Muzz

By that reasoning, Jazz bass body = old bloke bass... I can understand that... On the topic of the pickups, here's my Fenderbird, with Dingwall pickups, cunningly lurking beneath these great covers: http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b585/MTM133/photo_zpsebe2a12f.jpg

OK, so I've been working on this one on and off for a long time, and it's pretty much finished for now, and I'm really, really happy with how it's turned out - it looks exactly like I wanted it to (was going for the 70s T-Bird/Fenderbird look), and sounds really good too. EPi T-Bird body, naturally reliced (AKA bashed about a bit), fantastic neck pocket done by Steve at PMT in Salford (tight as a tight thing), MM J-neck with shonky 70's Precision decal (still got the Epiphone neck plate proudly on there), Hipshot ultralites with D-Tuner, Hipshot Supertone bridge, Dingwall pickups under the covers, CTS wiring with pull-serial on the tone knob. [url="http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b585/MTM133/photo_zpsebe2a12f.jpg"][/url] I might rewire with a 4-way switch for Neck-Serial-Parallel-Bridge like my Dingwall, and I may even pick up a Warmoth neck when I'm in the States later this year, but that's about it, I think.

Wow, that raised the bar for pointless, tuneless fret-wittery a few notches. Tho the Mingus/spacehopper combo is oddly fascinating...

Apples and oranges, really - the Yam is a very very good traditional passive P/J, which will do a very good P impression, and the SR is an active/passive beastie with those great Nordstrand Big Singles and a 3 band EQ. Old school vs newer school looks-wise, as well. The Yam has a bigger neck, if that's important to you, the SR will feel very similar to your SR (tho higher quality). Both are great basses, as with any new purchase at this sort of price, try both before you buy. IIRC, PMT in Salford might have both in stock (they certainly did at one point recently), give them a ring.

The first time I tried one of these at Bass Direct, probably a couple of years ago now, I said "It'd be my perfect bass if only they did one with a maple board." Apart from a James Lomenzo example, I couldn't find one anywhere. I stand by my original comment, they are fantastic.

Oooooofffff, that's gorgeous.

Yeah, I never liked the MECs much. . I think that the 'bigger' sounding the pickups which go into the bass (and the Wizard Bigs are, well, Big...), the more the bass will sound like those pickups. Makes sense, really. It's certainly what I've found - it's been a while since I A-B'd the two basses (I don't play the Warwick much these days), but at the time I think I said they (the Fortress and a Precision with P/J pickups) sounded 90% the same when soloed, and as soon as the band kicks in, they sound the same.

Oooh, just thought of one: Hard To Handle - technically a 60s song, too.

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1358357016' post='1937746'] INteresting. Do you know if the Warwick "P" pickup is the same exact size and shape as the Fender ones ? ie. are they interchangeable with std aftermarket P pickups ? [/quote] I've got a pair of Wizard (Big) P/J pickups (a Thumper and a 84, IIRC) in my 93 Fortress, they fit just fine, and really bring the P/J tone: they're ballsy pickups, and I've mentioned in a few 'tonewood' discussions how close a Maple-bodied, Wenge-necked bass can sound to an Ash-bodied, Maple-necked one. The all-wenge neck's the fastest and slimmest I've played on a bass, too. That Just-a-nut thingy's a fantastic idea - I can get the action down to 3/4 of bugger all.

We do a short funkish section in the second set: Play that Funky Music, Superstition (with a segue into Good Times in the middle, then back into Superstition again), and Long Train Running. All great fun to play. But 70s...

Strings will definitely change the sound, if you're after 'deep' rather than 'zingy', another different option is flats - I've just tried some D'Addario Chromes on one of my basses, and I'm getting a good punchy rock tone. Everyone will have their own favourite strings and recommend them, FWIW on the Rounds side of things I use DR Low Rider Nickels when I'm flush and when I'm skint I use D'Addario Nickel rounds. Try a few, your ears (and fingers) will be the judge.

Use them (well,it: a ME50B) with the function bands - the variety of tracks played means I need to sound very different (Octaver for Sledgehammer, for example, or chorus for You Can Call Me Al), but I don't use it for the originals band, it's not appropriate.

I ended up in Court on the Wednesday of TT week in 1985 after jamming my headphones into my bike helmet and playing Accept's Fast As A Shark when riding down the mountain on Mad Sunday...

If protection is paramount, the Boschma cases are very good. A bit larger than the boggo ABS ones, but lighter, too. Worth the extra, IMHO.

Wow, a sample size of eight people? Can't fault that for a thoroughly researched article... Although I'd imagine The Black Eyed Peas would be dangerous to drive to - difficult to steer properly with your fingers in your ears...

Yep, I've got three MM-necked basses, and they're very very good for the money. I've had them fret-dressed, and they play and feel as good as anything Fender. The Warmoth neck I've got on the Explorer is indeed chunky-P in profile (there's a Slim Taper option, tho), but also top quality. I'd love to try a full-wenge J-neck, or go bananas with a full birdseye maple one. I'm over in the States for three weeks at Easter, so I might even order one to be delivered over there and bring it back myself.

I've had both, and the Warmoth stuff is much better. High quality stuff, plus the website's top gear-porn browsing

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1357916002' post='1930555'] open e for half an hour, 4 to the bar 15 bpm, then A, then D, then G. Repeat until somebody throws you out..... [/quote] The advantage of this is you can fend them off with your left hand at the same time...good for about twenty minutes, which is usually how long it takes for the bloke with the tranquilliser gun to arrive...

Drew's a great bloke, and a proper bass enthusiast.

I agree - I think people are forgetting that Mark is the OP in this thread, this isn't just some interestingly anonymous website someone's found.

Bought a neck from Paul, boy, does he know how to pack! All good, he's one of the good guys, deal with him in confidence.

Yeah, I doubt I'd use them exclusively across both bands and all songs, but they're good to have as an alternative, and I was surprised I liked them at all, to be honest.

For quality basses, the best selection will be Drew's place in Worsley, he's got a detailed website (www.manchesterbasslounge.com), and he's always worth a call. Nobody else will make you a coffee when you visit. You'll need to ring him first, though. PMT have a bit of a random selection, but have plenty of Fenders, Peavey, Yamaha, Ibanez, Ashdown and Ampeg stuff, a few secondhand ones too. Dawsons have a few basses, but not many, all new stuff. Johnny Roadhouse is again worth a ring before you go, as it's all secondhand. Toneworld's a new place in Ancoats, looks nice but I can't see any basses