Terry M.

If the guy you refer to in Birmingham Guitar Guitar is their resident bassist his name is Oz and indeed is an absolute gentleman. To be fair they all are.

This 100%

With regards to Fender passive jazz basses the S-1 switch from the old American Series made a huge impact on tone(series/parallel for who might not know). I think it should have been a standard feature as the switch within a switch was so unobtrusive some owners didn't even know it was there. Don't like it? Don't engage it. Bit like me and the cruise control feature in my car.

I've been prepared to get rid of basses in the past until...I changed the strings!

The power of the Fender decal (as we know too well) strikes again mate. £500 is too much based on the new original price.

Would you consider snagging a used Dimension one day? I personally wouldn't rule that out based on an American Deluxe V I tried once with the single humbucker. It didn't sound like a Stingray (no big deal to me) but I don't think it was supposed to. I liked its inherent voicing.

I think my point is it can "reach" into the space you mentioned between itself and the MIM Fender Player Series due to the quality. I wasn't comparing it to other brands.

The latest versions of active Squier Affinitys are REALLY good though. I briefly had a 5 string black Jazz V.

I'm wondering if this is why they scrapped the Dimension Bass. I felt like it was only me who liked that bass(I know it wasn't really)

Body staying as is or is a refin part of your plans?

🥁 Bood doom TISH!!!

Very true but is the reverse possible?

I haven't watched the video but I would say a heavy vs a light touch and roundwound vs flatwound strings. Also tweeter vs tweeterless cabs. All in my experience and opinion. I personally prefer the term "modified" over "upgrade" as the latter is purely subjective and the former isn't. I saw a bass in a classified advert once that wasn't wearing the original pickguard and apparently the new one was an "upgrade". Sorry to digress...

Actually based on current dance trends amongst young people in Africa,in particular South Africa,I'm betting those kids would know what to do with a James Brown tune on the dancefloor. So maybe not entirely a generational thing.

This. Try that again with an older crowd and see the difference.

I've bought from them once and returned the bass with no problem as it wasn't to my taste. All went well. I wish they listed specs though.

I don't think that's shallow at all. With modern technology it's pretty difficult (not impossible though) to mess up the production of electric basses so you have every right to pick one just based on looks. I really liked the white Z3 5 string I tried in Andertons but that example was quite heavy if truth be told.

Got you. I'm a bridge pickup fan I guess. The Z7 in natural was very pretty though I thought.

I tried a Z3 in Andertons that sounded like a Stingray (to me). I'm wondering if the humbucker on the Z7 is in the exact same location as the Z3. Personally I wasn't taken with the neck pickup on the Z7.

This makes so much sense to me. A bass either sounds good to the user or it doesn't. Does it really matter if it doesn't sound EXACTLY like bass X or Y if it pleases the ear?

I visited the new flagship Gibson store in central London and was in and out in not much time at all. The Bass section might be smaller than the staff toilets! Impressive store otherwise I thought.

Went to a gig once and the bassist was rocking a Sire. He told me afterwards he's never buying another expensive bass again. In fact he said he's sold all his "high end" stuff. And believe me this guy could PLAY!!!

I don't dislike Fender but I've been forced to seek alternative brands. I personally value a flatter radius than what they offer (my understanding is Leo was emulating classical instruments that benefit from smaller radius as they are played with bows) and I like the symmetry of a double octave fretboard also.

No thanks 🤣