RhysP

[quote name='pantherairsoft' timestamp='1336388483' post='1644740'] I hope this won't become a 'what's better' thread. [/quote] It's an internet forum - of course it will. Good luck with the rehab Shep - I hope it continues to work for you.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1336319134' post='1643936'] Other than the price, what's the big deal? [/quote] Judging by the picture Godzilla has wiped his big scaley arse with it, which I guess would command a premium price in Japan.

I've ordered things from them before (strings for my Hamer 12 string bass) & they were great.

If you're buying a new bass from the USA it's best to check if the warranty offered with it will be valid outside of the US - quite often they aren't. Also, if you do have any problems with the bass will the UK distributor (if any) honour any warranty claims or will you have to ship the bass back to the USA.

[quote name='dub_junkie' timestamp='1335741814' post='1635432'] Getting serious pangs for a Euro 5 again looking at this thread and wondering whether one of my Stingray 5s should be a Euro 5? [/quote] Having owned a Stingray 5 before I got my Spector I would say yes. The Spector wipes the floor with the Stingray in every aspect IMO.

Single coil pickups? If so they could be picking up interference from something.

[quote name='jbn4001' timestamp='1335557755' post='1633254'] .....but then they did their WORST album with S & A. [/quote] Really? Worse than "Test for Echo"? I'm one of the few who think that "Snakes & Arrows" is one of the best things they've ever done.

I'm generally a big fan of white pearl scratchplates ( I have one on my Levinson Strat). However, there are a couple of things that make me not like the look of the one you have on your bass: The thin black line of the laminate around the edge; it looks like you've put it on your bass & then gone around it with a black felt tip pen. All white rather than white/black laminate would look far better IMO. I don't think the gold screws work with the rest of the hardware. They would have worked fine with the gold anodised scratchplate but I think chrome or nickel ones would look better with the pearl plate.

The Spector I bought recently was strung with a set of Blue Steels - very nice strings. I thought the gauge was going to be a bit light for me but they feel great.

[quote name='cetera' timestamp='1335391342' post='1630524'] Rhys, gorgeous Spector there my friend! [/quote] Cheers matey! It's an absolutely superb bass & I love it - the Zons haven't been out of their cases since I got it. There's not a single thing I don't like about it

XTC - Skylarking.

Is this Ex UFO & Lonestar guitarist Paul "Tonka" Chapman's band Ghost you're referring to or is there another band now going by that name?

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1334752817' post='1620658'] Technique-wise..pretty limited altho it works for him as he is the band writer as well..so it has to fit. If that is your style/techique outside of that gig, then you are going to find a lot of stuff pretty hard to cover. [/quote] Are you not familiar with Geddys playing over the years? He hasn't always played in that style - that flamenco/strumming thing he does didn't really start until the 90's.

How long are you going for? If it's only a couple of weeks then why bother taking a bass at all? Have a break from it, enjoy your holiday & come back to it refreshed & enthusiastic. You'll need a proper pro flightcase to ensure that it doesn't get destroyed & there's also the possibility of it going missing in transit. If you're going for a long time then I'd consider buying a bass out there & flogging it before you come back before going to all the hassle of taking one with you.

[quote name='The Walloper' timestamp='1334570535' post='1617618'] Don't know what it is about these basses. They just don't seem that popular, which is strange. [/quote] Really? They've got to be the third or fourth most popular electric bass in the world (don't know whether they'd be in front or behind Rickenbacker after the Fender Precision & Jazz). I've had a couple over the years (a four & a five string) but was pretty underwhelmed with both of them to be honest.

[quote name='spinynorman' timestamp='1334682956' post='1619738'] So it really feels like it's going to fall apart, just when it seemed to be going so well. Is that what happens? [/quote] Yes, every single f***ing time. That's why I have no intention whatsoever of gigging again - the hassle/enjoyment ratio is always skewed predominantly in favour of the former in my experience.

For the 70's ones what about David Bowies "Ziggy Stardust" (easy & great fun to play) & a punkier one, something like The Buzzcocks "Ever Fallen In Love With Someone (You Shouldn't have Fallen In Love With)"? What about a nice bit of Level 42 for one of the 80's ones?

No need to f*** about with an amp tech for that - just squirt a bit of switch cleaner in them & twiddle them about a bit. If you don't feel confident doing it yourself then Nobles in Whitchurch is possibly your best bet - their tech guy (don't know if it's still Clive Noble) is meant to be pretty good with amps.

You might not be able to have the bass operate in passive mode - it depends on whether the pickups themselves are active or passive. If the pickups are passive then you can do it as all you'd effectively be doing is switching the tone circuit off. If the pickups are active however you'd be switching it all off & you'd have no sound.

[quote name='matski' timestamp='1332236701' post='1585109'] The only other guy I've met who has owned one was Paul Raven of Killing Joke - [/quote] I think Martin McAloon from Prefab Sprout used to have one in the 80's.