Paul Cooke

it's not much, but it's my pride and joy... next time I'll take some more care and pick a better back-drop... Something that the maple fretboard won't have to compete with...

[quote name='vegas_hooker' post='89558' date='Nov 16 2007, 06:47 PM']One of the best venues ive ever been to. Great looking bass.[/quote] amazingly he's selling it!!! [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=8336&st=0&p=86757&#entry86757"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...amp;#entry86757[/url]

[quote name='paul, the' post='89475' date='Nov 16 2007, 03:54 PM']How loose are we talking here? Because I'm going to have to loosen, tune, adjust, loosen, tune adjust... Should take the slowly tender approach or are we talking slacking off a couple of tones? ta, paul.[/quote] you've got to retune anyway every time you turn that screw...

[quote name='OldGit' post='89378' date='Nov 16 2007, 01:39 PM']So the "f"'s are effin' silent?[/quote] RTFM stands for Read The Fine Manual...

[quote name='nig' post='89122' date='Nov 15 2007, 08:31 PM']its irristable...WTF, SNAFU,FOOBAR,STFU, Sorry for the obvious swear word in them.BRB,GTG,OMG,FYI, etc etc...[/quote] FOOBAR should really be FUBAR... "officially" stands for "Fouled Up Beyond All Repair"... [url="http://www.all-acronyms.com/?t=fubar&d=fouledupbeyondallrepair"]http://www.all-acronyms.com/?t=fubar&d...beyondallrepair[/url]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='89180' date='Nov 15 2007, 11:08 PM']You could do what I did (although not intentionally) which was to get a cheap instrument that was unplayable without truss rod, nut and bridge adjustments. It was either make it playable or sling it and it didn't really matter if I did mess it up... Once you've tried all the techniques out on an instrument that doesn't matter and you've had some positive results, then you can move on the more precious basses. In my experience when adjusting the truss rod, you have to work quite hard to do any real damage to your instrument. However as always YMMV...[/quote] I started off fettling my Encore bass to get the hang of it... my only reservation about adjustments on cheap basses is this: The truss rod nuts are too soft and the socket for the Allen key is not deep enough... it's too easy to round out the Allen socket in the head of the truss rod adjuster on an Encore bass... My next task with this learner bass is to learn how to replace the complete truss rod assembly itself. That involves removing the fretboard and is something I've got set aside for later... in the meantime, I stuck lighter gauge strings on it to get the relief right... and since then anyway I've got a new bass to play with... I've found my Squier is very easy to adjust and the Allen key socket head for the truss rod is nice and deep and not soft either...

IANAL (I am not a luthier) so take these with a pinch of salt... 2nd fret is too high... or 1st fret might be too low... get a straight edge up against the frets with no tension in the strings (hopefully, the neck should go flat. You may have to slacken off the truss rod as well). This will tell you whether the 2nd fret is too high or the first fret is too low... if the latter, then you'd best get the neck repaired/replaced under warranty (if it's still inside it) or else get the first fret replaced by a professional. Crown the frets afterwards otherwise you will have intonation problems as the fretting point will not be nicely defined... tape off the fingerboard to protect it... then clean it afterwards anyway... following web page has some info on how to level frets yourself. [url="http://www.bassplayer.com/article/leveling-frets/jul-06/22006"]http://www.bassplayer.com/article/leveling...ts/jul-06/22006[/url]

[quote name='4StringHell' post='89104' date='Nov 15 2007, 07:41 PM']What you say Urb "half tones, whole tones, major and minor thirds - and then bigger intervals like fifths, sixths, sevenths, elevenths, 13s, etc" this is exactly the stuff I have no idea about. I know 5ths from my guitar days as thats just a power chord... but thats it. Better dig out the text books![/quote] Get either of the following books... (or both...) Fretboard Roadmaps for Bass Guitar... Building Rock Bass Lines the second book will make you work harder as he doesn't use tab in it and it takes a more theoretical approach to things...

[quote name='Aussiephoenix' post='88154' date='Nov 13 2007, 11:25 PM']hmmmm deep thread... In the comparing basses department, in some ways recently I've changed my mind on something. a friend has a squier 5 string and 2 things, I've always been of the opinion that 1 - Squier Sux, 2 - on ANY fender/squier bass the 5th was bound to be crap... I couldnt believe what I was feeling/hearing when I tried it out... it was a solid instrument, nice tight B... Still, my sadowsky kicks its butt... Placebo or not, in my twisted little world it feels good. [/quote] If you weren't so far away... I'd let you have a go on my Squier VMJ... that might open your eyes further... If you get a chance... try one...

[quote name='neepheid' post='87768' date='Nov 13 2007, 10:00 AM']but when I drink alcohol-free lager (or notbeer as I call it) - Cobra in particular because it's quite convincing in the taste department, I still *think* I have a beer buzz and I still wonder if I'm ok to drive [/quote] which Cobra lager??? they make several different types under the Cobra label and only one of them is alcohol free... what colour bottle is it in?

[quote name='Sibob' post='86461' date='Nov 10 2007, 01:19 PM']Alrighty, better get this up before Jim posts pics of his 1960 Jazz lol Heres the headstock with the decal applied: [url="http://imageshack.us"][/url][/quote] shouldn't there be another decal on that headstock... the patent one about the offset body...

[quote name='peted' post='85786' date='Nov 9 2007, 09:02 AM']Just got this back from Mr Shuker after it has been thoroughly pimped. [list] [*]Brass Nut [*]Jumbo Stainless Steel frets [*]Tort scratch plate [*]Badass II bridge [*]Basslines 1/4 pounder 'P' pickup [*]Basslines Musicman pickup [*]Aguilar 3 band pre [/list][/quote] which model Squier was the basis of this beauty? the Vintage Modified P?

[quote name='ARGH' post='85657' date='Nov 8 2007, 08:46 PM']Pro shots in a few days..but for now!!!![/quote] so that's where I left my Zither... ^_^

[quote name='Mokl' post='85660' date='Nov 8 2007, 08:51 PM']Does anybody know of a place that could make me up a high quality water-slide transfer? I emailed (and then phoned) Sims custom. After waiting and receiving no response I can only assume that they're not especially interested in helping me out, so I'd rather use someone else.[/quote] have you given these guys a go? [url="http://www.thedecalshop.co.uk/"]http://www.thedecalshop.co.uk/[/url]

[quote name='Buzz' post='84978' date='Nov 7 2007, 04:28 PM']What a prat, there's no need for it, specially not from a band that are doing well. I'm sure he could afford something to use.[/quote] there is no excuse these days when you can pick up a Behringer tuner stompbox for about the same price as a set of roundwounds...

[quote name='elom' post='84686' date='Nov 6 2007, 11:34 PM']Get down wid der kids and avoid being attacked by purveyors of lard based confectionary 'PHAT RASCALS'[/quote] stick a K in Rascal... "Phat Raskal"

[quote name='Jam' post='84725' date='Nov 7 2007, 03:59 AM']Can anyone recommend any jazz stuff for electric bass? Not including Jaco, while I respect his stuff i'm nowhere near good enough.. While i'm at it, can anyone recommend any good jazz? I want to get into it but whenever I search for jazz all that seems to come up is the minimalist, weird sounding stuff, whereas I mean the more "conventional" style, if you catch my drift.[/quote] just get one of those Jazz compilation CDs you see in the supermarkets record racks going for £3 I definitely recommend Miles Davis... but would also recommend Dave Brubeck... the album Time Out is considered to be one of the standard references for Jazz...

[quote name='Mickeyboro' post='83830' date='Nov 5 2007, 07:47 AM']A Stingray, isn't it? Guy Pratt in his book admits to having been their studio bassist...[/quote] so who plays bass when they're on the road then? is there someone behind the stage playing or is it a tape? Funny how the lights weren't on on the amp... have you noticed how many of these "acts" state on the tickets (and other promotional material for the "shows") "performing their hits" or similar wording... never "playing their hits"... wonder why? I hate miming...

Fat Rascal? a "Fat Rascal" is a traditional Yorkshire rock cake found in Betty's Tea Rooms... [url="http://www.shepherds-pie-recipe.com/fatrascals.html"]http://www.shepherds-pie-recipe.com/fatrascals.html[/url] (was the only link I could find a decent picture on... and the recipe looks good too...!)

[quote name='john_the_bass' post='82074' date='Nov 1 2007, 08:46 AM']ok, so it's not a bass, but I picked up a strat last night and the guy I bought it off had sprayed the name of his old band with a stencil onto the case. I am extremely inexperienced in matters relating to paint so I would like to know what would be the best stuff to get it off. Any suggestions? He says turps would shift it, but I really don't think it will.[/quote] paint it black... is it crucial you have the case back to original condition? if not, then just mask off a rectangle around his band logo and go for it with matt black primer... then you can do your name in the same place instead...

I was looking for something that boosts the signal up to line level but kept the existing controls. The first example is just that. The second was a replacement for the tone pot that allowed you to keep your existing vol/vol or vol/blend arrangement. It's only a Squier VMJ and I'm not really interested in spending serious wonga on upgrading it. The JFET at only £25 is perfectly in range of what I'm interested in spending. The second example is a lot more but has the advantage of requiring only minimal soldering to the existing circuit. The OBP range require far too much soldering and messing around for my taste. I want to disturb existing connections as little as possible...

I'm currently intrigued by the possibility of installing an onboard pre-amp into my Squier VMJ... I'm not interested in the entire replacement plate and controls option, and I've looked at some other things like the OBP-1 but was scared off by the prospect of all that soldering... I'm currently intrigued by this little beastie: Activator 2 - A DIY onboard JFET preamp kit for guitars and basses Now Only £24.99 including Worldwide P&P! [url="http://www.guitar-repairs.co.uk/jfet_guitar_preamp.htm"]http://www.guitar-repairs.co.uk/jfet_guitar_preamp.htm[/url] but before I splash out, I'd like to know if anyone else in here has tried one beforehand and can share their experiences. The other option I'm looking at is the EMG-BTC 2-Band Control which is the first item on this page: [url="http://www.guitarpartsshop.co.uk/acatalog/Bass_Preamps.html"]http://www.guitarpartsshop.co.uk/acatalog/Bass_Preamps.html[/url] but the price is a little scary for trying sight unseen... however, it does look extremely versatile and could be a very nice add-on for it. the other thing which caught my eye was this: JBR-1 Active preamp for "J" style bass guitars. Installs easily without modification to control cavity or pickguard found some way down this page: [url="http://www.raven-labs.com/mainframe.html"]http://www.raven-labs.com/mainframe.html[/url] but apparently the guy has stopped making them... [quote]After a long and distinguished career developing ground-breaking technology for the musical instrument industry, Raven Labs founder Steve Rabe has announced his retirement. Unfortunately, this means that the Raven Labs product line is retiring with him. As of February 1, 2005, all development, production and shipment of Raven Labs products has ceased.[/quote] so does anyone have any experiences of installing onboard pre-amps then?

[quote name='cheddatom' post='82123' date='Nov 1 2007, 10:16 AM']Well, if you take the B2.1U as an example, it's obviously designed with home use in mind, with the USB interface etc. and when you add the extra footswitch, you can program this for bypass or tuner mute, or delay hold or whatever, but most importantly bypass. A very well designed pedal in my opinion, that you can add one cheap footswitch to, to make giggable.[/quote] for the reason I've already stated above... it isn't quite giggable with the extra footswitch... while in bypass/mute mode, pressing either of the two patch change footswitches only takes it out of bypass/mute... you CAN'T change patch while it's in bypass/mute mode...