Baloney Balderdash Posted April 8, 2021 Author Share Posted April 8, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, jazzburger said: BB - that's very reassuring advice - thank you. I'll probably always go for quiet pickups because a lot of my playing and practising is going to be through headphones and a noisy bridge pickup does my head in. I'm a soul and funk player and I enjoy a bright-ish top end. The sound samples on the Thomann website make me think that if I'm happy with the size and balance of the GSRM20, the pickups will be liveable for long enough to put some money in the piggy-bank for some Geezers and maybe some Gotoh tuners, but from what you say, the tuners are up to the job anyway. Do you have any advice on strings? I have only ever had flatwounds once since 1985 and they were on a fretless, so I'm a roundwound player. Rotosound, D'Addario, LaBella, Ernie Ball have all been on the Aria over the years. LaBella were my favourites but, blimey, they went off quickly and they were pricey. Thanks again. Your welcome You might have missed the most recent edit of my post above that you quote from, there is another piece of information added which you would be best off knowing when planing to swap the stock pickups of the Mikro Bass. As for strings I have never used flatwounds, tried a couple of other brands, but the D'Addario short scale EXL 170S, gauge .100-.045 nickle plated steel core roundwound, set of strings is a good bet for E standard tuning (the shorter scale, contrary to common believes, will actually make strings feel and actually also be much stiffer compared to a 34" scale bass with similar string tension), don't be afraid of cutting long scale strings shorter to fit either, the horror stories of unwrapping dead strings are wildly exaggerated as far as I am concerned, I have never experienced such, just be sure to make an abrupt 90 degree bend on the string bellow the cutting point, the bend part being the one you fit down into the hole of the tuning peg, and you should be good, and with a short scale set the cutting point would be in the thinner tapered area of the strings anyway. Edited April 8, 2021 by Baloney Balderdash 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzburger Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 22 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said: You might have missed the most recent edit of my post above that you quote from, there is another piece of information added which you would be best off knowing when planing to swap the stock pickups of the Mikro Bass. Noted BB - thank you - now where's my sandpaper?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloney Balderdash Posted April 8, 2021 Author Share Posted April 8, 2021 (edited) 28 minutes ago, jazzburger said: Noted BB - thank you - now where's my sandpaper?? Just be sure to use really coarse sandpaper or you might get fatigue in your hands before the job is done. I actually sanded the ends of the Geezer J pickup when I had to fit it in the J cavity of my newer 2017 production Mikro, but using a file or having chipped off some length of the pickup cover with a hobby knife retrospectively would definitely had made the job a great deal easier and less straining. If you are really picky about looks you can always touch up the ends of the pickup cover and remove eventual filing/sanding/chipping marks after the rough job is done with some strokes with fine grained sandpaper. Edited April 8, 2021 by Baloney Balderdash 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 Just an observation, but any bass balanced on a knee (unless suspended by a strap) is in unstable equilibrium. Plus, balancing a bass on your knee is very uncomfortable and not conducive to good playing, consider balancing it on your thigh instead. Note, any bass balanced on a thigh (unless suspended by a strap) is in unstable equilibrium. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonnyBassPlayer Posted April 9, 2021 Share Posted April 9, 2021 I've owned a Bronco for about 5 years as I always wanted a shorty on a budget. I must admit I really love how it looks since it's got that '70s derp (pretty much that being simple looks, contrasting colors, and maple) but I never really used it much because the E string literally kills all the others.. I actually like the sound and this defect really bugs me. It's got an interesting story: I was planning to visit New York in 2016, and I really wanted to come home with a bass. Since long scale wouldn't fit my luggage I looked up cheap SSs and found this one in California; I had it shipped to the nearest Guitar Center to the room I had, got it home by walking, and than to Italy with me. I must say I suffered elbow pain since using it at rehersal holding it *higher* than my other basses about one year ago, thus having my arm do a tighter angle. I wish I'd play it more but it absurdly literally kills me since than.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flutophilus Posted April 9, 2021 Share Posted April 9, 2021 18 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said: Just an observation, but any bass balanced on a knee (unless suspended by a strap) is in unstable equilibrium. Plus, balancing a bass on your knee is very uncomfortable and not conducive to good playing, consider balancing it on your thigh instead. Note, any bass balanced on a thigh (unless suspended by a strap) is in unstable equilibrium. OK, you got me there, but I suspect you know what I meant Why should a bass balanced on the right thigh be in unstable equilibrium? I have an electric guitar that is in perfect equilibrium, why cannot a bass be in equilibrium? Yes, it has a longer neck but a good designer could counterbalance that with a slightly repositioned lower bout, or slightly more weight at the bridge. I suspect that it's just that bass players have come to accept it and think that it's normal. But having to counterbalance the neck dive by either taking weight on the fretting hand or pushing down on the bass with the forearm of the picking hand is putting extra tension into your body which doesn't need to be there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted April 9, 2021 Share Posted April 9, 2021 10 hours ago, flutophilus said: Why should a bass balanced on the right thigh be in unstable equilibrium? Because the centre of gravity is above the pivot point. Any tiny movement will cause it to fall, one way or the other, even if perfectly balanced. Seriously though, this means 'neck dive' when sitting is a matter of degree and much affected by posture and how you grip the bass. Now when supported on a strap, it's different. The Thunder 1 to my right balances with the neck pointing up at 45 degrees when supported by the strap on the upper horn only. It's utterly immune to neck dive when I'm standing, but still drops when 'balanced' on my knee. If that bass won't balance on a knee without a hand supporting and stabilising it, none will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrumpymike Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 On 09/04/2021 at 11:23, flutophilus said: Why should a bass balanced on the right thigh be in unstable equilibrium? I have an electric guitar that is in perfect equilibrium, why cannot a bass be in equilibrium? Yes, it has a longer neck but a good designer could counterbalance that with a slightly repositioned lower bout, or slightly more weight at the bridge. It's all down to the relative weights of the parts of the bass that are on each side of the body-waist pivot point. The problem with a bass compared with a 6-string guitar is the longer/heavier neck assembly and the exaggerated leverage that out-lying weight applies to the centre of gravity. The imbalance could possibly be designed out, but I think that a) increasing the overall mass by adding counterbalancing weight wouldn't be acceptable to most players and b) trying to move the pivot point would result in a pretty weird-looking bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 Introducing... the 'Stabilo BassTM (r) (c)": Available in two versions: cast iron for general use and depleted uranium for the real heavy metal experience. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrumpymike Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 (edited) 8 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said: Introducing... the 'Stabilo BassTM (r) (c)": Available in two versions: cast iron for general use and depleted uranium for the real heavy metal experience. Hah! Little does SM know that I'm about to steal his market with my superior invention. It's a large helium-filled balloon tied to the headstock. It'll be out as soon as I've decided on a name. Head Zeppelin is favourite so far but I'm open to other suggestions. Edited April 11, 2021 by scrumpymike 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naxos10 Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 How about: The Scrumpy Airlight? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrycreed Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 I spied the Danelectro 59dc short scale. Anyone got their hands on one yet? The long scale, from the vids I've seen sounds pretty nice and looks pretty unique (I suppose they are like marmite), but what puts me off from the comments I have seen is the neck dive, bad tuners, cheap plastic volume and tone knobs. Short scale might at least address the neck dive! The new squier jag with the humbucker only looks like it could be good as a modding platform. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr4stringz Posted April 12, 2021 Share Posted April 12, 2021 Fancied a scratchplate change. Don’t think the mint green did much for the colour of the bass. The red tort works better to my eye. Looks less bland if nowt else... 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andruca Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 (edited) I've just borrowed an Epiphone EB-0, unused for years in my nephews' closet. As new really, I minimally lowered the bridge, gave it some relief and it's playing NICE. Strings are original (still perfectly usable), I ignore the brand (D'Addarios?). Was missing some short scale action after letting go off my Epi Viola more than a year ago. This has a learning curve, of course, find where it belongs and where it doesn't. But all in all a pretty little bass that I like even better than the Viola (both how it feels/plays -prefer this skinny neck- and how it sounds). This is not a cover, as the song is one of my band's originals (and yes, the one singing is me, my condolences). Edited April 13, 2021 by andruca 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrycreed Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 @andruca It sounds great! Roundwounds or flatwounds? I have one of these waiting for me if I can make it back to Ireland soon. I am in Granada. My nephew assured me it played well. I got it used with flatwounds, and was thinking of changing the stock pickup etc for something better....who knows... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andruca Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 2 hours ago, barrycreed said: @andruca It sounds great! Roundwounds or flatwounds? I have one of these waiting for me if I can make it back to Ireland soon. I am in Granada. My nephew assured me it played well. I got it used with flatwounds, and was thinking of changing the stock pickup etc for something better....who knows... Stock roundwounds. I see/hear nothing wrong with the stock mudbucker. It has a certain character that I find specially nice indeed, both for punking and for beatlesque "marching" pop bass stuff, not generic at all. I'm never surprised by the Epiphone quality, already owned a couple and they're ultra solid bang for the buck every time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrycreed Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 Agreed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flutophilus Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 (edited) So, now we can go and try out some basses in shops again, what are you going to try? I want to try a Sandberg Lionel but there aren't any in the country! Edited April 14, 2021 by flutophilus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 I want to try an EHB1005sms 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrumpymike Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 3 hours ago, Woodinblack said: I want to try an EHB1005sms ... and the 4-stringer for me please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trueno Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 4 hours ago, flutophilus said: So, now we can go and try out some basses in shops again, what are you going to try? I want to try a Sandberg Lionel but there aren't any in the country! The Lionel is definitely at the top of the list for me. But who the hell wants a bass called Lionel? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 11 minutes ago, Trueno said: The Lionel is definitely at the top of the list for me. But who the hell wants a bass called Lionel? I'll see you outside mate... 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adee Posted April 14, 2021 Share Posted April 14, 2021 14 minutes ago, Trueno said: The Lionel is definitely at the top of the list for me. But who the hell wants a bass called Lionel? Thankfully I don’t think they actually have Lionel on the headstock but have California instead phew!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trueno Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 8 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said: I'll see you outside mate... Erm... sorry, Lionel... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrumpymike Posted April 15, 2021 Share Posted April 15, 2021 14 hours ago, Trueno said: The Lionel is definitely at the top of the list for me. But who the hell wants a bass called Lionel? Almost certainly anybody who's called Lionel - which lets me out 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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