RhysP

Puke red wine over them - that'll really f*** them up.

There's this as well: http://www.deanguitars.com/content/imagelib/basses/edgeimprov/2.htm

It looks like an Improv 5 - any pictures of the neck/headstock? Has it got the "Talon" inlay at the 12th fret? Dean still make some lovely instruments but unfortunately, like BC Rich, they get classed as low end heavy metal guitars by people who have never seen or played the older US models.

GHS Boomers (they make a Flea signature set) are great strings. The ones I use are made by Labella & are called "Slappers", so they might be OK for you too. Lots of people would say you need really light guage strings for slapping but I use 45-110 & they sound & feel fine to me. I used to use incredibly light guage strings on my Jaydee (30-90) but I just found there was no "oomph" to them at all, they sounded really weedy. If you're just starting maybe going for a set around 40-100 would be a good choice (assuming you're playing a four string). (Stringbusters online are the best place to get the strings mentioned above - great prices & fast delivery too. Hope that helps.

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1339543121' post='1690473'] I must stress though, that the sound does not transfer through the amp. It's a lovely and warm, woody sounding bass when plugged in. [/quote] Surely what it sounds like through an amp is the important thing? [quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1340095927' post='1698881'] Just wondering (and based on guessing about the physics) - this might be to do with the way the frets are attached. If they were glued in at each end of the fret but not in the middle, you might get a "ringing" of the fret itself - which the strings wouldn't affect, so you could change the strings without affecting the sound. And since this might allow the manufacturer to halve their fret glue budget, it's the sort of thing they might try. As I say, that's a guess. [/quote] I'd expect that sort of cost cutting, poor quality construction from Fender US, but I'd be surprised at that approach being taken with the Japanese models.

I'd pretty much decided that five strings weren't for me - until I got my Spector Euro 5LX. I'd owned others, including what a lot of people recommend as a benchmark five string, A Musicman Stingray, but just didn't like it at all. I found it big, bulky & very underwhelming sound-wise. My Bogart was great, but still not enough to persuade me that I wasn't missing anything by not owning a 5ver. The Spector is now my main bass, to the extent that I'm seriously considering selling my Zons. I guess what I'm saying is that there is probably a 5ver out there somewhere that will have the same effect on somebody that my Spector had on me - I was 100% sure I was a dyed in the wool (or is that stick in the mud?) four string player until I got it, now I can't imagine playing anything else.

Looks like a mixture of a Precision Elite II & one of the original Precision Specials (that's what the bridge looks like it came from to me). Actually, looking at the bridge baseplate again it could even be a Kahler bass trem.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1339703758' post='1693133'] Is that Billy Corgan the Smashing Pumpkin? Strange combination! [/quote] Why is it strange? The guy is a longtime Rush fanatic.

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1339535141' post='1690259'] You need 3 sheds full of nazi memorabilia, facial hair and a huge wart. [/quote] Why will being just like my mum make him a good bassist/frontperson?

Spector Euro 5LX - the only five string bass that has ever really impressed me. A million times better than the Musicman Stingray 5 I had, and even better than my Bogart SKC which was a fantastic bass but still not good enough to persuade me to persevere with a five string. I play the Spector pretty much exclusively now - even my Zons have taken a back seat.

[quote name='police squad' timestamp='1339055882' post='1682853'] Anyone here got a Manson. I've had 2 in my time, both explorers. One was black with white spots on the pointy bits [/quote] Where did you get the black & white spotty one if you don't mind me asking? The music shop I used to help out at in Cardiff ("Livewire") had a Manson Explorer in exactly the finish you describe custom made for them in the 1980s. It was a bit of a weird shape if I remember correctly - almost an explorer but not quite.

[quote name='Stickman' timestamp='1338295514' post='1672246'] Cool! Should be good. [/quote] It was f***ing AWESOME!!

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1338908650' post='1680896'] I don't want to go down the Remote keyboard/laptop route as I want the hands on twiddle knobs/push buttons stuff that half of the playing with synths is about. [/quote] I can completely relate to that. I always wanted to be a synthesiser/keyboard player but the gear was so expensive when I started playing that it was impossible. If I ever had the money I'd love nothing more than a collection of vintage keyboards, each of which has it's own unique feel & idiosyncracies; something that would be completely lost going down the software synth path. I sometimes think about selling all my basses and buying a Mellotron - probably my favourite instrument of all time. ,

If you're prepared to go secondhand then I would recommend a Spector Euro 5LX, but as others have said there is a wide range of excellent basses available for your budget on the secondhand market. Personally I'd never spend money on a brand new bass ever again.

Zon Legacy. My favourite bass shape, my favourite pre amp (Polyfusion). Love the way they look, sound & feel. The quality of them is astonishingly good. Also recently bought a Spector Euro 5LX & that is a brilliant bass too - the best five string I've played (both my Zons are four strings - fretted & fretless).

And four weeks for delivery too.

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1338391905' post='1673825'] ....I'm a nervous driver, no good at following directions and hopeless at parking. [/quote] Cracking bit of female stereotype/cliche reinforcement going on there.

If you're going to get this upset about having your bass parts re-recorded, rejected or tampered with may I suggest you never become a session player. I've done sessions where I've played what I thought was a good part only to be told "that's not what I want, can you do it this way instead?" Or had some nice groove playing cut up, copied, pasted and rejigged about so the end result sounded completely different to what I initially played. No point in having a hissy fit about it & certainly no room for ego to run riot - you play what the person hiring you wants you to play & you take the cash at the end.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1338363463' post='1673162'] I don't have a tuner pedal, not because I don't think they're of use but because [b]I'm happy that my bass will stay in tune for the full gig if I tune it before hand [/b](usually with a phone app) & give it a quick check over before plugging in (usually by ear on the harmonics, or if it's noisy, using the guitarists tuner). [/quote] This. When I was gigging I would tune up before playing & I would still be in tune at the end of the gig. If you have to regularly consult a tuner during a gig you'd probably be better off buying a high quality bass that doesn't go out of tune all the time, or maybe seek some kind of help for the tuning paranoia/OCD you suffer from.