4 Strings

[quote name='obbm' post='844034' date='May 21 2010, 12:36 PM']Looks to me as if the pick-up is too far back. Please can you take off the scratch plate and take a photo of the bare body from the neck to the bridge.[/quote]


Position looks fine to me.

The bridge you've got looks fine to, quite nice in fact. I wonder if its worth replacing or just getting on with. Not original, of course, but looks nicely made.

[quote name='daz' post='843778' date='May 21 2010, 05:29 AM']That looks like a single length strap that cant be adjusted for size. Does he not do the other trype with the buckle and strap device? Do you need to specify this when ordering? Also you say you got it for £21, but on ebay the guy sells them for £25 + £3 postage?[/quote]


He gave me the price of £21 as it was a simple strap there was no adjustment built in. His idea to reduce the price, not mine!

Can't see what the problem is. Even without the output transformer adjustment all that would happen is that the output would vary with the load. Very low impedances of 2 Ohms (usually caused by running two 4 Ohm cabs in parallel) can cause problems to some amps, yours included. 8 Ohms will be an ideal load.

If its power you're worried about, you'll hear the speaker complaining before you blow it up. I regularly use a 200W cab with a 350W head, my basic set up, no problems, just don't run it flat out. Won't hurt the amp though, just avoid open circuits.

The only thing is personal preference - Maple Neck!

Also you should know about Gav's site: [url="http://www.musicmanbass.org/"]http://www.musicmanbass.org/[/url] (if you didn't already)

Is that orange bass LIKE the one you're after or have you found it for sale? If the latter then I'm definitely with Duarte, go for it, its wonderful! (be even better with a maple fingerboard!)

Let us know how you get on.

[quote name='dlloyd' post='843085' date='May 20 2010, 01:08 PM']Just a slight correction...

The guy in charge of EB is Ernie's son, Sterling Ball. He was involved in Musicman from the beginning when the prototype Stingrays were being tested, and bought out the company when it fell into hard times and went under in 1984. Ernie Ball passed away in 2004.[/quote]


Apologies, you are absolutely right, of course, thanks. Typing too fast. Sterling was an employee at MM at the time.

I was going to link the neck of your bass with the body of this one [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=67787&hl=sabre"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=67787&hl=sabre[/url] to make a Sabre (and then sell on the fretless Stingray). I pontificated too long. oh well.

Congrats on your Stingray, Pre-EB 'rays go for a lot more than this, yours is a bitsa, which keeps its value down but you haven't done too bad at all. think we should recognise the integrity of the previous seller in keeping to what he paid for it. I very much regret not plunging in myself.


Greg

What he said, except I have found Stingray necks to be slim from front to back. A feature in fact.

The 80s dodgy neck thing applies to some pre-EB basses where some political wranglings between the factories put meant some necks were put out with flat truss rods. You'd be very unlucky to get one of these, there were 1,000 necks like it, not sure how many made it to a body, many have been rectified in the meantime (EB would still do so at no cost) and I would suggest most of the rest are in the US. If it wasn't that this made them eventually unplayable I would say it added great historic interest!

Pre-EB basses are expensive as Leo himself was still around for most of this period but they are massive sounding instruments. However the trans orange wasn't around then. EB has made every attempt to improve them over the years rather than dumb them down. Ernie is an enthusiast with little other interest as opposed to a corporate (such as CBS or Gibson) takeover. There are some cuts, such as plastic instead of chrome battery covers. However, some of the early 90s basses have very nice looking birdseye maple necks.

Going for a trans colour means its more likely you'll get a choice bit of wood for the body. Whether this will actually sound any better is another thing!

There are very few duff Music Man basses, they are one of the most reliable products you'll find. You won't go wrong. I used nothing but my Jaydee for 25 years, got myself an '80 Stingray in January and haven't picked the Jaydee up since.

The 2 band eq is, apparently, set up to sound like the original basses, the 3 eq gives more versatility.

One thing you might check is the relative volume of the G string, some have found this to be lacking. Mine's ok, but its as close to the G string as it can go but its not a problem.

There's no way any damage will be done to amp or guitar by connecting this lead either way round. Might be to your reputation if you insist someone is not using it correctly! I cannot explain the colours of the decorative rings, they will not match many guitars.

The only 'directional lead' for guitars I've come across are those with a 'Silent' plug on one end, the guitar end, which leaves the contact open until its plugged in. This avoids the crunching noises through the amp when the guitar is being plugged in after the amp end with the volume up and reduces the humming if its left unplugged. Its still not a directional lead though, just has different plugs on each end.

I once bought a very expensive hi-fi interconnect lead which was supposed to be directional. Didn't sound any different either way (and I tried to hear the difference), and it turned out the soldering was pants, which would have made a much bigger difference. If anyone tries to sell you a 'directional lead' for your guitar, just go somewhere different.

[quote name='paul h' post='841747' date='May 19 2010, 09:43 AM']Here is another sound sample. Fingerstyle this time and with other instruments. I realise I am totally rubbish at soundclips.

[attachment=50080:scott_free.mp3][/quote]


Thanks for putting your reputation on the line! I think you should be proud of your playing (although I go along with OutToPlayJazz's comment about going easy on a low action. I love the action to be as low as possible and to barely touch the strings. I even lost my callouses along the way!). Recording and playing live are like two different disciplines to me, I actually raise the action for recording to avoid any buzzing as I'm able to concentrate harder on my fingering and its all scrutinised so much. So easy with flats - if you can use the tone.

Bass sounds great, really like the J slap tone.

Must say I'm tempted by a Stingray (Sabre, really with those 2 pups) that looks like a Rick, but then it isn't active, which is, kind of, the heart of the Stingray sound. Would be more tempted if it was. I think they look great with those big pups.

[quote name='Mog' post='841638' date='May 19 2010, 04:00 AM']Hows the neck/body join? I'm always wary of set neck basses. [/quote]

Why are you wary of set necks? Bolt-ons are the cheap option, setting the neck requires some actual workmanship.

Sorry, not a sale, just another bump.

I don't know what to say to discourage you from selling the orange P! Whoever takes that from you should leave a large bottle of beer for catching tears.

Very nice guitars, I know of a young lad who may be able to afford the natural MIJ.

"... but i dunno... i don't want to get bored with the songs before we've even gigged them!!"

I know I've been on this board before recommending people to go and watch Normal Watt-Roy in the Wilko Johnson Band, but I first saw these around 25 years ago (and countless times since) and they are still playing largely the same numbers. How many times can you play 'Roxette' without going mad? But Norman still puts more into his performance than any other bass player I know, he's developed things, changed things about and constantly seeks perfection. He doesn't get tired of the songs, he just gets better, as a result I still want to hear Roxette again!

Greg

[quote name='Musicman20' post='839330' date='May 16 2010, 10:14 PM']I agree, at first, it needs doing to get the players upto speed. But this has been going on since February and its mid-May now hahah. Im ready, and I cant afford to keep spending on something that isnt paying out.[/quote]


Sounds like you need to have a chat, the others should be up to speed by now too.

I have had both extremes, one band that never rehearsed once, I learned the songs from cassette tapes (ok a long time ago!) and then started gigging. Bluesy, expressive rock, easy to busk, dynamics on the night, worked well, played with them for years.

However, another, much more recent, has required 2-3 days solid on 5 sessions for live playing, and that's after learning the demos and going through the detail of recording the disc. This is because there in NO busking with this one, much more polished and 'professional'.

I suppose the point being, if its to be note-for-note perfection in the band from scratch there's going to be some intense rehearsal until the standard is reached. Yours doesn't sound like that.

Giving up music? Forever? In entirety?

[quote name='Ruck' post='837850' date='May 15 2010, 02:20 AM']Hey thanks for the link! exactly what I'm after. Now to see if this guy does custom leather scratch plates which I'm sure he is capable of judging by the work shown on ebay. So hopefully matching strap and leather scratch plate [/quote]

A leather scratchplate, great idea!

Here's the pics I promised (very poor pics I'm afraid, couldn't get the camera to work so had to use a video on still mode), I doubt the words will be to all tastes but, that's the point of bespoke isn't it? Must admit wasn't keen on too much fancy stuff and under the straplocks there are special 11mm holes, not the usual slits.

All for £21.

Seems Hartke is out of fashion. I use one of these all the time, on its own mostly rarely need anything bigger. Great sound, huge bass and, if you want it, bite your head off treble but light and easy to move around.

Have a bump for a great speaker, no idea why such little interest (apart from being in Torquay!)

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='835784' date='May 12 2010, 11:24 PM']LOL. Yeah whatever.

In my case im employed to entertain people. I cant see many wedding bands turning around to a bride and groom and telling them you wont play their first dance or requests because the bass player (or whoever) doesn't like the song(s).

You're bloody lucky to be in a band where you 100% enjoy every song you play.[/quote]


I suppose I choose which bands I want to play in.

'Course I've done all sorts of stuff I wouldn't choose at weddings etc and had great fun doing them, just because others have enjoyed us playing them. But, we have turned down requests before and dropped songs from lists because we just didn't like them, paid or otherwise.

"As far as sound goes, I get the same bass sound out of anything that I plug into generally. It wouldn't matter if it was 200 quid or two grand I would still dial in the the same sound.

It's impossible to say which would sound better because only you know the sound your looking for. To say "my rig is 2 grand and sounds better than yours" is obviously ridiculous"


I quite agree, however, I remember upgrading from my trusty Carlsboro combo - when I needed something more powerful - to a Trace rig and the sound blew me away, I never imagined I could sound like that. It was way beyond my mind could go to. Bought the big bin too, just coz of the depth it gave. Similarly, Hartke gives a punch like I've never heard before. My sound improved each time.

I'll gladly try anything different to see if unimagined improvements can still be made. I'm sure they can.

[quote name='Protium' post='834098' date='May 11 2010, 12:04 PM']The fact that you played through a Hartke that actually works astounds me.[/quote]

I was thinking the opposite, if I turned up to play and it was a Hartke rig supplied that would be great. I'm not surprised the OP was so happy with his sound. I know they don't cost as much as a lot of the exotic stuff but, to my ears, they sound great, can take a pounding and (in my experience at least) has always worked.

Greg

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='829349' date='May 6 2010, 09:38 AM']Probably not but if it goes down well then why would you? Arent we there to play songs the crowd want to hear?[/quote]

No, not if I don't want to play it. I thought we were artists.

Am I the only one who would ask for this song to be removed from the set list?

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' date='Apr 30 2010, 02:29 AM' post='823643']
You won't believe this, geezer, but I have used some double sided tape and spent the last hour trying lots of different positions [b][font="Century Gothic"][size=1][i](oohh matron!! )[/i][/size][/font][/b] and when I have found the one that is most comfortable for me, I came back here to show the pictures and noticed your post showing that the position you have fitted yours is exactly the same I have found to be the most comfortable!! What a coincidence It doesn't get in the way of slapping and it allows you to pluck the E string without knocking your fingers against the thumb rest.

look!!



Glad to see someone who doesn't mind drilling a couple of holes into their guitar to make it better for them. I winder we can get too precious about them, thinking more about the next owner than actually using them ourselves.

[quote name='Pkomor' post='822894' date='Apr 29 2010, 11:53 AM']Have you got any pics of yours? it sounds exactly what im after![/quote]

I'll do my best tonight from my phone

[quote name='lscolman' post='823099' date='Apr 29 2010, 03:41 PM']Hi,

Yep another day gone, another couple of options discussed with John.

This time, it's for an active/passive switch. Sounds like a plan. No idea where to place this! I wonder if it could be placed on the rear of the bass, slighting recessed in the control cavity. I don't like the standard silver toggle switches.

Definately decided against the XLR now.

Current plan for the LED switch is a smaller version of the standard pickup knob (which John has managed to source) This would be placed where the jack socket would normally be, and the jack socket located to the side of the body.

I've used Paint to play about with what it looks like.

Appreciate any comments.

Cheers, Lee[/quote]

Presumably from L to R: Pickup switch, vol, tone, active toggle, trable, middle, bass, led switch

For me (simple chap) I'd rather the led switch was round the back, especially if you succeed in getting the active switch there. (I would also lose the tone knob). Could the led switch be snuggled between the tuning machines?

[quote name='GeeCee' post='819992' date='Apr 26 2010, 09:46 PM']Why not go the whole hog and have a Roadie made in the GA shape with a 24-fret neck? That's what I have. I would also recommend relocating the jack socket to the edge of the body, to stop those ugly stress cracks that seem to plague most Jaydees that have been well used. Also, in case you didn't know, the xlr is not a balanced line out like on a Wal, it's just an alternative method of plugging the bass in so if you don't already use that kind of jack with your cables, I would ask if you really need it. The body looks cleaner without it.[/quote]


Here-here on the GA body and 24 fret neck, great idea! Also agree on the XLR, unnecessary to my mind.

Not seen the stress cracks though, mine seems fine and has had a busy life.

Its going to be great, and I'm sure John won't mind you changing things (even the colour) until he's actually started on it (you might wait until you know them all and tell him once though).

Another days wait gone!