Dave Vader

Advice for all out there with routers. If you have used WD-40 to remove an old broken bit from the collet, please ensure that you have cleaned all the wd40 out of said collet before using the router again. Other wise you end up with a chunk from the edge of your neck pocket (reshaped with file and sandpaper thanks god) a loud clunking noise and a missing router bit (think it's in the neighbours garden ) You also have to finish the job with a chisel. I learn something new every time I pick that router up. Lucky this jazz is only a cheap project to see if I like the general ergonomics and sound of a J these days. Should have it together again tonight. Neck join officially looks like sh*t now, worst I've ever done, so quite proud of that alone.

[quote name='lojo' post='985431' date='Oct 12 2010, 10:08 AM']Im used to busking and going off structure, but normally know my stuff well enough Also not expecting to understand any leading at this one as we are all pretty much in the same boat Just wondered if anyone had any neat tricks for prompts other than lyrics[/quote] Bit of paper, scrawl the line before the change on it, and where it goes (if you need to) then you just have to listen out for the bit you need. I've got a whole set on one side of a4 this way before. Eventually narrowed it down to a little strip of paper taped on the top edge of my bass.

[quote name='Doddy' post='982441' date='Oct 9 2010, 12:09 PM']How about the good old fashioned way of writing dots on manuscript paper?[/quote] I was waiting for someone to say that....

[quote name='Sean' post='983248' date='Oct 10 2010, 12:25 PM']I tried a set of Legacy strings from stringsdirect and they are pretty good for £7.99 delivered. There was a Rotosound QA ticket in the box so I guess that's where they are made. Couldn't argue for the money. Try a set and see.[/quote] I use these a lot, constantly before I turned to the flat side. I liked them more than rotos, and I generally buy as cheap as I can. As long as you give them a good clean off after every gig, they go for ages. Have a spare set lying about ready to go on my J project when it's done, get some roundwound zing for a bit. Otherwise, fender9050 flats, as they are the cheapest flats I can find, and I like the sound of them, nicely balanced, and a bit zingy for flats, so's you can get a bit of an edge when you need it.

Grateful Dead, or the Airplane

[quote name='7string' post='981723' date='Oct 8 2010, 04:10 PM']You could try a woodworking scraper for working on the neck or pocket. They're steel and cost about a fiver.[/quote] I will ask my cabinet maker friend if I can borrow his. Seeing as the old snapped bit in my router doesn't want to come out, so buying a new bit has proved to be a fairly futile gesture.

[quote name='Bidd' post='981484' date='Oct 8 2010, 12:31 PM']I realise I'm bringing up an old thread, but just last night the singer in my band offered me an old Antoria P Bass, that was passed on to him by someone else. Anyway apparently this bass was owned by Smokey's (or is it Smokie?) bassist. Would it be right to maybe give the bass a whole upgrade, and maybe complete a trio of Jazz, Precision and Musicman type bass in my possession, or just leave it as a piece of history (even though nothing can be verified, who owned it, or even if it was ever used during the Smokie era)[/quote] Update it, play it, for these things were made to be played, not gawked at. And more importantly, Smokie were a pile of w*** (and they did that cock awful single with CHubby Brown)

[quote name='BOD2' post='980258' date='Oct 7 2010, 09:55 AM']Re. the pickup problem. Are you saying that when BOTH pickups are on at the same time they can sound a bit weak but that each pickup is ok on its own ? If so, then it could be that the pickups are out of phase with each other. To fix this, reverse the hot and ground wire of ONE of the pickups (it doesn't matter which one).[/quote] Until the height problem is fixed, I can't really guess at the phase, and if they have been rw/rp, that won't fix it anyway. Thanks for the advice though, it might prove useful once I get to that bit.

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='979951' date='Oct 6 2010, 09:58 PM']Ahh! Thanks for enlightening me. In that case I can't see how it could be that since it would surely be immaterial except when pickups were used in combination? More likely it's just a weedy pickup sitting too low from the strings. I jam my bridge pup right up close to the strings without problems and I remember it seemed to make a good difference to the bass response.[/quote] I am finding myself in agreement with that. Hope my routing skills are up to the task when my new bit turns up. And that there's enough heel left to hold the neck on, quite a thin body it turns out, might be down to about 18mm when I'm done.

Have ordered a very cheap template bit from ebay, £5 to get my dear old router up and running again, hoorah. I can get the cavity on my RIckenfaker down to the right depth as well now, should make sound guys very happy...

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='978860' date='Oct 5 2010, 09:40 PM']Err, buy a new router? Forgive my ignorance but what does rw/rp mean?[/quote] reverse wound reverse phase. Often used in strat middle pickups so that the 2 and 4 positions are humbucking. Means that when you select either of these positions the hum becomes noticeable by it's absence, and your output goes super wimpy. And buying a new router seems to be the best option, or sanding block and a knackered elbow.

So are these guys [url="http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/"]http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/[/url] also allparts do good screws as well.

Finally got my latest bitsa project together last night, Jazz body, silly reshaped headstock neck, MIM pickups. All seemed not too bad, neck has back-bowed a bit but I've loosened the truss, put the strings a bit # and left it over night to pull out. Real problem is same as always, the neck heel is too deep, and the pocket is too shallow, so my pickups don't go quite high enough (at least that's what I assume) to get decent output. I might make some stilts for the pups (foam is super deep and stiff, just wood is too low). On top of this, my neck pickup is not too bad, sounds quite nice, as does both up full. Trouble is, soon as I roll off a bit of neck to get a trebley slappy tone, it goes very thin and weak. Is this just the height? Is it wired up funny? Is it rw/rp (cos I hate that, and it will annoy me a bit) No idea, any help on deepening my neck pocket/thinning the neck heel would be greatly appreciated, need to lose a good 4 or 5 mm overall, and I have broken my router.

You've got a DB, Get a quiff, and go do the Stray Cat Strut on the ROckablilly scene.... :brow:

Hit the paypal dispute page and enter the tracking information there. Good luck trying to get a human being at paypal, but this should be easy to resolve with them, given the evidence you clearly have.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='978063' date='Oct 5 2010, 10:31 AM']£119 if my neurons have aligned themselves along the earth's ley lines properly. I thought that was sensible, but not a notable bargain. I've seen them go for less than £100 sometimes. If it sells for less than £119, then of course the muppet would not be a muppet any more [/quote] True, I assumed sensible meant "cheap" or under £100, which I assume it will probably go for more than. Might get a happy muppet

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='978031' date='Oct 5 2010, 09:59 AM']only a handfull have the big fender logo, most JV would have the same headstock as a SQ.[/quote] I sit corrected, and honestly don't know as much as I like to think I do.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='977624' date='Oct 4 2010, 08:44 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Westone-Thunder-1A-Bass-/120629916545?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1c161a7381"]Westone Thunder 1A with a sensible BIN.[/url][/quote] Not anymore, some muppets bid on it. What was the sensible BIN?

SQs are very good basses. A lot of crap is talked about the JV series being so much better, the price difference is mainly down to the Big fender logo on the JV headstock if you ask me. I have a 90s japanese squier neck on my strat, it is truly the nicest (guitar) neck I've ever had my hands on. I think if it's a jap squier (or fender) then it's good. Very good normally. Plus they'll get the same magic attributes as the JVs have soon, and you'll be able to sell it off for a small fortune.

[quote name='Bilbo' post='977350' date='Oct 4 2010, 04:45 PM']At last! A man of integrity who owns his own deviance!! Acknowledging the problem is half way to solving it. You have my respect![/quote] Why thank you, I also drink too much and smoke like a thing on fire. Never fixed them neither, but I can read music (if I squint....)

[quote name='Marvin' post='977326' date='Oct 4 2010, 04:35 PM']He is, he's a shameless whore Bilbo, he's got an awful reputation around.....well the whole of Devon. [/quote] Sadly true, and how I ended up having to count in the "drummer" at an open mic night the other week, which helpfully made me and my guitar playing mate (who talked me into doing it AGAIN) look like muppets. Moral, never ask a bloke who told you he could play drums at a barbecue to pop over and play in front of an audience without hearing him first. Oh, and try not to say yes to every gig you are offered....

[quote name='Bilbo' post='977272' date='Oct 4 2010, 04:08 PM']Hurrah for you. [/quote] Not so much Bilbo, I feel dirty, I play music I do not like, for money, I can feel a 17 year old version of myself chucking fruit at me every time I walk on to a stage. Still, a gigs a gig, and I am a shameless whore.

[quote name='Linus27' post='977216' date='Oct 4 2010, 03:18 PM']What band/artist do you cover? [b]Not really a full on tribute band, we are a tribute to the electro and new romantic movements of the '80s, although some people seem to think that includes Lionel Richie.... Also, going to do a Johnny Cash thing with the same singer, as a duo, me on lead guitar, him on rhythm and vox. [/b] Are you pro or just for fun? [b]Mostly just for a bit of a laugh and some extra cash, might turn pro with it in a year or so, you still have to putin the graft even when it's a tribute[/b] How many gigs do you get a year? [b]Out pretty much every weekend, at least once, sometimes get the hat-trick, not often mind[/b] What type of gigs do you do – pubs, clubs, weddings, private parties, festivals etc? [b]Mostly pubs at the moment (year one, do the sh!t gigs) gradually getting more weddings/functions/corporate stuff now though, and aiming at the holiday camps next year (shameless I know...)[/b] Are the gigs packed or various? [b]Pretty much packed, get the odd dog of a night, but even then the small crowds are appreciative, and mostly there to see us (surprised me as well, couple came from the other side of the county to see us again, with only one week between gigs)[/b] Do you have an agent or do you manage yourselves? [b]Just talking to agents now, as we are a bit sick of doing all the haggling ourselves, and it's the only way onto the circuit we're aiming at.[/b] Do you act and dress the part or just play the songs? [b]Dressed up like fools sadly/b][/quote]

[quote name='Doddy' post='977231' date='Oct 4 2010, 03:28 PM']But the covers bands that are playing in theatres are usually themed shows (60's,Motown, Disco...Whatever) in a similar way to tribute bands. It is certainly easier to get better gigs and more money if you have a theme. I've found this out myself by actually calling up venues and booking gigs. If you tell a venue that you are a cover band,they don't know what you are going to play and think that can book a local band for a lot less. But,if you tell them that you are,say,a tribute to 90's Britpop,you are more likely to get the money that you ask for and the venue owner can advertise you better.[/quote] He's right there you know, when we started up my latest thing last year (80s tribute act) we just wanted to play, so we rang pubs and they would originally say maybe, just on the reputations of the individual members, but once we said it was as cheesy as it is, and that we dress up like twats, they were throwing money at us. And it keeps making more and more money, and a bigger following than I ever expected Good times.

I remember Andy doing a covers side project back in the afore-mentioned '92, with another mate of mine, Adrian on drums. They seemed very happy to be doing covers alongside their originals stuff. Played in the Gannet back in Bideford all the time. (and we've stayed on subject, almost) I saw Andy in a covers band not that long ago now I come to think of it, can't for the life of me remember what they were called though. Good bloke.