kwmlondon

Like this? https://www.music-man.com/instruments/basses/sterling

Well… I mean… I’m quite impressionable! I love trying things and I am prone to GREAT IDEAS (TM) - I’ve gone on missions to achieve a specific artist’s tone before now. It’s a goose chase but I’ve had a lot of fun!

This is something I should have done many times. I’ve wasted a lot of time and money faffing around with basses I’d have been better just selling to buy something I really got on with. Though I’ve learned a lot and had fun along the way…

I’ve found modding basses is only really worth doing if you fundamentally like the instrument but have a clear, specific understanding of what you want to improve/change. In your case, if you like the way it plays and the fundamentals of the tone but find it too hot/bright/aggressive then I’d say look into an alternative preamp and/or pickup with a tap/split option. Lobster has done an amazing series of YouTube vids demoing different configurations in a ‘Ray.

Is it worth spending £1500 on a new bass? Well… that depends. If the bass you really want costs that much then yes. If you can find something you like that does what you want it to for less then no.

I sold a Hartke Kickback amp to Aaron and this was his first transaction on basschat. Communication was great and as it happened I was passing where he works so I could drop the amp off with him on the very same day - the planets were in alignment for sure! Lovely guy, buying it for his girlfriend so I'm not sure if he'll be doing anything else on basschat but I thought I'd leave positive feedback anyway. All the best!

I started the applause when she said that!

Actually, Yolanda mentioned she'd tried every bass in The Bass Gallery and decided that Sandberg was the way to go. I emailed her this morning to ask to go on any mailing lists to find out aboug gigs and she messaged me back really quickly, which was lovely! https://bnds.us/jqrxsd Gonna get her album on vinyl when it's out. I really think that at the level she's operated for the past few decades, it's not just her absolutely epic musicianship that's gotten her the work, but she's clearly a really good person to be around. I think the same thing is the case for a lot of side-men like Guy Pratt, Gail-Ann Dorsey - they're not just great bass players, but they're also the kind of people that you'd want to hang out with.

It was. She said she'd been up in Glasgow so I guess all the branches are getting a visit, but I did see the event quite quickly and bagged a ticket sharpish - they went fast!

I really wanted to give a big shout out to GuitarGuitar for putting on a free Sandberg/Yolanda masterclass and showcase last night. I mean, it was a big old marketing event with the founder Holger Stonjek on the Cajon, but the four-piece they had was very listenable and it was really good fun to hear from the guy who started the company. Yolanda though, what a talent and such a communicator. Really enjoyed hearing about her work touring with Hans Zimmer. One person in the audience even won a Sandberg California bass!!!! Anyway. I'm not on the socials so this is the best way I can think to let people know that it was a really good event, well organised, huge fun to be at, and I am proud to support an employee-owned company that seems to be doing well selling guitars on high streets around the country in a very tough market.

Gnnnnnggggggmmnnn!!!!! I am squirming as I read this! Hope you heal quickly. Aiiiiii….

Ahhh. Well. That’s interesting.

Really? That's interesting. I didn't know that.

Well at the rate the price is going down in 20 years it’ll be a bargain!

How you getting on with the preamp? Do you use the active much? It there a passive option?

That looks tasty!

Yeah…. It’s not been in the hands of a luthier has it? I guess someone saw that mint ones were worth a fair bit and thought they’d try their luck.

Someone has hacked this poor thing about something rotten... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126955895530?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=2Kavy7ytQ9W&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=KfK81-euT2O&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY "...looks ROUGH ...but plays & sounds just FINE !" It does, indeed, look ROUGH! Blimey, it's had quite the life and the routing job is so bad I'd have thought it was my work if I didn't know better. Having said all that... if I was into 4-string basses I'd possibly consider this. It's nice to have a bass you don't feel worried about getting the odd bump or scratch.

Well, a very nice man from the basschat came around and played my Combustion to a standard I don't think it's ever been played before and bought it and took it away. I reached out to Bass Direct and begged them to plead with Dingwall to build my bass now I was without a fanned-fret bass and apparrently they felt sorry for me and are making the body this week. Hurray! The idea was I'd have it for Christmas but now I'll be happy with NBD before Easter!!!!

I’d had a very big glass of wine…. When I wrote that

I've never played a CS bass. I get your point about USA basses - one of the nicest basses I owned as a FMT USA Pro Jazz that looked, sounded and played incredibly. Except the awful dead spots. Honestly, if the bass has been garbage I'd not have cared but it was sublime except for the C 3rd fret on the 3rd string being way quieter than all the others! Anyway. Nice things are nice and if you can afford even nicer enjoy it. Never tried a quad cortex - I find a tone control a bit confusing when I'm playing a gig, god knows how I'd cope with a QC. AND when practising I know I'd just go down a knob-twidding rabbit hole instead of playing the bass. I'm a weak, stupid man.