Boodang

You could always get a competent luthier to add a mid control. Would that make it 100%?

In terms of antiquated engineering there's definitely a comparison to be made between a Ric bridge and a Harley engine. Owned a Harley once, spent loads upgrading parts and eventually sold it... suspect I might do the same if I bought a Ric. PS if Harley made planes would you fly on one?!

No disrespect to John Edwards but at 15k I'd expect it to be Jaco's personal bass! (Well maybe I'm being a tiny bit optimistic).

Just had a look on the Bass Gallery site.... they have a huge stock of s/h basses, where do they keep them all?! And 15k for a 'Rhino' Status, prices are getting silly.

A few years ago I did something similar. I was working with a lot of keyboard players, so I started orientating myself around the C (8th fret) on the E string, rather than default to the first five frets. Two things happened, fingering is easier at this point on the neck but also my playing became more fluid and melodic as I had the freedom, or so it seems, to easily move up and down the neck (this might be psychological but I don't care as it works for me). More or less, I now find myself playing an octave higher than I used to but I'm liking the results and no complaints so far from the bands I play in.

I bought a NS Design EUB. I play it on its stand so it is self supporting and when I really can't be arsed to stand and play it, I use a bar stool style seat. Effortless. Also has a big sound, more like a giant fretless then an upright. I use it for all sorts of gigs, did a Hendrix tribute band with it once which was a bit of a laugh, and because it's an 'upright' it doesn't look out of place when you're playing seated at a gig as you can hardly leap around with it.

Lazy old toad, definitely!

I think that's the point being made here, by buying this you are making people pay more as you've set a benchmark. You only need one person with more money than sense and that's it, you're never going to see one of these go for less.

Where feasible I've always done multiple bands. It's not hedging your bets, it's just more fun. That way I can play different styles of music, the folk/ rock trio plays to a different crowd than the jazz trio or the covers band. Plus, I get exposed to different genres and styles or playing which helps me grow as a musician. Unless you're a purest (and nothing wrong with that), why limit yourself. Juggling gig dates can be a bit tricky sometimes but not impossible.

I think you're giving it too much credit to call it 'jazz' noodling, I think just noodling would suffice. Having said that, I do like the bass! At first I thought it was made from a toilet seat which makes it all the stranger that I actually like it.

Another shout for EBS flat patch cables. You'll regret getting Harley Benton ones. I've got the EBS flats on all my boards, thoroughly recommend.

More like Fender = Lada... or maybe a Trabant is more appropriate.

A cleaning kit is the equivalent and giving socks at xmas! Another vote for a pedal. Get a Zoom B1. Loads of fun and he can figure out what sort of sounds he likes best with the 70 effects and amp modelling.

I would probably say this is the wrong question when it comes to choosing a pickup. 1st up, do you want active or passive pickups, generally speaking active pickups have a greater bandwidth and are brighter. 2nd, single coil vs split coil vs humbucker vs P. 3rd, magnet type, ceramic vs alnico2, 3, 4 or 5. 4th, magnet shape, blade vs pole vs double pole (typically jazz), vs offset pole vs large diameter pole. After all that if you're going to look at resistance, as in how many windings it has and how 'hot' it is, don't forget to take into account the gauge of the wire. And that's all you need to consider when choosing a pickup... well almost!

EMG active pickups have so few windings their output needs boosting with a built in preamp (hence the active part and the need to power them). They do this because the fewer the windings (and thus less resistance) the greater the bandwidth. An active EMG pickup will have much stronger content above 3 to 4K than a passive pickup with enough windings to have a strong enough output to not need a preamp boost. This of course is a bit of a simplification, as mentioned before, there are many other factors involved not just the amount of windings. Of course, having tons of bandwidth is not necessary a good thing, as it depends on the tone you want. I used to use EMG pickups and then use a lot of eq to get the tone I wanted... cut the treble, boost some high mids etc. Now I try to get the tone as close as I can at source, ie the pickup. Hence for my Jazz i got some custom single coil pickups made with alnico5 magnets for the neck (for more lows) and alnico2 for the bridge for more mids. For my Sei I got a Bartolini MM made. As a humbucker it has less highs but it's punchier in the lows. When I look for a pickup I'm less interested in the resistance than I am the magnet type, single coil vs humbucker, and series/parallel options.

Once. I was chatting to the person next to me on a plane about photography as it's a bit of a hobby of mine (not sure if they were interested but I was bored, so they were unlucky!). When we landed the guy seated behind me asked me if I was this famous photographer who was a hero of his. I said no and that I wish I was him as it would be a dream job. He said, no, I'm lying to get out of signing an autograph and that I was definitely him, and proceeded follow me through the airport getting more irate as we went along. He got so upset it was actually amusing rather than irritating!

The main difference I've found with a headless bass (I've got a Sei custom), and something not often talked about, is that you've now limited yourself on string choice. Not the greatest selection in double ball end, and have you tried clamping a nylon string! TE strings seem to unravel when you clamp, and thus crush, the winding. Can be hit miss as well, where one set is ok being clamped but the next set just unravels. Nightmare! And a shame, as I really love the bass but hate the string situation and apparently it can't be converted to a headed. Actually thinking of just getting another one made in headed and putting this on the wall as a piece of art.

Yep, I'm the veritable Jaco now! Comes at a price though, I'm currently homeless and living in a basket ball court.

Yes, the magic flows out of the pups. The magnetic field flows into the fingers and imbibes you with that weather report magic direct from Jaco.... it's science in action!

Yes!! Put these in my bass and all of a sudden 'Teen Town', not a problem!

Seymour Duncan weather report set for that Jaco sound, or EMG JV52; Rob Turner designed, passive, alnico 5 neck and alnico 2 bridge, hum cancelling. I had a similar set done by Creamery pickups (alnico 5 & 2 magnets), but single coil, not hum cancelling, and can thoroughly recommend.

'62 spec'ed neck, set neck rather than the clumsy bolt on, slab rosewood board, Seymour Duncan weather report custom pups, and a contoured body. Is it still a still a jazz? Well the neck and pickups say so, as does the tone, just way more refined than a Fender.

... also, making a living from playing bass and being professional not necessarily the same thing! Can you imagine if Sid had not departed this world so early.... bass player available, can't play bass but plenty of attitude, may smash you in the head with said bass if p!ssed off.

Yeah, but this guy was a giant @rsehole. Most people wouldn't even want to bump into him let alone work with him.