noelk27

[quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1340608149' post='1706772']Spotted this. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aria-Pro-2-II-Electric-Bass-Guitar-Japan-Made-Cliff-Burton-C-W-Hard-Case-1980s-/221056462148?_trksid=p4340.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DDLSL%252BSIC.NPJS%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BUA%26otn%3D10%26pmod%3D261048306497%252B261048306497%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D155160314840587853"]http://www.ebay.co.u...160314840587853[/url][/quote] Laser Electric Heritage (as in the link) and Laser Electric Classic were basically RSB models under another name. Very comfortable necks. Between Jazz and Precision widths and with a shallow modern "C" shape. Almost always available at a bargain basement price.

Elixir strings marketing puff, which gets regurgitated and quoted on these boards as if it were fact. What is most annoying are the idiots who quote this sh*t without doing even the most basic of research or who, when presented with patent information which disproves their idiotic assertions, simply refuse to take on board facts.

He's overpriced the BIN in the expectation people will make best offers, so effectively running a blind auction. Blind auctions are, in fact, a very good way to maximise price offered.

What's normal will depend on how well everything is working. Just do what everyone else does - put some other material under the foam so that the range of height adjustment available meets your needs.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1339964350' post='1696995']shizzle[/quote] Sososo funny word!

[quote name='grenadilla' timestamp='1339949377' post='1696636']In the video it isn't plugged in; could be another bass on the recording...[/quote] TOTP, nothing was ever plugged in. As for what's on the recording, wasn't his main studio bass a Wal of some description (a IIe, I think)?

When the pound in your pocket was buying Y250 then no one was paying circa £300 for a Westone Thunder III here, given what you could import for. But, those days are long since gone, and the prices you have to pay here now reflect that. There were two versions of the pickups used in the early III, leaving aside the version with the XLR output system, one with covers, one without. The pickups were made by different suppliers, so it does make a minor difference to the sound, but it's not something to get hung up on unless you're an obsessive collector. Unless you come across a Vantage 900 series, then the active version of the III is about as good as you can get if you want something made by Matsumoku. In good, original condition, in the right colour, with branded case, I'd pay circa £300 for one these days.

+1 neepheid Construction techniques have more impact than choice of woods. Elsewhere on the boards there's a thread running where it's being claimed that the slither of touchboard material has a marked impact on the sound produced by a bass (it being stated that rosewood dampens the overall sound). Personally, I think that assertion is nonsense (not least because a fretted string almost never touches the board, but the fret wire, so even accepting transmission and dissipation arguments it's difficult to see how the wire isn't having more of an impact than the touchboard wood). Anyway, around six months ago I was trying to work out the best pickups to put into a Yamaki constructed Washburn Falcon carcass (a neck-through made with ash and rosewood, featuring a carved rosewood top) and had some pickups from an '83 Yamaha SG2000S (a neck-though made with mahogany, featuring a carved maple top) and a '79 Ibanez Artist 2622 (Super 80s) (a set neck made with mahogany, featuring a carved maple top). Playing the Falcon alongside another Yamaha SG, an '81 SG2000, and another Ibanez Artist, a '78 2619, I could here no differences between the SG pickups in the Falcon or the SG, or between the Falcon and the Artist. Having made some recordings, I also had the guitarist I work with take a listen, and he said the same, that the Super 80s sounded like Super 80s, irrespective of which carcass those were in. Same for the SG pickups. Only went to confirm what I'd believed previously.

In your position, Oli, I'd start by making a note of the guitars I'd owned/played and what about those suited/didn't suit my playing style. I'd use those criteria to determine what it is I should be looking at. For example, some people are saying Strat, but, if as I suspect, you prefer a wider neck with a shallower profile, then most Strats don't fit the bill, with the exception, perhaps, of the the 80s Plus series. (Wider neck due to the Wilkinson nut.) Also, people are suggesting Yamaha SA series, but the neck on these is so similar to the Sg that you would most likely struggle to get along. You also say that you don't get along with Ibanez necks, but the older models, particularly the Artist series from the 70s and early 80s have wide and shallow necks that are exceptionally comfortable to play. For vintage stuff, you can drop me a private message. I'll leave you to examine the up-to-date stuff the more traditional way - having fun trying things out in music stores!

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1339578536' post='1690722']Rosewood dampens the strings better, as it's a softer wood.[/quote] Leaving aside the point that the string almost never contacts the wood of the touchboard, but the fret wire, can't say I understand this notion of damping. Length of and rate at which the string moves in the magnetic field generated by the pickup which determines the output. Touchboard wood is making no appreciable difference to output or sustain. Don't you think that the reason there's any difference between a neck that's all maple and a neck made with maple and capped with rosewood is construction? Most necks with a maple touchboard are not capped. All necks with a rosewood touchboard are capped. As for colour combination preferences - two-tone sunburst and maple looks great and three-tone sunburst and rosewood looks great.

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1339498845' post='1689252']"Some nice bass playing mate!"[/quote] Maybe I'm in the minority, but my usual response is "I know".

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1339364851' post='1687612']Of all the Blaster basses this one looks like the best copy. The picture that usually surfaces of the one with the two piece bridge is dire![/quote] You're confusing the "Fixer" copy which was made in Korea, using parts similar to those developed by Matsumoku for the Washburn Bantam, with the Blaster, which was an officially licensed design from Kubicki.

If you could zoom in on the writing under "Blaster" you'd see it reads "Licensed by Philip Kubicki California". There's a lot of nonsense out there about these instruments. Uncommon, yes, but there are a lot more than 25 of these about.

After you factor in shipping, duties and taxes it's over £700 delivered.

[quote name='BRANCINI' timestamp='1339200144' post='1685403']Didnt put it in Japcrap thread, Not sure where they were made.[/quote] Japan and/or Korea. This one might be one of the Korean ply examples.

I'd say one acoustic and one electric is the absolute minimum. For me that would be a mid 80s Yamaha FG and an early 60s Fender Strat. Which is a bit bizarre, mostly because just 3 of the 150+ guitars in my possession are Strats or Strat clones.

Hmm, starting to think this programme should be retitled Power Pop Britannia.

Hooky used a Hondo II faker at one point and ANOther(s). Foxton used an Ibanez faker before progressing to real ones. But, from memory, it was mostly Rics and 'Rays. And, with Fenders, I'd have pinned the Mustang ahead of Precision.