4 Strings

[quote name='marcus bell' timestamp='1374102048' post='2145406'] Just amazing! Been learning some of his stuff over the last few days and it's just mind blowing how good it is! And to think its nearly 40 years old! The bass solo in havona �� [/quote] You don't mean to say there were good bass players 40 years ago?

[quote name='steve-soar' timestamp='1373903198' post='2142913'] Wow! Tiny little rig, bet it sounded great! [/quote] It did actually, the little Crate is good as a backup for guitar or (less so) bass and can just kick around in the car awaiting it's time. The Midget is hardly getting into its stride and is bright enough for a really good guitar sound (tweeter turned to about 1/3 setting). The Compact/Streamliner is a warm sound, maybe a bit too much so for some, I pushed up the mid on the amp but it's a very powerful little combination.

[quote name='Mottlefeeder' timestamp='1373913823' post='2143098'] We are pretty close in our view-points - if I need to try something, then I will not buy it from a place that has no demonstration facilities. In the case of the Warwick, the one I tried was not the finish I wanted, so I ordered the one I wanted through that company. Having said that, in my quest for an acoustic bass, I recently found that Gear4music had several basses on the wall that were obviously straight out of the box, and were unplayable, but Guitarguitar, who would not let me play a bass until they had tuned it, had one with faulty electronics, so I had to order one from their on-line team. None of them are perfect, some try harder than others, and none of them are on any high streets near me. David [/quote] It's another subject, but I just think someone who pays for a loan to provide stock and allows us to try it out deserves our custom, whether they order through their online service or whatever. Amazon have an app which allows you to scan bar-codes in shops and then informs you of the cheapest online price. Smacks a little of stealing to me, but then I'm odd like that.

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1373930479' post='2143442'] Fender Cabronita Precision Bass: [/quote] Looks very nice, like a P with a R*********r pup. How many slight variations of a theme can they make? Does it sound like a Precision?

Here we go again, in a barn this time, guitarist pinched my Midget so I was with the Compact. Having played the Midget so much it was a bit of a change in sound, the Compact missing the treble and aggression - don't need that much of it but for 'Someone Else's Guy' it was treble up on everything to get some zing. [url="http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/4Strings1/media/2013-07-13203631_zps6da37206.jpg.html"][/url] And here's a (rather blurred) image during the sound check of the Midget in emergency guitar use with the little Crate that kicks around for these occasions. Guitarist (who is excellent, btw) loves it! [url="http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/4Strings1/media/2013-07-13190436_zps1c6b06c6.jpg.html"][/url]

Yeah, definitely, just start coming up with the bones of new songs and see how they get fleshed out, will also lead the way forward.

[quote name='Mottlefeeder' timestamp='1373883100' post='2142498'] I think the issue is more about playing style, and whether neck-dive bothers you. Those of us who play with something like a classical guitar player's hand position are likely to be bothererd by neck dive, but those who hang their thumb over the top of the neck whould probably be less botherd by it. Warwick thumb basses are often cited as being neck heavy, but there are plenty of good players out there who use them. David [/quote] I think you're right, but then I'd encourage any bass player to use that technique as a base.

[quote name='lee4' timestamp='1373883028' post='2142495'] Yep,try before you buy is the way to go. I bought this straight off of the net,and now I've learnt my lesson. [/quote] Just for my lefty 'let's save the high street' bit, buy from the shop that lets you try, as opposed to trying it out (maybe adding an accidental dig) and going home to buy on line for slightly cheaper. But that's another thing!

[quote name='Mottlefeeder' timestamp='1373841281' post='2142250'] My modification was a threaded bush, and a 6mm hole extending into the horn, and the threaded shaft was screwed in as far as it would go, so that the load of the extension was spread over a greater area of wood. With regard to 'try before buy', yes I do, but I was changing from a bubinga-bodied 4-string to a 5-string, and decided to go for the lighter swamp-ash body. I tried that 5-string in the shop, and liked the sound, and the way it felt, but I only played it sitting down. My mistake was not trying it with a strap. What I did discover later was that the 4-string body is the same size as the 5-string, so with the wider 5-string neck and a body that is lighter, the end result was an unbalanced bass. I tried hipshot ultralights, bags of washers, extending the horn, and lead-lining the walls of control cavity, but never got to the point where I was happy with it. I eventually sold it on. One lives and learns. David [/quote] Very frustrating. You certainly did your best! If you bought a £50 bass then you might expect something like that but Warwick, of all people, I would have thought could have been trusted to have got something as basic as that solved before going to the market. I wonder with things like this and outrageously heavy bodies when someone will come along with the nous and time and sue for not being fit for purpose. Especially if it aggravates or causes an injury.

[quote name='Mottlefeeder' timestamp='1373667020' post='2140516'] For a Warwick 5-string Corvette with a Swamp Ash body and Ovankol neck, I needed an extension of about 1.5 inches (about 35mm), David [/quote] 35mm, really? That's a long way and I'm surprised Warwick would make such an unbalanced bass. The leverage that would cause on the screw fixing would be quite high, if I'm understanding this correctly. Do you have a pic? Isn't the answer to check the neck dive before buying a bass? That way offending basses will be left unsold and, just like 'C' rated fridges, become a thing of the past.

[quote name='GuitarTart' timestamp='1373803480' post='2141731'] Most engineers appreciate being told politely what kit you've got and what you would like to hear FOH and will do their best to accommodate you. [/quote] This is my experience too, more important than the gear.

This is where you talk to the sound guy and let him know what you want. If you don't he'll quite understandably think you'll be happy to accept his 'expert' default bass settings.

[quote name='gsgbass' timestamp='1373591326' post='2139507'] I play a Gibson SG Std., and the top strap button is the major cause of it's neck dive of death. [/quote] That, and the bridge being miles from the end forcing even this short scale neck way out left

I apologise if this offends anyone, but I couldn't resist it - Heavy relic indeed! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LesterGuitars-Stratocaster-HEAVY-RELIC-Guitar-Body-Vintage-Rare-/151061572154?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item232bf8aa3a

I'm not a fan of relicking (surely there has to be a 'k in there if we're to use that noun as a verb? - I'm not even a fan of the word!) but surely its about things being available instantly. Want the old look? Can't wait 30-40 years, I want it now. Trouble is you often see 5 strings or other modern features on these basses and it looks either like an obvious fake or the owner has abused his bass. Can see the point of neither.

[quote name='Evil Undead' timestamp='1373549624' post='2138934'] I got mine when they were on sale at Thomann. £60 posted to my door [/quote] Ok, MINE was a lot more than those posted here! You got a bargain, well, compared to mine anyway. Actually, it was £80 so not too much more but was more painful as they sent the guitar version and when we investigated I'd selected the wrong one (hadn't occurred to me there would be a guitar version!) so I had to pay to return it. I really wanted to buy it from Bass Direct but they had run out.

[quote name='Evil Undead' timestamp='1373543674' post='2138825'] I have a Protec Contego that I bought from Thomann. Great cases. [/quote] Yes, I have one of these too, it's perfect and holds loads of other stuff, but a lot more costly than those being posted here.

Semi rigid is definitely the way to go. Had a tuner bent in a gig bag before. Those foam cases look good value. Have a look in your local shop.

P basses are noticeably neck heavy if they are blessed with a light body (don't know if the OP bass has a light body). The horn button is in the right place, and the bridge is pretty much as far South as it can go but its a heavy old headstock design. I'm wondering if it's not the neck dive causing the OP a shoulder ache but maybe a bit of a trapped nerve. I've had that myself and it was, well, a bit of a pain in the neck!

I suppose the extent to which they've caught on might be noteworthy

Wasn't this (one of) the things that Tesco have been criticised for, they put these things in non-food goods to track the whereabouts of people who would buy that sort of thing? I suppose our movements are being tracked by our phones, Oyster cards, why not our basses too. "Oh, been on tour for 3 months have you? Looks here like your bass hasn't left your bedroom!"

Thanks, all useful comments. Heath, the guy building the custom for me, said he'd bring one round that he's building which has a piezo. It's a fretless and I can totally see how a fretless makes sense. It's also got pretty much a hollow body so its not going to be too similar the solid body but I'll give it another go.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1373481280' post='2138177'] You can get an upright for the same money (just), much more fun! [/quote] I'd really LOVE to have a proper go at that! Maybe I could sell a Fender for one!

Well, it was actually for a custom, was wondering whether to have a piezo on it for dinner jazz type music as well as it's more common duties. Can't be changing strings every week or so often but wanted to use the same bass for everything and it would be in place of a neck pup so not too much extra. I have no experience of how the piezo sounded. Got more of an idea now, doesn't seem to be the desired effect, even if it has a very nice sound.

So, are we saying, in conclusion, that there may be differences sonically but these are normally indistinguishable, there are differences in heel shape but issues in this can be overcome where necessary be design, but the bolt-on allows a bit of flexibility (not that kind) in changing if necessary and allowing a shim, if necessary (albeit this shouldn't be necessary but often is). But for 99% of the time with 99% of basses, nobody really knows, nor cares, about any difference? Especially as bolt-ons seem to have made a resurgence in custom basses.