Paul S

Thanks for that. I believe the issue is with the tape winding preventing a good contact with the individual piezo. This Dean is a 5er, which means the Trubass low B is pretty thick. But strangely the D was also not making good contact. But, as you say, nylon tapes are not a problem with a strip piezo - I have them fitted to my Stagg EUB - which is why I may consider fitting one to the Dean if I get along with it ok. As it happens it is a set of La Bellas that I have put on there at the moment and, yes, they are nice strings. I think some work with the eq will help, too, to get the tone I am looking for - which is the tone I get with nylon tapewounds As an aside, I find it interesting to have both the Stag and the Dean Pace. Both offer different pros and cons. The main thing is that I am not trying to emulate the experience of playing a double bass, which seems to be the main sticking point with these cheaper EUBs.

Looks like I have defeated the panel on this one! A bit more trawling the interweb shows there is no real way around it. I discovered the trim screws round the back - the bass was adjusted way down so I have it set differently now and it is less brittle. Some folks advocate using an eq pedal too - the Behringer AD-121 seems to be a cheap option. If I bond with the bass I might consider changing the electrics and get a strip piezo fitted underneath the bridge so I can use nylon tapes but that is another thing for another day.

The picture also has a 70s vintage porno film colour tint quality about it. Not that I've seen any, of course. Tone is very subjective. For me getting a decent tone out of an old Trace Elliot is easy - eq flat, pre-shape one engaged, adjust the balance for boominess depending upon the room - job done.

This one always sounds so fruity to me and again in this track from the same album.

My current stuff makes me smile when I use it. Maruszczyk Jake 5 or Yamaha BX-5 > old Trace Elliot SMX or Mesa Boogie Prodigy Four:88 > Barefaced Supercompact (one or two depending upon the gig).

I've just acquired a Dean Pace EUB that has saddle mounted piezo pickups as per (stock) pic. My choice would be to fit Roto Trubass strings to attempt to make it sounds slightly more acoustic bassy but, when I tried, a couple of the strings didn't make a proper connection and the volume across the strings was out of balance. I subsequently remembered that this is an issue. Does anyone know if there is a way around this - to my mind if some strings work ok then logically they all should be able to? Or do I just need to forget using nylon tape wounds and carry on with the metal flats which work perfectly with no fettling. Muchas gracias Paul

Andy - must have been a subconscious memory - the P Bass Lyte of mine that you refinished had a smoothed off heel and 5 screw plate.

Doesn't seem too hold this old fella up too much!

I really wish I could go to this one as I have a couple of basses up for sale that folks need to see in the flesh and can give a pedal tuner to the raffle. But I'll be in Mallorca. Rotten timing!

Yes, I was thinking it s probably heavier. The necks always look so good, though!

Oh yes. 😄 I think the silliest for me was once when reaching with a towel to dry 'where the sun don't shine' and locking up completely. I had tears of laughter and pain at the same time

I've spent most of my adult life going to gyms in one shape or fashion. The last 10 years I have been mainly doing core and back strengthening exercises but sadly Life gets in the way occasionally. Almost a year ago I 'upgraded' my weak sacro-iliac joint to a prolapsed disc (and a hernia, for good measure!) when shifting some heavy potted plants back into my greenhouse from the ridiculously inaccessible but artful places I had stuck them in spring. So a decent interval after the hernia was fixed I booked a series of sessions the guy at my gym who specialises in lower back issues and has acquired something of a reputation for getting people back on track. He gave me a whole set of exercises that were pretty much a 'reset to default settings' basic regime, then building on that a progression from there. 6 months on I was feeling pretty good - core seemed in a good way and other than a few niggles I've been able to carry on as normal doing some, at times, heavy work n the garden. Yesterday I bent down to move the hose sprinkler to a different bit of the garden and - bingo! - back went again. Over the years it generally seems to be the silly little things you just can't prepare for that do the damage. At least, that is how it has been for me. Mind you, shifting a few kilos of excess fat wouldn't hurt...

What is the difference - if any - between the weight of a graphite neck and, say, maple neck? They look amazing. As does that bitza.

Just realised I missed out an important 'NOT' in my post above. So it should have read 'I certainly do not know much about jazz.' Surely it comes down to more than purely snobbery and elitism? I would hope so.

When it comes to music I like what I like, not really an aficionado of anything much and not stuck in any particular genre. I certainly do not know much about jazz. But, at risk of being pilloried - to me 'Moondance' sounds like jazz. And I actually quite like it. This is a genuine question, I am not playing Devil's advocate or trolling or anything. What exactly is the issue with 'Moondance'? Why does it constantly get a slating and why isn't it jazz? OK, that is three questions. But if, like you say, jazz is a broad church why does something that, to me, sounds like jazz get left standing on the church porch?

That'll do.

I still can't believe my luck with the BX-5. A couple of months back Alyctes flagged it up on the forum after seeing it on eBay and when I read his post then followed the link, after a few minutes hesitation, I bought it - BIN was extremely cheap. It was only when it arrived and I played it that I realised exactly how cheap. I'd seen the 4 string version a few times but never the 5er.

Here's the Jake. I don't seem to have taken a picture of the Yamaha BX-5 but is is exatly like this one, nicked off t'net.

Question - do you write the songs in your band?

A few years ago I had to look for lightweight basses after an occasional acute back issue became a chronic one and had to sell off some favourites. Particularly sad to see the back of a Washburn Scavenger that was in museum condition. I loved that bass - loved the fat bottomed double cutaway symmetry of it - but it weighed nearly 11lbs. Since then I have moved over to 5 string - the problem then being basses that are light enough, despite the extra wood on the neck and hardware, and that I like. For me, and my back problem, a wider strap helps but is not the answer. Not short scales but I now have four 5 string basses that are 8lbs or under and comfy enough to wear for a couple of hours at a time. I still ache next day but nowhere near as much Maruszczyk Jake 5 - you can specify what you want - mine was chambered basswood with lightweight hardware, single Delano pup, passive. No QC issues with mine, it is fabulous. Musicman Sterling 5 modded to passive with the same pickup as the above - having all the original electrics removed lightened the load considerably. Although, to be fair, it started off as an unusually lightweight one in the first place Yamaha BX-5 - I love this. It does the Hohner B2V small body/headless vibe but with an upper horn so it sits better on the strap. And smashes the Hohner out of the park in terms of quality. Fender MB-5 - the 'forgotten Fender'? MIJ, basically a different shaped Jazz. The lightest full body of the bunch at just 7lbs.

Couple of my favourites. Not complex but just define the song.

Cameo was the original.

yes, everything the Duffy version lacks. My little band do it like this but stripped down to guitar/bass/drum. I really like Christopher Cross' 'Ride Like The Wind'. But I also like this cover by Saxon. Not keen on Biff's voice, never have been, but the riff seems to flow nicely as heavy rock And here is one that is kind of reverse - famous cover of little known original but I actually prefer the original - at least how he plays it live. 'Rio De Janeiro Blue' was a massive hit for Randy Crawford but written by a guy called Richard Torrance. Again my little band does this, lovely to play.

Thank you Silvia. 'Need' is a word that rarely enters my vocabulary so I get what you are saying completely....