LeftyJ

I have a cover on my MIJ '75 Jazz Bass reissue and it doesn't really get in my way. I use it as a thumbrest when playing near the neck pickup, and can use it to rest my wrist when I play with a pick near the neck or when I slap. It didn't require much adapting from my regular playing position and style, I'm comfortable with it. With slapping though, it required some getting used to because I couldn't mute the strings with the palm of my hand as easily as before when required. But that's been a great practice routine for muting with my fretting hand

A lightweight all-tube head that doesn't require huge transformers but uses those small transformers used in class D amplifiers and still produces that big tube growl, unlike that new Markbass all-tube head that just sounds really clean no matter what you throw at it...

I'd like to be able to have the distorted bass sound of Hugo Prinsen-Geerlings (the former bassplayer of Dutch band The Gathering) on the songs Rollercoaster and Probably Built In The Fifties. A very heavy and agressive tone, especially on that latter track. I wouldn't have much ocassions where I could actually use that tone but I'd love to be able to. My Fulltone Bassdrive gets pretty close with my ATK's (I think Hugo played Stingrays), but it's not quite there yet.

[quote name='Clarky' post='580213' date='Aug 25 2009, 02:57 PM']The Hipshot Rick-replacement bridge is MASSIVELY better than the original. Properly adjustable for individual strings/saddles etc. But of course its not 'real Rick' so traditionalists hate them. I have had both and the Hipshot is much better as a 'player's' bridge.[/quote] I agree the Hipshot is a 'better' bridge in terms of adjustability, userfriendliness and playing comfort, but it it's not just the looks traditionalists don't like about them. They have a dramatic impact on the tone of your Ric. The Hipshot both brightens and fattens up your tone.

[quote name='51m0n' post='580088' date='Aug 25 2009, 01:27 PM']I loathe ampeg for the overpriced, poor build quality, intolerably awful sounding rubbish that IMO it is.[/quote] +1! I've played through several Ampegs and liked none of them save for an old V4b through two SVT-410's that made my Ric and my Jazz sound HUGE. I've tried the SVT-4PRO, SVT-3PRO, SVT350 and some of their combo's (B2 4x8", BA115, BA112) and none of them suited me, especially the SVT PRO's sounded incredibly dull with no top end sparkle at all, too much mids and too few lows. The Bright-switch just made it sound tinny and harsh instead of adding sparkle and punch, and I won't even go into the Ultra High switch. Definitely not my tone

Very, very pretty! But I couldn't help noticing it has one regular strap button and one Dunlop straplock

Fender MIJ JB75-US/LH, before: After: The previous owner had already added the black 3-ply pickguard and has had both the pickup cover and the bridge cover on it, but took them off before he sold the bass and sold them separately on eBay. I added the BadAss II, pickup cover and a set of Hipshot HB-2 tuners and a BT-2 D-tuner. It's an amazing workhorse and I play this bass a lot. I love it! I don't think I could ever sell it again.

The bass player in my very first band made me play bass, about 10 years ago. He was never there and his playing sucked, so when he wouldn't show up we needed someone to back up for him. Our lead singer and guitarist wouldn't kick him out because they were close friends. I picked up the bass and only the vocalist would play guitar. I started out on a basic plywood Condor Jazzbass dressed in proper '70's fashion (maple board with blocks and bindings) but soon replaced that with a Yamaha TRB5II. Because I invested so much in my bass and amp at that time the bass player started seeing me as a serious threat and later quit the band altogether. I haven't been in that band long, but I learned some valuable lessons and have had a good share of fun and laughter there.

[quote name='geilerbass' post='578358' date='Aug 23 2009, 06:47 PM']This is true. The non-Prestige models don't come with proper Bartolinis, but with Bartolini-branded pickups that are made in Korea along with the actual instruments. You'll notice that the pickups are called Bartolini 'MK1' - apparently the 'MK' means 'made in Korea'. Or so I've heard. The Prestige range of SR and BTB basses do come with US-Made Bartolinis and for me, there is a considerable difference in the sound.[/quote] It's true, they're made by Cort and were originally fitted on the Cort Artisan A- and B-series and the Josh Paul signature model (that Elrick-copy). They're made in the same facility where Cort also makes the EMG Select pickups that are fitted to those Spirit by Steinberger instruments. Later on Ibanez started using them too, when production of the high end Prestige series moved to Korea. Ibanez catalogs from that year will tell you those Bartolini's were especially developped for the Prestige Soundgear and BTB series models, but don't let that fool you. Cort had 'em first . I am a fan of Ibanez, but mostly of their older MIJ models. I have three ATK's (two ATK300's and an ATK305, all MIJ), an '81 Musician (MC924) and an '81 Blazer (BL800) and I love them! I also used to have an '87 SR800LE but absolutely hated the sound and the electronics (very scooped and dry), and I used to have two of their RG guitars of which I loved one and couldn't stand the other. It's hit or miss I guess. I do think Ibanez is truly a brand for everyone, they have an incredibly wide range of completely different instruments. For nearly any tone you have in your head there's an Ibanez on the market that will deliver.

Hey, I almost forgot about rasher80. Have you made up your mind yet and actually bought anything? Last thing I remember was you looking at Maruszczyk as an alternative to buying a JB75-US/LH. I'm very interested to hear what you're up to

I highly recommend www.guitarshogun.com . Ken is a friendly guy, he trades directly from Japan and he's incredibly fast. Trading directly from Japan does however mean the price you pay is strictly for the bass and shipping. You will still be charged separately with VAT and importing duties when the bass arrives in the UK, unlike with Guitar Emporium for example, where the price you pay is the actual full price without any unpleasant surprises upon arrival of the instrument.

[quote name='Rayman' post='575104' date='Aug 20 2009, 10:05 AM']I'd just repeat what I've said before, you can play [i]any[/i] kind of music on [i]any[/i] model of bass. I've played slap funk on a Thunderbird, and heavy metal on a Marcus Miller jazz, it's all gravy.[/quote] The MM Jazz is an awesome Swiss Army Knife. I know a lot of bass players who use one, in a great variety of musical directions from funk to death metal. Great basses.

[quote name='Doc B' post='567801' date='Aug 13 2009, 12:38 PM']No basses with odd sized pickups (like the Ibanez ATK) - I like to swap pickups and electronics[/quote] Are you sure the measurements of the ATK triplecoil are [i]that[/i] odd? A friend of mine replaced the triplecoil in his ATK300 fourstring with a Nordstrand MM4.4 MM-style humbucker without any trouble at all. I would say you shouldn't have much trouble with the 5-strings either. I can take measurements of the pickup in my ATK305 if you'd like. Then again you're saying you prefer a smaller body. That pretty much leaves out the ATK too

But FFS, ditch the red tort! Should be either black, white or a dark brown tort but not something that red

I once accidentally stepped off a 3 ft high darkened stage where I was rehearsing with a band, with my precious French-made Lag Louisiane around my neck. I fell forward towards a tower of PA-speakers and the body of the guitar hit the speakers fairly hard, resulting in very bad lacquer damage and a chunk of the flamed maple veneer top of the body broke off. I contacted the manufacturer and got to speak to Michel Chavarria, the directer of Lag himself, so gave me a price quote of 250 euros for a complete restoration of the body which is an amazing price, as local luthiers quoted approximately 450-500 euros for exactly the same procedure: fitting a new (matching) piece of veneer where the bit of flamed maple broke off and refinish the body in such a way that nobody would be able to tell. Lag did a wonderful job too. First two pics are before, last two pics are after the repairs.

Basses: Lefty Lakland JO5 with maple board and blocks and bindings option; Lefty Lakland DJ; Lefty Lakland 55-94; Lefty G&L L2500; Lefty Rickenbacker 4003 (already in possession); Lefty hollowbody (already in possession, an Italia Torino I like a LOT). And of course I'd keep my Ibanez Musician and my Ibanez ATK's, and the MIJ '75 Jazz. Amps: EBS TD650; EBS Proline 410; EBS Proline 212; Aguilar DB751; Aguilar 412; Ampeg B15N Portaflex fliptop combo.