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This was more to do with recording a live performance, but the retrospective amp sim is just fine so maybe I'll just stick with that.

I'm interested to see how that goes. I have Elixirs on mine.

Starting a new build for a fellow Basschat member, because this one deserves documenting properly — if only as a cautionary tale. The brief: a paulownia body, finished properly in nitrocellulose, going Dakota Red, paired with a MIM Fender neck. The timing: while fighting a genuinely world-ending case of manflu. The wood: paulownia, which has zero sympathy and even less respect for human suffering. As usual, this will be a warts-and-all build thread — no carefully curated highlights, just the reality of what’s involved in getting a nitro finish right on a wood that actively resists it. This is very much not a “quick colour and clear” job. Paulownia has a habit of revealing grain, pores and dents you were sure you’d already dealt with — especially once primer goes on and you’re already feeling sorry for yourself. The plan (and yes, this is the long way round): Multiple coats of nitro primer Careful flattening Shellac to lock everything down before colour Grain filler, because the grain will come back if given even half a chance More sanding than feels medically advisable Eventually… Dakota Red At the moment it’s firmly in the “primer shows everything you missed” stage — which is nitro’s favourite moment to kick you while you’re down. The aim here isn’t speed; it’s getting a finish that won’t sink, print through, or look like it’s been applied with a teaspoon. I’ve also added a cut out to the neck pocket as the neck is a heel adjustment truss rod. My cunning plan is that it will be covered by the pickguard in normal use but means that the neck can be adjusted in situ by just taking the pickguard off and not having to de-string, remove the neck, adjust, attach neck, re-string, tune and repeat until it’s right. Progress may be slower than usual, fuelled mainly by tea, ibuprofen and stubbornness — but it will be done properly. I’ll keep this thread updated as it goes along, warts, mistakes, fixes and all, including the usual sanding, swearing, re-priming, and pretending this was all part of the plan from the start. Dakota Red to follow… once both the finish and the builder are fully cured.

I bought the first ones. Dimensions looked right but they don’t fit. Only £6 so no biggie. Does anyone know if Fender actually majestic and sell them?

EBMM are coming out with a new line of Stingrays that sit above the Sterling ones but below the regular US-made range a bit later this year, not a million miles away from what they did with the SUB basses back in the day, but without the Hammerite finishes. They're supposed to be somewhat cheaper than the regular US-built range.

Use any mic you want to - bigger dynamic mics look great - but please don’t plug it in. The chances of improving your sound by mixing it with a DI are slim and the likelihood of making it sound worse are considerable 🙀

I used to have a fretted Aria like this but with an oval sound hole instead of the f holes. Big thick body. Sounded marvellous unplugged. Now have GAS for one of these fretless jobs… 😁

Black is cool, Henry Ford got it right 👍

They'd attracted a lot of business from younger players in recent years who wanted the Chris Wolstenholme or Alex Venturella sound - Alex was supposed to be getting a new signature model based on the B-2 shape before Rob shut things down. He was playing a prototype during the last couple of Slipknot tours.

Be Aggressive - Faith No More

I don't know the physics behind it, but for me a tapered string is much richer in harmonic content, which I suspect is because it has a much cleaner break over the witness point on the bridge. It'll otherwise have exactly the same, more or less, low end as any other string of the same gauge. At the end of the day, all strings are a thin core with wire wrapped around it, with tapered ends. I like both, depending on the bass. My stingray loves a tapered B, my Alpher doesn't. No idea why!

I got the Fender gen 4 noiseless set. I’m really pleased with them. I had to go humbucking as one of the places I play most has an hearing induction loop and the single coils pick it up very well.

Mods, would this post be better off in Repairs & Technical? I'll respond to the post tomorrow. I've rescued 6 of these so can add a bit of value.

I bet the bloke with the spiky hair was someone famous you didn't recognise. I was once negotiating a purchase at a music shop and Ronnie Size walked in. In an instant it was as if I became invisible and inaudible. I think the staff were all deeply in love with Ronnie.

Lol - I’ve always fancied a Stingray, but they have always been just that bit too expensive for my tastes.

I bought a Fender MIM p bass from David - a more perfect seller there is not; comms brilliant, packaging virtually bulletproof, and the bass itself far exceeds any expectations, a very happy Basschatter over here! Please do not hesitate to deal with in absolute confidence. Thank you David!

I really like that… tempted!

I have never visited the store, I'm a little far. I have bought a few things from them over the years, mostly FX pedals/strings, but not many, because I often felt a bit 'meh' about their email communication. My last interaction (a few years ago) was just rude, I felt, and I never went back. But... credit where it's due. I have observed this thread with interest, and it does look like they are addressing many of the complaints. This weekend I was looking at buying a set of "Thunderbrown" strings for my little 23" GoldTone bass... and there weren't in stock in most places. BUT... Bass Direct had 1 set in stock, the website indicated. So I decided to give it a go. I placed the order on Sunday, and I received them today, around 48h later (despite ordering on a Sunday!). I got emails confirming the order, confirming dispatch, and even tracking information... for a measly set of strings. I'm impressed. @Bass Direct I am very glad to see how you've improved the online side of the business. Thank you!

Much appreciated!