NJE

I bought a Harley Benton Fretless a couple of years ago for a project. It was only for a couple of songs so I didn’t want to spend much, and after getting very close to buying the Vintage Jaco Bass, I decided I would give the HB a go as a buddy had a fretted jazz and raves about it. The general build is incredible for the price and in fact it has the best sunburst paint job I have ever seen and the grain on the body is amazing. Neck pocket is better than the the last two USA Fenders I have had and the neck is smooth and decent under hand. The only things I can criticise are the tuners, which hold tuning fine, but are a bit clunky and rough is use, and I suspect that an upgrade in writing/pots would only improve the sound. Generally though it is an incredible bass.

I never slap when testing a bass, I’m not good at it and there is bound to be someone better than me at it close by. Unless there is a testing room (PMT in Cardiff have one, as did Andertons when I went there) I never plug a bass into an amp to test it. I’m looking at build, resonance and general set up and I know what most basses sound like. I tried out a 63 reissue precision in a shop a couple of years ago and he first thing that came to mind was heatwave by Martha and The Vandellas. I got a smile from the guy in the shop and he said “Heatwave, nice”. I guess it wasn’t a common occurrence 😄

PMT in Bristol were really friendly and they do have a good bass section. Happy to let me play and always chatty when I go in there. Unfortunately it is often how you present yourself that affects how you are treated in my experience. When I was 17 a friend and I went to Cardiff with £900 to buy him a Fender amp. Went to Gamlins and said outright we were there to buy, the guitar department guy was decent and let us play and test it out. 5 minutes later another member of staff (an old woman that owned the shop maybe) came over and rudely instructed us to stop using the amp and that “that was enough, there is a boy over there with his dad who want to look at something”. They looked at £120 guitar starter kits and we left very annoyed. To be fair how could she know two teenage boys had £900 to spend, but that’s not the point, people grow up and earn more money and that needs to be remembered sometimes. On the flip side I went to London for the weekend with my wife a couple of years ago and we were dressed very smart for dinner and the theatre. Usually I look like a scruff but it was a special occasion. The welcome and service I got in the music shops was phenomenal, so polite and couldn’t do enough for us (wife was with me). I obviously looked like I had money and that must have affected their behaviour, it’s only natural. Saying that I have been into Wunjo in normal attire and the guys in the bass dept have always been genuinely decent and friendly people happy to chat gigs and kit and they didn’t slap the living stinky poo out of any bass I wanted to play.

What a shame, I had amazing dealings with S&T a few months ago. The guy I spoke to said they don’t sell direct to public anymore but asked what I needed and got it ordered for me direct with EB as it wasn’t a standard item (white pickup covers). They got held up with Cities basses in transit but I wasn’t in a rush. Got updates and then he arranged for me to pick them up from my local dealer to pay for them, amazing!

I had the opposite once, went into a shop who stocked every ernie ball guitar string and asked for EB bass strings. Them- sorry we don’t have Ernie ball bass strings me- not to worry, can you order them them - we have rotosounds, best bass strings in the world me- they aren’t for me, I don’t like the feel of them them- why what’s wrong with them me - goodbye 😄

I agree that it is nice for someone to just let rip and say what they want in an interview, without some press agent or handler stepping in and stopping comments from being printed etc. He is a big hitter in his industry, has a vast fortune, he’s 85 and he doesn’t give a damn about whether his opinions offend anyone, and I can’t help but admire his Candour. He has probably seen and been exposed to a lot of things behind closed doors, and I would bet he knows a lot of secrets that aren’t his to tell the world. I think some individuals are getting a little too upset just because he says a few mean things about people they hold in high esteem. It’s only opinion, he’s not forcing you to believe the same against your will, just take the interview as a piece of entertainment, at the end of the day that’s basically what QJ is. I agree and disagree with a few things he says, but it’s sill funny and refreshing to me.

Like most on here I could play a gig on almost anything now, and I am convinced over a few weeks I would be perfectly at home on almost anything. Saying that, the only nut width I struggle with is a Jazz width, as I have big fat fingers and I don't have enough space when I play down by the nut. As I said though, a couple of weeks and I am sure I would get used to it and adjust my technique. My comfort zone is Stingray (41mm?) and Precision size necks, I actually love the old 44mm nuts on the 50s reissues. My 5 string has a 51mm nut and that is fine to play, its flat and wide so easy to navigate and the strings feel a 'normal' distance apart like on a 4 string.

It was New Year’s Eve 1999/2000 for me probably. Local town put on a free outdoor event for the millennium and we played the night on a stage in the square. The police thought there were 4500+ people there and it looked like it from the raised stage. It was a pretty incredible sight and sadly I have not played to a crowd that big since. We played covers so it was easy to get people singing along, and as much as I loathe the song now, having 4500 people sing Angels with you is pretty mind blowing and I won’t forget that volume, power and sound of that many people singing.

As the title says, Guy Pratt is doing his show at the Marshall Rooms in Stroud on March 9th. I have had his book for years and I know he will probably be using the same stories, but it will be nice to see him do it in the flesh and hopefully get my book signed and say hello.

I am resurrecting the thread as I am hoping someone with knowledge of Moollon basses might be able to answer a question I have. I am not in the position to place an order just yet so I don't want to waste their time unless I have to. So the question is, does anyone know if they will make a Jazz with a Precision neck, or make a PJ Precision? I saw someone on the American forum mention that they had seen a PJ but there was no evidence and I haven't seen one anywhere. I just cannot get on with Jazz necks, but I want the two pickup option.

I saw a video on youtube where Annie (St Vincent) mentioned it I am sure. Something about being in the studio with Pino and he either played her guitar and he liked it and thought a bass would be good, or he tried a prototype and thought it was good......I cant remember and I am probably paraphrasing, but she mentioned bass and Pino and that's all that matters.

I thought the same thing, especially when Roger always says the setup is so key to the basses being what they are. Saying that, I think they have done well in keeping all electronics and hardware the same, substituting the pickups or offering “Sadowsky designed” parts would have been a poor move IMO. We all know that Japanese factories can do exceptional work and if I was looking for a change of bass and an active jazz, I would be heading to this before I looked at Fender equivalent.

I have a perfectly lovely mature Stingray with a subtle Birdseye neck, but the new classic rays and these new standards are really tempting me with their fancy colours and toasted necks 😬

As much as these do look nice and have some nice features etc, I had exactly the same thought. Whilst I was only interested in the 30-60W versions for home practice I thought even with them on the floor or on a tilt back stand at home, it would be a pain to access everything. I think Markbass and Ashdown have the right idea this year with their small offset, front mounted combos.

This could be a really interesting range and I can’t wait to try one. Great weight and same build as USA (graphite rods and Nitro necks etc). They are going to sit a little higher than Lakland Skylines and it makes sense for Guitar Guitar to take them on as they stock Metros. These and the Blackstar practice amps have interested me most from NAMM so far....

I saw the sneak peaks of these on Instagram and got excited, I thought they had sorted out the ugly headstock. They have to an extent but the rest of it is still pretty ugly IMO. Sure the build will be great and it’s a lovely finish but for that kind of money I would be looking at the Dingwall NG3 for my fanned fret needs.

By the way the guy in the video was talking this is the new standard Stingray. It’s got a neodymium magnet from the bongo wound to Stingray Spec, whatever that means. The guy jokes and says something like ‘why would we mess with the Stingray’. I would love to try one, especially with roasted maple as standard.

It looks like MusicMan have updated the Stingray for 2018. New features: All toasted maple necks, 17 new colour options, black hardware (ebony boards on black hardware basses), 5 bolt neck joint with what looks like a more rounded joint. Also lighter hardware (1pound reduction in weight) and 18v preamp. All on Thomann YouTube vid here:

Saying that I have just seen the tweed TKS cab in the amps for sale section, that is a lot of cab for £450, and I would gladly live with tweed covering.

I think I would be looking at a secondhand Vanderkley if I was starting again. I like carpet covering on cabs for durability and they seem to be one of only a few companies making cabs that aren't tolex. Also if you can find one anywhere, EBS cabs are incredibly good IMO. I have had two in the past, neo and normal speakers, and both had so much thump and clarity, just superb.

So funny you mention this, I remember going to a big heavy rock/metal festival years ago and all of the bands looked as mean and scary as possible. My friend and I both had an ongoing joke the whole weekend, that most of the bands singers were really softly spoken and polite over the microphone and then launched into super aggressive almost inaudible screaming shouting vocals. "Hi everybody, we are Satans Armpit from California, we are so blessed to be here and see you you all, thanks for the support. This next songs is called BLOOD GOBLIN DEATH MURDER" followed by screaming for 3 minutes. I am guilty that I have let the personalities of musicians and bands influence me to an extent. I always though James Blunt was incredibly funny and self deprecating, and played up his soft image. I have no doubt he is more rock and roll behind closed doors than most bands, and a lot tougher than anyone will ever realise. I have recently found a new level of respect for Noel Gallagher too, he is very funny and a proper wind up merchant, and its made me a little more tolerant of Oasis and his solo stuff. I know there are more examples but my mind is not functioning well today. My friend sent me a link to a band the other day and I mocked him quite a lot, because he said "great band, really good songs, tight as hell and they are really nice boys". I love the fact that we have both got to an age, where being 'Nice Boys' is something you should mention about a band.

I am pretty sure Ernie Ball have not Long released a short scale set that fit traditional Mustangs.

I will echo everyone else's comments, I never had much time for them as people or their music to be honest. However this was a good insight and very entertaining, and I don't quite know why, but I actually really like Noel. He really doesn't give sh*t what he says or who he offends, and I think most of it is only meant to provoke people for the fun of it rather than intentionally hurt anyone. There is a dark sense of humor in there and he pokes fun at his own songs, which even I cant deny, defined a generation and struck a chord with so many people. It is an incredible talent being able to write songs that so many people identify with, especially when you do it on your own without a focus group to help out.

Dingwall have slowly changed the few small niggles I had with the NG2 which, in my head, kept me from buying one. I didn’t like the squared pickup shells, I never really liked the old bridge pieces and I always thought the triple pickup config looked the best on almost all of their basses. This new model could cause me a bit of trouble.

I have actually found Bass Direct very competitive in the past. I remember getting an amazing deal on Dunlop Super Brights from them.