simon1964

I use them on all of my basses. Excellent strings for the money.

Isn't that the one I sold you in a trade for some Mark Bass gear a few years back? If so, it was definitely right handed back then

[quote name='bartelby' post='1343183' date='Aug 17 2011, 02:41 PM']The only shop in Newport seems to think that charging the maximum they can for products is the way to keep people buying local. I had buy a set of strings, fogot to order from stringbusters, so I popped into the shop. Online a set of nickel D'addario mediums is £14.30, in the shop £24.99 (you can get a twin pack online for £22 FFS!!). They charge the RRP for instruments too.[/quote] TBF a lot of this will be down to a local independant not being able to buy bulk. The online stores will buy thousands of packs of a particular brand and gauge because they will in turn sell thousands. That means that they buy at significantly lower prices and can rely on selling in bulk at low margains. Your local store in Newport will probably sell only one or two sets of bass strings a week so simply can't do that. Realistically, local shops will never compete for price with online stores for strings. But that's no excuse for poor customer service - they should realise that were they can compete is on quality of service, and local goodwill.

[quote name='chrisd24' post='1343126' date='Aug 17 2011, 02:05 PM']also am i right in thinking the zoom is also a usb interface?![/quote] Yes, and I think they come with Cubase software (my old B2 certianly did). I likedthe Zoom, and I'm sure the B9 sounds great. For me, the advantage the ME50b has is ease of use in the "stompbox" mode - effectively you have the compressor plus three independant stompboxes with good old fashioned knobs rather than menus! Much easier to make changes on the hoof live. But, if you use programmed presets, the Zoom undoubtedley switches between patches much quicker than the ME50b. Personally, I would recommend the ME50b for live use (used in stompbox mode), but the Zoom for recording - depends which you need to do.

Another +1 from me on the ME50b. I've used the Zoom in the past - good effects, but much more complicated to edit effects etc, especially if you're using it live. For ease of use + decent effects the ME50b will take some beating.

[quote name='Jamesrt2004' post='1337255' date='Aug 12 2011, 08:48 AM']PMT easily the best in birmingham[/quote] PMT is fantastic, but the new GuitarGuitar store on Hagley road had some great stock too when I was there a couple of months back. Fairdeal is a decent general shop, but the bass stock is a bit limited. City Music has lots of stuff in for a small shop, and last time I was there had one or two interesting basses (including a couple of G&Ls, I think). All worth a visit, although PMT and GuitarGuitar are a bit of a way out of teh City Centre

[quote name='bh2' post='1313594' date='Jul 23 2011, 10:16 AM']I'd never, ever dream of putting an aftermarket preamp in a Stingray... Don't get me wrong here, I've a J-Retro in my Jazz and I'd never swap it out, but in a Ray? sacrilege.[/quote] I understand where you're coming from, but as much as I liked the 2 band EQ in my 'ray, it could get lost in the mix live as it is, IMO, a bit light on the low mids. The East MM pre is very different to the J retro. As McNach says, its voiced as a 2 band 'ray preamp (apprently based on the pre-Ernie Ball preamp), but with the ability to dial in some mids. Fantastic live.

[quote name='mcnach' post='1313466' date='Jul 23 2011, 01:57 AM']What made a big difference for me was the John East preamp. The bass/treble module is modelled on the 2EQ, although I feel it sounded a bit better than my 2EQ. Then the mids module just allows me to easily adjust the tone to fit the band.[/quote] + lots. The John East MM preamp is an outstanding bit of kit.

[quote name='thebrig' post='1311601' date='Jul 21 2011, 02:53 PM']Well sort of, the P I built was using a Squier Vintage Modified body, which is the same as the MIA & MIM. I have heard that the neck pocket on the Affinity models are slightly different, and need some modding.[/quote] If the neck pocket is shallower it should still fit, and you can sort action etc out by shimming

[quote name='TRBboy' post='1309373' date='Jul 19 2011, 05:09 PM']Yeah I spoke to them at the weekend. They haven't had any more stock since I was in there a month or so ago. They have got a Basic, a Cali PM and a Bullet (I think), but that's it. There's a KT at their Norwich store which they could get shipped across, but want me to pay a 10% deposit before they get it in![/quote] I was going to suggest PMT, but that's just ridiculous. I think the KT is pretty rare as a stock model though, so you might struggle to find anywhere else with one in stock.

You have a PM!

[quote name='ezbass' post='1303191' date='Jul 14 2011, 08:43 AM']This. Sooo many times I've been to gigs where the bass is just lost in an overly loud kick drum and the bassist could've been playing a tea chest with a piece of string and a broom handle for all the care the FOH guy takes.[/quote] Agreed - but for me this is where the classic Precision tone comes into its own. It just seems to sit right in almost any mix.

If you're buying new, the Ibanez SR500 really does take some beating in this price range for all the reasons mentioned already. There are lots of people who will raise an eyebrow at the suggestion Fender are a trusted brand - the Mex Fenders in particular have a reputation for very varied quality control (although there are certainly some good ones out there). Personally, if you want something with Fender on the headstock in this price range I would buy used. There are some cracking bargains around at the moment - including a Japanese 62 reissue Jazz in the for sale section on here just outside your budget at £550 which is a great price (its not mine, BTW!). I would also try the G&L range. There are G&L Tributes on here at under £400 at the moment, which is a lot of bass for the money And I would echo the comments on the Squier CV range - the CV Jazz will compete with anything with the F word on the headstock (I say that having owned 2 Mex Fenders, 2 MIA Fenders, and 2 CIJ Fenders in the past!).

Sadly I've got a gig that evening back in the Midlands, so will have to miss this again. I'll make it one year!

I use both, probably about equally. Some of the stuff we play in my covers band would be difficult to play with a pick (eg By the Way), but for a lot of other stuff I prefer the tone of a pick. For some reason, it can actually vary according to the bass I'm playing. I'm more likely to use a pick with the Precision than with the Stingray. Just seems right for some reason!

[quote name='henry norton' post='1302145' date='Jul 13 2011, 11:46 AM']Look at the position of the pickup on a single Humbucker Stingray and you'll see it's way back from the bridge, possibly far enough to clash with a Precision route (close to anyway). There have certainly been a fair few moans from Stingray HH players about not really nailing 'that' sound as the bridge pickup is too close to the bridge and the neck pickup is too far away.[/quote] This is a very good point. The pickup on a Stingray would actually overlap with the pickup on a Precision. Sandberg's MM / P bassses actually have the MM pickup quite a bit closer to the bridge than on a Stingray - which is why they soundy more Jazz than MM.

[quote name='buff' post='1302108' date='Jul 13 2011, 11:18 AM']Had a MM but found the neck to wide, so i wont be getting a MM in the forseable future.[/quote] Have you tried a Sterling? The neck profile is nearer a Jazz compared to a Stingray

If you're looking for a multi-effects which is easy to use I'd recommend having a look at the Boss Me50b. You have the option of using it in what Boss call Stomp Box mode. In effect you have a compressor, EQ, plus three independantly controlled stomp boxes. Each "stomp box" has its own on/off switch, and independant controls (knobs, not menus and buttons!). You don't have to worry about programming patches etc (although you can do that as well if you want). Each of the stomp boxes models a number of different effects - so there are 5 or 6 drives, several synth models, delays, reverbs etc. Again - you select them by simply turning the knob to the one you want rather than scrolling through menus. As each of the stomp boxes has independant controls it makes it ideal for using live. If you want a bit more grit to your drive you don't have to access menus etc - you simply turn the drive knob up! The down side is that if you do use it in programme mode, there is a noticeable lag in switching between patches - but to be honest I only use it in the manual mode. Also, there's no amp modelling, unlike the Pod.

[quote name='dc2009' post='1301614' date='Jul 12 2011, 09:22 PM']Depends how pedantic you wanna be, a $$ sounds a lot more stingrayish than a P/J i think. IMO stingrays sound different in everyone's hands i've heard them in. Also, if you want to side with the only stingrays sound like stingrays camp then I think you're being unnecessarily pretentious about your instrument, in that you can eq and filter a stingray and something else a million different ways, and i bet you wont tell the different for a whole bunch of samples if they were made to sound similar, and also in that it's taking an elitist attitude and essentially saying 'nothing else can compare.'[/quote] It's down to much more than the pickup configuration. I've owned a $$ and it was a very versatile bass (more so than my Stingray), but it didn't sound at all like a Stingray, even with the bridge humbucker solo'd. Same for my old G&L L2000. And just to prove that I'm not being "pretentious", the only bass I've owned that got close to the Stingray tone was a cheap and cheerful Ibanez ATK. That did sound very like a 'ray and could also do a good P tone as well, as it happens!

The Precision pick up is a humcancelling split coil, but its not a twin coil like the Stingray. That plus different pickup placement means you won't get a MM sound from a P, even with a MM pre-amp

[quote name='woodyratm' post='1300601' date='Jul 12 2011, 08:09 AM']Cheers folks - i'll try tonight [/quote] If you still have problems, drop John East an email. He is exceptionally helpful, responds quickly, and is really passionate about his products.