Dr.Dave

I think that's a pretty good deal. Had a Grabber once - in fact twice - but I never really loved it , think a Ripper's better and I'd like to try one. Never had chance. Shove a pic in the gear porn section sometime would you - I'd like to see it.

I'd suggest you speak to Wizard too. They can rewind your existing pup to your specs. The SD antiquities will sound great as vintage pups but not sure they'll cut the band any better. SD do a 'Hot' I believe - not quite a QP but supposed to have more low end response and attack. Not sure where you are but I have a QP in my 73P and you'd be welcome to come hear it.

[quote name='ahpook' post='245712' date='Jul 22 2008, 10:08 PM']that's a classy bit of work there...how did you find fitting the badass ?[/quote] Honestly , if I were talking to a complete novice who'd hardly ever held a screwdriver I'd say they could do it with their eyes shut. The 3 supplied screws dropped straight in to the 3 existing holes and the string holes are in perfect alignment. Set up wise the 2 centre saddles needed raising with the supplied allen key to accommodate the radius of the Fender's neck and the saddles move back and forth smoothly with a flat head screwdriver for intonation. I added a few comments in the badass pinned thread on the repairs forum.

Finished messing with the 54P reish. So here she be............. The bridge is a BadassIII. I had a II but I sold it to finance the III which was £43 delivered from a US ebay shop. I have the through body option with the III which I can use with this bass. You get an extra set of unfiled saddles too - but I left the filed ones on. The pup's a SD QP. Fabbo. Loads of shouty bottom and top. Less of a trebly scratch than the original too. The dice knobs are a bit of fun don't you think?? I have some on my EpiEx too. The sharper eyed amongst you may have spotted 2 extra pickguard screws , meaning you should get out much,much more, but I did that because the clear pickguard around the bottom curve had a gap you could park your bike under. The 2nd one's by the bottom heel as I suspected that might get flappy after a while too. The straplocks are Dunlops. I didn't get on with the reverse tuners so they're flogged and I put these US series on which I already had. There was a groove inside the holes in the headstock so I stuck some sandpaper to a broken drill bit with epoxy , banged it in the drill and routed them out like that so that these would sit properly. I had to fill the old screw holes on the back. Polyfilla mixed with yellow paint and a few drops squeezed out of a tea bag. Dab of varnish on top and flattened with brasso (which is watered down T cut) They show up more in this pic than they do to the eye. What you can't see - because I couldn't be arsed to take a pic of it - is the nice 'F' neckplate bearing the serial 384915. I had that engraved years back when I replaced the 3 bolt neck (and plate) on my 72 telebass with a jazz neck. Looks much nicer than the plain jap one. Po95413 is the real CIJ serial. It'll get plenty of work both with Dr Blue and the ZZ trib. Only issue is a (I think) raised fret (15th) that only affects the D string. The set-up's right and I'm not raising the bridge saddle for that so I'll stone the frets a touch round there next time I change the strings - probably about 2017. I left it's new strap off too. I decided against pink fur - too tacky - so got one in multi coloured pink/lilac/green fur instead!! Enjoy.

They realised that one or two of the rich dudes have been bitten by the celebrity bug - their competition seems to consist of blokes who've invented a device that scratches your arse via your mobile or similar - it makes for a bit of 'fair enough' TV while you're going through your post or whatever - their pitch was intelligent and not 'we're gonna be massive, us'. Good luck to them , they'll need it with such an average song and even more average singer. I watch that show a fair bit. That little Greek bloke irritates me for some reason. If I ever got into happy slapping I'd pick him. He nearly trashed the 'reasonably priced car' on Top gear t'other night. That would have been a bonus!

Few years back my mates and I blagged our way in to the trade day of the London Guitar show - Trace had the best promo T shirts ever , bright green and pink on black. They were only for the demonstraters at the show but they said I could have one if I wore it right there and then. I chucked my (blagged) Bass Centre T away and put it on. My fave T shirt ever - sadly it got nicked along with the rest of my luggage from outside Manchester Airport. I never buy T shirts because folk give them to me. Other bands , shops etc and I get them as presents. I'm such a scruff I think folk feel sorry for me and give me clothes !! I'm not allowed to take my ZZ gear home in case I wear it to emulsion a ceiling or something , so the guitarists missus launders it for me. I just seem to ruin clothing. Record for a T shirt is minus 10 seconds. I unwrapped it (a pressy) took mine off to try it on and when I went to pick the new one up I'd tipped a tandoori marinade all over it - the turmeric stained it yellow.

I was wearing purple tiger stripe troosers - like you do - and a bloke asked me 'Do you get paid to wear them' I said ' Yep , lots - out of your entry money funnily enough'

[quote name='Rich' post='245029' date='Jul 22 2008, 07:21 AM']I play exclusively headed basses, but that's purely because I haven't got any headless ones I wouldn't object to one, have played them and quite like them -- the balance and weight improvements are great -- but as Mr.White mentioned above, at first there's an uncanny feeling that you're further up the neck than usual, so you'll find yourself accidentally playing things a couple of tones sharp for a while But yes, deffo try before you buy.[/quote] Rich sort of accidentally ( I think!) makes a good point here. I doubt many of us headless owners went forth to buy a headless bass. More likely we were after a certain sound , a graphite neck , whatever and the bass we bought happened to be headless. Strangely for a pretty 'old school' player I never had any bother with my left hand being in the wrong place and hitting sharp notes...... ...at least no more than with my other basses !!!!!

Sarah , do you do it more when you're rehearsing with the band than you do practising alone?? Betting , if so , it's 'nerves' related. Nothing wrong with watching what you're doing but it does look better if you're eyes aren't glued to the fingerboard during gigs. Take my tip and find a nice bright fire exit sign to stare at. Pretend it's a person. That way you have something to focus on and the punters don't feel threatened by being stared at.

I like my headless Status - it's small for transportation and less unwieldy on a small stage , although to be fair Status heads are small anyway.

Sorry but I missed the bit about gassing for cheaper end stuff - my picks hardly come under that umbrella. So - tried a couple of OLP ray-a-likes at the Yorks bass bash and I loved them , esp the Tony Levin sig which I don't think cost a packet. Maybe , if a really good playing OLP 5er came along ....maybe.

A Rickenbacker in Fireglo ................and a sunburst fretless 70's P and one of the new GK micro range amps if and when I see one and.....................etc etc etc

[quote name='phsycoandy' post='244720' date='Jul 21 2008, 07:40 PM']Dr Dave Id like to see this shirt! it is obscure to say the least, but each to his own, and if it was free![/quote] No worries mate. Shirt , hat and Shuker with newly fitted lengthened de-tuner. Beard by 'Just for men'

Buy Hipshot de-tuner Find that Hipshot de-tuner has too short a shaft for the model M/C it's advertised as being a replacement for. Moan to Hipshot in email and mention you'll spread it about on a Bass forum Follow advice in reply and send detuner back to Hipshot for lengthening Receive back, lengthened, only days later...... .....complete with Hipshot T shirt and baseball cap !!!!!!!

[quote name='Old Horse Murphy' post='55947' date='Sep 5 2007, 02:10 PM']McVie and Fleetwood. Not the best musicians in the world, but they were so tight you wouldn't be able to get a cigarette paper between them. I guess that comes from 40 years of playing in the same band. I wish.......[/quote] Agreed. Fleetwood is quoted as saying they're a 'halfway decent rhythm section - I play behind the beat , John plays in front and we meet sort of halfway in the middle' !!!!

I wonder if you can get them in Rory Gallagher 'f**ked' ???

There's an awful lot of copy in Brazil

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='243641' date='Jul 20 2008, 09:28 AM']and did I mention that I can't sing? Wish me luck![/quote] Ney,ney and thrice ney. You CAN sing - it's just that you DON'T sing. Like anything else you'll improve with practise , so sing lots. Then you won't need anyone to wish you luck , as you'll have the skills , though I do wish you luck anyway.

The Peavey looks too 'normal' amongst that lot !!! Burgundy Ric.... I shouldn't frequent this joint of a Sunday morning - I can feel myself heading for ebay already !!!

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='243652' date='Jul 20 2008, 09:43 AM']I'm 5ft 9 so height's not really a problem but I end up having to bring the neck up to play the higher frets so I've got it at a 45ish degree angle. That and I've got long fingers [/quote] Yorkshireman , see. Long pockets but short arms !!!

[quote name='6stringbassist' post='243542' date='Jul 19 2008, 11:38 PM']In 23 years I've never broken a string, is that some sort of record ?.[/quote] Nope - I went 25 and I have an excuse for the one that popped !! You'll have to play like a right wuss for the next 2 years if you want to be the Daddy !!!!

I'm sure some of the 'hanger' stands on the market would work but I lay my Explorer flat on top of my rig , as the top bits are inside a nice soft Warwick rack bag. How do you get on with the Ex ??? Better than I do , I hope !!! Can't reach the first couple of frets on the bloody thing half the time and I'm only just shy of 6ft. Wondering how you transport it too. Mine goes in an Ex guitar gig bag , which is too short so I cover the 2" that stick out of the end with a pair of walking socks! '1000 mile' socks , if you want an endorsment !!!

I've broken one string in 30 years of gigging. An 'E'. At the Londoner in Leeds on 25th April 5 years ago. I know the date because the string's here on my wall with a note attached !!! It was faulty - new on - and unwrapped from the brdge. Went 'floppy' rather than a straight snap and got in the bloody way. So - solution to your problem is the same that I used that night.... By all means carry a new set of strings - I do - but also carry a spare old set from the last time you changed them. I boil and dry them when I change a set , put them in the new string's wrapping and into the gig bag. Well useful to stop 'new string' syndrome if you snap one. A snapped string is also absolute best reason NOT to have ashtray bridge covers on a Fender. You can't even get the old one off never mind a new one on until it's removed which takes even more time.

[quote name='IanBassMeg' post='243033' date='Jul 18 2008, 08:33 PM']Hi there from a newby. I'd love to know if that is an Empathy or not as then I'd know for sure what mine is.... Sadly lacking any info on the head stock other than Status, Graphite, Made in England..... Lovely instrument had it for over 10 years from 2nd hand. Never needed setting up, just plays like a dream. [attachment=10970:Stacey_Small.JPG] [attachment=10971:Stacey__s_Head.JPG][/quote] To my eyes - this is an Energy. I had one for ages , and very nice it was too. Don't forget , everyone , that the real experts (not me) are likely to frequent www.statii.com They were very helpful in helping me be sure that my current Series 3000 wasn't another Energy - and the resources pages have a wealth of info.