Conan

[quote name='geofio' timestamp='1443556491' post='2875812'] The more i play the USA Geddy the more i like it, in all my years of playing i have never enjoyed playing a particular bass as much as this Geddy, if you have a chance to own one just grab it, it is that good. [/quote] And now it's up for sale! I'd love to try one of these but it is way beyond my budget at the moment

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1443639680' post='2876562']I don't believe ANYONE has cracked that level of consistancy. I think/hope creditable makers have cracked the QC/build to an extent but sound is still the big varible. IMO. [/quote] Well yes, the more experienced you are and the "better" your ears are, the more likely it is that you will hear differences between basses from the same manufacturer and even the same type. I have four J basses (not all Fender) and they all sound different to me. Materials vary - and wood in particular varies. Even two pieces of wood from the same tree will vary slightly. As bass guitars are still mainly made from wood, these variations will show themselves in sound, but to a greater extent in playability. Even metal varies, so the wire and magnets that makes up the pickups will show small differences... This is not necessarily down to inconsistencies in production methods or poor QC (well, Fender notwithstanding! ) but down to inherent variability within the materials themselves. Is it always a bad thing? In some ways, it is surprising that so many basses sound similar! I guess what Michael's test shows is that it is not necessary to pay £2000+ to get the tone and playability of early seventies Fender.

Top band! But then I would say that wouldn't I? May they live long and prosper P.S. If you like the Beard, have a listen to Karmakanic... [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lhyJVEtiN4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lhyJVEtiN4[/url]

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1443598372' post='2875966'] Bass number two sounds more expensive than bass number one. It's a fuller, rounder sound with more character. There's a lovely growl on the lower notes. If number two isn't the vintage Fender, then it should be. [/quote] And it was the Jake. Hmmmm.... Food for thought indeed!

[quote name='vaesto' timestamp='1443159303' post='2872659'] Yes. Checked it again and the label on PU is PBA1-BK. [/quote] But do we know who makes the pickup? Despite quite a lot of searching I've drawn a blank so far...

[quote name='Wonky2' timestamp='1442434849' post='2867003'] But this view does fall on its arse as soon as you plug in the squire p bass which may be set up sweet and play beautifully, but the output is just thin and hollow sounding???[/quote] Not the Matt Freeman P bass!

Best of all worlds!

To a very limited extent - Phil Lynott Yes, I know that the majority of his work was great, [i][b]but[/b][/i].... [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvKb13Z9gg0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvKb13Z9gg0[/url] and [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhAmA_ILgl4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhAmA_ILgl4[/url]

If you do your research it is much harder to be "conned". On the other hand, there will always be gullible people with more money than sense who buy expensive stuff just because it is expensive. I makes a statement about them.

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1442864489' post='2870135']I don't see many Just, Sandberg, Lakland, Sadowsky or Wals. But I do see an awful lot of Fenders. [/quote] Which becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. Lots of Fenders about, so lots of aspiring bassists see them and think they are the instruments to own. Imitation is, after all, the sincerest form of flattery. Don't get me wrong - I like Fenders, and have owned a few (down to just two now, if you include Squier!) but sometimes I would like to see a bit more variety and recognition that there can be (and are) different solutions to the same problems...

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1442396157' post='2866571'] What we really need is for a chain of Charity Shops to launch their own brand of P-bass ... [/quote] Naaah... surely that kind of cheap publicity stunt would be seen through be the educated Basschat members?

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1442838700' post='2869849'] I recently acquired a Jazz bass... a lot of the music I grew up with was played on them. [/quote] I suspect that is a big part of the appeal. We are used to hearing (and seeing) Fenders. Just watch any of the BBC's reruns of music from the sixties onwards, and virtually every bassist will be using a P or a J (usually in 3TSB, but's that's another story!)

[quote name='bassjim' timestamp='1442835285' post='2869797']are they overpriced? i can only go by the american deluxe range as i think these are up against the higher priced basses. even here they are a bargain. ie: 2 grand plus vrs approx £1500.00 they have exactly the right machinery so they consistently get it right. sure there will be some duff ones but these will be less so. [/quote] I'm confused. Are you saying that they are consistent, or not? Of course, every piece of wood is unique (even from the same tree), but getting things like string alignment and how well the neck fits into its pocket wrong is very poor on instruments at this price point (even MIM basses). And comparing USA Deluxe fenders with bespoke, handmade "boutique" basses is like comparing apples with oranges. Different market altogether (IME). The Fenders (even Custom Shop to a certain extent) are mass-produced by machines. As such they are (IMO) overpriced - even allowing for shipping, import duties and so on.

[quote name='vaesto' timestamp='1442823037' post='2869625'] The pickup itself has a label "ABP-1". And some people say it is Tonerider OEM. In any case stock PU is very decent vintage sounding pickup. [/quote] Sorry for my ignorance, but - OEM??

Quite a few people have talked about "upgrading" the pickup on these basses - but does anyone know what the stock PU is? The Fender/Squier website isn't particularly helpful! It sounds OK mind... I'm just interested

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1442579201' post='2867943']"Solid" without any other positive adjectives should not be what we aspire to. [/quote] As bass players, we need to be careful to what we aspire...