hellothere

But I think most people think it is worth what you paid if not more. And I'm no expert but if one of the pick-ups isn't working it could just be loose wiring or something. After all you said it hasn't been played in 20 years. Have you played other basses with a bridge pick-up? Also if you have other friends who are bassists why dont you show them and see what they think?

If you do sell it then what is your budget for your next bass? (do you own another bass allready btw) And sounds like alot of people are interested in it, that should be telling you something.

Sounds like you might regret that move. I'd suggest taking more time to think about it, don't make a rash deceison. I know you are dissapointed now but you got a good deal according to the experts on here. You don't want to be dissapointed again when you realise you wish you had kept it. Give it at least a week. Patience is a virtue.

[quote name='Musicman20' post='1155170' date='Mar 9 2011, 12:31 PM']I really think its a little unfair to brand someone as 'paranoid' because they dont want their personal possessions and any other details on a website. I think that is just being cautious. I like the trust on this site, but it would not be hard for someone to become part of Basschat and cause havoc. I stopped listing my gear because it changes so much (although Im happy to stop now), because the signature was too large, and because there was a lot of information about expensive instruments. I dont think Ive deleted for sale posts, but if someone wants to that is their choice. I can see the advantage of a back catalogue of prices, but CONDITION makes a massive difference.[/quote] They allready know that you live in Lincolnshire and now know that you have all these expensive instruments. You fell right into their trap!

Ok thanks for clearing that up icastle and looks like a trip to Audi is in order. Psychosis could you reccommend a good quality electronics "pack" that contains all the components I'd need? Like the one wazoo suggested on the first page but one that dosn't have to be shipped from the US?

As for the person who was moaning about them earlier in the thread they are alot more than I'd expect for £60 or even twice that. Which is a pleasent surprise seeing as I bought it as something cheap to play around with me once I am done with my old Squier.

I rang around every shp within a half hour drive radius and none had one. They only store that I couldn't get hold f I decided to go and check out, the Tamworth shop. They have 2 left a navy blue and a white one if anyone wants one who lives near by. As for mine I got one in Sonic Blue, depsite everything I've read on here I'm still surprised. The only thing I've noticed is a weird bit on the "skunk line" running up the back of the neck but it's nothing major and the tuning pegs feel like they are made out of monkey metal. Oh and I found that the strings where awful but no surprise there. At £60 there is nothing I can complain about. The man in the shop said they are selling all these cheap to clear the stock and that Sue Ryder is making a loss on them and that they are thinking about releasing a new range...after how these have gone down I imagine they will either be charging alot more or they will be of inferior quality. Edit, a few thigns I forgot to mention- So would the pick-ups out of any P-bass fit in one of these? And are the pickguards the same dimensions as on a normal preceison? What are they like for staying in tune? And how easy is it changing the neck on one?

I'm ringing round the local shops today but I may be interested in the blue one if I don't manage to track one down.

Two questions, both of which are probably facepalmingly stupid, one is what is the need for the toothpicks? Second is does it matter what type of drill I use when doing work on my bass? I imagine a smaller one would be better as it would be easier to manoveure. Or so long as I use a drill bit that is the right size does it not matter?

Is there any way to still get one of these?

[quote name='Doddy' post='1154829' date='Mar 9 2011, 02:10 AM']Oh right. I just wondered,because I've been spending a bit of time in Matlock.[/quote] Ah no, that's not very close to me. I've been there a few times though. Last time was a job interview, which I didn't get So is it really learn to read music or forget about theory?

Funkadelic - Hit It and Quit It

I think the best thing to do is hold on to it for a while, once the dissapointment wears off in a week or so you might feel like you really like it and want to keep it. Don't make any rash deceisons.

Wazoo I was wondering if yu (or anyone else for that matter) could suggest a wiring kit of equivalent quality that is shipped from the UK to save me paying the shipping cost? Also what is the general consensus on which pick-ups that give the best "preceison bass" sound?

South Derbyshire. Melbourne to be precise.

Where can I find out more about Rickenfakers? Such as why there are so many and if there is any way to spot a "good" one without playing it.

I think he might have bought it for 200 quid if he had known it was a fake and liked how it played, looked, etc. I think the problem is he was expecting a Ric, really beleived he was getting a good deal and then it turned out not to be true. It is the dissapointment that is the problem, maybe after a few days he will quite enjoy the bass and feel like he got a bargain, despite being dissapointed it wasn't a real Ric. And as for the family friend, he may genuinely be a really nice guy and was trying to do you a favour. He might not have known it was not a Ric!

What are really good basses that can be bought for really cheap? Oddities especially. Also what are good places to find bargains? Car-boot sales?

Well I can see where you are coming from, I really can, and I DO plan on learning to read one day but I feel that it is more than I am willing to take on at the moment, whether that is a just a mental block I don't know lol. But I am moving into a new place soon, with my girlfriend, the first time I've moved in with someon I'm in a relationship, I am starting full-time work soon and I am doing an open universtity History degree. I think learning the basics of theory and so on will ease me into it and make it a bit easier to digest when I do begin to learn music, which I plan to do once I complete my degree. Also I am only playing in "garage" bands with friends so learning to read sheet music isn't my priority but the theory that will further my playing is.

Well Skank I will definitly make sure to check it down to the last detail if I do replace the pick-guard. And Ou7shined a novice tinkerer is exactly what I am so I think I will do that. For the practice if nothing else. Once I have learnt more about fiddling around with basses I might try to right a beginners guide style thing for other people who want to try something for the first time.

My attitude to bass palying has allways been learning songs from tab, when I have played in a band a few times it is all covers and if I ever mess around with my mates the guitarist just tells me what notes I can use and I play around with them, embarassing I know. But I have got to the point where I want to be able to improvise and have a better general knowledge than jstu being able to play thigns from tabs. I have looked at online lessons but most of them seem to be memorize this scale, and then this scale and this chord and this chord and so on. Which I know is important but I want something that explains the real basics; what is a scale techincally, how do you work out a chord from a scale and so on. I know it is good to be able to read sheet music but I'm busy doing a degree at the moment and it sounds like a large undertaking. So can anyone either explain or point me to lessons that explain the real basics behind theory that dosn't involve sheet music. I fuilly intend to learn sheet music one day but i literally dont ahve the time right now. So I want to find things that will teach me what is required to just jam with my friends easier and to understand the theory behind the theory if that makes sense? If I am derailing this thread in any way, please tell me, I will start another thread. If anyone dosn't know what I'm getting at then I'll try to explain better.

Well thats good to hear Wazoo and in that case please don't stop sharing your thoughts. [quote]Prices vary from frankly ludicrous (£xxx for a real 'vintage' piece) to virtually diddly. Check out Allparts UK, WD Music UK, Axes-r-us and Fleabay for prices. Example: Axes r us want £8 for a bridge cover free deliv. [url="http://www.axesrus.com/AxePlatesBass.html"]http://www.axesrus.com/AxePlatesBass.html[/url] But they don't seem to have a pup cover...doh! As for the whole philosophy of whether quality components are better - well, 'hearing' is such a personal thing that you might as well give it a go and decide for yourself. Avoid buying any daftly expensive components and just have some fun tinkering. Get a decent quality soldering iron, though. It makes the difference between success and failure - as I've discovered to my cost in the past. sad.gif[/quote] Thankyou for giving me a few places to look to start pricing parts. As for the soldering iron *looks at the soldering iron that has been around since before I was born* maybe it's time to buy a new one And I'll definitly make sure if I do change the pickguard, oh, and if it is the same size and number of screwholes will all the screholes be in the right place and of the right size? ------------------ And after seeing that it people have such differing views on wiring I think I will do it anyway, as Skank said, it's probably best to decide for myself. It will also give me practice working with the elctronics. So I'll probably do what Wazoo suggest near the start of the thread. Right now I'm heading out but once I get back I'm going to take a look at the wiring.

I would just like to point out this isn't my only bass and that is why I am happy to tamper with it. I'm not new to playing bass either, I am just new to do any type of modification or changing anything beyond strings! lol I can see what you are saying about the bridge and allthough I do want to improve my Squier so I feel happy using it in lieu of my other basses it is first and foremost a way to learn how to do things myself, understand more about the working of a bass and so on. So normally I would only agree with changing something if it needs changing but in this case I just want to try out as many thigns as I can which leaves me with a playable, decent sounding bass still lol. I am definitly going to try to fix whatever is wrong with it (by the sound of it probably just some soldering that has came loose) before starting any modifications. It is where to go from there that I need to decide on. The only thign I am 100% sure on is replacing the pick-ups, when I get to that, the question is what pick-ups? Any other ideas I'm willing to listen to. Whether it is things that will improve sound or playability or just something that will teach me some useful knowledge. Edit: Would it be possible to get a vintage bridge, ash tray, pick-up cover and put them on? What kind of price would I be looking at?

*cowers*