Conan

[quote name='Doctor J' timestamp='1335253105' post='1627844'] Don't care. I have rosewood, maple, wenge and ebony fretboards and, for me, the shape of the neck as a whole matters more than what the frets have been hammered into. Once it sounds good, feels good and looks good I just don't care what it is and all are perfectly capable of meeting those criteria. Most people can't tell one from the other with their eyes closed. [/quote] This with knobs on! I've also played ebonol and graphite necks/boards and would totally agree with this comment.

The problem with "one offs" is that they can be seen as custom and practice. Next time your village wants to celebrate something they will remember the two bands that will play for nothing. That's fine if you are prepared to continue playing for free, but if not you may suddenly appear greedy. Have you asked the PA company if THEY would be prepared to forego their fee in the interests of helping the village? If they aren't, then there is a certain amount of unfairness going on. Still, if your consciences are clear it's really nobody else's business.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1334847119' post='1622292'] Aaargh [/quote] Christ!!! I can't believe I did that!

[url="http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/products/6040-ernie_ball_slinky_nickel_wound_bass_singles_070_090"]http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/products/6040-ernie_ball_slinky_nickel_wound_bass_singles_070_090[/url]_

Five grand can buy a heck of a lot of bass (sadly less than half of a new Fodera though!) - but not much when it comes to holidays of a lifetime, cars or houses. Which is quite depressing but at the same time rather cool. Buying basses is a far less expensive habit than cars, for example. Which can only be good news. If someone gave me £5000 and there would be no comebacks, I'd quite like to try a couple of Rickenbackers - just to see if I really could get on with one. It would also be really cool do have a "Wayne's World" moment. After a while noodling around on a bass in a music shop, turn round and flash your wad saying "I'll take it! Do you accept cash my man?". [i][size=2](Edited for being an idiot)[/size][/i]

[quote name='merello' timestamp='1334775661' post='1621177'] [url="http://www1.rollingstone.com/hearitnow/player/rush.html"]Click to listen to Rush's 'Headlong Flight'[/url] [/quote] Sounds like a decent track to me! Slightly reminiscent of the Foo Fighters perhaps? Could possibly do with a bit more "light and shade" though? Dymanic range is a bit "compressed" too - which seems commonplace these days. For a long track it comes across as a bit relentless to me... but that's after only two listens. Certainly better than their (for me) low point of Vapor Trails. Snakes and Arrows is OK, but they are a long way off their creative zenith of the late 80s and early 90s IMO. Some tasty playing from wor Ged there Can't wait for this album - pre-ordered it on Amazon yesterday

It's down to the physics in part. Electromagnetic induction generates a bigger electric current when the movement of the coil (the string) is greater or the magnet (in the pickup) is more powerful. You can make the magnet "more powerful" by decreasing the distance between the string and the pickup. The string vibrates more further from its anchored ends. The bridge is one anchored end and the nut is the other. So there is more current generated by the neck pickup - so it sends a "hotter" signal to the amp unless this is compensated for by less windings in the neck pickup, or reducing the volume.... Blah, blah, blah! But yes - the neck pickup always seems to sound louder. Different harmonics too.

Many businesses are having to cut costs. Why would musicians be any different? It's all very well holding high moral values and never getting any work, but who does that benefit in the short to medium term? Decent quality music gear is, in real terms, now as cheap as it has ever been. As this forms the basis of our "outgoings" maybe bands should actually be reducing the price they charge? This is a very complex debate that too many people seek to simplify. For each musician, each band and each venue it is different. Whether you agree with that or not, it is true. Perpetuating the divide between "amateur" and "professional" musicians in pointless. By definition, anyone who has been paid for the services they offer is no longer an amateur. In response to the OP - charge what you like and think is appropriate. It's no business of anyone else's except the people you play for.

It's worth about £300. And I'll have it thanks Remember though, the market is in a rather depressed state at the moment, so whatever its "book value" might be, you could well struggle to get anywhere near that if you choose to sell

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1334692922' post='1619959']But I would not waste time with Wilkinson, GFS and many others. [/quote] [quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1334698233' post='1620079']The GFS bass pups are good value for money too.[/quote] Just goes to show that we are not all dealing from the same deck!

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1334692922' post='1619959'] But I would not waste time with Wilkinson, GFS and many others. [/quote] Interesting! I wouldn't put GFS and Wilko in the same category and can only talk about my own experiences. I really rate the GFS pickups, but I guess it depends on what you are expecting and which bass you put them into. A lot of people talk about the level of output as if it is a measure of quality. It isn't. It's just volume. That's what the amp is for!! What's much more important is the [b][i]tone[/i][/b] that the pickup produces and it's dynamic range. High output can be useful in terms of signal to noise ratio, but it's no good having an average tone at high levels!

Trillians!! How the mighty have fallen! I saw them at the old Riverside back in 1991...

My brief foray into the world of five strings came to and end for two main reasons. 1. The various fives I bought were never as good, quality wise, as my fours. As a result I would always keep reverting to the fours. 2. Although I loved the concept of having the extra low notes available, when I used them in my current band they just didn't fit with the band sound. Too low, and therefore too "sonically distant" from the guitars. Like others have said, I just feel more comfortable on a four. It could be argued, though, that I never really gave fivers a proper chance...

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1334661086' post='1619218'] Professionalism isn't just earning a living. [/quote] Exactly! Some "hobby" bands are very professional and some "pro" bands are not. It's a state of mind.

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=search&fromMainBar=1"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=search&fromMainBar=1[/url]

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1334654831' post='1619076'] if you want 'Quality' pickups you have to pay more What can you expect for £10 each?[/quote] To an extent... but are £200 pickups really ten times better than a £20 set? Dunno about the Wilkinsons as I've never tried them, but when I put a GFS P pickup in my Squier I was really impressed and that only cost about thirty quid. I think there is a certain amount of people hearing what they want to hear when they install really expensive pickups...

If you trawl through the many pickup comparison threads on here you will probably find that Wilkinsons have their devotees but generally get a mixed press. Hard to find anyone with anything negative to say about Wizards though! Bear in mind that Wizard do a number of different J sets and will wind to your specs too... On the cheap side of things though, have a look at these...[url="http://www.guitarfetish.com/GFS-JB-Pro-Jazz-Bass-Style-Alnico-Pickups_p_318.html"]http://www.guitarfet...kups_p_318.html[/url] at thirty dollars they are about the same price as the Wilkos. Also, look in the for sale threads on here - lots of good pickups for good prices!

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1334587609' post='1618055'] Also be careful of no-name cheap strings you can pick up for £5 a set. Like most metal things from the far east the regulations are rarely adhered to and the content of lead and other undesirable things can be astonishingly high. If your skin is going to be in contact with the metal (whether its a counterfeit watch or bass string) be warned! [/quote] Crikey! I'd never thought about that! How do we know that the "quality" brands contain less heavy metals?

[quote name='pietruszka' timestamp='1334606389' post='1618520'] Just buy one! I bought a Sandberg...[/quote] Oh? What kind?

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1334599144' post='1618333'] I wasn't talking about the musicianship. That's not what is being discussed, it's the proffesionalism I'm talking about. [/quote] In most cases, I think the two are linked - but it obviously depends on genre and other variables....