philw

[quote name='Shaggy' post='1081348' date='Jan 7 2011, 05:52 PM']I'd have thought it would have been an ebony board if that fretting arrangement was original, but could be wrong. It was common on Kramers of that era - can't see the point of it myself.

Lovely Wal BTW! [/quote]

My thoughts exactly. It would have had an ebony board if fretless to any degree originally, so is undoubtedly a later conversion. Wouldn't have had dot markers on the fingerboard either. And there's more: Pete didn't like wenge faces on fretless basses (he thought it sounded too middy) so there's very few of them (like mine).

Looks a nice instrument though and could be easily re-fretted.

Phil

Possibly not the most in-demand of items, but this 'ere acoustic bass guitar gig bag needs a home other than its present one under my bed. The acoustic bass it used to hug is long since gone (in a hard case) so it's twiddling its thumbs (well it would if it had any). It's in perfect condition (not even traumatised by months under my bed) and little used.

So I'm thinking £25 including shipping or £15 if you come to Brighton and pick it up.

Anybody?
Phil

[attachment=68061:IMG_2004.jpg][attachment=68062:IMG_2002.jpg]

Since the arrival of a Classic Vibe 50s Precision, this one is surplus to requirements. It's used (although very little), in pretty much as-new condition and sounds just as you'd expect – warm and growly. It has a significantly less chunky neck than the Classic Vibe too. So, for £180 including a nice gig bag and shipping it's yours. If you come to Brighton and pick it up I'll knock £15 off.

Phil

PS. Yes, my carpet needs cleaning.

[attachment=68057:Squire_P1.jpg] [attachment=68058:Squire_P2.jpg] [attachment=68059:Squire_P3.jpg] [attachment=68060:Squire_P4.jpg]

That really is very, very sad. I'm gutted.

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1076125' date='Jan 3 2011, 11:03 AM']This John Giblin track sold me my Wal

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClCvm4eAT38&feature=related"]April[/url]

It wasn't until later that I realised it was the tune, not the sound, that moved me.[/quote]

April is one of my fave warm-up/practice pieces (or as my seven year old daughter says, "Oh Daddy you always play that"). Lovely tune and it's really good for intonation practice as it moves a long way up and down the fingerboard.

It wasn't just John Giblin that got me playing fretless though (and made me sell everything to buy a Wal in my 20s), it was mainly Percy Jones (Jaco and Eberhard too), and he's not had a mention so far in the thread, which is near criminal. Anything off the Masques album would do, but the title track is a bit special:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQYkBwfzHAc&feature=related

Phil

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1072787' date='Dec 30 2010, 02:47 PM']Hi Phil, how's the new job down the HM Customs and Excise fraud office going for you.

[/quote]

LOL. Kind of my point really. If I did work for HMRC I'd keep an eye on muso forums.

P

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='1071784' date='Dec 29 2010, 02:38 PM']i only paid £38 Duty and vat for it too![/quote]

I'd be fascinated to know how the duty and VAT came out at only £38. Care to explain?

Phil

[quote name='TheGreek' post='1069831' date='Dec 26 2010, 10:04 PM'][size=4]Here is my fretless semi acoustic/ hollow bodied Fender P bass. [/size]

Not too much info about it I'm afraid - it has "Fender USA" on the neck plate but "Made in Japan" on the headstock (IIRC). Allegedly one of 200 which escaped the factory following a law suit against Fender - anybody with any additional info can PM me. Alternatively put it up here for all to see..Weighs pretty much nothing!!

Currently with a friend who's trying out some new styles - he's only been playing about 25 years!! - so I can't actually provide serial Nos, etc..

I hope you enjoyed seeing a slightly different Fender..[/quote]

And if you ever feel like moving that one on. I'm first in line ok?

Phil

Xmas eve bump for Gareth (which, now I've typed it, sounds a bit ooo-errr missus).

Nice looking Wal that. I've always fancied a Pro 1 with the pickup in the bridge position and they seem relatively rare compared to ones with a "sweet spot" pickup. Judging by the serial number (W2176) it was built in the summer/autumn of 83, which makes it a very late Pro 1. I know that 'cause my Mk 1 Custom is W2109 and was built in May 83. I'd say the Pro 1 is worth maybe £1000 – £1400.

P

[quote name='bumnote' post='1042122' date='Nov 30 2010, 11:18 AM']Mick bought my classic vibe 50s bass
Excellent Transaction and a good bloke to boot[/quote]

And I then bought it off Mick, who is still a good bloke.

Phil

Of course I would say this wouldn't I, but it is definitely a very cool bass. Unique too – there isn't another one like it.

Phil

I actually played a fretless Bobby Vega Ribbecke at the NAMM show in 2009. In fact I kept going back to the Ribbecke booth to have another go. It's an unbelievably fabulous and deeply cool instrument, and I was seriously tempted to get my Visa card out despite the $7k price tag (not sure my mate Joe Veillette would have been too impressed though if I'd have bought it). Vega's a wonderful player too.

Phil

[quote name='walbassist' post='1040655' date='Nov 29 2010, 12:13 AM']Have you parked the Veillette then Phil?[/quote]

Gareth,

No, the Veillette is still on the way. Should be with me week after next. It's a piezo only one though and I'm still hankering after something Precision based in Lake Placid Blue with a maple fretless fingerboard. Got the possibility of a previously loved Squire 50s Classic Vibe, but I already know the standard neck on it will be too chunky for me – hence thinking about a replacement neck.

Phil

Ahh now I didn't know about B Hefner. Looks the business.

Thanks
Phil

Perfect! I'll have it! Just one snag. We're at opposite ends of the country.

Why do basses like that never come up within less than a few hundred miles of me?

Phil

All,

I have a plan to create a bits and pieces precision using the body of a Lake Placid Blue Squire Classic Vibe 50s Precision. Trouble is, to get the bass I'm after (and the look), the neck would have to be an unlined fretless with a maple fingerboard – not a standard item from the likes of Mighty Mite, All Parts or Warmouth. So any suggestions where I might find one (other than keeping an eye on eBay or ordering a completely custom neck)?

Phil

Sorry guys but family stuff means I'm now going to have to give the bash a miss.

Phil

[quote name='Beedster' post='1027443' date='Nov 17 2010, 11:23 PM']And a very happy buyer! Adi is a true gent, and the bass is not only a dream to play, but tonally very different to my current DB, almost in a kind of Jazz with rounds v Precision with flats way. So looking forwards to picking this up.

BTW, sorry Phil, looks like I beat you to it mate!

Chris[/quote]

Yes, you did. Hurrumph!

P

Perfect! I'll have it.

Just one snag. I'm in Brighton, you're in Morcambe. Bugger.

Phil

[quote name='walbassist' post='1027156' date='Nov 17 2010, 06:26 PM']Hi Phil

Presumably you want something that is good for arco [u]and[/u] pizz? Depending on what tension you like, perhaps something by Innovation would be a cost effective experiment, like their Honeys or Super Silvers?

Cheers

Gareth[/quote]

Gareth,

Yes, it has to do pizz, but I'd happily compromise the pizz sound for a better arco sound. I'd like something with higher tension than the standard strings too.

Phil

All,

I know there's been a thread on replacement strings for the NS EUB in the past, but my question is specific to playing with a bow. The standard fit strings, along with being very bright, don't take to a bow particularly well (it's all too easy to get nothing but a nasty scraping sound, even with an ok technique and bow). So does anybody have a suggestion for replacement strings that are particularly good for arco (as well as being less bright generally)? Don't have a mag pickup on my CR4 so don't need to worry about metal cores/windings.

Phil

I've gone and sold the Veillette Acoustic Bass I was going to bring (which is a really shame 'cause it's a stunner), so it's just the Wal now (could bring the Steinberger EUB if anybody's interested).

Phil

I regularly swap between my Wal and Steinberger EUB during gigs and am getting completely fed-up with plugging and un-pluging (probably doesn't look all that cool either as I bend over to display a flash of builder's bottom to three old deaf blokes and a dog in some godforsaken tavern). So, I need a switching preamp/DI of some description. I'd also like to have separate eq settings for each instrument.

So, it seems my choice boils down to either the Sansamp Bass Driver Deluxe or the EMS Microbass II. They's even both the same price (from The Bass Centre). Any preferences or experience here?

Phil

All,

Just watching Eric Clapton on Later with Jools and his bass player was using a double bass with a cut-away (i.e it had no upper bout on the treble side). Now, I've seen numerous similar instruments on Ebay but the cut-away idea has always stuck me as a bit of a pointless gimmick on a DB. I mean, it's not as if there's much chance of fretting with a conventional "guitar" hand position that high up the neck. You're really still going to have to use thumb position, cut-away or not? Am I missing something?

Phil