Dom in Dorset

Oh No! If only I'd known the truth before I made a fool out of myself by playing fretless in two bands! All those people in the audience were thinking "what is he doing with a fretless in a band? in public too!! what a prat , doesn't he know they're only for home use???" I hang my head in shame.

I think it's the chords he throws in that get my interest.

I stumbled on this video, serioiusly fancy playing but I found it quite listenable even though I don't usually get off on that sort of thing. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhgamH8HfNs"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhgamH8HfNs[/url]

I'm not that up on fretted Wal sounds, it's got a decent range, but most of the sounds I like I can also get from my Epi T bird that cost £150. It's nice to play and set itself up, I suspect that you'd only tell it's true quality playing live at volume or in the studio. Cheaper instruments always take more studio time to get a good sound. I've only had the chance to play it for ten minutes in my kitchen.

W2176 on the neck plate. Single passive humbucker with coil tap, vol/tone It's got a big chunk out of the varnish on the bottom edge and some cracks. It came to me for set up and repairs, I've not seen a passive Wal before , any idea what one might sell for?

The singer is acting on behalf of everyone who ever felt like doing the same ...

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ3zxvKEL28&feature=player_embedded"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ3zxvKEL28...player_embedded[/url]

I can't help with your original question but Laburnum is quite toxic - wear a mask when you work with it. I got a load for bagpioe making a few years ago, it never caused me any problems , but i always wear a mask. I got it from another maker who got terible chest pains after using it. It's a lovely timber though, looks unpromising at firts but polished and oiled it changes completely.

jazz bass , treating each coil as neck or bridge pick up?

what is the basses spec? ie:passive? (all the OLP's I've seen are) single humbucker, one tone, one vol? if so you might be able to use a p bass diagram.

The question mark is because the wire goes into a hole pointing in the direction of the battery compartment. It's about 1 1/2" away, I can't be 100% certain that it goes to the battery (95%)

I've had a chance to take a look inside, the wiring looks pristine, I suspect all original, this is a drawing of the jack: (my camera isn't up to the job)

"a pair of necks" - I take it you're going for interchangeable rather than twin?

If proof were needed: The man next to me is wearing a waste paper basket! He usualy tries to up-stage me, no chance now I've got the twin neck.

I've taken a share of lead vocal in two bands, one at the moment. I find that working on a new song I have to concentrate on getting the bass right and singing as and when I can, the full vocal only comes when I've got the bass part sorted.

Do Fender make their P bass bodies in three sections? My gut reaction is that the body has been stripped and given an oil finish, hence the grainy feel. OK an image search for "Fnder Precision Natural" turns up one and three piece bodies! Hopefuly it's active fretless jazz sister will turn up in my local charity shop.

I'm re-stringing and setting up some basses for someone and they've also asked if I can help with another problem: They have an active Yamaha bass, I don't know the model , it's a four string with two soap bar pick ups. He noticed a few years ago that it seemed to be rather battery hungry so he went over to removing the battery when not in use. I've got two active acoustics that I keep the batteries in with no ill effects. He thinks the problem is getting worse, the last battery survived three gigs before being consumed. Any ideas?

I had the same problem with the G on one of mine, I put it down to the light strings I was using. I changed to a heavier set and it's fixed, could have been the change of string that did it anyway regardless of gauge.

Was this originaly passive and you've added a pre-amp? Are those stacked knobs?

I biult a bass with only a piezo pick up, I bought an Artec pick up and pre-amp, I just had to fit the strip under the bridge and plug in the pre-amp- no soldering. This one: I had tp make the body deeper than I'd planned because the pre-amp was the sort of thing that comes in an acoustic guitar, i needed the depth to fit it in. It has a three band eq.

This one:

I do like the bass that he used for the Live Earth show, five strings and six pick ups- class.

It weights 6.25Kg / 14lb

That's the bass equivalent of owning the Turin Shroud. "Can I raise a practical Question at this point? Are we going to do Stone'enge tomorrow?"

I've just got back from my first rehearsal with "The Beast" as she now seems to be known. In that band I was using a fretless acoustic, with only an active piezo pick up. It had a nice "double bass" sound but quite diffuse, you had to play loud to hear what I was doing and sometimes it could be a bit muddy. The twin neck has a much more focussed sound, and I love to jazz necks. How does it sound? the fretted side sounds like a regular P bass, it's got light strings on at the moment and it's quite twangy. The piezo bridge is subtle but add great slap tone. The fretless neck has a nice warm sound, the piezo adds some nice top end "mmmwwwwaaahh" and "board crack" I'm a happy bunny. Yes it's heavy, but I'm getting used to it, I'll try and weigh it tomorrow.