bigjohn

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='323602' date='Nov 6 2008, 05:47 PM']Sounds good, is it lefty loosey?[/quote] Yeah - like a normal screw usually. Give it a little turn - work out how tight it is. Generally, the tighter it is, the more work it's doing and the better off you are loosening it. If it's not doing much work and you're only gonna be a coupla days, just leave it where it is... Truss rods aint usually that big a deal - and you might find that messing about with it will get you a better action. Just use a bit of common sense. If you're having to force it - DON'T! (although a little tug is ok to get it moving ) ffnar ffnar... Otherwise, it's as fair game to adjust as your saddle heights. Putting a mark on it and counting the turns is the way - then you can put it back where you started if you like...

it depends on how much the truss is under tension. I'd loosen it anyway - but if it's not doing much, then there wouldn't really be much point other than the piece of mind you we're doing the right thing. Why don't you loosen it and count the turns...?

Tune in next time for more thunderous thunderbirds, ebayed imaginings and more questions than answers... BTW, are they your feet? [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='323363' date='Nov 6 2008, 12:55 PM']Who won the 1974 cup final?[/quote] Don't ask Malcolm McDonald.

Is it a studio model?

[quote name='Linus27' post='322551' date='Nov 5 2008, 11:40 AM']Good thread this. I also adore the Fender American Vintage 75 re-issue Jazz bass. I love the colour and its one of my dream basses. However, I can no way afford to spend £1200 on a bass, not at this moment anyway. So I am looking at all my options also. I love the Fender 70's Re-Issue Jazz bass that you have pointed out. They also do a Fender classic 60's Jazz bass for £549 and a Fender Precision 50's bass for £445 which also looks ace. Then you have the Fender Standard Series Jazz Bass for £350. The thing is, apart from the name. what are the differences between these basses?? Is one better than the other or are they the same and just different branding?[/quote] The MIM ones certainly feel much different than the standards. The necks are a different profile and feel like a vintage bass. They are lovely. I played one in Paris and wanted to bring it home. Never did though

[quote name='Alun' post='321362' date='Nov 3 2008, 09:43 PM']I would say yes as he did seem to improvise a lot, especially live.[/quote] So in the studio he always played the same? The Ox's basslines always seem different on every recording of every who song I've heard. The melodies are the same - but there's always a difference, subtle or blindingly obvious somewhere or other. It's one of the reasons I'm a big fan. I never "learn" my own basslines either!

[quote name='Rusty Shackleford' post='317391' date='Oct 29 2008, 11:01 AM']got photos? im very tempted to get a cab like this for my next purchse. would just hope i can find something light in wieght and light on the wallet![/quote] [url="http://www.acmebass.com/"]acme low b2s[/url] They are excellent.

Hmmm... I've got two 2x10s that both have 5" midrange drivers in em. (that used to belong to Alex ^!) And I've got a large Ampeg Combo that has a 15" and an 8" biamped.

[quote name='neepheid' post='316755' date='Oct 28 2008, 02:53 PM']In short - mod for fun and knowledge/experience, not to save money.[/quote] Deffo - or perhaps if you really [i]must[/i] in search of a specific tone. Modding / building a bass has only had two specific advantages for me... 1) It's mine and there's not another like it. 2) I know exactly how to fix everything with it. I could have bought a US fender for the price I paid for an MIM and all the mods I've done to it... and in the end - its still a MIM fender. (although there's only the body that's left!)

[quote name='OldGit' post='315889' date='Oct 27 2008, 03:28 PM']I had one like this. I watched my Luthier do it once. He took the neck off, with the strings still wound on They were loosened off but not right off the capstans, He just flipped it over, took the neck screws out enough to disengage the neck heel, "cocked" the neck so the adjuster was accessible at the beck of the body, tweaked it just the right amount, put it back in and tightened the screws and strings .. Took about 4 minutes ...[/quote] I once took a neck off a bass with the strings still on and didn't like it one bit! I found unless you leave enough tension in the strings, they come off the tuners anyway and it starts getting messy. If you leave too much tension in em you run the risk of damaging the body / heel screwholes when the screws are loose. I'd imagine there is some kind of sweet spot which keeps the strings on and doesn't do too much to the screwholes but unless you're doing this sort of thing all day long it seems a little silly to risk damaging your bass to save 5 minutes putting the strings back on. Good trick though

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='313830' date='Oct 24 2008, 02:21 PM']Just follow the instructions to the letter. And to get the finish totally flush be prepared to put on layer after layer of lacquer and sand it all back again being careful not to cut into your decal. So basically you are building up the layers around the decal to bring it up to the same height. It's a lot of work and time (I put 2 coats on with a 1hr gap and leave to go off for 24hrs - I lost count of how many times I did it - somewhere between 10-15) but it's really worth it in the end.[/quote] Aye, ok... A need for patience! Did you use liquid lacquer?

Any of you lads got any handy tips for applying these decals? You all seem to have done pretty good jobs!

[quote name='mcgraham' post='311221' date='Oct 21 2008, 12:32 PM']Josh, let me see if I understand you correctly. All the things you've described (which I think have been at least mildly misrepresented in your post, but lets leave that as it's peripheral) appear ludicrous to you. You see it as an unfounded delusion that these people are indulging in the belief of a creator God, singing praises to Jesus and the Holy Spirit, [i]because you do not believe that any of these things are true[/i]. Is this the case? Or is there something else that I am missing? I just wish to respond accurately. Mark[/quote] Yeah come on Josh... are you some kinda atheist heathen or what?

I prefer what my neighbours call "Devil Music"...

Those '52 look a like Telecasters are made in Korea. The lite ash series. All go for decent money (80-90% of RRP) used on ebay so that's a good sign...

looks like a highway one.

[quote name='Geek99' post='307172' date='Oct 15 2008, 03:51 PM']What capacitor would I change it for ? I presume I can buy them from Maplins - they're not special in some way? Tone control doesnt seem to do very much anyway.[/quote] There are loads of capacitors out there. Swapping out stock caps for higher quality ones certainly has improved the tone and range of tones I can get out of the two basses I've done it to.

[quote name='Thunderhead' post='307124' date='Oct 15 2008, 02:42 PM']Personally I've never thought the pickups and wiring were the strong point of the Fender Japan instruments, on any model - the woodwork is excellent, the hardware is good, but the electronics are average at best. I would replace the whole lot with proper US-quality parts - Duncan or Fender US Reissue pickups, CTS pots and a Switchcraft jack (yes, everything). The pots and jack are available as Fender spares if you can't find them anywhere else, although they're expensive that way. That will give you a much better tone as well as probably curing the noise problem.[/quote] I've never owned a japanese fender but I can vouch for changing electrics. I've changed my mexican P (which had US electrics in it) for a 62 reissue pickup and new pots and jack. I also put in a cornell-dubilier oil and paper capacitor. It's made a massive difference to the tone(s) it produces. It sounds miles better than any stock P I've played. US's included.

[quote name='Geek99' post='307066' date='Oct 15 2008, 01:36 PM']I have a japan 62 RI jazz that as far as I know is stock. its really noisy, I know single coils are a bit prone but surely not this much. The two pickup volume pots seem to affect each other. With the neck on full, its noisy then adding the bridge removes that to an extent until that gets to full volume then its gets noisy again. The earth wire to the bridge is in place - I know it isnt the amp or cable as my ray copy isnt noisy using the same setup. I know I could get some shielding paint from Maplins - apart from that, any suggestions? Using my Zoom b2.1 NR function at setting 9 kills the noise. My ray only needs 3 to make it silent.[/quote] I'd expect the two volume pots to effect the noise seeing as they're single coils. It's a bit suspect that it's noisy with them both full up though. I'd shield it anyway. And whilst you're in there check out the wiring and soldering. If it still hums I'd change the capacitors. Also - I know this sounds silly but do you have a specific spot where you practice - I moved where I played in the house after getting a lot of hum through a bridge j bass pickup on my p/j - must have been wires in the wall...

I had a weird amp when I first started out. It was a some kind of solid state thing made in someone's garage in Southport called a "Sperrin" (Jim Sperrin was the fella's name). I got it with a huge 20" bass bin as a speaker and it sounded brilliant. Only problem with it was it hardly ever worked if you moved it - which was sh*t for gigs

[quote name='skelf' post='294778' date='Sep 29 2008, 06:19 PM']If you are use a pre-cat lacquer you must wear a suitable mask one suit to organic vapours. It has numerous carcinogenic compounds in it while spraying and drying.[/quote] will do! [quote name='Muppet' post='294807' date='Sep 29 2008, 07:06 PM']I've done this a few times. MM P bass necks are already sealed and briefly lacquered although they don't look like it. I mask off the entire fretboard and concentrate on the back of the neck and the headstock, unless you are going for a different tint of lacquer. Always wear a mask. The headstock finish is ok to apply a decal straight on to. When you do this, allow the decal to dry OVERNIGHT and VERY LIGHTLY dust the headstock with lacquer the next day. Then wait a few hours and dust again. Too much lacquer at this stage will pickle the decal and you'll have to start again. Then you can apply light coats to both the neck and the headstock. I usually suspend the neck by a wire coathanger from the ceiling of my garage. Wait plenty of time between coats - hours or even a full day if you can. I apply at least six coats if not more. If you ever apply a coat and it looks wet, then you've applied to much and it might run. If it runs, your only course of action is to wait until it dries and sand it out. Once you have applied your final coat, wait. A week. Two if you can. This is because although lacquer appears dry, it is still soft under the outer coat and needs time to cure. When it's cured, time to get out the wire wool and very fine wet and dry paper and sand down the neck LIGHTLY till it is smooth but be careful on the headstock that you don't rub all the way down to the new decal. This will produce a matt finish, which is OK. If you want it shiny then some car polish or t cut carefully applied will bring it up a treat. I actually use Autosol, though quite sparingly. Remember that the layer under the one you are smoothing out will be softer, so go carefully.[/quote] I'm after a satin finish - and I'm not sure how much of the lacquer I've removed whilst sadning out dings and dirt - it was 2nd hand. Great advice about the coathanger though... My garage will be good for it I reckon - it's got a door at either end so I should get some good ventillation. [quote name='Mikey R' post='294767' date='Sep 29 2008, 06:09 PM']Youre in trouble - it says on the website "Pre-Cat Lacquer Satin - 369g" - you wont be able to use it on the mog Just out of interest, did you consider a water based brush on laquer, like [url="http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Chestnut-Acrylic-Lacquer-19769.htm"]http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Chestnu...cquer-19769.htm[/url] Ive also been eyeing up this [url="http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Polyvine-Wax-Finish-Varnish-715653.htm"]http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Polyvin...nish-715653.htm[/url] - will have to give it a try on some scrap[/quote] Should work well on sabre-tooth tigers then? Not really considered a brush on - thought I'd get a finish with an aerosol...

I wanted to be in a band. I could "sort of" play drums and "sort of" guitar but knew people that were better then me at both. I bought a bass and we formed a band. That was 17 ago. Wasn't in another band until 2-3 years ago. I moved to Nottingham and thought it would be a good way to meet good people... How wrong I was