4 Strings

Sounds great. I'd have liked that, I needed a jazz which was both cheap and could be used without worrying about its finish. I'm a US snob too! (Sounds like another thread on the way!)

So, if the Roadworn thing is still going strong with guitars and basses do you think it will start to move to other things? Will that tatty but new Hiwatt or Marshall sound better having had the transformers 'soaked' for 100 hours at the factory? Actually, its possible it might, that's not fair as only the tolex needs to be torn for a comparison. Of course none of the knobs will be missing or replaced by unmatched types, neither will the strap handle be broken or fag paper be around the fuse. How about drums? Pre-worn skins? Who wants pristine white telling the world you don't really play much? Surely only a matter of time?

Bash the headstock, make it look a bit like its not pretending (even if it is). So, clearly, to answer my original question the roadworn thing is still going strong. (I'd like to have seen the £450 US Jazz on ebay!)

I suppose the counter argument would ask, 'Who's personality?'

[quote] My most knackered bass (the G&L L-1000) has a degree of scalloping to the r/w fingerboard edge between the frets. ... the jack was loose and the controls were fooked when I got it. [/quote] I'm impressed. Maybe that's why violins use ebony. I wonder how much a 'reliced' Steinway would be. [attachment=108022:1011019-battered-piano-keyboard-sitting-outside.jpg]

So maybe some will buy because the 'distressing' (how polite!) has been done well! Regarding the edges of the neck, has anyone worn through the lacquer and then started to actually round off the wood on any of their basses? I can't imagine how much playing would cause that. It would occur only in some places on the neck and by then the jack would be rattling loose, the controls on their 4th replacement and 5th refret.

Heh, I've seen those, people wanted the skunk stripe so Fender started putting them on all, you're right a bit of nonsense!

Yep, with Neepheid on this. I know this has been rather done to death as a subject with personal preferences, why not, cheaper than a real old bass etc being all good reasons to justify this and others questioning why anyone would damage a new bass, isn't it just pretending and so who's fooling who etc. I just wondered if it's coming to an end. Just for the uninitiated, how does a bass feel 'played-in'? I have an old Jaydee, had it from new over 25 years ago, well played but apart from some wear on the ebony where I used to play slap, there's no actual wear on it. Certainly the edge of the fret board is just as crisp as it was when new, there's no way it will start to round off. I also have an old Fender Precision neck, this is VERY well used (ciggy burn and all!) and the frets are showing their age (especially around the key of 'A' - a blues neck surely!) However, the edges are a bit bashed but not worn to be more rounded, still got the lacquer.

Are these still fashionable or is this chapter coming to a close now? I know they are still available but don't seem to hear much about 'relicing' now (nothing to do with lice but an attempt to make a verb from a noun - can a word that doesn't exist be mispelt?). This is Fender's own, nice regular pattern of knocking off the finish. [attachment=108007:Knocked Jazz.jpg] Same bass, why do they never do the end of the headstock, always the first bit to be bashed in real life? [attachment=108008:Knocked Jazz2.jpg] Sorry, betraying myself there. Is it over though?

When did Fender start putting on a maple fingerboard rather than cutting the frets into the maple neck? I've seen a MIM or two with this, but a late 90s MIA Jazz I've seen has it too. Means all necks are constructed the same (ie no skunk stripe from truss rod entry at the back of the neck) just a choice of fingerboard. Any ideas about when this came about? Does it mean only re-issues have one piece necks? (Or are they with separate fingerboard too?) Cheers

[quote] I had one bass for twenty odd years and wanted to sound like Marcus Miller. Now i have 8 basses and want to sound like me [/quote] Yup, sounds just like me, it was 25years, Stanley Clarke and 5 (one's for sale though, does that make things any better?).

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1336987024' post='1653456'] Was watching Guitar Heroes on Beeb 3 (or four) last night and I suddenly realised that 90% of all the guitars and basses on there were all worn, bashed up and chipped or had pup mods etc held in place with gaffa tape etc.... If those guys could see us now eh, what a bunch of pussies we'd look. I wonder if, as we now live in a more materialistic world compared to then, there's not more of an obsession about the gear than the music itself? Perhaps it's less to do with age but more to do with the age we live in. [/quote] This is it. Yes, I think we have become more materialistic and you can tell how much we focus on gear compared with music by the numbers of posts on the many gear related forums compared to how many music/technique related posts. I'm guilty myself of a 'New Amp Day' post. If it wasn't an age thing before I wonder if its become one. For example, my two lads, both proficient players in bands etc, will talk endlessly about players and playing. They know about gear but won't hold for long on the subject. I'm envious as I'm rather opposite. Perhaps one element is that when I was their age there weren't 50 year olds with group gear (let alone my dad!), people that age were either classical or honky-tonk. Us gear obsessed materialists were still developing.

Yes, mid cut. Took me a while to learn this one. Adding mid appears to take away the bottom (as the overall volume comes down a tad) but, of course, it doesn't. It fills that gaping shelf for anything above D on the A string apart from the fret buzz reproduced by the treble.

Oh how I loved looking round the second hand gear shops. Turning my nose up at that old Selmer and Wem equipment (not that I could afford any of it) which is now covetted. (There's a difference between looking after gear and being too precious about it.)

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1336921509' post='1652726'] One of the guitarists I play with doesn't have a case for his guitar, another uses a plastic carrier bag for all his cables and accessories. The drummer doesn't have a case for his drums (though does for his cymbals). All are in their 50s. Apart from my carpet-covered cabs, all my gear is cased in some way - I've even got a couple of wheeled Peli-cases for cables and misc bits - so everything can be 'thrown' safely into the car. I don't think it's an age thing. [/quote] Fair enough.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1336902050' post='1652421'] ...At the other end of the scale our drummer packs his gear away wearing cotton gloves. The acidity of the sweat on your fingers attacks the cymbals. Apparently. [/quote] Yep, same here but also our drummer sometimes uses a racked kit, won't let anyone touch the chrome because of our acidic fingerprints. I can tell you plenty more of that sort of thing.

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1336916002' post='1652636'] Basschat is the Culprit!!! Years ago you'd buy an amp or guitar and use it until it blew up or wore out. Nowdays if you want to experiment with gear you have basschat, gumtree, ebay etc to offload your gear and buy new stuff from. So you look after it as you never know when you may need to sell it in order to buy something different. [/quote] I think this sort of thing has a lot to do with it.

"I find it astonishing that perhaps 20% of the guitarists and bassist that use the rehearsal studio that I frequent have either no protection at all or just a bin-bag for their instruments." See? That's the spirit! Are the 20% youngsters? If so, maybe I'm wrong and just a lot older and move in the wrong circles. I think I'm now changing the question to 'Are Older People Too Precious About Their Gear'.

I did the same in waiting for the B500 micro. Bought an american amp in the end, hit the wallet a bit hard too (GB Streamliner). Real shame.

No, you're right, I am talking about a pair of stacks. Just sounded like jackhammer played an American Deluxe.

[quote name='Mike' timestamp='1336750108' post='1650479'] I was there too, and I work with Seth on Fridays. He seemed pretty disappointed by it, but is positive about playing at other venues perhaps monthly. It's a shame as it's so wonderful to have those guys on my doorstep every thursday,. and I've enjoyed my gigs with John and Zak, as well as depping at the Bassment when they've been off touring. Let's hope they get it sorted asap! [/quote] You depped, on bass?

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1336749306' post='1650459'] That is sad - I suspect a certain guitarist of my acquaintance will also be in mourning on hearing the news. Chelmsford has suddenly become a less interesting place. Didn't he have Dave Kilminster in the band at one point? [/quote] Dave, among a small handful of others, depped for Guthrie on occasion. Not an easy task!

Sounds like a Deluxe. 4 knobs, Vol, Pan, Treble/Bass stack and Mid.