Dr.Dave

Harrogate Blue's Bar for us. I like Harrogate - sort of place where they get out of the bath to use the toilet! Parking wasn't easy because of the Carrera and the Aston outside and the folk milling around as the bar overlooks a big parky area called the Stray. House PA/lights made life that little bit easier and the crowd were well up for a good night as always. Interested proprierter helps. It's not massive by a long way - but you think it is if you catch my drift. Folk singing and dancing on seats gets you into that 'we're the best band on the planet and nobody can live with us' frame of mind. Without hesitation I'd encourage any of you to get in touch with Peter at Harrogate Blues Bar and tell him I sent you.

[quote name='far0n' post='287385' date='Sep 19 2008, 03:38 PM']God dammit !! I've been mind raped ! Scrummy bass though ) Which pickup and wood facing did you choose ??[/quote] That's a Bartolini - teamed with one of Jon's own 3 band eqs. The knob under the vol nob (which pulls to switch on side LEDs) is really a 3 way switch and goes normal/single coil/out of phase. The top is a bit of maple that was rotting - hence Jon called it 'rotten' maple. That's on a walnut body.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='287105' date='Sep 19 2008, 10:14 AM']I have my eye on something at the moment. If it falls through, I might be ordering one of these..[/quote] From the look of your honed working Fender collection , your bass history as posted , and your ruthless, if heart rending, weeding of anything that isn't a perfect fit - you don't strike me as someone who's likely to let the right deal fall through! Look forward to seeing that one.

[quote name='far0n' post='286996' date='Sep 19 2008, 01:42 AM']Fancied getting a kind of custom Stingray thing made, with a much thinner neck and posh wood facing. Mmmm, gasssssssssss.........[/quote] So did I !

[quote name='Protium' post='286805' date='Sep 18 2008, 07:24 PM']Have a demo CD of 2 or 3 tracks with your contact details included. Go to pubs and ask if they are looking for bands, leave a CD with the landlord etc. Have a decent myspace that is checked and kept up to date regularly. And just the right amounts of persistence and patience [/quote] 100% correct. And - and this isn't a gag - lie. You've done this, that and the other and it was packed. Twice. Give landlords the respect they deserve as business men and posssible employers. Unless you're very,very lucky though - don't expect them to know anything or give a monkeys toss about music. Trust them? Trust has to be earned and can soon be spent. More important to know them.

Having had extended fiddlettes on a couple of 4 string Warwick Streamers I ordered a new Streamer 5. Call me Mr Silly but I figured it would be similar !!! It was my first 5 and I bloody hated it. Big , clumpy left hand full , string spacing from Satan's trick bag. Bah !! Plus , to my ears , it sounded like....nothing. Just nothing. I haven't come here just to knock Warwicks , more of a warning to not go 100% by your experiences with a Streamer 4 if you have any.

Yes - to a large extent. There are many other small variables though. The construction/materials/hardware etc will all play a part. Pickup position especially.

[quote name='tarqh' post='285523' date='Sep 17 2008, 05:19 AM']thanks for the offers guys, but having read what you have all said here, i think i might well 'have a go' at fixing it back up but with a fretted neck. i always loved the way it played and sounded. i guess i could end up with a cracking new bass for (relatively) not a lot of cash. many thanks for the ideas[/quote] That's what I did - and you have the advantage of owning the bass to start with. Here's my 'before and after' for you. he 'after' has nice black chrome knobs too now.

[quote name='RobP' post='284657' date='Sep 15 2008, 11:42 PM']Thanks for that Doc, gives me a sense of relief that someone thinks it's good value. I thought it probably was but had lingering doubts. It's good to have the security of not losing anything on it if worst comes to worst. That said I've got a good feeling If it's pics you want then pics it shall be! Where do I post them? (Hope you don't mind me saying Doc, just had to man)[/quote] Pics in the gear porn section. Call me anything you want Rob , maybe not Osama or anything ending in Glitter !! I'm not a Dr , BTW , it's from the name of my band.

Think I'd be confident about this one. I can't see anything I don't believe - though I'm no expert. Maybe we're all just used to seeing plenty of mojo with older Fenders so one in fine condition rings the alarm. My main concern would be the shipping info - charges worked out later etc etc. Although if that turned out to be telephone number price I just wouldn't go ahead with the purchase.

Being a notorious abuser of strings (sweaty - forget to wash hands - forget to wipe over strings - touch of a gorilla etc etc) I'm happy to report that my first ever Elixirs sound as good to me now as they did last Oct when I put them on. Though that's of little comfort to you if you don't like the sound to start with. Out of interest - anyone ever tried boiling 'old' Elixirs in the time honoured fashion of the pathalogically tight fisted??

Rather than the theoretical input that so many around here are better qualified than myself to offer I'm just thinking from a practicality point of view. Lead 1 from output to cab 1 Lead 2 from output to cab 2 lead 1 fails mid song - result = manageable drop in volume Lead 1 from output to cab 1 Lead 2 from cab 1 to cab 2 Lead 1 fails - result - total loss of volume then very possibly a bang and a smell of smoke. No contest to my mind. I'm assuming the amp delivers it's dogs into 4ohm and your 2 cabs are 8ohm each. Seems a fair assumption as you mention 2 amp outputs.

[quote name='RobP' post='282907' date='Sep 12 2008, 08:55 PM']Thanks for the timely comment, you really confirmed my thoughts. Someone from Fender just mailed me to say how well made the Japanese basses are and not to get to hung up on the basswood/alder thing too... So I just won a Japanese 62 Re-Issue on ebay. It's a bit of a punt but think the price was ok at £300 Have a great w/end [/quote] That's hardly a punt - good value I'd say that you could easily get back if it doesn't work out. You will be posting pics when it arrives won't you?!

[quote name='Toasted' post='281870' date='Sep 11 2008, 02:19 PM']We're bigger than Jesus.[/quote] Ha! You read the topic title the same way I did !! Dr Blue is a trio with an added harmonica player (a) when the venue/event requires it and ( when he can make it as he has other things going. He's the guitar players step son and I used to gig with his (late,sadly) Dad. One big happy family. Dr Blue also becomes the 3 piece ZZEliminator , with an added beard section and leopardprint jackets to increase the volume! Dr Dave's Simple Men , which was to be a project to do my solo stuff would have been 7 piece. Vox,2 guitars,drums,bass,keys,percussion - with as many of the players as poss on harmony vocals. It never happened because after 'choosing' the other players I just wasn't going to be the weakest link as the non-playing front man!

In my experience of the 2 mex basses and the 1 jap bass + a jap strat that I've owned or still own. I'll go with the Japanese. There is/was less of an air of 'cheapness' about them. From instruments I've played in shops etc I'd also agree with the often expressed opinion that quality control can be variable with the Mex builds. None of which would stop me choosing a Mex over a Jap if it felt right in my hands BUT the 2 Jap instruments are present tense and the 2 Mex's are past. Must say something. Of course you're not thinking about it too much - it's your brass you're about to spend , you think as long as you want and get as much info/opinion as you can. It's your decision at the end of the day , though, whatever any of us say.

As a rough guide cum suggestion......... I'm sure the string marks could be removed quite easily - maybe even a DIY job , though I'm not brave enough to suggest how. I'd bet money that the pot works fine and dandyo with a squirt of servisol The body - I had a new top made for mine and the whole thing refinished in clear gloss. Cost me £250. A waxed finish would have been much cheaper. The series 3000 , as has been said , was a 'poorman's' Status - sure. But in my opinion that means more affordable if it does the job - which it most certainly does. It's probably my favourite bass and often gets the nod over my Shuker.

Without doubt the best sound I ever got was a combination of DI , mic 3 ft away and 2nd mic across the room. That was a pro studio though. For smaller set ups I think a speaker sim - or a combination of speaker sim and flat DI would be fine. My home recordings were done with the bass DI'd into my boss digital multitraker and using one of the internal patches. Absolute tiny smidge of room reverb - sorted.

SD QP in mine , I got it for slightly less money than a Thumper and before I'd heard of them. Think having used a set of Wiz 84s in my Jazz I'd be tempted by the Thumper these days.

Mine - (fretted 333) - cost me £270 from Ebay in 2007. Apart from some scratching on the front it was pristine. This is fretless with a few issues. £300 tops to my eyes but you never know your luck.