Conan

[quote name='iconic' timestamp='1367223479' post='2062625'] got a missing string on that instrument [/quote] He was always a very heavy-handed player was ol' dep' Dawg. He also suffered consistent problems with the string-break angle on the bridge of his banjo-bass. Times was tough Muskie.... oh yeah, times was tough.

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1366909016' post='2058956'] Why buy an instrument you're not happy with and then try and shape it into something you do like? Just buy what you want in the first place! [/quote] I would have thought that was obvious? Nobody buys a bass that they know they are unhappy with, but sometimes your tastes or needs change. A new pickup or bridge might come on the market and you want to try it... you might want to "bling" up your bass with some gold hardware... The bass that has all of the features you want might not be made by any manufacturer. Not everyone has the money to go down the custom route (and some that do are disappointed). If you have a stock bass that you like playing, but want to change it - what's the problem? Why do some people get so bent out of shape by mods that others do to their own personal property? Fair enough if you try to sell it as "upgraded" and add to its price you are being a bit presumptious - but I think most buyers on here know enough about the market to spot a blatant attempt at profiteering don't they?

There were definitely differences.... but I couldn't really say which ones I preferred! To be trulu objective you would have to listen without looking at which bass it was - and judge purely from the tone. Just out of interest, is the pickup positioning identical on all those basses? Maybe its down to the body colours and neck woods - but some of them looked to be more like 70s spacing, with the bridge pickup closer to the bridge...

[quote name='LiamPodmore' timestamp='1366887309' post='2058495']i was bored and fancied something different.[/quote] After improving sound and playability, this has got to be the most common reason for most upgrades/modifications! [quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1366815997' post='2057572']If you are going tot buy a bass and put your fav stings on it there is a chance that you would want to make your own adjustments anyway.[/quote] Isn't that an upgrade?

[quote name='rOB' timestamp='1366751115' post='2056965'] Arrived at the rehearsal studio with my head, [/quote] Are there times when you forget your head? [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvXxijurOdw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvXxijurOdw[/url]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1366541639' post='2053661'] I have no complaints whatsoever. It a wonderful forum and very well moderated for the most part. The odd few complainers don't really indicate a trend for me. [/quote] This. Keep up the good work chaps!

It depends... If I know the studio, and know that they have decent gear, and I can't be arsed loading my own into and out of cars - I might well use theirs. Getting a decent, usable sound out of unfamiliar gear is a useful skill and can actually help you (IMO) learn to utilise your own gear better. If I have just got some new gear, then I will use mine so that I can test it out at gig volume. A gig is not the best place to do this! If it is a new studio or one that I am unfamiliar with then I'll definitely take my own. My combination of LH500 and BFB Vintage is very transparent, so I know that i will be getting the sound of my bass (and any effects). Some of the gear used in studios can colour the sound a lot and make it hard to get a clean tone. While my earlier comment about using unfamiliar gear still stands, it depends on the situation. £12.50 an hour makes me take full rehearsals seriously. I do whatever is required and wastes least time. But sometimes it is quite interesting to use gear other than your own!

[quote name='steve-soar' timestamp='1366586939' post='2054650'] He was that good...before I realised he was a twat. [/quote] Many "famous" people are not exactly best mate material. That doesn't mean you can't appreciate what they do/have done. I think the Police were very much "of their time". And at that time they were brilliant. Some of their stuff stands up pretty well now too!

I am a regular customer of Howard's and can totally vouch for the quality of his work. He made the custom BWB plate that is currently on my Geddy Lee Jazz and it is a perfect fit. It also makes the bass look far more classy than the standard white one He did have a bit of an issue with meeting demand at the back end of last year, but remember that he is one guy working out of a workshop in his garage - so sometimes a bit of understanding and realism is needed!

[quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1366268877' post='2050226'] To try and please everyone else to the detrement of your own satisfaction is the road to hell. [/quote] Quote of the year!!

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1366193660' post='2049372'] Also, nothing kills energy like perfection. [/quote] I wouldn't know...

[quote name='Jazzneck' timestamp='1366184951' post='2049234'] the product seemed too cheap - "what's wrong with it?" So the crafty old fox doubled the price the following week and sales went exponential during the following year and continued to grow to the point that the business is still very profitable and still growing today. Do not confuse cost with price. Market perception is very important, Quality and customer service is king. [/quote] Good point. I think this is a major factor in why some people think that the very top-end pickups sound "better" than the "just good" ones. Maybe they are trying to justify their decision to spend more money than they needed to?

I felt a bit like this when I was learning to drive. I would oscillate between feelings of "[i]this is so stupidly easy, I don't know what all the fuss is about[/i]" and "[i]this is bloody impossible - I will never be able to master this[/i]". Amusingly, the thing that kept me going was looking at all the ancient drivers on the roads (well, OK, [i]in cars[/i] on the roads...) and thinking "[i]if they can do it, I'm not going to let it defeat me![/i]". Ironically, nearly thirty years later, I am still learning to drive! The same applies to bass playing. I can honestly say that while I may not learn something new every day (I don't even play every day), rarely does a week go by when I don't learn something new! To quote Tom Baker in one of the Sinbad films... "He who perseveres, obtains".

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1366121330' post='2048578'] I personally don't mind a terse response if the advice I'm being given is good. That's always better than a longer, more rambling reply than doesn't address the issue in question.[/quote]

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1366121069' post='2048573'] when someone is enthusiastic, they'll love the process and nothing can stop them. That deserves encouragement. [/quote] I agree up to a point... Some people love learning. The actual process of learning I mean. Whereas others see the learning as a means to an end and want to get to that end as quickly as possible. The old analogy about the journey and the destination also apply here. Sometimes it is better to travel...

I'm not sure that there is actually a "best" pickup, is there? There are loads of threads on here where someone asks for advice about what pickups to fit in their bass, and pretty much everyone comes up with a different answer! They can't all be right - but equally, can they all be wrong? Personal preference is a massive influence. What my ears hear and my brain likes may not be the same as everyone (or even anyone!) else likes. BTW, my dad is exactly the same when it comes to the "it's just wire and magnets" view. I'm not quite as dogmatic as that, but I do suspect that more of the differences are perceived rather than real...

The internet is a fantastic resource and has almost endless uses... but it can also make people lazy. Do the research first. See what you can find before asking questions that have been answered elsewhere. That said, this website is an amazing source of all kinds of information! And in general, even the most banal questions get answered in a helpful and polite manner. Well done Basschat!

[quote name='chaypup' timestamp='1366032346' post='2047457'] I think Deps should get MORE than the band members as it's not regular work so they're not having the benefit of recurring gigs and they have to be better than the band members 'cos they're not getting the rehearsals...[/quote] Exactly. If it wasn't for the dep, the gig would have to be cancelled or played without that particular instrument. This is also why supply teachers get paid more (on a daily basis) than permanent teachers. Supply teachers don't get paid during the holidays...

[quote name='Spoombung' timestamp='1366097221' post='2048180'] You don't want to know what I've got in my car. [/quote] Well, until you said that - you were correct. Now though.... TELL US!!!

Is it possible to add a capacitor or a resistor or some other electrical component between the P pickup and the socket? Just to somehow "cool" or attenuate the output of the louder pickup to something similar to the J? Then just turn the amp up a bit.... I am no elctrical wizard (pun partly intended) so please don't take the piss if this suggestion is stupid...

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1365679791' post='2042716'] it's interesting to see trends emerge, such as massive Geddy fans disliking his bass sounds. It's interesting. [/quote] Interesting indeed! I really like Geddy's tone again now. In fact, I have done so since he switched back to using his Jazz on or around the Counterparts album... I just wish he would incorporate his tone into some decent songs these days.... Funnily enough, after years of using DRs, D'Addarios and Elites; I went back to a set of Roto 66s. (I got them as a present for Christmas.) Out of the pack they sounded OK, but very quickly lost their zing. I mean within a few hours! I took them off and was toying with giving them away on here.... but I stuck them in meths overnight and put them back on. Wow! The difference was amazing! Not only did they sound zingier than they did when brand new, but that zing has lasted for several weeks. I am now very pleased with the tone I am getting from them