Fat Rich

[quote name='bigsmokebass' timestamp='1338921332' post='1681158'] I've only really used Roto's but the occasional Warwicks and EBs, never really tried to venture any further ^_^ What strings tend to last and within a budget? [/quote] For clangy stainless steel sounds I use DR Hi Beams or Fat Beams, they're almost twice the price of Rotos but they last 5 times as long so are better value in the long run. For a more mellow sound I use Ernie Ball Slinkys, fairly cheap and last a reasonable amount of time. Plus you can get them in most guitar shops if you need some urgently. For a more scooped sound I use Status Hotwires, very bassy and also very cheap. They last pretty well too, available on the Status Graphite website. I've heard good things about Elixirs, again expensive but they last forever because they're coated. I thought they sounded a bit bland plus I had some earthing issues, but I seem to be in the minority.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1338911862' post='1680954'] I love Roto's!!!!!!................ for a week [/quote] They sound great, how do you get them to last a whole week though?

[quote name='Jack Cahalane' timestamp='1338846257' post='1680074'] Anyone else see the tit filming with his phone over Prince Charles' head? [/quote] Have to film over the top because of the ears.

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1338538771' post='1675906'] Thats real ain't it? [/quote] It's all the sniffs and snorts that get me every time

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1338491085' post='1675428'] To be fair it's probably the best 'shreds' video i've ever seen. It's only cause i'm familiar with his work that it had me rolling across the floor [/quote] This one's my favourite shred, shame about the poor quality video: [url="http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=2135125716316460991"]http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=2135125716316460991[/url]

Prefer this: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waIhJDgC5dQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waIhJDgC5dQ[/url]

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1338112458' post='1669661'] But really, do we need blocks or dots on the fingerboard?? I mean, the dots on the side of the neck are more than sufficient for me, and if I'm playing a tricky bit, I'll need to look at the damn individual frets, and a block (especially) would be of no help whatsoever. I agree with those who say that, just from the point of view of aesthetics, blocks or dots of the same colour of the pickguard are preferable. [/quote] Exactly, if you're looking at the front dots or blocks all the audience is seeing is the top of your head.

[quote name='alstocko' timestamp='1338053088' post='1669084'] Not a fan of the Marcus tone, the preamp isn't great, and the pickups are a bit out of my taste. On the plus side the neck is a beaut... [/quote] I'd go further and say the preamp is junk, to my ears the bass sounds much better with the preamp bypassed and run passive. I run mine passive through an outboard Sadowsky preamp (and also my other Fenders), it really adds warmth and fatness without losing clarity.

[quote name='Wooks79' timestamp='1338079371' post='1669476'] See, nice! Heres what I have - [/quote] I don't usually like black blocks but that looks great! I think it's when the finish of the bass goes yellowy that I start to dislike them, but the contrast with the almost white wood looks good. Edit: [quote name='ChristopherGilbert' timestamp='1338107540' post='1669555'] Only time i've seen blocks that are nice are when thepick guard is the same colour. [/quote] Plus this as well.

[quote name='jay' timestamp='1337589998' post='1662244'] I've been checking out some Kala Ubass's and can't believe the tone you can get out of them! Apparently all that deep tone is coming out of the polyurethane strings. In the absence of £300-400 sitting around to buy one, I was wondering what those type of strings might sound like on my regular acoustic (not double). So two questions I suppose, Do long scale polyurethane strings exist? Would they work/sound good on a regular acoustic bass? Any comments much appreciated! Thanks [/quote] I expect someone will come along soon and say nitro strings sound better than poly

I think the later Empathy got the 300 series board that's currently used in the S2 Classic, although that may be outside your 90s timescale. The 300 series preamp has bass and treble plus a semi parametric mid sweep frequency controlled by a pot and a small 3 position switch to adjust the mid boost +6db/flat/-6db. Very handy for getting a couple of different tones at the flick of a switch.

My main Fender is a 62 Reissue MIJ Jazz from the early 90s and the only weak point was the pickups, they weren't bad, but they weren't great either. I put some better ones in (can't remember what) and transformed it, so much so I got rid of my pre CBS '62 Jazz because the Japanese one sounded and played exactly the same (although I really regret selling the '62 now, it'd be worth a fortune) The quality of Japanese Fenders can be a little variable but generally there don't seem to be many poor ones, overall I'd say they're some of the best Fenders ever.

It's only a couple of years old, I think the problem is made worse by the unfinished neck. I might be better off with a vintage one with a sealed finish. At least it's very easy to adjust thanks to it's little wheely truss rod thingy.

In my old house I had to adjust my wooden necked basses twice a year, but (so far at least) in the new house they all seem stable except the Stingray which needs about 4 adjustments a year without fail.

[quote name='BassPimp66' timestamp='1337501157' post='1660848'] I'm a semi-professional. I spend as much money as a professional would on gear (gas!!!) ; I play like a beginner .... [/quote] Most pro players buy one or two good instruments and then play them forever, working around any quirks or faults the instrument has. It's us semi-pros that are always chopping and changing, chasing that elusive tone and discussing it all on forums like this one! I've met people with heaps of talent who have played an instrument for only a few years that I'd call almost "expert". They've put the hours in, learned the theory, learned how to apply it, done the gigs, played in lots of different styles... all in a fairly short amount of time. But I think very few people could be considered expert in every style and every situation. Let's face it, playing bass in 90% of musical situations isn't actually that difficult. There are a lot of players out there who don't know what note they're playing because they haven't learnt the finger board, just patterns. Don't know what the chords are and don't know what key the song is in, but are belting out their basslines parrot fashion and are getting the audience jumping around. Maybe relative to most other players this guy is an expert As for me, I've a pretty good idea of what I should know and how it should be applied, but I'm a lazy *** and I've never bothered to put the work in to make it happen.

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1337425751' post='1659689'] Well... I went and got the bass today so I have something to play finally. And well my Warwick will have to wait a wee bit for it's preamp... i had saved up almost everything I needed for it.... and then spent it on an engagement ring... and on thursday eve.... SHE SAID YES! woooo (I may end up selling something to get the preamp or just start saving again- but hey! Im getting married next spring ) [/quote] Congratulations!

Anyone who doesn't want to carry a bass amp to a gig should learn to play their basslines on a tuba.

Same thing "Blackhole Exploit Kit" Running Chrome on XP using AVG Internet Security 2011. First time I've seen this.

My graphite necked phenolic boarded Status S1 is a bit too bright and "clacky" but lots of mwah. Very little wear after 20 odd years. My graphite necked rosewood boarded Status S2 Classic sounds stunning, a bit more clarity and note definition than a wooden neck but with all the warmth of a wooden fingerboard. Seems to be wearing well but I've only had it a couple of years. My Fender Japan Jazz has a rosewood board and sounded very dark and woody. I coated it with epoxy but then it sounded too bright and characterless plus I went through the finish surprisingly quickly. I then rubbed it down and rubbed superglue into the board (have to apply several coats VERY quickly or you'll be stuck to your bass forever), that toughened it up without losing the woody sound, maybe a little brighter. Eventually wore through that and it's back to being bare rosewood.

A good starting point: [url="http://scottsbasslessons.com/online-video-bass-lessons"]http://scottsbasslessons.com/online-video-bass-lessons[/url] Go to Technique section and there's all sorts of stuff from Raking, Legato and Speed and Accuracy. Maybe with careful use of hammer ons / pull off you can take some of the strain with your fretting hand.

I think it was Billy Sheehan who said learn the bass line to every song on Sergeant Pepper if you want to improve as a musician and understand how a line can complement a song. "Rhythm Stick" is a great bass line, as is "What a Waste" also by Norman Watt Roy. Also Stevie Wonder lines are fun, "Master Blaster" and "Sir Duke" have some unison bits that'll have you all over the fingerboard, "I Wish" is pretty relentless. Slap I enjoy playing "Forget Me Nots" and Michael Jackson's "Get on the Floor", I'm not really into full on slap lines. I reckon if you work out how the lines of any songs you are playing fit with the chords, how the fills fit with the rhythm and the vocals, how note lengths are used, accents etc instead of just learning the line parrot fashion you'll make quicker progress as musician. And it's super important to work things out by ear, only use notation / tab / youtube to check afterwards.

There's something functional about Fenders and Musicman basses, they just don't look right with gold hardware to my eyes.

Good stuff, thanks for the insight!

[quote name='TomRichards' timestamp='1337177663' post='1656711'] .......What most builders will never tell you is that just the simple change in neck dimension going from 4 to 5 drastically changes the stresses on the neck as well as puts the single truss rod method of reinforcement at its limits. ........ [/quote] This is interesting, I was talking to Bernie Goodfellow and he said that routing a slot for a second truss rod takes almost as much strength out of the neck as the second truss rod adds. Although he does build his necks out of several laminates of expensive wood so that probably helps structurally over a one piece.

My 4 string Stingray moves all over the place, all fixable with truss rod adjustments but every month it needs adjusting again. I think your unfinished maple neck is the problem (like mine) and not that you have 5 strings, I'm actually thinking of getting the neck refinished to seal it up because I'm tired of adjusting it. I've had wooden necked 5 stringers in the past and they've been stable, my current Status graphite necks are completely impervious to temperature / moisture levels and haven't been adjusted since they left the factory, they're always perfectly in tune with low action whenever I play them. My Fenders need the occasional tweak but nothing too serious. You could maybe try lighter strings, maybe there'll be less strain on the neck from temperature variations. Keeping it in it's case may help too, mine came with a sachet of stuff which presumably soaks up the moisture so add one of those or replace it if it's saturated. But that won't help if you go from a cold car to a hot venue, you'll just need to take a suitable tool to adjust the bass before you go on stage. Good luck!