Fat Rich

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1343309559' post='1748697'] I played for a year with nothing to amplify my bass other than a wardrobe (bass pushed up against it to give me a bit of volume)...... [/quote] I wouldn't recommend this because you'll need a large van to get it to gigs, plus the audience will feel claustrophobic in it.

Sounds like a manufacturing fault to me, and they should have replaced it for free. But most companies would have found a way to wriggle out of their obligations, particularly if the instrument has changed hands several times. So... well done Fender.

Have a look at your technique on your fretting hand, how close are you fretting the notes to the actual frets? If you're pressing the string halfway between the frets, or even closer to the fret below, then you'll need to press really hard to stop buzzes and clatters. So instead, make sure you're fretting as close to the fret as possible without actually muting the string, you'll play with a lighter touch and with less buzzes. It'll help you play faster, do less damage to your hands, plus if you decide to play fretless you'll be halfway to getting your intonation right. Next up, string muting. A lot of people mute purely by lifting the string off the fret but this can cause buzzing and clicks, particularly on the thicker strings that have more momentum to stop. If you're playing fingerstyle try some muting with your picking fingers, or if you're playing slap or with a pick use your palm. Practice playing really staccato, and then playing looser (all controlled by your picking hand) it'll help tidy up your playing as note lengths are super important. Now you've got your amp you'll soon notice an improvement, I'd strongly suggest recording yourself somehow and you'll be able to hear yourself progress and also analyse what needs work to improve your playing. It's amazing the number of musicians who don't actually know what they sound like, don't find out like I did in the control room of an expensive studio surrounded by people thinking they'd hired an idiot Good luck!

[quote name='The Bass Doc' timestamp='1343302366' post='1748513'] Oh dear........I've just had to explain to Mrs. BD that I've been on Basschat discussing G-strings and longer screws ........... [/quote] And looking at pictures of saddle grooves.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1343298743' post='1748423'] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/124025-looking-for-fender-bridge-intonation-screw/page__view__findpost__p__1134751"]http://basschat.co.u...ost__p__1134751[/url] [/quote] Many thanks, that should solve it!

[quote name='The Bass Doc' timestamp='1343293818' post='1748327'] It's pretty obvious from the 3 in line that the bridge is further back on the 72 than the others and yet the pickup remains in the so-called 70s position. Methinks by 74 Fender realised the bridge should not have moved so far back after all and returned to a position whereby the extra long G-string length screw was not needed. I notice there's a choice of holes for the 'F' chrome cover to be fitted - a sign of perhaps a Badass being on the bass in it's previous life. [/quote] I think you're right, Andy Baxter has a very nice 73 and the bridge is a long way back on that one too.... and has the longer intonation screw on the G to compensate. There's no evidence of a Badass being on it, they usually leave some trace in the finish either as a dent or different amounts of fading / dirt because they're a bit longer than a BBOT. However I can't see any other reason why anyone would take a BBOT and replace it with another BBOT, unless it had a Badass for a while and the original couldn't be found when the Badass was removed. Odd as they kept the ashtray and thumb rest and all the screws. Ah well, I'll keep an eye out for a longer intonation screw.

Some pics, the bridge: With the cover on, taken face on: All lined up: Some pics with a ruler, note the dimensions as read aren't correct as the ruler is laid end on to the neck, add approx 13mm before scale starts. Dims taken from centre of neck to backplate of bridge. The 72 (bridge indicated 285mm): The 74 (bridge indicated 276mm): The 78 (bridge indicated 274mm):

[quote name='Stacker' timestamp='1343202879' post='1746819'] Look at the 'board and the fret ends. Wouldn't you expect to see some shrinkage in the 'board edges over the decades? And the rear pup cover is hiding the rear pup: that pup should be partially in view. Maybe the cover holes were drilled to far fwd. Maybe I'm just being cynical and skeptical, which you have to be when considering instruments of such vintage. It's nice, but $65K? [/quote] I'm not sure the board would shrink much but on well played basses you often see some wear on the fingerboard edges. But if it's always been played by someone with good technique ie thumb in the centre of the neck rather than a baseball grip the edges would probably be OK. Likewise the end of the board gets worn if someones played a lot of slap, but this bass looks to have been spared that indignity

Many thanks for the replies, I'll take some pictures tomorrow when there's some light. Meantime, all 4 intonation screws are the same length, the longer G screw would probably fix the problem (all the same length on my 74 and 78 Jazzes too) The less reflective finish to the plate in discreet's pic is what I was expecting, mine is definitely smoother. The bridge pickup is in the correct 70s position measured from the end of the neck, it's just the bridge itself that's approx 10mm further back than my 74 and 78. Will take some pics with a ruler. I'll dig out the ashtrays and see how visible the pickup is, and take some pics of that too. As for intonation, the bass came with slightly lighter strings than I would like, I'm hoping heavier stings will bring the G and D strings back into tune. Having said that, as a groove player I rarely venture up the neck high enough to cause a problem Thanks again!

I recently got a '72 Jazz which appears to be largely original, 3TS, 4 bolts, rosewood board, white binding and MOP blocks. The neck stamp 7APR 72, body stamp has same persons name as neck stamp, neck plate 367### and faint Fender F, pot dates 72, pickups and soldering look OK. But I have my suspicions about the bridge. It's the right size and shape, but the chromed plate it's made from doesn't have the usual slight surface lumpiness. In other words, if I shined it up it would have a perfect mirror finish, every other 70s Fender bridge I've seen would have a non reflective dullness due to the slightly uneven / pitted surface. Also it has the threaded saddles you see on 60s Fenders, I assumed by 72 they were using the plain saddles with the single groove for the string to sit in. The threaded saddles look plenty old enough and dull grey, not like the shiny chrome ones you see on reissues. Finally, the bridge is mounted further back on the body than any other Jazz I've seen, so much so that I can't quite get the intonation in on the G and D strings without the saddles falling off the end of the adjusting screws. I took the bridge off half expecting to find another row of holes a bit nearer the neck but it seems to have left the factory like that, and there's no evidence in the finish of it ever having had any other bridge on it, or the bridge ever being moved. So... could the bridge be original? It certainly looks pretty old and I know Fender did all sorts of crazy things in the 70s (the bridge pickup rout is particularly comical although the neck joint is a good 'un). It's great playing and sounding bass, nice and light and it resonates like a good pre-CBS. Can any Fender experts shed any light?

Strings make a massive difference, it's expensive to experiment with lots of different makes and type of string but it can completely change the character of a bass and is the first thing to try if you're not happy with your sound. Some basses have so much character it'll always come through, but more modern sounding basses often seem to take on the character of the string.

Simply retune your bass Eb, A#, Db, G# and the tab will become useless and you won't be tempted to sneak a peek.

Bought a bass from Wunjo a few months back, their price was a bit optimistic but I asked for a reduction and got a pretty good deal. Then they threw in a free strap, set of strings and a free wall hanger, plus their free setups for 2 years. They couldn't have been any more helpful, I was very surprised to get that sort of service on Denmark Street.

I don't know much about the Fender Deluxe, sorry.... The Marcus Miller is a good bass, well made and has a nice snappy sound because of it's maple neck and ash body. However, in my opinion the preamp is junk, I get a more convincing Marcus Miller sound with the preamp bypassed and the bass run passive, the preamp gives you bass and treble but sounds a bit thin. The best way IMO to get the Marcus Miller slap sound: Any decent Jazz bass, maple neck for brightness, rosewood for more mellow DR Hi Beam (brightness) or Fat Beam strings (a little more oomph) Sadowsky preamp, available on board or outboard Many years of practice

Best way to relic an instrument is to practice many hours a day and play every gig you can. 20+ years of that will make even the toughest poly finish start to look a bit second hand, plus you'll have the chops and experience to match your instrument [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx2lza1Rb0U"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx2lza1Rb0U[/url]

[quote name='bremen' timestamp='1342793613' post='1741067'] My sister's double bass developed a rattle...turned out the rugrat had posted a slice of toast through the f-hole. Well you would, wouldn't you! [/quote] When our drummer cut a round hole in the front skin of his bass drum (to improve projection or some other nonsense) he wondered why it sounded rattlier and rattlier as the rehearsal went on. We were of course posting empty beer cans through the handy size hole.

As has been said by others, Bobby Vega: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r_kvjO7xsc&feature=player_embedded[/media]

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1342730186' post='1740235'] Is it just me or do Statii with heads just look wrong?? [/quote] All mine are headed, so it must be you!

It's good fun to play, would recommend practising playing faster than the original unless you can be certain your drummer counts it off at the right tempo

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1342627773' post='1738229'] Looks good. The only person I've seen not make the block inlay work was Hitler. [/quote] Genius

Tried them for about 5 minutes but they seemed to everywhere I wanted to be. Thumb rest came off too, so now they're in a safe place to go back on if I sell the basses.

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[quote name='fumps' timestamp='1342428723' post='1734536'] The steering wheel is on the wrong side [/quote] Probably for left handed people.

Thanks to this thread I've been listening to a few of his lines, I reckon he's a bit of a legend. Sure, he overdoes it sometimes but more often than not he plays something a bit different to the norm and really adds something to the song.