] From the reading I've done, the current pickups are redesigned - the new "Bass Bars" appear to be higher output & I'm not expecting mine to be particularly loud! Anyway I have to admit aesthetics account for something like 95% of my purchasing decision here, and the older-style pups with the staggered bars do look better! Mine was dispatched yesterday so with any luck I should have it Thursday or Friday. I'll keep you posted. J.

[quote name='4 Strings' post='683079' date='Dec 13 2009, 03:36 PM']Not sure I understand this as they are featured on the Tanglewood website and are for sale as Tanglewoods (and Hudsons, apparently).[/quote] They're manufactured by Cort, & the design's licensed from Curbow in the US. Cort sell them under their own brand name as well as badging them up with importer brands like Tanglewood & Hudson and no doubt dozens of others around the world. This is just the same as with vintage JapCrap - identical instruments from the same factory with various different brand names, basically the factory will stick any name on it that the customer wants. Same as it ever was... Jon.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='684041' date='Dec 14 2009, 02:42 PM']Or you could go for the real thing: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=70593"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=70593[/url][/quote] Real thing??? We'll have no "real things" in THIS thread!!! J.

Nah. That first example was just awful, showboating, look-at-me-mum stunt bass, with all the musicality of rattling a stick along some railings. Which oddly enough is exactly what it sounded like. The other two links - Tetsuo Sakurai & Gustavo Dalfarra - are in another league altogether as far as solo bass is concerned. Dalfarra particularly is a brilliant example of how it's possible to combine excellent technical dexterity with good composition - and good taste - and be musical, captivating and entertaining. Jon.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='655149' date='Nov 15 2009, 01:25 PM']The nice MIJ EB copies do come up, Kasuga & Matsumoku definitely are worth a look as well as Fujigen. I'll flag 'em if I spot 'em. J.[/quote] Couple more interesting suspects on EB-Watch tonight: A potentially nice Matsumoku - this is the same bass as the [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/aria/solid/sg/19xx.html"]Aria 1913[/url]. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160387060092"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=160387060092[/url] Missing covers, backplate & pin badge (probably said Arbiter or Eros) but looks quite tidy. And possibly more interesting, but somewhat more of a project - a long-scale slot-headstock example: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170414421937"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=170414421937[/url] Longscale EB copies are very uncommon, and this is probably a Fujigen, possibly originally an Antoria or - amazingly - an Ibanez. Guy won't post so this may be of interest if you're in the SW. J.

[quote name='maxrossell' post='681193' date='Dec 11 2009, 12:03 PM']Them's some crazy-looking pickups. What are they?[/quote] They call them "Alumitones" and are meant to be an alternative to conventional pup design - this is what the Lace website says: [quote]These Alumitones® are a “current driven” design, rather the traditional voltage based pickups, allowing the musician a higher fidelity or “broad-band response” that helps to create a tighter top-end, more mid-range and a huge bottom end. This passive pickup outperforms many active systems, and the sonic output level generally exceeds that of similar preamp equipped basses. With today’s increased environmental concerns, Lace® also wanted to create a lightweight, advanced pickup that doesn’t contribute to pollutants caused by discarded batteries. “By using the Alumitone, ® the need for conventional pickups with a preamp and battery are eliminated, and you lose almost two pounds of weight, without compromising output or performance,” states Jeff Lace.[/quote] Remains to be seen if they live up to these claims - and if [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=21194"]BigRedX's review of his fretless 5[/url] is anything to go on, it's debatable. I'm also struggling a little with the idea of these "eco-friendly" pickups being installed in a bass made largely from a protected species of tropical hardwood - but whatever. J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='680971' date='Dec 11 2009, 08:44 AM']Strangest looking RickenFaker I've seen in a while ...[/quote] Ironically one of the cheapest too! This will look nice with my Ibanez EDA, Tokai Talbo & Yamaha SBV. [quote name='BigRedX' post='681001' date='Dec 11 2009, 09:24 AM']Jon, congratulations on your purchase - that's a pretty good price too. Can you report back on the output of the pickups? I have the 5-string version of this which is pretty good except the output is really weedy compared with all my other passive basses, so I'd be interested to hear a second opinion.[/quote] I was gobsmacked at the price (and usually I struggle to make myself pay more than £50 for anything) but I've lusted after one of these since they were launched. RRP is something ridiculous like £899, and as far as I can tell, they don't exist north of Watford! The 5-string version got a [url="http://hinesitedistribution.enticom.co.uk/UserFiles/File/Helix%205%20Review.pdf"]very positive review in BGM[/url] (which described the pups as "vibrant & powerful") so I'll be interested to see how it stacks up, and will report back. Just hope the seller packs it well! J.

Couldn't stop myself: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160385763735"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=160385763735[/url] Another 4-string fretted bass. Oh yes. I need another 4-string fretted bass. Still - f*cking hell!!! Jon.

There are some phenomenally good plectrum players who do considerably more than chug away at root notes. Other than the ones already mentioned, listen to Dennis Dunaway, Chris Squire, Tony Butler, Dave Pegg, Russell Webb, Peter Hook, Steven Severin, Peter Steele, Jason Newsted - and these are just some of my personal favourite players - there are many, many more in various genres. In the 30 - odd years I've been playing, I pretty much exclusively used a pick until 5 or 6 years ago when I simply decided it was time to polish up my barely-used fingerstyle. These days I seldom use a pick but really that's bloody-mindedness on my part - I'm forcing myself to play outside of my comfort zone even when using a pick would be more appropriate. And having developed pretty decent speed, accuracy & facility with my fingerstyle I can honestly say that for the most part they're interchangeable, certainly within the context of my music (fairly busy prog rock) - in fact there's more stuff that works better with a pick. And the original question - what impresses me more - well, neither. They're just techniques and it's good to be well-versed in both, IMO. I would grudgingly admit that flashy slap stuff does impress me a bit - I'm rubbish at it, despite being well into it for a few years in the mid-80s - and I do like to see it done well. But let's face it, it's a bit cheesy & vulgar, no? Jon.

I know exactly what it is. It's the one on Edinburgh Glumtree that the geezer wants £150 for. Not a bad price, if you can knock him down to £120 or so, that's bordering on a steal. Here's a blurb avec some specs: [url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/130/8.jpg"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/130/8.jpg[/url] Jon.

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='676305' date='Dec 6 2009, 11:26 PM'][/quote] I'm sure a couple of years back, someone on here had a bright yellow SBV, "Wayned" with black & white chequerboard stripes. I've got a blue one (formerly part of Paul C's legendary collection) and it's great. It'll be even better when I finally get around to making it a pink pearloid scratchplate. Edit - Blue one just like mine on Fleabay: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-Yamaha-SBV-500-Bass-guitar_W0QQitemZ230408698047"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-Yamaha-SBV-500-...emZ230408698047[/url] Jon.

Christmas is bollocks, but in the spirit of the thread: Jon.