Fionn

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1388937783' post='2327819'] Robbie favours a Jazz these days, like Fams - sometimes a stack knob. This is an older gig, worth a look if you haven't seen it: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U4nm0Vvcz8&feature=share&list=PL4CF8C1F37C208FFC&index=20[/media] [/quote] Excellent! that was my soundtrack for work this morning. Well posted!

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1389023369' post='2328909'] Out of interest what types and styles of music do you play and get the sounds you want all out of a bridge pickup ? [/quote] Stylewise, I suppose I'm predominantly a fingerstyle funk player. Stabby, stacatto, I like playing clean pronounced lines, so I find myself almost always on the bridge pickup. I like the tightness and focus of the tone. My right hand is mostly playing at the bridge pickup postition too. I'm in a new project, arranging ancient Gaelic song (mostly puirt-a-beul) onto thick grooves. It's sounding great. Should be gigging it by summer

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1389010897' post='2328660'] I reckon my pickup positioning is perfect. And, as I mentioned before, the blended tones are surprisingly excellent too. [/quote] Cool man. That's a real bonus that you've found what really works for you. It's also good that you've got the confidence to mod your basses to suit your needs, as those are such unusual placements. I'd be happy enough with a single bridge positioned (as per Sandberg position) humbucker that switched between parallel and series. Volume and tone controls on that bad boy and I'd be covered for the sounds I want. BTW, I really like what you've done to that other Thunder ... very nice indeed.

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1388994984' post='2328433'] I suspect that manufacturers like Sandberg position their bridge humbucker where it is for mainly cosmetic reasons. The positioning I have shown in the OP may look cumbersome as we are not used to it, but for a variety of useful tones it is way ahead IMO. [/quote] I would doubt very much that Sandberg place their pickups where they do for cosmetic reasons. They position their bridge pickups closer to the traditional Jazz bridge pickup position which surely increases the tonal variables. There is no best option as "Useful tones" are entirely subjective to the player. Personally speaking, I wouldn't have a bass that didn't have a pickup in the tight and honky zone. That's the pickup on which I play most of the time. I agree that tonal options are good though. I just prefer distance between the pickups, different positions, different string resonance, different pickup types, different sounds, blend to suit, bobs yer uncle.

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1388950922' post='2328068'] ... that could have been something entirely unrelated to the carpet. Cosmic, man. [/quote] All things are related in the zone! Become one with the geometry, yeahhhh!!!

The rug is AMAZING though!

[quote name='louisthebass' timestamp='1388921271' post='2327568'] Rotosounds stainless steels. [/quote] Yup, I would have said so.

Shellac is your friend.

I've never played nor had a look at a Farida bass. In terms of my personal experience with both new and 2nd-hand basses, I'd say that maximum quality for the cash comes from 2nd-hand Matsumoku built basses.

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1388788548' post='2326206'] Is there a downside to having it? [/quote] Of course. It's a fundamental design flaw that such things should be necessary to experience a playable action on an instrument. It perplexes me, that instruments of this apparent value are so compromised. A shim lessens the structural integrity of the neck to body join and affects the transfer of vibration (thus resonance) through the instument, fact. You might as well make a bass from plywood if bodge-jobs like shims are built into basses.

If you've got a spare hour check this out. Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespear with Ernest Ranglin and Tyrone Downie, live in Finland in 2012. It's an excellent performance, and a nice bit of Sunday afternoon dub bliss for ya ... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jusaci34o1U"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jusaci34o1U[/url]

Somebody posted this on Basschat a while ago. I had never been attracted to P-basses, but this definitely gave me GAS in that unfamiliar territory ... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoVfamlcbYo[/media]

It would seem that there are many players who have been around the bass block and finally found peace in the simplicity of a P-bass. Being eternally drawn towards greater simplicity, I appreciate that. I can see the attraction.

34 mile scale ... [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THE-BIGEST-old-VINTAGE-bass-guitar-double-bass-FRETLESS-STRANGE-rar-/281226093786?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item417a61a4da#ht_1053wt_7738"]http://www.ebay.co.u...#ht_1053wt_7738[/url]

OOOOOOH, yeahhhh! ... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxyLPQX8p24"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxyLPQX8p24[/url]

[quote name='itsmedunc' timestamp='1388515198' post='2322988'] I came across this on youtube and now I appreciate how lucky I really am. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDn5DXX_1Tg[/media] [/quote] Hahaha!!! that is hillarious

Rickenbacker 4001/3 = Lada Riva

Aye, the half-rounds sound nicest, imo.

If I were only to be playing in the seated position, I would have kept the Warwick Thumb Bass that I owned. Because of its small and ergonomically crafted shape it just hugs the body and is an absolute joy to play, in terms of comfort and all else (it sounds amazing, very versatile). It's only when standing, that the front strap position caused by the short top horn makes the 1st fret feel far away.

A bit more modern, but very very funky. Get the pidgeon-head on folks ... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf-WFtyMPA8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf-WFtyMPA8[/url]

Yup, I'd stick with the Yamaha too. It's a great bass, versatile, and of undoubtable quality. That would seem like a nice 1-bass-solution to me.