4 Strings

Interesting article here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15268169 Seems like over-reaction to an over-reaction. Not sure he's doing himself any favours sidling with the dreaded Tea Party but you can't help but see his point, especially with the lovely US style armed raid. Also not sure why anyone would think that Gibson are above any action to stop abuse of our resources but is doesn't look like they're guilty anyway. 700 guitars a day though. Who says Gibsons/Fenders are not mass produced?

Quite like the sunburst actually, but I suppose its a safe option. I'd have to see (see? why not hear!) what it sounds like before investing too much time and expense. Its a great shape though, Mosrite sort of thing. Very JE!

Well, here's my contribution. Don't know where to start really, but its interesting that the screw holes are all there for ashtrays and tug bar. Any others?[attachment=91074:Worst bass?.jpg]

Actually, he uses so many different rigs I wonder if it gets hired on certain occasions. Mostly its been Trace the times I've seen him but there has also been a wide variation.

[quote name='Ian Savage' timestamp='1318260080' post='1399797'] What about when he's not playing ANY of them, which IME is when 90% of accidental damage to guitars happens? [/quote] Absolutely true, unless you've just bought your first ever Jazz bass and plonk it on the usual stand you use only to see it topple over as you learn the down side of the asymmetric shape to the jazz body! (Actually, why its funny is that while he's playing a bass and one stand is free the guitarist will be playing his guitar and so won't be needing need the stand!)

[quote name='bassmachine2112' timestamp='1318274348' post='1400016'] My musicman hardly ever goes out of tune. I,m getting my coat. [/quote] Beat me to it! Ok, thanks all. I suppose if I'm honest I wouldn't want pliers used on my Pre-EB but you don't need spanners for that anyway. The bongoes will be low in the mix for the middle part of River Deep only so its not huge in the end, but the issue applies to his whole kit. Takes an hour to set the drums up, everything polished out the cases and back in, cymbals transported as if they're made of glass with just the minimum finger contact at the edge. Drives everyone nuts. Mind you if you want any 2nd hand drum gear you should buy it from him (and he really is the loveliest fella you could meet!)

[quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1318258372' post='1399764'] No.... He tried to argue that I wouldn't need all three as when I was playing one would be spare. [/quote] Great stuff! ... except he's right - isn't he?

Seen WJ plenty of times over the past 20 odd years, even brought my two lads up on them. Pleased to see they're getting even more popular after all these years (although means the gigs are getting more expensive). I liken them to eating a big, craggy home made pie (instead of some more fancy cuisine). Highest quality and Norm is the main reason for (me) going, I find him addictive, if I haven't seen him for a while I start looking out for WJ gigs again. Due for one now I think!

[quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1318195374' post='1399168'] From guitard in an old band while setting up at a pub gig: Guitard: "I've forgotten my guitar stand, did you bring a spare?" Me: "Why would I bring an extra guitar stand?" Guitard: "Just thought you might. Did you bring the PA, the pub doesn't have one" Note: We didn't own a PA, we borrowed or hired as needed. Me: "you didn't tell me to bring a PA - if you knew that there wasn't a PA, why didn't you tell me yesterday?" Guitard: "I just assumed that you'd bring a PA in case we needed one." Me: I have to bring my bass rig, 3 basses and 3 stands, why would I bring a PA unless I had to?" Guitard: "Oh, you've got three stand - have you got a spare?" [/quote] Best one yet! So... did you let him use one?

For me its 'the drummers just called, he's 20 minutes away' - knowing that he spends almost an hour setting up.

Ok, this is really about a drummer, but, in my opinion, my bass and gear is there to serve me and my music. I look after it well, a couple of my basses do not even get touched by anyone else. But, in going about its business, it may be accidentally knocked against something, adjusted even (dare I say it) modified. If any of this leaves a mark, I'm disappointed but would rather the stuff was doing its job A pair of bongoes was required for a recording, one was not in tune and required a spanner. None available, I suggested using pliers - which, of course, may cause a burr on a nut or two - and was derided. The bongoes were therefore recorded out of tune. We paid for bongoes to be recorded out of tune. To me, bongoes, a bass, a nut are not sacred and are there to do their job. Am i weird? (well on this matter anyway?)

[quote name='Adrenochrome' timestamp='1318242728' post='1399508'] A small point is that for a full pub gig - the gig has got longer! I started off doing 2 x 45 min sets with a couple of encores, now 2 x 1hr with 3-4 encores is more common. [/quote] That's because you're getting better at it!

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1318203258' post='1399257'] Weight and balance are far more important than neck profile, which people often obsess over. Balance is just as important as weight though. I've had 'heavy' basses that balance well and don't strain your body and I've played lighter basses that balance poorly and feel uncomfortable as soon as you put them on! [/quote] +1, neck dive is, for me, the result of a badly designed/built guitar and makes it a pain to play. More likely to occur in basses with lightweight bodies in my experience. I'd like to know if there's any science in the resonances of lightweight bodies compared to the heavier ones (I'm sure 1/2lb here or there will be of no consequence but certainly a hollow body does).

You're right, the number of people bothered to argue with your faith in your own limited experience and wisdom is reducing.

While there appears to be some of our number with back/shoulder problems it seems to be the first question to any bass (especially Fender) going up for sale. I wonder if things have got so far as a 10lb Precision is now seen as a bad one and an 8lb a good one so that our 'knowledgable' cousins pooh-pooh those with a heavier body regardless of their own physical condition. For me, I'm blessed with a good back etc, and while I'd admit a long rehearsal with my ol' Jaydee would give a sore shoulder the next day its not an issue for me. My 70s Fender is not the lightest on my basses but it plays as one of my best.

Not seen those before. Now they are more satisfying addition to the stable than infinite slight variations.

At this money you should get a refund or acceptable replacement as the workmanship is not up to the required standard. Having said that, bodies for mass produced guitars such as these are stockpiled as are necks until they are finally mated up. The necks are not made for particular bodies, nor are the pockets machined for a particular neck. Whether this is the first neck mated to the body or not is not relevant, who knows how many are? I always understood the serial numbers on MM basses were pretty vague (or was that the Pre-EBs?) but the only real way to confirm things is to pop the neck off (understandably you'll not be prepared to do that at this stage) and see if the dates, if marked, are miles apart. If so, does that matter? Unless it's concern about the resale value of a bass who's serial no. implies a year earlier than expected. I does sound as if someone has put components together to match your spec and not assembled it particularly well. Surely this is how pre-orderd basses are prepared? If this was in the UK or US I'm not sure is important, just that its not done very well. I'd also add my sympathy at your disappointment, I've only ever bought one new decent bass, a Jaydee over 25years ago and gave the shop a list of work to make it acceptable, which they did perfectly. Your bass should be perfect, lots of that £1500 has been spent on QC (including other basses returned as imperfect) which has not been delivered.

A through neck doesn't mean expensive and the control covers look to be plastic and not particularly well fitting. Seems like an expensive name rather than a small luthier. I thought PRS too, but it really doesn't seem like their style (and did they ever make basses?). ESP?

Actually to play Alright Now properly isn't so easy either, there's some very nice timing going on there.

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1317990525' post='1397029'] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/157228-set-up-problem/"]http://basschat.co.u...set-up-problem/[/url] [/quote] Thanks, not an unusual fault then, not easily remedied either. On one, my ol' banger, seems to have 'popped' recently. Its already got a shim - how many Fenders don't - and no amount of fiddling with truss rod etc can straighten it. Its not too bad, not sure its going to be worth the cost of a luthier's attention.

[quote name='Vibrating G String' timestamp='1317937274' post='1396554'] The sarcasm seems childish but the conclusion is correct [/quote] Thanks for your wise and valuable contribution to what would have been an interesting discussion.

Tanglewood?

I have noticed on several Fender basses (perhaps any bolt-on neck type) that they go buzzy up the dusty end. It appears that while the rest of the neck can be set to an ideal relief with the truss rod the body end seems to bow upwards for a few frets causing buzzing. Slackening the truss rod seems to let things go further down the fret board but its as if the area bolted to the body holds itself rigid despite the truss rod and so the neck becomes very slightly 'S' shaped. Anyone else found this? Any ideas for a solution?

I must be getting old then! I suppose it also means that there are less of each slight variation made so in the future there'll be more interest for the collector/obsessor. Thinking a little deeper, while I certainly do not believe Fenders to be the be-all and end-all of basses (despite their almost total dominance in my household!) I do believe the original formula cooked up by Leo for both basses was a triumph of compromise between function (the playability and sound) and easy production which was genius and I wonder that these hybrids water down the brilliance of the original design. Or is it development? I wonder how many others will gravitate to a Standard after flirting with the variations?

Now, back in the day you could buy Fender basses in Precision or Jazz flavours (or should that be flavors) with a few different finishes for toppings and maybe even maple syrup, I mean neck. Just been to my local Pre-Menstrual chain shop and find more models than I can even think up. There's Jazzes with P pickups, Ps with Jazz pickups, others with one of each, passive, active, more frets and so it went on (without straying to an even more dizzying selection of Squiers). Mercifully they all looked brand new. Am I getting old or is some of the magic - whatever that is - being lost?