Fat Rich

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1360333328' post='1968821'] ...but they just don't hold up for you? For me...(except for a few songs in each case) Earth Wind and Fire I used to think they were so slick and funky. Now they seem kinda chessy and lame. Steely Dan All fine musicians but a lot of their the music in retrospect sounds contrived and stiff and the lyrics seemed forced. The singing is also not great. Bela Fleck Sorry, I know Victor is considered a god and he's the main reason I listened to them but after all is said and done I've come to two conclusions. One -- when Victor isn't doing his solo stuff, his ensemble playing isn't all that interesting. Plus there are few guys who "tone" bothers me and he's one of them. (I think I just don't like the sound of Fodera's). And the other thing is, I have to be honest with myself and accept the fact that I find the Banjo really annoying. [/quote] I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this, it seems to be considered sacrilege to criticise Steely Dan and EWF. I find Steely Dan far too clinical, lacking the deep groove that gets me moving about. Some of Victor's ensemble playing is great, I've only heard the earlier Bela Fleck stuff but I think his playing has developed since then. Agree about the banjo though

There'll probably be two wires coming into the cavity from the pickup, either a white and a black, or maybe a red and a black. Unsolder them (one from a pin of the pot, the other probably from the body of the pot). You could either send the faulty pickup to someone like Wizard pickups who'll rewind it to the same specifation or one of the other winding specifications he offers, last time I looked it was about £40. Sometimes a next day turnaround I've been told. When I took the EMGs out of my workhorse Fenders I put Fender Vintage pickups in. They seem pretty good but there are probably cheaper options.

Another thing to try before replacing any parts is to lower the height of the neck pickup in relation to the strings. In other words tighten the 4 screws holding the pickup so it sits lower in the body. If that doesn't fix it I think it's most likely a duff pickup, I'd be surprised if a dodgy pot would cause the sounds you're describing. Might be worth taking it to a luthier or guitar tech to get it checked out if you don't like the idea of playing around with a soldering iron. EMG active pickups are pretty good, I think they can sound a bit sterile compared to original Fender items. To get the best out of EMGs I used to run them at 18v but finding space for two 9v batteries can be difficult in a Jazz bass.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1360254579' post='1967497'] and a hundred more Well, this is for a black/rosewood Jazz, not the CIJ75... which... already has a Badass (not my choice, previous owner's!!! I'm not a MM fan! I promise!!! ) I think your idea is so far the closest one to a solution.. if I find one that doesn't cost too much just because it's "vintage style". [/quote] You might be able to just get the threaded saddles, maybe on eBay or through someone like the BassDoc. Can't believe the 75 already has a Badass How did those Fat Beams work out, by the way? Were they the strings you were looking for?

Strings seem to stay put pretty well, I guess if you're using lighter strings there may be less tension holding them in place. You could always choose the grooves that work for you and open them up with a file. I think new Badass bridges come unfiled don't they? That way you could choose your spacing (plus it's the bridge Marcus Miller uses )

You could probably get 20mm out of the old style 60s BBOTs, they've got threaded saddle pieces which allow you to position the string width ways. [IMG]http://i751.photobucket.com/albums/xx159/richardmatthews_photos/forum%20stuff/suspectbridge.jpg[/IMG]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1360061283' post='1964092'] Who wouldn't want a 60s Fender over a 70s Fender? It's about affordability. I played a 70s Fender for decades and it was very good indeed - but there were certainly some dogs made in the 70s, it's true. Care needed. Try before you buy, etc. C[i]aveat emptor[/i]. [/quote] I used to think 70s Fenders were junk (and some of them are) but I'm now finding can play more comfortably on a fat 70s neck than the nice slim 60s necks. So I'm only interested in 70s ones now. As far as modding a 70s Fender goes, one in pretty good and all original condition seems to start at about £2000 at the moment, more if it has the case and all the metalwork. A refinish seems to knock about £500 quid of the value, replacement pickups a couple of hundred and an added hole in the body for a J pickup another few hundred. So you'd probably be halving the value of your bass. But, it's your bass so you should do whatever you want, but if you're never planning on selling it then a collector is never going to get their hands on it anyway. I'd probably buy a reasonable second hand P bass for a couple of hundred quid that sounds and plays like your old one and make the mods to that one instead. You might modify the old and find it doesn't sound so good anymore.

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1359816386' post='1960692'] ..... There's a lesson here somewhere. [/quote] Yup, it's new to you so it sounds marvellous. Then in a few weeks you'll be thinking it's maybe lacking something you can't quite put your finger on, after a few months you'll get your hands on something else that's "even better".... and the process starts again. There is no cure for GAS.

Also has a lot to do with the kind of music you play. Playing the low B can make it sound like the bottom has dropped out of the song so you need to be sure it's enhancing the song and not detracting from it. It also helps if there's a bit of space in the music to get the low notes across, they can get lost if you're band has a busy sound. Even if you've no intention of buying a 5 string at the moment I'd still suggest going into a shop and trying a few. There are plenty out there with fast necks, decent spacing and a tight, focussed sounding low B.

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1359309203' post='1952865'] I suppose if he finds some practical benefit to them then good. When I first got my Ibanez BTB405QM all those years ago, I had the Ibanez catalogue. The monorail bridge was a big feature on the BTB series supposedly because it helped to isolate each string for a better, more even response in sound. Would it have sounded much different with a single piece bridge? I don't know, but it was a great sounding bass all the same! [/quote] Don't know about your Ibanez but I swapped the monorails on my Status S2 Classic for a single piece bridge and it made a massive difference, much tighter and focussed sound.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1359279030' post='1952297'] Its funny but I`ve always looked at slanted pickups and thought "I want more bass on the thinner strings, not less". [/quote] I experimented when I used to make basses and I came to the same conclusion. It's a fairly subtle difference but I think it produces a more balanced sound having the E string end of the pickup nearer the bridge and the G end nearer the neck.

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1359131157' post='1950430'] It could be argued that Alembics, Ken Smiths and any other laminated basses are merely hugely expensive ply construction! [/quote] Plywood is thin sheets of wood glued together with each layer's grain at 90 degrees to the previous one. What you're talking about is laminated. But as I said, there are some good sounding ply instruments out there, hence the

Or if it sounds rubbish! There are some pretty good sounding ply basses out there but somehow they never seem to resonate like a solid wood body. Too gluey, probably.

[quote name='OldG' timestamp='1358863277' post='1946185'] Ah...I did say this is for a standard set up. Obviously check before trying this on something you haven't fitted the neck to.... I'd be packing that gap to make a nice tight fit if it were mine... [/quote] [quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1358893465' post='1946866'] Ahem, I am not saying anything regarding Fender routing issues lol. Last time I had an angry mob with flaming torches at my house screaming "kill the monster". ....... [/quote] Despite having a comical neck pocket it's one of the best Jazzes I've played. Being a 3 bolt micro tilt it's got 1 proper bolt plus two normal neck screws and is cranked up really tight, doesn't seem to move around although maybe it's the pickguard doing all the work.

[quote name='OldG' timestamp='1358851975' post='1945914'] Useful tip for seating the neck: Refit as described above, when the strings are on and have some tension - slowly undo the screws ( in diagonal order) about a quarter turn, until you hear the neck 'click' back against the body. You can then centre the neck by aligning with the strings and re-tighten. Instant sustain and tone upgrade! I do this to all my standard boltie guitars and basses. [/quote] Good advice, although I wouldn't try it on my '78 Jazz as the neck pocket is routed so badly I'd end up with a short scale bass. There's best part of a centimetre gap all around the end of the neck under the pickguard.

Depends on the neck, if it's been removed a lot of times the thread may be a bit knackered so go easy on it. For example, 60s Fenders have the truss rod adjustment hidden at the heel of the neck and the neck has to come off a couple of times a year for adjustment. After 50 years of that the threads can go a bit soft. Basically do it up reasonably tight and try it, if the neck moves around and goes out of tune when you knock the bass then tighten it a bit more. Worst case scenario: the thread gets stripped in the neck but this isn't too difficult to fix.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1358814161' post='1945675'] And a Jazz!!! [/quote] Wasn't it you that I was taking the mickey out of because you were putting a black pickguard on your 75 Jazz some time ago? Something about you should wear a Marcus Miller style hat? Now you're using his strings too! Highbeams / Fatbeams sound great on a Jazz bass, you should definitely give them a try. Buying the strings is expensive but they last much longer than any other uncoated strings I've tried, they actually work out better value for money long term.

Are the cores hex or round? It's hard to be sure from the pics....might narrow down things down a bit. I find D'Addarios very bright, DR Highbeams / Fatbeams sound fat and clangy and unmistakeably stainless steel. Ernie Ball Slinkys have a more balanced tone but less character, Status Hotwires have lots more fundamental plus some top end zing. Never had one break though. I'd suggest trying a set of Status Hotwires first as they're cheap, and then some Fatbeams as they're probably closest to the sound your describing.

You should try the old Status basses with the totally rigid (no truss rod) graphite necks if you want to highlight any problems with your technique. I played one for nearly 20 years and it improved up my playing no end. The newer ones with a truss rod are a lot more forgiving. Fenders and other basses with one piece necks generally have a bit of flex in them and it seems to take a lot of the clatter and fret noise away. Multi laminate through necks always seem a bit toppier, my theory is that they're stiffer.

The only U2 bassline I've ever noticed is this one, I like the way it stays the same but fits over the whole song. Very simple to play though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2Oh3mlGHEc I guess Adam Clayton is doing an OK job if his basslines don't stick out as being wrong, but I haven't heard him play anything that inspires me.

[quote name='MB1' timestamp='1358588277' post='1941679'] MB1. I don't know how you get from Status Kingbass to Fender Roadkill? ...There's really no comparison!.However...the Roadkill I tried was actually rather tasty! Bon Apetite! [/quote] Yup, I have a few really beat up 70s Fenders as it's the easiest way to get that authentic classic Fender sound, and a few super shiny Status 5 stringers for everything else

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7O8P5evnaM

[quote name='samgiles' timestamp='1358401565' post='1938479'] Hi, Sorry to drag up an old thread but I have a bass with these bridge pieces too. How does one go about intonating though. I get that you release the saddle by loosening the grub screw inside but do you then have to keep slackening the string and shifting the saddle? Then re-tune and check? Then repeat? Or is there some much simpler trick to it? Hope someone can help. Thanks, Sam. [/quote] Yup, pretty much. You might be able to move the bridge piece with the string up to tension but it won't be easy. Beware also that without the string on at all the bridge piece will probably just fall out and you'll lose the original position if you were using that for reference. Plus it'll probably disappear under some furniture and you'll find it covered in fluff and dust because it's lightly oiled! I'd recommend slackening the string somewhat but not completely, then you can move the bridge pieces without losing them.

[quote name='kerley' timestamp='1358199221' post='1934835'] Let's say it takes 6 hours labour to make a bass (there is much more to it than CNCing a body). Labour time for moving parts around, cutting frets, putting frets in, sorting edges, doing electrics putting all hardware on, painting etc, and 6 hours doesn't seem like much. An average fully loaded cost for US labour is around $100 per hour (includes holiday, insurance, lighting etc,. etc,) so those 6 hours become $600. Those same 6 hours in China may cost $100 so you start to see where the money goes. Go Chinese builder, go. [/quote] Last time I looked China was paying factory workers between $1 and $3 and hour, so it's probably more like $10 to $18.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3Lszt2HPK8