4 Strings

Ignore this, I though I uploaded a music file but I didn't. I'll try again. Anyone else wants to play and knows how to upload music, go for it, I'll play!

That's brilliant, now we know what a Jazz on both pickups sounds like, thanks, Rich. Any other offers of tracks gratefully received, anyone else want post some too?

I can't tell the difference between basses with cellulose or any other type of paint so how am I supposed to tell different makes? Seriously, I honestly can't tell a jazz on the neck from a Precision, but I would say this is different enough from what I would expect from a Precision that I would say it isn't no. 3. In the quiet bit it has an un-fenderish characteristic so if I had to say one its no. 5. Yes, impressive sounding track too. Was this really a competition (and an excellent one at that, I'd like to see more of these) or are you showing off a track with which you are justifiably proud?

Sounds like the conversation I had about mismatching voltages between the valve pre and the power amp. Seems like a couple of weeks for the 'Bass 500' (the 'digital' one). Fidgetty.

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1328277340' post='1524821'] Hey 4 strings, where are you based? Geoff [/quote] Essex-ish, Geoff.

Thanks, Geoff, really useful. Mine will be used with a Compact too. I'm waiting for the Matamp 500 to be ready as that would be my first choice (for no other reason than liking the idea of it being a Matamp!) with the Mibass being the second option. Matamp will allow a week test as I can't get to the factory in the foreseeable. I'm still looking for somewhere to try a Mibass so you impressions are valuable.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1328192799' post='1523359'] That's the other thing. Always excuses. I want stuff, not excuses. Like the guy who wanted to buy flats I always get 'We can order them in for you' - I can order them in for myself, cheaper, but I was hoping to get it today which is why I trudged across here to find out you've got as many of them as I have. [/quote] Of course, all the on line dicount outlets set up individual instruments to your personal desires, don't they?

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1328178976' post='1522996'] The point I was making is that you have to do something different from the big online shops. They can buy bulk etc but don't have that casual walk in and browse thing. If you have a PC in the shop that you can let customers see what you can get in and they know it will be there next day you may not lose their custom. I get told "We can try and get some in for you", rather than "I don't have any in stock but can get some here for tomorrow." [/quote] This is my experience with going into a shop which doesn't have what I want on stock. They can normally have a go at matching the price too. I always use shops when I can, even if it might be a little more, I'll pay for the facility.

'Coz the ones without the additional cost of the shop will undercut. And, like all good Tesco shoppers, people will buy for a penny cheaper.

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1328050158' post='1521143'] Their customer service is spot on no doubt it's just that amp, I bought one for £40 once that was £50 too much. [/quote] I'll have it!

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1328028779' post='1520563'] Just received a mibass 550 and had a quick play through my compacts. Impressive indeed. Tone not far from my ABM500 and love the parametric eq. Missing the mute though lol. I can live with that though. Quiet fan, and dead quiet when I'm not playing. So far I'm liking it, see what its like in a band situation at practice though. Cheers Geoff [/quote] Thanks, keep it coming

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1328016809' post='1520304'] There are some guys here that use £100 basses and sound great. That's me!! Well, the first bit anyway... [/quote] Some guy.

[quote name='LawrenceH' timestamp='1327868701' post='1518033'] This is the point that people seem to completely fail to understand. I feel like a broken record, but dead spots. They exist, they are due to the materials/construction and prove conclusively (not that it's needed since Newton already did that job several hundred years ago, but he didn't apply the physics of mass-spring-damper systems to electric bass!) that wood contributes to tone. Whether it's 'negligible' or not depends on what you're comparing, of course. [/quote] Yes, I believe this to be true and is particularly true for Fenders which use a single piece of maple for the neck. Every Fender and MM I have played has a dead spot around the 5th fret on the G String. Some worse than others. My Jaydee has a composite neck which helps to cancel these resonances and it does not suffer in the same way. This definitely affects the sound. However, the overall sound is still a matter for the strings, pups, amps etc. You can tell similar basses apart due to these elements, not the dead spot. You can mainly tell the basses apart by their players.

[quote name='Mog' timestamp='1327588592' post='1513828'] Upgrading parts can greatly improve a bass. A mate pimped a VMJ with new Barts, Gotoh hardware etc and it sounded great. Surely better than a stock Mex Fender. Would it sound better than a Jap fender with the same upgrades? IMO no because the overall quality of the build is way better. [/quote] You can tell the difference between a Mex and Jap Fender? WOw. You have way better ears than me. I struggle between the neck pup on my Jazz and my Precision. My lad has a Mex Jazz Deluxe. There are no issues with it at all, it sounds and plays brilliantly. I'm not here to defend Mexican basses, just that, in reality, there is no three tier of sound quality from US, through Jap to Mex. They are all massed produced by machines, and I understand those in the US factory are the largest. The local labour costs vary though. Can we decide if the Korean Fenders are any good so we can say whether they sound good or not? They all have the same dead spots. A friend is a Jazz bass enthusiast, his main love is a Sadowski. Yes, the sound is fab. It really is, but then he is also a phenomenal bass player.

If you don't like his tone that doesn't that help to shape your own tone? More importantly he keeps time.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1327532122' post='1513128'] Yes, effortlessness is almost always the result of a great deal of earlier effort. [/quote] Amen. I play in a gospel band, three very talented singers but its hard work getting them off the natural harmonies (with which they sound fine) into actual worked out parts (with which they will sound fabulous). Getting them to believe anybody does that is not being easy.

[quote name='BRANCINI' timestamp='1327542020' post='1513252'] " Lets do Alright Now, the punters will love it" followed by, "Lets all wear matching stage gear, Orange shirts and dickey bows would look nice" [/quote] But the bass line is fantastic! So reserved yet so powerful. The guy was the epitome of cool. The second quote is normally '..black shirts and red ties'... which is exactly what we and countless other function bands wear. So imaginative! Oh, I get it now, Alright Now [u]with[/u] dickie bows. ok.

Shame, I was looking forward to that. I completely understand the reason for the rule and support it, but could the rule be modified to include occasional builds from builders? I find it really interesting. (I realise this would therefore need someone to keep an eye, but I'm sure if any of us felt things were going beyond the interesting we could point it out.)

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1327516880' post='1512794'] This. Most people trying to learn tracks don't listen anywhere near close enough or for long enough to an original. When you listen at what I call the 'forensic level', nine times out of ten the bass player is playing something [i]different [/i]to what you thought[i]. [/i]Even on tracks you thought you knew. . [/quote] Amen. Do be honest, in my experience most people 'doing their own take' on a part has been a result of them being too lazy to get the real part right. I think I may have just isolated myself from some in this community.

I think it depends how serious your band it. If you're playing for your own enjoyment then do what you like and enjoy yourself. If you're playing for the audience enjoyment then they'll want to hear the original, they won't want to hear your little ad-libs. As has been said, tribute band you have to nail to original down to nuance and feel, as well as notes. Definitely regularly gigging bands will have every note sorted to sure no glitches and clashes of rhythm etc. Having said this, if you want to play the same each time - and you ought to - the drummer needs to too. Now, that's not always easy to achieve!

Just to go on with the Line-6 theme; 'I've traded my Orange in for a Line-6' from a youngster guitarist who ran out of money. So sad. He's in my Motown band now, still has his solid oak Orange 2x12 but the bit of chrome tin with electronic fakery within that now represents his amp is poor reminder of past glories. Maybe if he gets enough from the Motown band he can buy a Matamp!

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1327335751' post='1509519'] [sub]I wouldn't be unduly put off by that pic of the bass in the snow if I was in the market for that type of bass. The length of time to put it there to take the pic would be minimal, the actual area of the bass in contact with the snow is minimal. The air would be very cold and thus fairly dry. All in all I'd say the electronics in that bass probably saw less moisture than an average sweaty club gig. I wouldn't go out of my way to photograph one of my own in that way though [/sub] [/quote] The snow wouldn't worry me either. The white pin-striping would though, but that would show up with any photo.

[quote name='eddiehoffmann' timestamp='1327251195' post='1508344'] I'm sold! One of these babies is gonna be away for a month with me in March. I think one month of gigging everyday (sometimes twice a day) will be a good test for the little mofo. Let's see... [/quote] You've talked yourself into a little review of intense use. Would be very interested in your views. What cab(s)?

[quote name='Jazzneck' timestamp='1327172999' post='1507480'] "NEVER NEVER NEVER switch on an amp without speakers or a dummy load connected." A drummer bloke who built amps in Hanwell told me that. [/quote] Thing is, my HA5000 is two separate power amps. If I only use one cab, one power amp is running with no load on it. This is the case for the majority of its life.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1327164267' post='1507308'] This is OK with SS amps, isn't it? [/quote] If anything's glowing inside an SS amp I tend to unplug it.