EssentialTension

Congratulations, Chris, that is lovely.

Is it active? Does it need a new battery?

[quote name='4000' post='675557' date='Dec 6 2009, 11:45 AM']"Frankenstein" was a P Bass he put together from parts of different P basses, FWIW. He always said it had a very distinctive tone.[/quote] The electronics were from a '66 slab P which JE also said had a very distinctive tone. [quote]1965 sunburst (later refinished Fiesta Red/salmon pink) “Frankenstein” Fender Precision Bass with maple neck. * Assembled from various basses, including the chrome pickup cover from a Fender Jazz Bass; the neck pickups and circuitry from two of John’s three “dead” slab basses. * Serial no. 13081 * Used beginning 1967. JE: I put this together in San Francisco on a day off part way through a Who tour. It’s the remains of five smashed basses hence the name ‘Frankenstein’. In the mid 70’s it was retired from stage work so I had it refinished from sunburst into its present pink colour. I used this baby from 1967 onwards through ‘Tommy’ and all the tours up to ‘Quadrophenia’...[b]The neck, pickups and circuitry are from a ‘dead’ slab bass[/b], the tailpiece from a Jazz bass, the pickguard from a black P bass and the machine heads from 2 white P basses...Two hours with a Phillips screwdriver and a soldering iron and I was ranting around my hotel room screaming “It’s alive, it’s alive!” [url="http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/equipment/bass/equip-entwistlegear-67-71.html"](source)[/url][/quote]

I got mine yesterday as well ... but where are my strings?

Very nice. I don't usually go for natural but that is smashing.

I bought a theory book from Mark. He was very patient while I slowly sorted the bank transfer. Good job.

Very happy with mine too.

[quote name='peteb' post='672659' date='Dec 2 2009, 11:25 PM']However the do have faults that many here seem to celebrate for some reason: crap bridge that needs replacing, missing fret, poor access to upper register and not to mention those ridiculous ash tray things that get in the way of your right hand and make changing a string a major chore! For some strange reason there are still some people who insist on keeping these – why??[/quote] crap bridge that needs replacing: answer = seems to me to work fine but replace it if you want to. missing fret: answer = what missing fret? I've never needed another fret. poor access to upper register: answer = I don't go anywhere near the upper register anyway, I leave that to the other instruments. those ridiculous ash tray things that get in the way of your right hand and make changing a string a major chore: answer = put some flats on and then don't change them. Sorted.

[quote name='mikebass78' post='672351' date='Dec 2 2009, 06:20 PM']Any advice or potential pitfalls with stringing up a 4 string (fender P) using 65-135 gauge strings?[/quote] BEAD tension is likely to be lower than EADG so you may need to adjust the truss rod. The nut may need filing but probably not by much. You'll need to set up the neck relief, the action and the intonation. Then, if you are like me, you'll change it all back to EADG.

I remember seeing an interview with Jaco where he says strict index-middle-index-middle plucking is the hardest thing you'll ever have to learn on bass.

[quote name='noirpunk' post='671029' date='Dec 1 2009, 01:25 PM']Hi all, I'll shortly be recieving a short scale bass. Just wondering what the drill is when I have to change strings? Is there any way of modifying standard scale strings for a short scale? Any good value for money short scale sets around?[/quote] How short? 30"?

'This base looks and plays like nothing you have known.'......... probably not that great then.

[quote name='Alun' post='670262' date='Nov 30 2009, 06:37 PM']+1 to the general consensus - as long it sounds good, allows you to do everything you need to, and doesn't harm you then it sounds fine by me.[/quote] +1. But - not only in relation to playing bass but more generally too - standard techniques are standard because they are tried and tested and work effectively. [quote name='Alun' post='670262' date='Nov 30 2009, 06:37 PM']I use various techniques but also play with just one finger a LOT - especially for walking lines. I personally find the tone a lot more consistent with one finger.[/quote] I too have a tendency to play with one finger (index) for evenness of tone. My middle finger never sounds the same, although I'll use it if I need to.

I've seen less basses in a bass shop. Nice job.

Well done Clarky. I must get one of those myself.

[quote name='john_the_bass' post='668460' date='Nov 28 2009, 04:53 PM']I thought the pickup in a Precision was a humbucker?[/quote] It is.

[quote name='chris_b' post='207091' date='May 27 2008, 09:09 AM']I think it's interesting that 50 years on Fender basses from all decades are still held in such high regard. I love the Precision bass, why anyone would want to play a jazz beats me!! It's interesting that in the US, when they could have used anything, so many "First Call" studio players, the guys that created the records that form the foundation of popular music, chose the Precision; Carol Kaye, David Hood, Duck Dunn, Tommy Cogbill, Bob Babbett, James Jamerson, etc. It seems that many of the producers and engineers demanded that the studio players used Fender and I've seen several pictures of "Studio" basses in Nashville, LA and New York and they've all been Precisions. What's the betting that in another 50 years the Precision will still be with us?[/quote] Not just Fender Precision but Fender Precision with flats.

[quote name='markdavid' post='665698' date='Nov 25 2009, 10:42 PM']Nice sounding strings but the tension of D'Addarios is unreal , I used them for a while as they sounded really good but after a few months of using them I felt like my fingers were gonna fall off , felt like I was playing iron bars[/quote] I didn't mind the tension but they were roundwounds. MY CV Jazz is now wearing Pyramid Black Nylon Flats.

[quote name='ianwild16' post='665660' date='Nov 25 2009, 10:01 PM']Does anyone know which make of string uses the different coloured loops on the retaining loop? They are on my new CV jazz...they still sound quite good even after a gig and plenty of home noodling. Thanks Ian[/quote] D'Addarios is what they seemed to be on my CV Jazz - although I had them off and replaced in about 15 minutes.

[quote name='Beedster' post='663028' date='Nov 23 2009, 06:51 PM']My TI Jazz A string broke whilst recording a track this weekend. I was gutted as, not only was it the middle of the track, but I din't have spare flats with me - I've simply never broken a flat other than by doing something bloody stupid with it (e.g., using a LB on a string through body bridge). I managed to get back to the part, albeit on the E string, before the end of the bar which, I think, was pretty good going, but of course had nowhere to go as the part moved up the scale, and we had to sack that take. Don't know if TI do individual strings but if not it's an expensive break indeed. The string looked pretty worn (it snapped at the saddle), making me realise that I spend a lot of time on the A string and should perhaps get around the neck a bit more! C[/quote] [quote name='bigjohn' post='663800' date='Nov 24 2009, 02:37 PM']I think I've broken 3 TI flat A strings. I've never broken an E, D or G. They've all broken at the saddle. One of them broke only after about 4 months - but a lot of taking the neck on and off doing some work on the heel. One of them broke on a string through body - after about a week. I read somewhere that they're not suitable at all for string throughs.[/quote] I've broken a TI Jazz Flat A string at the bridge too - it was about 20 months old and just beginning to sound really great.