OliverBlackman

yeah I've sent Sire an email but I'm not expecting a response on a Sunday. I really don't fancy the workload of sending it back to Thomann. I'm sure if its purely a small electric issue Martin or the guys at the Gallery will sort it, and it won't cost too much. My main problem is I bought it as a bass to play when I visit my girlfriends parents in Stoke on Trent, so it would mean waiting until the next time I come up and bringing a gig bag to take it back to London and then once its fixed take it back up, then bring my gig bag back, none of which is going to be easy on busy Virgin trains. Typical as I seem to be the only person who has had any sort of an issue, there was also a bit of hum from it in passive mode but i thought this would be normal as the pickups aren't hum cancelling?

nope changed both of them, because when I first tried the active circuit was dead but now it just crackles with no sound.

No it was brand new, it came on the 7th April but this is the first chance I've had to play it. Shame as its a looker and plays beautifully! Couldn't see anything under the control plate. Might require a trip to the gallery!

I have one of those new Sire Marcus Miller basses. I plugged it in for the first time this morning and the pre-amp is just making noise. It works fine when in passive mode so it must be something to do with the circuit. I've had a look under the control plate but can't see any obvious loose connections. Has anyone any idea's?

So I finally got to play my V7 this morning, and the active circuit is just producing noise. I've changed the batteries and there's no difference. I'm going to take the control panel out. Is there anything I should look for which might cause the fault?

I wrote an essay on Jaco, although it was more about technique and arrangement. There was so much information available that it didn't take much time to research, and it got me a decent first.

The end of the grub screw is only what I can describe as a crater, so then point of contact is just the edges which is very thin. I am hoping my girlfriend will pick up some nail varnish for me to try over the weekend. I'm nervous about touching the volume knob incase I make that loose to. I rarely have to use that compared to the tone pot though. Thanks for the suggestions BC's.

I'm not sure on the different types of shafts so I've attached some photo's.

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1428573773' post='2742496'] If it's a grub screw knob onto a split/splined shaft - line up the screw so that it goes in in line with the split & tighten fully! [/quote] I've tightened as much as I can on several occasions and eventually it comes loose. Will try to get hold of some thread locker.

The tone knob on my mex p bass sometimes becomes loose and every time I tighten the screw and it stays on for a while, bu then comes off again. Anyone else got a loose knob and/ or an idea to fix it?

I've taken the plunge on an alder 4! How long was the wait for you?

I'm looking to order one of these soon. What can I expect of it out of the box? Is it setup well, does it have low action, are the strings any good?

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1421109299' post='2657352'] Two things. Listening in detail and a metronome. [/quote] Listening in detail to what though? You need to know what to listen out for. You need to know the breakdown of a beat, i.e. crotchet, quaver, semi-quaver and how to hear them. Having a visual by being able to read the rhythms on a stave is also very helpful. With all the music out there learning new rhythmic combinations is a never ending process. A metronome does indeed help but you still need to know the above to utilise it.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1416097699' post='2606961'] If you can't lower the action on your bass as much as you like because of fret buzz have a fret stone to level the frets. The bass will be set up as part of that process. I just had my Lakland fret stoned. It plays so much better now. [/quote] This is probably what I will do, but my thinking was that as Plek say they can get it to its maximum output it would be a good way to do it. Obviously the comments on here show a variant in success. [quote name='bassmayhem' timestamp='1416134790' post='2607130'] The best way to enhance harmonics on a P-bass is swapping it for a J-bass, or at least putting a bridge pickup on it. The P-bas is kinda limited in doing the Jaco things, due to the pickup placement. [/quote] I've tried it unplugged and I can hear the D#, whereas amplified I can't, which seems to support this idea. But then I seem to get all the other harmonics come through fine which made me think it was a setup issue. [quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1416136874' post='2607165'] You don't need any frets at all to get harmonics since you're touching the string with the fretting hand at the appropriate position for the harmonic rather than holding it down against a fret - you can get harmonics on a fretless bass [/quote] As someone who has played and owned fretless basses, I can't believe I didn't think of this.

I'm ok at setups and have a decent tuner which says my intonation at most points down the neck are spot on. I have the action fairly low but I have played basses, like Sadowskys, that have it lower, and I know the action on my Fender won't go any lower without fret buzz. The reason I thought the frets might have something to do with the harmonics is because on the D# harmonic in Portrait of Tracy where you fret the B, I can't get it on this bass, whereas I can on any other.

I'm thinking of having this done on my Mexican precision. I imagine the main difference it would make is the height of action. But I was wondering if it would also make harmonics easier to resonate and I would be able to find some that I currently can't acheive on the bass? Has anyone had this done and noticed significant differences?

Are you referring to the 4 bar pattern where the lyrics start with "Im a proud, proud man"? If so these are the fills. I would recommend playing them on the D string to get the "darker" tone that he gets.

[quote name='Sonic_Groove' timestamp='1414450471' post='2589510'] On Spotify [url="http://open.spotify.com/album/03mVQ06oXKiSqWMqdcp1Ej"]Bobby Vega – Sketches Of Bob[/url] [url="http://open.spotify.com/album/1qwKKWtWr9KFpbMPplkPoh"]Bobby Vega – Down The Road[/url] [url="http://open.spotify.com/album/2HqPGPgstjWz86SsIEylBu"]Bobby Vega – Bobby Vega And Chris Rossbach[/url] B [/quote] Really like some of the songs he did with Chris Rossbach! Any other suggestions with him as a sideman? [quote name='Wonky2' timestamp='1414485424' post='2589624'] Check out the tower of power back catalogue.... What is hip is his puck style down to a t [/quote] He said he started the pick style so he could play what is hip!

I've seen a few videos of him and love his pick style but haven't heard him on a record? Has anyone got any recommendations? YouTube links or song/ album names would be appreciated.