Muzz

It is indeed a quartersawn Lakland US neck which I was very fortunate to happen upon, and lovely it is too. I talked to Sheldon Dingwall about the pickups, and as always he was very helpful indeed - his advice was similar to the above: "If it sounds OK, great..." Given that I've got a 'proper' Dingwall with the same pups in, the sound is remarkably close, even before the U-Retro, which just takes it further. I'm having a crisis about drilling holes in my Dingwall to fit a U-Retro now...

Very nice indeed, well snagged.

[quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1383476906' post='2264757'] Are there any in the northwest? [/quote] Drew at the Manchester Bass Lounge has some high-end amps and cabs in, MarkBass especially - he's even got one of the new Multiamps in, I'm dying to try that one.

Cheers guys, it's a nice feeling when other folk appreciate what you've done with a bass!

Actives. Been through a lot of active basses (including Overwaters, Shukers and several Rays), and what I think I didn't like was the active circuits. Finally got to put an East U-Retro in a bass, and it's like a light coming on - I love it, I have't touched my amp EQ since, and I'm seriously considering drilling holes in my beloved Dingwall to fit one into that, too...

So, it's finally finished, and I may well have completely jumped the shark with this one, but it's exactly what was in my head from the beginning, and it sounds glorious. Korean Epi body and neckplate, Lakland neck with the best birdseye board I've ever seen (looks even better in the flesh), Hipshot Supertone bridge and Ultralites with Detuner, under the chrome covers are a pair of Dingwall pickups (neck one is a P-Tone), and an East U-Retro finishes it off. No neck dive, and it weighs under 8.5lbs. Edit: I should give credit where it's due here to Steve Curtis (theguitarrepairworkshop.com) for a fantastic job on a very awkward neck pocket (a completely different sized neck, and 22 frets, so a lot of modification needed) - it's very tight indeed. It's my rawk bass, and with the Dingwall, I've got all my live bases covered for now. [attachment=147454:photo 1.JPG] [attachment=147455:photo 2.JPG] [attachment=147456:photo 3.JPG] [attachment=147457:photo 4.JPG] [attachment=147458:photo 5.JPG]

I'd do a bit of research as to the original pot values for those pickups, you may need to replace the pots to get the best out of the pups. I'd suggest a rewire anyway, if you're putting good pickups in, makes sense to put good wiring and pots. Kigon on here does great wiring kits, he may be able to help.

Mine does it occasionally, I've stopped worrying about it - the lights come on after a short while, so I really cant be arsed to do anything about it...

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr6Qgzw5nbU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr6Qgzw5nbU[/url]

Hmmm, I've had the opposite experience - I've found the B really did just get in the way, and I never, ever needed it for anything I was playing - I have a Detuner to drop the D, and that's all I need. If you love the B and, like Grangur, you'd miss it, then yeah, ditch the 4s and go for it. EDIT I meant to say, in a same-but-opposite-way, I shifted the 5 on because I wasn't playing it, and it had no sentimental value to me.

Anyone who thinks playing those covers to that standard is easy, or some sort of cop-out, should give it a go. It's a lot more than learning the dots, tabs and parts - I know some very good musicians who have perpetrated some of the worst covers I've heard. I play in an originals band and I also play covers, and the originals stuff is much, much easier: for starters, you have nothing to measure up against. Covers, very good covers as in the OP, sound easy till you try, but then that's more or less a definition of someone who's very good at what they do - they make it sound easy.

Great clip, thanks Clarky. That's some bassline for £24...

It looks a bit like my Gran's old sewing basket. In a good way, obv...

Yeah, you could get a pencil into that neck pocket gap. That means it's probably a genuine late 70s Fender...

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1382643768' post='2255027'] I would love it if this sort of thing ended up on radio one. [/quote] Yep, I never listen to Radio 1. All very talented, etc, but, for me, deeply irritating music.

warmoth.com is my favourite idle-time bass-porn site, love faffing about with the build options. I had warmoth Explorer bass, and the quality of fit and finish was exemplary. One day I'm gonna sort out a nice light PJ...

Thank Gawd for that - no-one's had a clue about various items of oriental cheapo for months on here...

As long as it is what it says it is...it's a bargain. The serial's right, but there's need to be a lot more than that to back it up.

If you've got a Streamliner and a Barefaced S12 cab, you've already got (arguably, as all things are on here) a very very good, small, light solution there already. You'll be compromising in at least one way from where you are, IMHO. If your driver is weight and size, you might save a couple of pounds on a smaller head, or possibly ten on the cab, but I really don't see the point (your cabs has wheels?) If you've a bad back, you might be better off putting funds and effort into a lighter bass. A couple of pounds there is much more noticeable - my Dingwall's 7.5lbs, and I can really tell if I use a heavier bass for any length of time.

I'd agree with Lozz - set the amp flat (if it's a Streamliner then that's NOT with all knobs at 12) and try the tone sweep on the bass again.

Love Francis, been to several house concerts and whenever he's in town, I'm there. Will check this out, thanks.