Paul S

Looks good to me. One of my bands does 'Use Somebody' and it really goes down well. The first time we played it we followed Doctor Feelgood at a charity do (no pressure ) and we ended our set with it to huge applause.

Maybe the sound you are making is too clean? The GB is a very clean sounding amp. Maybe a spot more overdrive (rather than distortion) might cut through? I found that, at home alone, I would prefer to hear a nice resonant clear bass but, in the band context, it needed to be dirtier. For rock, that is. There are a few pedals that might introduce some 'tubey' overdrive sounds - if you catch one secondhand, if it isn't what you like, you can move it on quite easily without a massive hit. But maybe it also depends on what you want the bass to do in the context of the track you are playing. My default is effectively a mid-scoop but for something where the bass needs to really stand out - Chelsea Dagger is one that springs to mind, plus we are just starting to do Eton Rifles, for example - I need to boost the mids much more. Again, playing that in isolation I don't like the sound but, with the rest of the band, it sounds just right.

PMd Well done everyone!

Sounds like a plan. Does that get me in the queue?

I fitted a Gotoh 201 to my Fender Power Jazz bass Special because I think they look better but, mainly, because I rest my palm on the bridge and find them more comfortable. I also fitted a Gotoh-a-like internet cheapo (£14 or something?) to my pimped Westone Thunder Jet. Both originals were BBOT bridges. On both I had to change the grub screws to shorter ones because of the bridge height thing - with the saddles down low the stock screws stood proud and caught on my hand, but I was able to get the action low enough for my liking without shimming the neck. I can't honestly say I have noticed a difference in tone or sustain on the Fender/Gotoh, not even playing solo, but for the difference in look and comfort make it worthwhile for me. I am certain there was an improvement between the Westone BBOT and the Gotoh-a-like. There is, however, a marked difference between the build quality of the Gotoh 201 and the internet cheapie. Again, I can't say for definite whether there is a difference in tone or sustain between the two as I didn't A/B them but the Gotoh is a better bit of kit. Having said that, the cheapie is perfectly adequate and an improvement over the BBOT. Depends if the extra tenner is going to break the budget, I suppose.

I understand from the little that is out there that the Fury I (if they called it a 'I' at the start? I am not sure, but the passive P-Bass-a-like that I think you are mentioning) was excellent. Said to be very P. Bass like but with a skinny neck. Made in the USA I think - are the T-40s USA? The Fury II is Korean and a different shape - they got into the skinny horn thing. I was just curious about the pup on this one. The early model Fury basses obviously don't crop up very often as there is little information to be had. Anywa, I am chuffed to bits at getting one for so little.

Just a quick bump on this to see if anyone knows about the pickup? A Peavey VFL pickup - people seem to speak quite highly of it in what little I found - does anyone any experience with them? Anyway, I gave it a tweak and got the action down a bit and through my rig - TC Classic 450 head and BF Compact - it is unexpectedly good without any mods. Easily good enough to gig with. The 3 band EQ is extremely useable and useful. And that awesome neck!

Pick up The Pieces, Average White Band, springs to mind.

[quote name='noelk27' timestamp='1327765026' post='1516465'] All that said, a "Wing" series bass wouldn't be my first choice. Although I love the guitars, the basses are poor performers by comparison, and not in the league of other Japanese makes of the time. [/quote] I would disagree here - I had a Scavenger bass and it was better build quality than Westones I have had. To be honest, I'm struggling to see how it is any worse quality than my MIJ mid 80s Fender Power Jass Special or more recent MIJ Fender Jaguar. maybe I was lucky - it was an early one so perhaps better than later models? Yes the electrics let it down - easily upraded in budget - but way it was put together and quality of the components is superb. Neck was absolutely briliant. But - mine was over 11lbs. And, yes, the neck was slanted slightly further away so fretting an F was always a bit of a reach.

I think it is worth doing. If you have a bass you like and are comfortable with then upgrading it can be fun and interesting. I did that with a Westone Thunder Jet - which is built incredibly well but sounded rather thin, cost me £77 on eBay. I put a high mass Gotoh-a-like bridge on it, hotter pup, J.East preamp (it was passive before) and it has opened up the range of sounds immensely. All of which cost considerably more than the bass! When I get fed up, as I inevitably will, I will put it back to stock for resale and sell off all the bits. I'll take a hit on those but not as much as selling the pimped bass complete. I accumulated most of the bits secondhand, so if you aren't in a hurry that is possibly a way forward?

That does look very nice. I'd say a bit on the high side, price-wise, but then again it is in great nick and a cool colour so possibly worth keeping an eye on. They are active with 2 band eq, skinny and shallow neck (really, really nice), P/J pups and EXTREMELY light - 7.5lbs or thereabouts. The body is more Strat than P-Bass. I bought one unseen last year other than a poor quality picture. When it arrived I could have cried - it had been badly refinished and there was a problem with one of the pots. So I can't speak too much about what the tones are like, stock, as mine wasn't working properly other than it was a bit thin and trebly but with hint of a growl in there to make it interesting. I decided to make it into a hobby, stripped and refinished it, kept the stock pups, replaced the pre-amp with a J. East one and it is now a regular gigging bass. Huge sound, really lightweight and comfortable - I love it to bits. Not much like a P-Bass, though.

How much are they? i didn't see a price.

Totally agree about looking after your core. I have always been fit, strong and active and never used to give a second thought about lifting, wearing heavy basses or anything physical - always a bit proud of my strength, to be honest. Carried a coupe of extra stones in weight, never a problem. Then my back went. A series of sacro-iliac problems and, last year, a prolapsed disc leading to sciatica. Everything changes. Everything - it impinges on ALL aspects of your life. From how you sit on the toilet to what shoes you wear. Core excercise is THE only way to manage it. Doesn't matter how fit you think you are, it is only when you target your TVA muscle that you realise it exists! Lightweight clobber is just one small piece of the complicated jig-saw of mobility.

They are saying lightweight and 38mm neck? And the 34CA in black? Oh dear.

Warren - you know better than most on here that you should make hay while the sun shines - if you can afford it, have the space, the necessary permissions and would enjoy them then there really is no question as far as I can see.

Another fan here - well, a fan of how they feel and how they sound. But, again as reported, aggressive pick use and they soon wear through. Can be touched in with permanent marker pen, though.

Even with just Windows Media Player you can alter the play speed. No loop, but useful enough.

Hohner B2A? Sounds as much like a P-Bass as any P-Bass I have owned or tried. So guess by definition, also the Hohner B-Bass and Hohner jack, which are pretty well the same beast dressed up differently.

Who the hell is Gary, anyway?

[emoticon]slaps head with palm[/emoticon] Sorry Keith. I had just recently woken up and not had my double espresso - am I excused?

Gary - this is the only thing I have ever read that makes me want to live in France! Just too much fun to ignore.