Boodang

Apple. I had a lovely iPod (the one that looked like an iPhone but isn’t) and I’d loaded it with tons of music apps which were quite cool and I used them often. As it was getting old I kept the thing in flight mode to stop it from connecting and doing a weird update as it was ticking along nicely. Then one day it refused to boot up and displayed a message saying unless I did an update it wouldn’t work anymore. Did the update and it wiped ALL my apps as they now unsupported. Most of the apps don’t exist anymore and I can’t get them back. Gits!

It seems a lot of places do this now, so I have fun with it and give my address as 1 Made Up Rd, Made Up City, Nowhereland (in fairness I am a Nowherian citizen but as it is/was a rock floating in the North Sea I’ve never been there), and I give an email address as [email protected]

Sorry, just can't help myself!! Actually did a 'bolt on necks suck' thread last year, so I guess this is just a rehash in disguise! However, quite happy to rein it in for some genuine thoughts on 5K Fender CS basses.

Ah, Sei basses are cool... and another opportunity to show off how to join a neck to a body properly... or more precisely body wings to a long neck in this case...

But, getting back to the original premise, if you had 5k to spend on a bass, would you buy Fender CS or look elsewhere?

The Spectracomp is spot on! I hate apps and multi effects as I get lost on them, but the toneprint app is dead easy to use and just works. Plus you get a load of expertly put together comps to try out so it's not a one trick pony. My fav is the Captain East toneprint which is a tri band comp which seems to just make the bass sound better and you only have one knob to tweek. I got quite a few comp pedals, some of them quite expensive but I still think the Spectracomp is the best sounding.

A bit of a special turd!

I agree…. it’s a bit like polishing a turd!

Me, not like bolt ons, what ever gave you that idea!! Sculptured heel or not I just think it’s a lazy cheap way of joining two pieces of wood…. Especially on something costing 5k.

I need access to the 24th fret! (In fact this bass has 28 frets!) The last band I was in replaced me with a guitarist.

I agree about the stripes but the set neck join makes upper register playing a joy as opposed to the clumsy restricted bolt on. However, the body is walnut and something my luthier had made ages ago and done nothing with. I got him to put on a mahogany set neck with a ‘62 jazz profile (although compound radius), and the single stripe was a necessary product of its construction. Looks aside it plays like a dream and because of the way it was made only £800! Which is one reason I feel a Fender Custom is not good value.

I can imagine that a Fender Custom would hold its value but not sure it’s worth it! As for ‘badly bolted together’… well, if I had 2 pieces of would, no skill and no money, I’d put one on top of the other and put 4 bolts thru it. If I wanted to join them elegantly and, imho, properly I’d do this;

I noticed Fender custom shop have announced new models for 2024… if you’ve got £5k to spare you can buy two badly bolted together pieces of wood! Out of interest, does anyone here think there’s something magical in these custom shop specials? Would you spend 5k on one of these or for that money might it be possible to buy something of better value!

Between BC, YouTube and No Treble I’ve got my bass bases covered. Not sure there’s a market for a new bass magazine especially if they’ll going to cover the history of Fender…. spare me!!

E. Throw a party to celebrate the first chip on your bass.

I think due to the synthetic core, they have the least tension feel of any BG string I’ve tried. I wouldn’t say they’re like rubber bands but you get the idea. PS A friend of mine put some Steve Harris flats on his bass and we’re like rods… unplayable!

I came across the Galli strings as I was looking for something that not necessarily sounded like a DB but felt like my DB strings. I use synthetic core strings on my DBs and there’s a fair choice available but for BG it was all steel core, so I didn’t hold up much hope. Until I found the Synthesis strings. I believe, and don’t quote me, they are the only nylon core BG strings on the market. So the best way I can describe the feel is ‘buttery’, very much like my DB. I got mine from Bass Direct, they’re not the cheapest strings but like most flats it’s not like I’m going to change them very often. Word of warning… the strings seem very robust when on the bass and under tension (they’ve stood up to live use, even when a guest tried to slap with them!) but they are v delicate out the packet and while you’re putting them on. They do warn you about this but be careful.

I second that. Are you really going to create a better baseline than James Jamerson?!

I have to say, over the years, the more theory I learn and internalise the better a player I’ve become. Also, not to be underestimated, ear training.

I’ve got TI flats on a custom jazz, and Galli Synthesis strings on a standard jazz. Have you tried the Galli strings? Because TI’s after a year of playing is how I would describe them. They have a nylon core which I think gives them a slightly duller tone.

What a weird venue. It must have been like playing to an audience peering over a fence! Was it disconcerting?

Actually I think there’s a lot to be said for going passive beyond the mere technical, and certainly not the start of a journey towards not playing at all. I’ve got a passive jazz, a passive Di (stagebug)…. less to worry about means I’m not focused on setup and focused on the gig, the music and performance as opposed to chasing down which bit of kit has failed me now. In fact, thinking about it, maybe going active is a step towards not playing at all as now you’re more focused on the technical side and losing sight of why you’re there! Just an idol existential train of thought of course.

Absolutely, once you go passive you’re a hairs breadth from giving up completely. Replacing pp3 batteries is what gives meaning to our entire musical existence!

Of course, if you want to minimise the points of potential failure just go passive, so much less to worry about.

Why are people being so stingy about replacing a silly pp3!!! Especially when the options are new battery vs bass packing up half way thru a gig.