simon1964

[quote name='jon_kemo' post='330110' date='Nov 16 2008, 02:55 PM']Have meaning to post on the site more often so what better place than to talk about last nights gig! Was with my metal/classic rock covers band Rulebreaker at The Sitwell Tavern in Derby. Second time we have played there and after what we thought was a dodgy first gig so were all keen to show everyone what we were really like! Despite a pre-gig fight between some of the locals we went down really well and have hopefully got some bike rally work for the future. Only downside was still not being able to hear myself properly but I put that down to the position of my amp on the somewhat cramped stage that was half taken up by a boxing simulator that "couldn't be moved"![/quote] Hi Jon - How are you finding the Jazz?!

[quote name='Steve_nottm' post='330572' date='Nov 17 2008, 12:29 PM']Which one mate? I'm a Nottingham dweller too.[/quote] The Royal Children, just off Maid Marion Way. We play there once every two or three months

[quote name='Born 2B Mild' post='331495' date='Nov 18 2008, 02:40 PM']Can I suggest a few [u]principles[/u], rather than actual models? Forgive me if I'm telling you what you already know, but here goes... 1) [b]Buy used[/b]. Your budget will buy a bass that may have retailed at £800 to £1200, and if you find it doesn't turn out to be your dream axe, then you should get what you paid for it 2) Use your [b]research[/b] period wisely. You are already doing this by posting here, but watch various 5 stringers sell on eBay to get an idea of market price, plus go twang as many basses you can get your hands on (irrespective of price). 3) Be [b]open minded[/b]. Don't be swayed by brands or even price. I bought a spare 5 string for £100 recently, and it fits one band I'm in better than its more expensive rack-mates. 3) Determine [b]what spec[/b] is important. e.g. 34" or 35"? Humbucker style or single pole style? Active or Passive? Good luck, and tell us what you plumped for in the end![/quote] Some really good advice there. Especially buying used, as there are some amazing bargains to be had in the curent market.

In that price range, I would also have a look at the Ibanez ATK 305. The string spacing is wider than the Ibanez SR505 (which is a great bass by the way), and personally I find it much more comfortable to play.

It would be a tough call between my Thumb and my battered 70s reissue Precision. On balance I'll take the Precision - its already pretty beaten up so the exposure to sand and sea shouldn't make much difference!

[quote name='thedontcarebear' post='329135' date='Nov 14 2008, 02:29 PM']To tell the truth, I like the look of Shuker's a lot, but the price from his website put me off getting a quote, for the single cut, it says from £1795, which is quite a bit.[/quote] True, but its worth giving Jon a call to discuss your spec. I was very pleasantly surprised at the quote I got. By the way (and completely off topic) as a life long Canaries fan, when are you going to change your avatar?!

[quote name='foxthebiker' post='330356' date='Nov 16 2008, 11:29 PM']Jazz for the Blondie Tribute band?[/quote] Blondie Tribute Band?! That has to be my dream gig! Nice set of Ps. And I think tort would look great on the MIJ.

Fairly routine gig for us at a pub we play regularly in Nottingham. Although my son, who turned 18 last week, turned up with some of his mates and bought me a pint for the first time (legally at least!). Which made me feel very old......

[quote name='Bigwan' post='328856' date='Nov 14 2008, 08:42 AM']He's also relatively inexpensive.[/quote] +1. Jon's prices are very competitive for a custom builder. You can get a hand built bass, to your own unique spec, for the price of a mass produced US Fender.

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='325525' date='Nov 9 2008, 09:22 PM']That's actually not a bad idea, although I'd have to sand off the decals on the headstock as I need it to be blank...[/quote] If you do, let me know - I'm on the lookout for a Jazz body

+1 on the Sandbergs. But if i was spendng that sort of money on a Jazz I would be on the phone to Jon Shuker about one of his stock J types here: [url="http://www.shukerbass.co.uk/"]http://www.shukerbass.co.uk/[/url]

[quote name='Geek99' post='323614' date='Nov 6 2008, 05:56 PM']i'll look them up, thanks[/quote] No worries. Pm Luke (LWTAIT) and he will be able to let you have the details.

[quote name='BigAlonBass' post='323154' date='Nov 6 2008, 01:22 AM']It is indeed a Vester Bass, with a Bubinga Body and a Wenge neck, the same as mine........but the front of the headstock looks funny. [/quote] It is indeed - but I think the neck is actually a wenge / maple laminate. Either way, its basically a copy of a Warwick Thumb, and I would have thought it would be a reasonably good buy at the starting price.

[quote name='Geek99' post='323379' date='Nov 6 2008, 01:17 PM']can anyone recommend a tutor (or put up a hand if they [i]are[/i] one) in the Kirkby/Annesley/Mansfield J27 M1 area? I'm looking for afterwork (after 4, I start quite early), evenings or weekends. thanks[/quote] My son, who posts on here as lwtait, goes to a bloke at Instrutech in Mansfield. They seem pretty good.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='314730' date='Oct 25 2008, 08:50 PM']They also say "Bassists too can now be blinded by the chrome and have more switches and dials than Mission Control at their disposal."[/quote] Can't argue with that - still bloody confusing though!

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='314617' date='Oct 25 2008, 05:54 PM']Yes, but the Stagg doesn't have about 10 mystery switches on it like the Fender does. The Fender that GAK sells appears to have Jazz bass style single coil pickups and is passive. So what is it that all those switches do?[/quote] Havn't looked at GAK's descrition, but the Fender Jag has active and passive switching. It also has series / parrallel switching from memory (like the S1 switch on the US Jazz). The switching is a bit confusing though, and on the couple I've played, I've not got on with it at all.

[quote name='clauster' post='313756' date='Oct 24 2008, 01:12 PM']Or look at Jon Shuker's stock basses - there's a couple of Jazzes on there for less than you'd pay for a new US jazz![/quote] +1 to that. I played the natural 70s style one at the bottom of this link when I was Jon's workshop last. Amazing quality, handbuilt, and looks stunning - all for £650! [url="http://www.shukerguitars.co.uk/stock.htm"]http://www.shukerguitars.co.uk/stock.htm[/url]

As others have said, the Zoom is fantastic value for money and has some great sounds. And a big plus over some other designs is the DI out. But if you want simplicity and, and only use a few sounds, I would have a look at the Line 6 Floor Pod. Its very simple to use, but does only have a few core effects, eg compression, chorus, octave and flange (there is a synth, but its pants). And as you would expect from Line 6 the amp modelling is great, although from memory you only get half a dozen models. The compressor is actually as good as any pedal compressor I've used.

Jon Entwistle Paul Siminon Flea But very pleased Colin Moulding has had a vote above - he would be number 4 and is very underrated IMO

[quote name='johnnylager' post='311933' date='Oct 22 2008, 11:47 AM']I'd say it's more P than J in series [a la P] and the mids [i]are [/i]more prominent, but it's never going to be in the right position on the body. I used mine in series all the time on me old GL Jazz, just using parallel [a la J] for the er, jazzy stuff.[/quote] +1 to all of that. I found the live sound from the series was great - bit more mids than a ''normal'' Jazz sound which really helped live.

[quote name='rjb' post='310265' date='Oct 20 2008, 10:33 AM']Oh don't get we wrong, I like the look of Fenders too (esp. natural finish with a black scratch plate), I just find them pretty weird to play for some reason. Perhaps I'm just not "cool" enough, either! [/quote] I tend to take my Precision and a Warwick on gigs. I use the Precision when I want to look cool, and the Warwick when I want to sound good Actually, playing in a covers band, I tend to use the Precision on more Indie orientated stuff where I'm using a pick, and the Warwick for the rest of the time, when I'm playing finger style. The whole Warwick metal image thing is interesting though - There have been several high profile non-metal Warwick users over the years, eg John Entwistle, Jack Bruce, Stuart Zender, Jonas Helborg, and with the exception of Zender, they've all had signature models. But they do seem to suffer/benefit from a metal image.

[quote name='Faithless' post='308456' date='Oct 17 2008, 11:32 AM']In alliance with Barry44's post, I gotta say, you should look at Ibanezes... For ~300 you could get great secondhand beauty... Try looking at SR's; SRX's; BTB's; EDB's range... Some great basses out there, just, give serious attention to string spacing neck feel - there are few differences..[/quote] Plus have a look at the Ibanez ATK 305. Very nice bass for the money.

We played a small pub in Barrow Upon Soar near Loughborough last night. Its a regular gig for us, and always a good night. Although I did have to cope with a particularly ''tired and emotional'' female punter falling over a monitor onto my floor pod half way through the second set, which somehow found me playing on some weird factory pre-set for half a song! Also used the new (to me) BO Thumb for the first time at a gig. Awesome tone through the Mark Bass combo.

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='304193' date='Oct 10 2008, 09:53 PM']Not sure if current ones do or what they were trying to hide - my guess is that laminates of more attractivly grained wood is stuck to the top & bottom of plainer wood, so it doesn't always mean it can't be a real fender.[/quote] My mid 90s Mex ''contemporary series'' Telecaster has exactly that. Apparently they put a thin veneer of ash over the basswood body for a more attractive finish to the burst. Hence its plain black on the back where no veneer is fitted. Looks rather nice in fact! Not sure whether they still do that, or whether it applied to other models.