henry norton

I have just one thing to say to you. [u][b]DiMarzio.[/b][/u] Actually that was several words but I think you'll be able to find something meaningful in amongst all the gibberish.

Yeah, I looked at the original pics - looks like a nice patina on it as it goes! A syringe is a good way to go to introduce the glue, drilling holes can introduce debris into the crack and make it harder to clamp it. When you clamp it up, use a big, thick block of wood on the fingerboard to keep the neck flat and spread the clamping force. And....... may the force be with you.

Have you checked how it plays yet? Especially around the cracked area. If it plays well you might want to think twice before subjecting a localised part of the neck to clamping pressures as it could end up giving the neck an unnatural warp. If it plays badly then I guess you've got nothing to lose. Can you post some pictures?

[quote name='fragility' post='507372' date='Jun 7 2009, 09:46 AM']So it's been about a month since I got it and I'm still just as in love, I've never felt before that a bass was [i]my[/i] bass if that makes sense[/quote] Yeah, I think it's kind of like love in that you don't know what it really is 'til it happens. Glad you've found what you're looking for - looks like a fair few people on this forum are pretty far from that stage. I've had mine for years now and although she's a bit old and battered and maybe not the most glamorous, I'll stray from time to time but I always end up going back to her. Anyway, that's enough about my wife......

You used to be able to get hold of 'eboniser' dye from luthier suppliers like Touchstone Tonewoods or David Dyke. It came in a little bottle, you dabbed it on and let it dry - instant darker fingerboard. Lemon oil will darken a fingerboard but it will also highlight the contrast between the light and dark parts of the grain as it tends to bring out the lustre and colour of wood, so it depends whether you want the board richer coloured or just darker.

Yes you can - spray filler or spray putty, although it's generally used to smooth over repairs to car bodywork. 'Proper' wood grain filler is good if you want to keep the wood grain showing through with a clear or tinted lacquer, whereas the aerosol type fillers tend to work better with solid colours as it gives a completely even, thick coat over the whole surface and you'd waste allot if you tried sanding it back to show the grain.

Hah! Yeah, I remember them. The thing is they never pushed the pickup past the half way point... I want to try the bridge position.

Has anyone here tried moving the big wooly humbucker from the neck closer to the bridge position on their Gibson or Epiphone EB-0?. I've seen it done on a couple of basses but never heard the results. It could produce some really interesting results - especially if the coils were made switchable between single, series and parallel. I'm thinking of giving it a go - has anyone got an unwanted EB-0 humbucker kicking around???

Thing is, most all valve amps have 3 or 4 valves in the pre section (in my experience), yet most of these 'valve preamp SS power amp' types only have one, so there's far more SS than valve in the pre. That asides, the general consensus seems to be the distortion/colouration you get from a valve power amp is much more pleasant than that of a valve pre - even a proper one. I think the Genz Shuttle sounds good because it was designed by someone who actually understands how to make a bass amplifier sound good. I'm pretty sure there are still quite a few amps out there that aren't. Just my humble opinions of course - I use an all valve combo 'cos I like the look and the smell as much as the sound....

[quote name='umph' post='502024' date='May 31 2009, 02:20 AM']i've not seen many that can do 2 ohms apart from ampeg, it takes some serious iron to go that low[/quote] I've used two 100w Marshall heads and an Ampeg and they've all gone down to 2 ohms, but having said that I haven't looked that closely at any other vintage amps - I just assumed they all did the same! On that note, I wonder how easy it would be to modify an output stage so it could drive a lower resistance?

Alot of old valve heads can drive 2 ohms, although it's about as far from your shuttle size and weight wise as is possible to get....

[quote name='bubinga5' post='501396' date='May 30 2009, 07:21 AM']So what can i expect..I have a SR5,but i suspect its not like playing a SR4...What can i expect, thats different from a Jazz..I love the honk i get from my Jazz, its the funkiest tone ive heard this side of Meshell on her Celinder...i could fall in love with the growl of a Jazz..... What can a SR4 Give me that the Jazz doesnt??Im talking String tension(most important), weight, tone, ?? Thanks for the opinions in advance..[/quote] String tension is a product of the total length under tension and the gauge. Both the MMs I've had, a pre EB 4 and a SR5 have had string anchors on the bridge (ie. not thro body) so other than the slightly lighter tension on the G because of the 3+1 headstock, there shouldn't be much difference. I remember the SR4 felt easier and nicer to play than the early 80s Tokai Jazz I had at the time - despite the fact the Jazz was better made. Best to go out and try a few, there's a big difference between the pre and post EB 4s and the range they have now just beggars belief. What about one of the new ones with a HJ configuration - you might get a bass that'll do both....

[quote name='redstriper' post='499998' date='May 28 2009, 05:20 PM']You might not notice such a big difference though, try playing your full scale bass as if the first two frets don't exist (use a capo if it helps), detune by a tone and it's suddenly a short scale - you still need to stretch those fingers![/quote] That's what I did! It'll give you a good idea of the differences. The EB's playing really well by the way, and I've managed to keep it away from my router so far

In My Humble Opinion, the main reason short scale basses have a bad reputation for tone is because they are virtually always made as budget instruments, with the associated crap hardware, pickups and strings. You couldn't accuse Stanley Clarke of having 'tonal issues' with his 30" scale bass. I think talk of 'sustain' and 'versatility' surrounding short scale basses are usually confined to people who've never tried one against the other, rather like people who compare cars by looking only at the horsepower. My Epiphone EB-0 is brilliant - light, really easy to play, versatile if I take the time to adjust the tone controls on my amp and perhaps more than anything else, isn't just another Fender. I got mine in the basschat classifieds and haven't touched my Precision since.

[quote name='7string' post='492696' date='May 19 2009, 10:05 PM']Shimming a neck can be used to alter the pitch of the neck in the pocket and so the way the strings lie from bridge to nut. There are some basses which have a neck-adjustment screw in the neckplate and it's a way of doing what that does or a way of getting rid of the screw completely. First, calculate the height of the shim that you need by measuring from the last fret to the ideal string height. Make a shim the same size of the neck pocket which tapers from your measurement to zero and which has holes for the neck screws to go through. Then unscrew the neck and put the shim in place with the thick end at the body end. Replace the neck and adjust the action etc. as necessary. If you can't make a 1-piece wedge then you can make a 'ladder' of separate strips each tapering from your measurement to zero. I've only had to do this on basses which have been 'modified' previously. [/quote] Blimey! I've never made a tapered shim to fit the pocket exactly - all I've ever done is stick a shim in front of the screw holes at the bridge end of the pocket. You're a better man than me 7string... Anyway, all shimming will do for your purposes is lower the action again, leaving you back with the string buzz. I'd try Paul's suggestion and alter the nut first. It might also be worth checking the neck for bow - it might be a bit too flat and need a truss rod tweak.

Where's the Marshall porn thread? Considering how much money most classic marshall bass heads are going for these days I'm surprised we don't see more of them on here. I suppose most of them are in the hands of collectors. Here's a picture of my 1979/80 Marshall 4150 'Club & Country' combo. 4x10, 100 watt all valve - sounds pretty good, very loud and not too heavy.... I recently considered swapping it for a newer, high tech combo (Markbass, Eden or whatever), but I think I'd miss its' hot smells and nice patina.

It's interesting how nobody's talked about the tonal range inherent in the most important and influential part of bass playing - the bass player and his/her fingers! I went from a (very complicated back in 1990) Stingray 5 with a 3 band EQ and a series/parallel/single switch back to a bog standard Precision (with a decent DiMarzio pickup) and I'm convinced it made me a better, more dynamic and sensitive player. Having said that, regarding the Anthony Jackson bass, he is really a 'one sound' bass player, and although his is a very good (and pioneering) sound, not many of us can afford to change our strings every week!!!! [quote name='sifi2112' post='483188' date='May 8 2009, 07:07 PM']Not a fan of 'active' myself (EMG's seem to 'honk' a bit to me) .. Bongo I 'had' had an awesome preamp but still prefer passive (singles) .. my 2c Simon[/quote] My EMG pickup doesn't smell at all - maybe you got a duffer there

Or quite smart as the user will have to buy 4 8 ohm cabs to get full power, so if they want an all Ashdown rig, they've sold two more cabs! The good thing about the LG1000 is if you don't need the volume you can just use one (or two) 8 ohm cabs and add more for the full effect if you find yourself playing a stadium. I've heard of people having 16 ohm cabs made so they could run a stack of four cabinets with their bog standard mono amp. Extra speaker cabs are much more effective in giving you volume and projection than more amplifier power.

[quote name='Jamesemt' post='479888' date='May 5 2009, 02:38 PM']I've only recently been converted to active, and am starting to get ideas together for a custom build. Are there many real differences with active pickups/preamps? I've only used EMG pickups - are they 'typical' of most active gear? If this has been asked before then can anyone point me towards the thread?[/quote] Funny that, but I've been mulling the same question over in my mind today. There definitely seem to be active and passive fans out there, but it's really just down to taste and how much money you're willing to spend. You could go for some nice, warm sounding alnico passive pickups but have a good active tone circuit you can switch in and out should you need to dial in a different sound or tweak the bass to match the venue/song/mood. Then you'll have the best of both worlds. EMGs are a bit of both, being clearer and more efficient (or colder and more clinical if you're into passive basses) but without the extra flexibility. The ACG preamp isn't as weird as it sounds - it's a bit like getting the right tone by using a wah wah pedal so it's a bit more intuitive and 'alive' feeling, but it's a bit more difficult if you just want the natural sound of the bass with say, a bit of a treble boost or bass rolled off. Hope this hasn't confused you too much, 'cos I am....

Has anyone tried the Schaller (232 I think) bass humbucker? It's a bit old school but I need a narrow bridge humbucker for my old school bass. Any opinions gratefully received.

I used to use a very high action on my fretless Precision - most bass players found it quite difficult to play - with 40-65-85-110 roundwounds. It sounded really nice, with the rather double bassy sound complemented by a more double bassy feel from the high action I'm certain it made me a better player. You can get more tonal variation from your playing style with a higher action as you don't have to approach it with such a light touch; you can be light and delicate but you can also really dig in and thrash it without the dreaded buzz. It definitely has advantages.