skej21

[quote name='Bronner' timestamp='1426933669' post='2723558'] [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4]To the folks that like these basses at whatever price, fantastic, it's your choice. Enjoy your instrument and make good music. However, in doing a little Google search, the fanaticism of defending this brand with Ad Hominem attacks seems to bring up a lot of similar experiences by others. A few quotes from other sites, and a link. [url="http://www.thezookeepers.com/ricknews.htm"]http://www.thezookee...om/ricknews.htm[/url][/size][/font] [indent=1][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4][i][b]"[color=#000000]> After Jeff and I hung up, I called Rickenbacker again and asked the [/color][/b][/i][/size][/font][/indent] [indent=1][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4][color=#000000][i][b]> receptionist if she could give me the name of the president of the > company. She said, "No, I cannot,"[/b][/i][/color][/size][/font][/indent] [indent=1][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4][color=#000000][color=#000000][i][b]That's comical. His name is John C. Hall; he used to post on this[/b][/i][/color][/color][/size][/font][/indent] [indent=1][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4][color=#000000][color=#000000][color=#000000][i][b]newsgroup fairly regularly a few years ago!"[/b][/i][/color][/color][/color][/size][/font][/indent] [indent=1][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4][color=#000000][color=#000000][color=#000000][color=#000000][i][b]"I recently called Rickenbacker and told them about this new group and the message I just read. I told Rickenbacker that I will never buy an instrument from them because of their new reputation."[/b][/i][/color][/color][/color][/color][/size][/font][/indent] [indent=1][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4][color=#000000][color=#000000][color=#000000][color=#000000][i][b]"I see you know the same lying, scheming, slandering, con- spiring and threatening [company employee] as I do. And I've dealt with him for close to two decades. You're certainly not the only one on these news- groups who shares similar experiences, makes similar observations, and shares the same opinions regarding [the employee] as you have expressed."[/b][/i][/color][/color][/color][/color][/size][/font][/indent] [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4][color=#000000][color=#000000][color=#000000][color=#000000]... There's no shortage of these types of complaints about the company on the Net; do your own research, form your own conclusions. No need to rely on what I say. [/color][/color][/color][/color][/size][color=#000000]However, it raises suspicion when a few people defend a shoddy brand with more vigor than they would defend their own mothers, while using improper Ad Hominem attacks just because someone doesn't fancy a product. [/color][/font] [/quote] Quite hypocritical to make sly digs at people with shoddy arguments when you've used a subjective Internet source with no real substance to back up your own opinions. I personally dislike Rickenbacker but I could use the Internet to find narrowminded opinions to back up any half-informed opinion I wanted. It says more about you that you bought a bass that you didn't like... Anyone with sense would have tried it first and realised (that specific bass) wasn't worth the money and walked out/returned it.

[quote name='M@23' timestamp='1426878712' post='2723119'] Very nice, I had to google that one, but did have a Strat that colour a few years back! Will Mark do pretty much any colour?! [/quote] I can't see why he couldn't do JPM if he can do burgundy mist, shoreline gold, LPB, CAR etc as it's the same process but with a different top colour.

[quote name='M@23' timestamp='1426877945' post='2723102'] Right,I want in on this. Now, Shoreline Gold as seen and admired above,LPB, Pino clone or other?! With a rosewood board are there any other slightly more unusual colours worth considering? [/quote] Jade Pearl Metallic? It'd look nice alongside your TKS cabs :-)

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1405159852' post='2499236'] Clever idea, but shouldn't the tuner circular slots be slightly extended towards the nut to prevent string catching on the circular edge? [/quote] Surely there's no difference betweent the string moving against the edge of that recess or the more traditional Fender string tree?

Check out the Fender Nate Mendel Signature Precision. Slim '70s profile neck with a narrower nut width :-)

That colour! *drool*

[quote name='andy67' timestamp='1426343274' post='2717145'] The SR-605 is an incredible 5 string for the money! I sold mine for £275 and regret it completely, stunning in every way! [/quote] Yup! I love mine. For the small amount I actually need a 5 string, it's a great quality bass that can be picked up for a very reasonable price. Another ibanez (possibly the SR1405) would be first on my list if I ever felt I needed to upgrade but the SR605 is perfect for what I need right now!

This thread is great. Some great advice and contributions from members. Whilst I studied most of the technical side as part of my degree, the advice about plug-ins etc is a great angle. Bit of a 'heads up' from a recent purchase. I've just picked up an Audient iD22 interface while the € conversion is good. At £300 with some Thomann vouchers thrown in, it's probably the best purchase I've made in terms of studio gear. British designed, includes two VERY high quality audient preamps, intuitive hands-on controls with assignable function buttons and pristine AD/DA convertors. If anyone is thinking about upgrading from something like a Scarlett and want high level quality without spending stupid money, the iD22 would be ideal!

[quote name='sifi2112' timestamp='1426093973' post='2714333'] Nice [/quote] Thanks :-)

Oh my lord... That Shoreline Gold is making me want to ring Mark and get a new Limelight! I think I'd end up going to LPB or Sherwood Green but there's something about that Shoreline Gold that is just magical. Argh!

[b][font=arial, sans-serif][u]Product overview/description[/u][/font][/b] [font=arial, sans-serif]The Havalina Fuzz (which translates in English as 'Javelin') introduces yet another innuendo to the array already emblazoned across the pedals in the Way Huge catalogue. First released only in the[/font][font=arial, sans-serif] US market at NAMM 2014, the Way Huge Havalina Fuzz was later released into the UK market and promised a vintage-inspired germanium fuzz to sit alongside the beloved Way Huge Swollen Pickle. [/font][font=arial, sans-serif]As the Swollen Pickle has proven to be so popular amongst the bass community, I've decided to demonstrate and review its germanium counterpart to show its capabilities! Here is the official blurb direct from Way Huge about the pedal;[/font] [size=4][font=arial, sans-serif][i]"The Havalina Germanium Fuzz from Way Huge Electronics is a germanium-powered fuzz box inspired by a vintage 3-transistor design that became the psychedelic shot-heard-round-the-world for guitar players, ushering in the new sound of rock. Designed around hand-selected Russian germanium transistors and a passive tone circuit, this peccary of a pedal can go from a soft, mellow crunch for meaty chords to a maelstrom of sonic fur that will make every note feel like a summer of love. Prepare to have your mind bent when you ride the Havalina!"[/i][/font] [/size] [font=arial, sans-serif]My demo video of the pedal features both a Fender Geddy Lee Signature Jazz Bass and a Fender Nate Mendel Signature Precision Bass to give a better idea of how the pedal sounds with different pickup and tone control combinations.[/font] http://youtu.be/FzyE3dqj0AM [u][b][font=arial, sans-serif]Sound[/font][/b][/u] [size=4]The analogue, vintage-inspired design really shines through in the sound of this pedal. Ranging from dark and muddy to glassy and aggressive, the Russian germanium transistors allow for a truly characterful fuzz tone. There are only three controls to the pedal; 'Tone', 'Volume' and 'Fuzz', which means that the control of the final signal is not as comprehensive as the Swollen Pickle (as the Havalina Fuzz does not feature any internal modifications). However, I did find that altering the 'Tone' and 'Fuzz' controls immediately offer distinct changes in character and this is manipulated further when changing pickups/tone controls on the bass itself. Whilst using exactly the same setting on the pedal, the difference in sound and character between a jazz bass using just the bridge pickup and a precision bass with no tone is very evident and both offer a quality fuzz sound.[/size] [size=4][i][b][font=arial, sans-serif]8/10[/font][/b][/i][/size] [size=4][u][font=arial, sans-serif][b]Durability/Construction[/b][/font][/u] Bombproof! It's a simple as that. A tough metal casing with large, flat-profiled control knobs, well-recessed jack sockets and a sturdy stomp button to engage the pedal, its difficult to see how this pedal may get damaged in normal gigging conditions. The stage-ready LED is bright and clear to view in any light but may need covering up if you find this sort of thing offensive. Additionally, the 9v input is easily accessible and sensibly placed between the jacks at the top of the pedal (unlike some companies who insist on placing at the side, next to the jack inputs which then make it a nightmare if you're using right-angled jacks!) and if you prefer the idea of using batteries, the battery compartment is placed helpfully on the bottom of the pedal. The biggest advantage of this appears to be that you can change the battery without having to remove the pedal from your pedalboard. A well-designed and robust pedal with the end-user/use clearly at the heart of its conception. [b][i][font=arial, sans-serif]9.5/10[/font][/i][/b][/size] [size=4][u][b][font=arial, sans-serif]Overall[/font][/b][/u] [font=arial, sans-serif]I am really quite impressed with this pedal. A more immediate offering of tonal shaping (and no need to have the back off like a Swollen Pickle!), great quality fuzz sounds, excellent 'boutique' aesthetics and bomb-proof makes this a great addition to any pedalboard. Additionally (at only £99) it comes in under the price of nearly ALL of the alternatives (MXR Bass Fuzz Deluxe, Way Huge Swollen Pickle etc) and offers a similar level of control and tones.[/font] [i][b][font=arial, sans-serif]9/10[/font][/b][/i][/size]

Someone once described compression like this to me and it's how I always think of it. I'm sure someone can tell me if its right or not! You make a sandwich with all the fillings, and then make another sandwich with all the fillings. You put the first one in your sandwich box but they won't both fit in together, so you put your hand on top of them both and squash (compress) them down so that they both fit into the box, without having to remove anything from each sandwich. In compression, you squash each track's highest and lowest points so that the ratios in between are reduced. Therefore the relative distance between the highest and lowest note and highest and lowest dynamic peaks (attack, volume etc) stay the same but are plotted within a smaller space, allowing room for other tracks to sit alongside with less intrusion? I'm still not sure if this is entirely correct or not but it's how I always think about it! Happy to be told otherwise :-)

[quote name='Guinness21' timestamp='1426025684' post='2713662'] Did you keep the greasebucket with the aggie pickup? [/quote] The Nate Mendel doesn't have a greasebucket, it has a Quarter pounder, which I have kept in addition to the AG4-P60 and switch between the two.

I have the AG4-P60 that sometimes lives in my Nate Mendel (although not at the minute as I switched it out for the quarter pounder for a fuzz pedal demo video). It's a great pickup and worth every penny. Like Andy said, really open and not brash at all. Has loads of vintage character and as someone who thinks that the pickups in Am Specials lack character (like the OP), I think you'd really like the Aguilar pickup. If you buy it and don't like it, it'll be gone in NO time if you put it up for sale on here!

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1425904741' post='2711962'] And one of me, courtesy of Shelley Incidentally, the guys behind me were creating bass guitars and double basses from scratch and I'll be showing step-by-step photos of the awesome process in my blog. [/quote] Looks like the guy behind you is scratching something else lol!

I luckily had access to any precision from the Fender catalogue (and tried a model from every single range) through work and went for the Nate Mendel. Here's my reasoning. Mexican Standards are ok but lack any distinct character for me, classic series are nice and have that character that the mex standard was missing but I really liked the lacquer (nitro) models over the gloss urethane and the colour options were poor so I looked past that, the pickups in the US special are (IMO) a bit average for the price and again they don't offer many decent colour options/fingerboard options unless you hang on for FSR runs (which tend to be more expensive and less readily available) and finally, im personally not a fan of active Precisions so I had overlooked them when making my decision. The Nate Mendel had the nitro finish that I liked from the classic series model, a nice finish option, a slightly thinner nut width (which I preferred as I usually play a jazz!), a rosewood 'board and the weight of the bass was very light. The ash body also helped to give a good resonance unplugged, which I think is helped by the high mass bridge (although I got an earlier model with the Leo Quan Bad Ass II which has since been replaced). The rolled fingerboard edges, lightness, resonance and slim neck all made the bass feel very comfortable and once I popped the Aguilar AG4-P60 in, it was just perfect for me. The Quarter Pounder gave the bass real character plugged in but that character isn't always in keeping with the stuff I play. I pop it back in every so often when I need to but it sounds great with the aguilar too. Superb value for the price IMO. Hope this helps and good luck. You can't really go wrong with any of those models. Just try them out and take the one that feels right!

[quote name='njr911' timestamp='1425750178' post='2710370'] I want a second hand one if possible [/quote] You'll be lucky I think. By the sounds of it, everyone who bought one loved it!! :-)

Ibanez SR505/605 should be available for less than £400 second hand and worth every penny!

I love my NM. The neck is great and like Andy, I preferred mine with the Aguilar AG4P60 to the stock quarter pounder but currently have that back in for a rock project. The nitro finish, thinner nut width and lightness (and the price!) really sold it for me over the competition (classic series, classic lacquer, road worn etc). It's a little bit different and the signature is discreet so it's easy to change it cosmetically and put your own stamp on it too :-)

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1425507528' post='2708121'] Evidently not! If he didn't give you a solid guarantee to buy it, and you hadn't confirmed that you would hold it for him, then it's a non issue. First come first served! [/quote] This is a genuine question, not playing devils advocate. Is 'first come first served' just a way of buyers claiming stuff or is there an actual marketplace rule I've missed? I've always thought that (when buying on basschat) the PM to the seller is just to register my intent to buy and its up to them if they want to sell it to me. I'd totally understand if they went for someone local (making the transaction quicker and easier for the buyer) who contacted them after me if it was an easier sell for them or they got offered more money etc, providing they were fair and informed me and/or gave me the chance to increase my offer/cover postage/make my offer as appealing to the seller as another buyer's offer.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1425508247' post='2708139'] Yes, this is great! Let's call it 'The Silly Bollocks Rule'. [/quote] Works for me! Or maybe the 'Only-on-basschat-are-we-daft-enough-to-need-this Rule'

Surely the easiest solution would be to include a *will sell to quickest payer* in a 'for sale' thread if you're picky about buyers taking too long to organise payment. That way, you know that the seller will sell to the first person that organises themselves and pays up quickest. That would stop people from feeling like they have a right to an item because they sent a message first. It might offend a small few but, it's ultimately up to the seller who has paid the marketplace fees to decide who they sell too but the transparency would help everyone. That would then let the buyer know what they're dealing with and visa-versa. *i should be clear that I think the OP was a bit unreasonable to try and shame someone because they took longer than a couple of hours to sort out payment when they had no way of knowing the OP was wanting fast payment*

Decided to make a quick vid of some Latin grooves that I had noted down in my little composition book... That resulted in me sightreading one of them and therefore my 'I look like I don't want to be here' concentrating/bass face came out! Its embarrassing that I look so disinterested when I'm really REALLY enjoying myself lol. http://youtu.be/KLaQ8DEsZAQ

Dunlop Jazz III XL and .96 prime tone picks for me (on the rare occasion I use them!)

[quote name='GreeneKing' timestamp='1425133944' post='2704330'] and new strings. I know that a few of you guys have had her, and that she's been around a bit but she's going strong and I think looking good with her new plate [url="http://peterb4407.smugmug.com/Other/SmugShots/20297576_MJZnTm#!i=3903095375&k=qfTCzZn&lb=1&s=A"][/url] [/quote] Sorry, could you turn that colour scheme down so I can hear what you're saying?! Just kidding. I really like it! :-)