SumOne

Nice! I'm starting to feel the GAS for a Dingwall again. I had owned a Combustion, but it was quite a heavy one and the Ibanez EHB 1005MS seemed a decent lighter and cheaper alternative...and it was good but but not quite as good as the Combustion which just felt like a better made instrument (albeit more expensive and bigger and heavier). If Dingwall make a headless purple sparkle Combustion or NG I'll be selling a kidney to get it.

Inspiring stuff! I had my eye on that bass when it was at Bass Direct and was wondering how I'd go about repairing it - it looks great the way you have done it.

I've now got something that resembles a Bass! Northwest Guitars body and neck fit together perfectly (the body needed the truss rod access drilled out though) All the painting/stripping/re-painting/re-stripping I've done so far might have been a waste of time as the natural look works quite well with the almost matching neck. I'll stick with this look for the time being (at least until it sucesfully makes Bass noises!). Tung oil layers are currently being applied - something I've learned (if internet commenters are to be believed) is that it is a slow process and in some ways might not be easier than painting (certainly not quicker). It takes 5+ layers, each layer needs to be sanded in and left for up to 3 days to dry, and a full cure can take 15-45 days (longer for cold damp conditions). Then I guess a top wax layer might also be needed as the wood is soft and porous, or clear coat......so actually, trying another paint job might be easier (third time lucky!). I've got the electrics (from six string supplies), and the remaining parts are probably on a boat from China right now: Tonerider TRP1 pickups, black scratchplate, black tuners...I think chrome hardware might have looked better if I go for the natural wood look though. I have a normal 57/62 type scratchplate on the way but as the pickup to controls routing is a drilled hole rather than being cut out I'm thinking perhaps cutting the scratchplate to just cover the controls could be a good look (bonus being there are no scratchplate holes in the body yet). Something like an aneamic version of Leland Sklar's (but without the extra pickups and famous signatures!)

Headless Dingwall

I think both Johnny Cash and Gil Scott-Heron did it well, their last albums were some of their best music. Artists need to make music that fits their age and voice rather than trying to poorly reproduce what they did 50 years earlier.

^^^ Aparently the SR300 'E' has upgraded pickups and electronics from the older SR300, so hopefully they sound okay without mods (I am usually more a fan of passive though so I might consider that) https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2016/03/04/ibanez-introduces-sr300e-with-upgraded-electronics/ I'm in the process of selling off my more expensive gear and downgrading everything in preparation for a house move (to get some £, reduce amount of stuff being moved, and as I'll need to quit bands for the time being - so only need a cheap bass for home practice and no need for most pedals and amp&cab), so it is probably a bit of a short-term thing....although hopefully it is actually good enough to keep as a long-term bass, at least as backup. My setup will be about as cheap as it gets: SR300E + Zoom B1-Four.

Thanks. There is one in decent looking condition for sale for £140 on Gumtree, I reckon that is about as cheap as I'll be able to find a reasonably decent Bass so am going to go for it.

I need something cheap and am tempted with a SR300E (2nd hand £170). Seems about as cheap as it gets for a halfway decent bass. All the reviews seem to be great. Any real-life experience from Basschatters?

Cheers, I have a neck plate and bridge now.

Nice one, thanks. That's appreciated. Yeah I think like you say - the white gloss needed lighter coats and longer to dry between them (and inside rather in the cold garage overnight). On the plus side, it looks like stripping this paint off will be easy!

Cheers, yeah I'm not sure why the white gloss is peeling away. Perhaps as I've been leaving it in the garage to dry and it's getting too cold, or too soon to add each new coat. I'll give it another go in a while. The neck looks good, frets seem good and all seems to be well made. I also now have bridge and neck plate so am getting there for parts.

Erm.... it isn't supposed to be looking Roadworn! The paint just seemed to stay tacky for about a week, once I started peeling at it this is what happened! I'm close to cutting my losses and stopping for the time being. This bass is proving to be a mini money/time pit and I'm only at the painting stage! (sanding paper, tung oil, Grain filler, Undercoat, black spray, glitter, heat gun, white spray, = about £80!)

I know I keep banging on about it but I feel the C4 is really let down by being squeezed into the hardware it is in - it is fine for the Aftershock, Gemini/Mercury/Lunar, but there is so much more going on with the C4 that it would benefit for more hands-on control, housing it like the Ventris/Collider/Nemesis would be a big improvement for me.

I assume this is a comission sale and is very wishful thinking from the owner. When I sold a Bass through Bass Gallery they asked me what I wanted to advertise it for and they didn't really question that price, they just put it up for the amount and take their % if it sells or wait for the seller to reduce the price if it doesn't.

Unfortunately, I don't think that is possible.

I like compression, it can seem like a waste of time/money for something that is barely noticable for an audience but I find it to be one of the most interesting and diverse types of effects/processing 🤓. It can be something you can barely tell is happening but you notice when it is turned off (more as a player than listener, as you notice your innacuracies in plucking volume are coming through more). I find it particularaly useful for my heavy-handed slap/pop. Or, as a heavily compressed effect for that pumping sort of sound. Or with compressors that add a bit of a preamp/very mild overdrive type tone and tone shaping. Or to add sustain when going into distortion pedals. Or it can help give a more clear signal for octaves or synth pedals, or after envelope filters to tame them when they get too 'peaky'. I've owned quite a few compressor pedals and they each have their own benefits and character: FEA Opti-FET: Probably my favorite, lots of control and adds a nice softer type tone. Cali 76 compact bass: Very good, fairly unobtrusive compression while adding a subtle bit of tone enhancing. Empress compact: Great metering and control, generally clean but can switch for mid cut/boost to shape the tone which is good. Markbass Comopressore: I liked this, a bit big and not 9v though so it is a bit more faff to have on pedalboard. MXR M87: Clean, good metering. Pigtronix Philosopher Bass: Good for adding sustain. Earthquaker Devices The Warden: Fine on low compression but on high compression it did a first note 'ducking' type thing which I didn't like. .......perhaps also some others I have forgotten. Each has their own pro/cons and can be quite different so I reckon liking or disliking compressor pedals could be down to what pedal is being used, for what purpose, and how it is set-up. What I would perhaps argue though is that compressor pedals are not necessary for most players (including me!). If you add overdrive then that adds compression, most preamp pedals add compression, if you go to a studio to record then it gets compressed by an engineer and mastering, if you record at home you can add compression via the DAW, if you play big venues via a front desk with sound engineer then they will add compression, if you play small venues like pubs your amp/cab will add some compression and with that setup playing with a band can the audience hear any difference if you add a pedal compressor or not? ......so all in all, it isn't really necessary as a pedal, but they are still one of my favorite types of pedals to nerd out on so it isn't going to stop me trying more!

Yeah, he is good at simplifying things. His Motown one is good too. The '4 types of basslines' video really demonstrated to me that it doesn't need to be too complicated for the vast majority of Bass playing in bands, but timing/groove is key (as well as knowing where the notes/chord tones are!). I wish I had always practiced to a metronome/beat as even just noodling is better practice if it is noodling in time. If a single note played in 8ths (with good timing and tone and 'bounce', which is easier said than done) is good enough for Larry Graham on a tune as popular as 'Everyday People' then it is certainly good enough for me to practice!

The sparkle paint job ended up looking more like a bruise once it had a few layers of clear coat! So that has been stripped off and the body is now having coats of white gloss gradually applied. I'm going to go for: White Body, Black Pickguard, Black Hardware, White Pickup covers. I've bought a maple Jazz Neck from Northwest Guitars which seems good, drilling the holes into it and fitting it to the body correctly is going to be my first real challenge. One confusing thing: The neck has pre-drilled 18mm (9/16") tuner holes which I assumed are standard - aparently Hipshot don't think so though, and I want to fit Hipshot Ultrtalights and matching Xtender. They do bushings but it is all a bit confusing, (not least due to imperial fractions!), confusing enough that this website has an article on it: https://www.btnmusic.co.uk/hipshot-us-licensed-ultralite-bushing-sizes/ It seems that US 1/2" ultralights come with a 17mm (11/16") bushing, but the licenced 1/2" ones have 16mm bushing (41/64") 🙃. Then it is only the licensed ones that fit an additional bushing that converts their diameter of 16mm to an outsize diameter of 18mm. So if I am correct (I'm not sure I am!), I can only use licensed 1/2" ultralights (not the USA 1/2" ones), to then add a 16mm to 18mm bushing convertor. I think (hope!) the 3/8" Xtender fits the 9/16" (18mm) holes fine though. Imperial measurements really need to be done away with!

And he's playing a Precision Bass (right up by the neck). I'm a recent convert from Jazz basses as I always thought the Precision wasn't so well suited to Reggae, it does it well though.

I have wasted a lot of time aimlesly noodling and mucking about with effects, I suppose it is fun/relaxing and there is some benefit but I now try to always play along to metronome/drum beat/the original tune as being able to keep time/groove is essential for playing with a band - more than how fast notes can be played, fine-tuned fuzz tones, slap skills, or knowledge of modes. If I can be bothered with a proper structured practice routine (which is rare) then it is this: Rhythm/timing: Playing single notes to a metronome, gradually slowing the metronome right down and trying to still hit the note exactly on time. Change to 1/8ths 1/16ths etc. I usually just do this in 4/4 as that's 99% of the music I listen to but I do also try other time signatures like 3/4. Fretboard/notes: Doing as above to a metronome/drum beat but randomly changing notes/finding them all over the fretboard e.g. G# for 4 notes, then the same note on other strings for 4 notes each, then swich note. Trying to get to the point that it is second nature to know exactly where every note is on the fretboard without really thinking at all. Chord tones/Modes: As above but incorporate scales/chord tones, go through the different modes and switching between the differnt playing patterns (e.g. G minor all along one string, then just two strings etc. then root 3rd 5th etc.). Still always focussing on this being in time - to a metronome or drum beat, and changing the speed and time signature around. A big focus on timing really. Like this guy says, there are plenty of very well known decent bass lines that are almost entirely reliant on timing/groove, some just using a couple of notes. If you can play in time, instinctively know where the root notes are, and know how to add the correct chord tone notes then that covers the vast majority of basslines needed for bands : As it's all about playing along to stuff I play through a Zoom B1 Four (for the drum machine & metronome), or into an MPC One (drum machine), or into DJ mixer (to mix with backing tracks via phone, laptop, vinyl, with their bass reduced).

I'd probably check out what players I am into play, check online for review videos of those Basses, spend a day going to a few Bass guitar shops to see what feels and sounds best (ideally with a small headphone amp so you are comparing like-for-like and don't fee self-concious playing to a shop audience!). Perhaps I'd buy from the shop as it has certain guarentees and is easy but you'll save some ££ buying 2nd hand from Basschat, you won't go far wrong with something like a Squier Jazz or Precision to start with. I wouldn't plan on my first Bass being my 'bass for life' (I haven't found 'the one' yet!). It takes time to realise if you want 4 or 5 strings, or a more specific look or sound, fretted/fretless, active or passive, if weight is a big issue, what string spacing, neck shape, scale length etc. I see it a bit like owning cars - different ones are better for different times of your life/different uses, apart from nostalgia I wouldn't still want my 1st car.