lozbass

Excellent transaction with Armando (Matte_Black) - super-rapid payment and superb communications throughout. International transactions always involve a little extra concern, but Armando did everything possible to ensure a swift, friendly and succesful sale. Thanks very much and have fun with the processors!

Hi Armando, thanks very much indeed - a perfectly easy and friendly transaction (and enjoy the units!)

[quote name='molan' post='644543' date='Nov 3 2009, 05:55 PM']It's arrived![/quote] Excellent news - I'm pleased to hear this! I'm looking forward to pictures too (and are you going to be at Bassday?)

[quote name='wombatboter' post='644522' date='Nov 3 2009, 05:20 PM']My brandnew Alembic Mark King Signature...hasn't been played (locked away by former owners). Took it out last Saturday for its first gig.[/quote] Absolutely gorgeous! The holographic effect in the walnut (?) is just beautiful. I'm sure the bass plays and sounds as good as it looks - I've said this many times, but for me, there's nothing quite like an Alembic (and I know that I'm amongst friends in this thread!)

[quote name='Jamesemt' post='644327' date='Nov 3 2009, 12:45 PM']Ahhhh don't know if I could bring myself to split up a really nice bass!! Wonder if someone could clone me the preamp??[/quote] It can be cloned easily - I had one cloned (from one of Hayward and Lodge's instruments I believe) around '82 and put into my Gibson Ripper. I had a Precision Special last year and it was tremendous: these are superb instruments in my experience and not too easy to find.

I've been really pleased with Wizards - I had a custom set in a Sei Jazz 5 (but never got to the bottom of what the 'custom wind' was as I didn't order the pickups). I've also been absolutely knocked out with the pickups in the Alleva - just unbelievably good (and it's not just the active circuit, the pickups sound great in passive). I'm not sure if Jimmy supplies pickups for fitting into other basses. Oddly enough, after years of moaning, I've been getting some great tones out of the Barts in my Sei Jazz 4. The upshot, I think, is Wizards - inexpensive, well-made and tremendous tone.

[quote name='AndyTravis' post='642118' date='Oct 31 2009, 07:39 PM']Unsure if the line in the back is a crack, it seemed to be scratched into the bass near the really odd paint scraping incident. I mentioned to Danny i'd want it to go back to passive if i went for it, The action was fine when i played it, but i'd probably make it a bit lower. I'm going to take another look, but that preamp just doesn't work for me personally, seemed to pull the worst bits of the sound out. So to it was difficult ...to hear the sound of the bass as intended. It looks like an east, but it has an L.E.D. on it, weird. I am looking into costing up a refin, a bit of a closet classic LPB from Sims maybe? The Black on Black is pretty classy, but i can't get past that random missing patch... Agreed on the Neck socket though, i was offered a late 70's Precision at work about a year ago, and you could easily have fit a 100 gauge E string down there. I think i need to keep looking though...as silddx said, keep with my gut instinct.[/quote] Fair comment AT, I think gut instinct is important - I think you have to ask whether you'd ever really be happy with a bass that didn't grab you initially (and there are so many - possibly better - alternatives out there)? At the price, and in the current market, I think the bass would make a decent buy for somebody. If I was seriously looking for another '70s Jazz (well I am all the time really), I might be tempted by the black one and spend £100 on it (and put some time into it myself). You're right about the ugly patch on the back - it looks like somebody may have been preparing for a repair. I'm pretty sure the crack is a crack and not a deep scratch - I had a good look at various angles: I'd be a bit concerned about spreading and would want to know if the crack goes back into the pocket (obviously, this would imply removing the neck). On the circuit, I didn't notice the LED! I'm pretty sure it's not an East (though it looks quite like one). I'd certainly take the bass back to passive. I found a couple of decent tones in the active (a deep, mellow jazz tone, and a more honky funk, finger tone) but I wasn't at all impressed by what seems a fairly complex unit. I didn't really work out all the switching options but just going back to the stock plate might be an improvement. If I see anything similar (or better), I'll post on here to let you know.

I tried the bass this afternoon and was pleasantly surprised. It could use a really good set-up and a bit of real care and attention. I spoke to Danny - he's had a quick go at setting up but concurred that more could be done. The action isn't bad at all but it could come down some way with a fret skim. The bass is certainly heavy - significantly heavier than my Jazz. The price isn't bad for an instrument that could be worked-up to be something quite decent (and there may be a discount for cash). There's a lot in the active circuit (brand unkown) and I didn't have too much time to mess about. The original, loaded bell plate comes with the bass and I'd return it to passive. The original bridge is gone but the Badass seems fine. The bass has clearly been well used, however, the neck is in good shape and the instrument is a pretty cool J overall. One issue to note is the crack in the back of the body - pretty much central and a few inches long. I'm not sure just how far this extends towards the neck pocket (the neck pocket itself isn't too bad for a late '70s bass). The crack could probably be glued and clamped, but I'd want an expert to take a look. In all, not a bad bass for anybody with classic Fender GAS. A decent set of strings, a good clean, a good set-up and you've got a good, solid, classic gigger

Angelboy - first thanks for the very kind comments! That said, the Series 1 is just stunning - I can't believe you'd consider parting with such a beautiful and unique bass

Nearly as excited as you must be!

[quote name='urb' date='Oct 30 2009, 09:22 AM' post='640765'] A new arrival - a Single Cut Series II with the same spalted maple as my Sei Jazz - I've tried this one out and it's just lovely - I think the fingerboard is snake wood, which gives it a slightly mellower tone than ebony Ooohhh - absolutely gorgeous!

I'm just around the corner and will try to get in and give this bass a whirl later. I have a '75/'76 Jazz and it too is extremely heavy (about 12lbs). That said, the bass is extremely resonant (and loud when unplugged). The finger tone is really classic '70s funk - big and honky, with loads of growl. For me, a lot is in the set-up with older J's - a decent luthier should be able to get the best out of a vintage Fender

[quote name='absolutpepper' post='639825' date='Oct 29 2009, 10:34 AM']Haha yeah it was. I got it at a pretty bargain price as there was only one other bid placed other than mine. Its even better in the flesh (cant really say wood now can i?) and if it had been listed as new and unused I wouldnt have known any better. Looking forward to recording with it in December.[/quote] Excellent - it was a real bargain! I was once offered an original in a music shop in Manchester for £30 (around 1978). I had the cash in my pocket but wanted a pizza on the way home so didn't go for the deal. I'm sure the pizza was great - the decision to pass on the plexi bass wasn't

An extremely cool and reasonably compact gig set-up - I like the consistency across the two basses very much indeed. I've tried a Fender amp similar to that in the image and was extremely impressed. All the best with the gig - where is it? Cheers, Loz

Is this the one from ebay (about two weeks ago)? It looked gorgeous and I was very tempted [quote name='absolutpepper' post='639787' date='Oct 29 2009, 10:02 AM']Hey guys I just picked up one of the new Ampeg Dan Armstrong reissue plexi basses and having now been playing it for around a week its absolutely great. The short scale 24 fret neck is really fast and smooth and so nice to play on, i've played other short scales and never quite got on with them - feeling they were too bunched up. This one is different and its really nice. Construction and finish are both excellent and the hard case would put a lot of other manufacturers to shame (i'm looking at you Gibson!). Anyone else have one of these or played one, what are your thoughts. Cheers Chris[/quote]

[quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='639626' date='Oct 29 2009, 12:17 AM']Correct: hehehe! Sorry, just showing off again (46 basses and 10 guitars missing from piccie!)[/quote] Every time I see this, it just gives me a massive smile - any chance you could get one of those panoramic camera thingies and reveal the full extent of your endowment?