bloke_zero

This looks close https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MJT-Official-Custom-Vintage-Age-Nitro-Guitar-Body-By-Mark-Jenny-PBT-Bass-Purple/313191851590

I agree about the lead to some extent. I tend to use some buffered pedals so it's not something I worry about much. The preamp was a John East MM and to my ears it sounded significantly better at 18v than 9 - clarity and head room. Maybe I was making it up in my head 🤷‍♂️ - I thought it was relatively uncontroversial that some gain circuits work better with more voltage?

I think there is definitely a vogue for removing as much as possible from the signal path. In someways that makes sense to me - why have a preamp and tone shaping on the bass as well as the amp? The interactions between the two might well make the sound worse rather than better. And having heard the difference between preamps run at 9V and 18V onboard I can see the argument for having all that stuff mains powered. Wasn't there a Kramer guitar that you could click to remove the tone circuit - get more of that 80's high end fizz!

A vote for C

That is what I was thinking. Those need to be soldered. If they are just secured with tape they *will* come apart - probably at the most crucial moment. Soldering wires isn't difficult and a soldering iron is pretty cheap. Or maybe you have a friend with one - if you're near Finsbury Park London I'd help myself!

You can use any wire, cloth covered is proabably good. You have a solderless pot and are extending the wires - I'm assuming you'll solder the extensions - otherwise they will come loose - forgive me if I state the obvious!

Like! And great studio - every piece of it a classic from the 70's or 80's - sadly I think I can name them all, though I've only played a couple.

I put togerther a bitsa - easily my favorite bass - it came out really well. I think that it depends on your approach - I was trying to make a better than factory build, so the quality of the parts was important to me - a great neck and pickup ended up being expensive but made the bass a true pleasure to play. I also got the final bits done by a luthier - cutting the nut and drilling the tuner screw holes and final set up - cheating? Maybe but it made me happy.

Thanks for the replys - I like them because they are a bit brighter than the la bella's The extra tension doesn't seem to hurt my playing, but that might be becasue I'm coming from their nickle wound wound XL's 160 and the tension is only 20 lb's less. I put some fast fret on and that seemed to help a bit, they are definitely getting smoother as I play them and they have a lovely strong tone.

Sorry - I was a bit in doubt as to where to put it - duly noted. Thanks - I was worried I just wasn't going to get on with them.

I like the tone but I'm finding them quite grabby on the right hand - almost like my fingers are getting stuck. A function of them being new or is it the tension and they won't get better?

There is a thread here:

I listen a lot while working - often trying to find new stuff on Spotify. I'll always stop and listen if I can to something that catches me. If I really need to get some concentration and work done I just put on something like ACDC (strictly Bon Scott - I can't even remember that other guys name) and plough through. I don't listen to as much vinyl as I'd like as it's in the TV room and often being used for that, but I love getting a new album and listening through. Music is still as uplifting and adsorbing as it's ever been for me - I really like the 'Discover weekly' algorithm on Spotify as I don't listen to the radio like I did to hear new things. Check out the new styles - that old stuff has lost it's flavour!

Don't forget radiused as well so that the radius changes down the fingerboard - it's mind boggling! I'd say the best idiots guide would be to visit a well stocked shop and try a load of stuff. It wasn't until I was idlly mucking around with a 70's stingray on Denmark street that I clicked with a neck. Wide but not too deep - I guess kind of a shallow D shape. It was £2000 and the most amazing monkey poo brown so I wasn't too tempted by it! But it did help me pick out what I wanted in a neck. It was a really instant feeling - "this is right".

Come on, tell us how you *really* feel 😜 ! I had a US L2000 and the neck was a big part of why I moved it on. Just didn't really leap into the hand - I played it a lot live, but it never quite felt right. I did feel that if there was a zombie apocalypse and zombies rushed the stage that I could probably hold my own using the bass as a club. I suspect it'd just need a wipe down afterwards - built like a tank!

Care to elaborate? I'm intrigued 🤔

I was wondering about a decent preamp front end - like the Nordstrand starlifter + a powered cab - not necessarily flat or full range. It seems like an unecessary extra gain stage to have a preamp pedal + preamp also in the amp? I know this isn't going to fly with someone who has an SVT as an integral part of their onstage sound, but I was wondering if anyone has gone down that route?

Nice video - it sounds great.

It does say 'Needs review' so might be a rando suggestion rather than a 'true fact'. Makes some sense though - a classic rock set of strings.

They *almost* admit they think it's the pickups, as they note towards the it's exactly what Seymour Duncan is talking about with the effects of magnet degradation. I think the wood and finish must play a part - it's hard though - I have a bass that just feels so good acoustically it's kind of hard not to pick it up all the time though I'm not convinced it's the best sounding electronically!

Crazy video! Well, you can hear that it's different after a year - I guess how much of that is the pickup magnet and how much is the body? I think the whole nitro thing is partially about how the bass feels in your hands as much as the difference in tone through the pickup, though a friend of mine (and studio engineer) swears it makes an audible difference. Cool that they asked some actual experts - Seymour Duncan no less!

Yeah I get that. Personally I was comparing it with a US built Fender but with MM build quality and attention detail and the MM neck which I like. And it was substantially discounted, so all in all it made sense for me. I have to say, I'm doing less well with making sense of the rest of the world! I really was surprised with how well it recorded - in the hand it feels and sounds like a really well thought out and made response to 'what's our version of the P-bass' question.

She's great to watch - still playing and engaged with the bass.

How much does it cost to get a nut cut by a luthier? Might be more cost effective for a one off?

Same on my MM Cutlass - nice looking bass!