mcnach

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1440697181' post='2853107'] Despite having been in cover bands, as a punter I'd never, ever, pay to go and see one. There's couple of venues near me that charge £3 to see cover bands, not for me. I only paid £20 to see Richie Kotzen, Billy Sheehan and Mike Portnoy play last year [/quote] These days I rarely go to bars with cover bands playing, but I used to, and I happily paid to have a few beers in a bar with live music. I wasn't paying to see a particular band (maybe when it was a Thin Lizzy tribute or something), I was paying to have a few drinks in a particular environment with live music. It seems ok to me.

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1438761994' post='2836922'] ...and a more sensible answer. A preamp would help but IMO the stingray sound comes from that humbucker in the sweet spot. I've come to believe that pickup type and placement is more important to the fundamental tone of a bass than anything else. If you want a P sound, you'll need a P pickup, if you want a J sound, you'll need a J pickup at the bridge and if you want a stingray sound.... well, you'll need that pickup [/quote] exactly. The right pickup and the right placement. The preamp helps you get the range of tones, but even without the preamp a Stingray sounds unmistakeably Stingray, and no preamp will "Stingrayfy" a Jazz

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1438763951' post='2836943'] Buy a Retrovibe Super-P with the mini toggle switch mod and use a preamp pedal. Best of 3 worlds [attachment=197980:Super P (3).jpg] [/quote] Except the MM pickup is at the wrong place, much closer to the bridge, and as a result it does not sound like a Stingray. Not even close. It's a nice sound, closer to a Jazz bridge but fatter, and nothing like a Stingray. The pickup position is even a little more important than the pickup type. A Jazz single coil can get you a definite "Stingray-like vibe" if you play with its position (I experimented a bit with an old OLP bass and enlarged routing). My Cort GB74 can't do Stingray (MM/J), my old Lakland 5502 (MM/J) could get a general vibe when using the top single coil only and choosing the mids-control centre frequency at 600Hz... but it was still pretty far.

[quote name='sykilz' timestamp='1440599301' post='2852285'] It was a BB2024 MX, top of the range, got the picture with the black background from bass directs archive. Very pricey, but looks lovely. [/quote] Pricey indeed! That helps, thanks!

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1440604260' post='2852343'] I say take the free beer... then get the Wives and GFs to sell it to the punters in the bar at £2 a pint. The landlord would soon want to change the payment situation. [/quote] ha ha nice!

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1440450324' post='2850929'] You were saying? (edit - looks like I was beaten to it!) [/quote] what model is that? I can't seem to find it...

[quote name='sykilz' timestamp='1440450295' post='2850928'] Bad news......😉 [/quote] you're a bad man! hmmm...

[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1440522317' post='2851561'] There should be a fire extinguisher nearby that you can use to hold open the fire door. [/quote] yes, so you can hit people who stand in the way in the head with it... it's a general pet peeve of mine: doors are to go through from one side to the other... don't stand in front of them!

I'm just happy they don't make a maple fingerboard version, so my GAS is safe phew

[quote name='TrevorR' timestamp='1440446223' post='2850858'] Ok, I've officially lost it... I saw the title of this post and thought "What? Fender are doing a budget range of Hobbit themed basses?" Nurse, can you get me my pills. I think I need to go for a little lie down... [/quote] brilliant!!!

[quote name='mikeycrikey' timestamp='1440416511' post='2850418'] I haven't tried that, I just assumed the J pick had a. Lot more output. Will give it try as soon as I get a chance. [/quote] You might be pleasantly surprised. It's usually the P that is stronger, so I imagine you'll find a way to balance them more to your liking. Let us know how you get on! On Jazz basses (or my PJ), you can affect quite a lot how the "two pickups on" position sounds like just by altering a bit the height of the pickups. Sometimes it can mean the difference between indistinct mush and smile-inducing tone. It's worth experimenting a bit, even if it can get a little tedious: the results are worth it

[quote name='vaesto' timestamp='1440401740' post='2850276'] Hello, I'm happy and 3-y experienced owner of the Matt Freeman's sig bass. Pros: Price/performance ratio: Is just great. US made comparable bass for the 1/3 of price. And even cheaper for the secondhand. Electronics/Pickup: electronics are fine. Cavities are shielded with graphite paint. Nor hum or whatsoever. Pickup has a vintage kind of a sound and moderate output. Vary solid. I've swapped it with EMG Geezer Butler P just to find out they sound almost the same. Cons: Body is basswood so finish tends to collect dings and dents very easily. Expect quick MoJo if you use your MF any harder Bridge is 20mm string-to-string spacing and is NOT retrofit with standard 19 mm bridges, neither by holes pattern nor saddles could be swapped. It is a great bass for the money. I'd compare it to US, Mex and Japan made brothers rather that other Squier series. It feels and looks as much more expensive guitar. Although, it needs a pro setup to shine perfectly. P.S. After 2 years of ownership I had to go through this: [url="http://www.talkbass.com/threads/squier-matt-freeman-p-bass-neck-rattle-removal.1156159/"]http://www.talkbass....emoval.1156159/[/url] [/quote] you're a brave man! (and very skilled!) I'd have never even thought of attempting anything like what you did. Very interesting 'though! Stiffening rods, eh? Curious.

[quote name='mikeycrikey' timestamp='1440364848' post='2850182'] I have the 424x which plays great and sounds great. However I feel the J pick up is slightly more dominant than the P pick up. [/quote] Did you try lowering the J pickup a bit?

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1440329263' post='2849824'] I have a Genz Benz Streamliner perched on top of a Gen 2 Midget/Compact stack. So far no issues although I have changed the feet of the amp to give some additional clearance over the handles. The new feet don't feel particularly more or less grippy than the orginal fit items though. [/quote] The feet on my Streamliner are fine, grip-wise. It's the Shuttle 9.2 ones that were hard plastic and zero grip.

I replaced the feet on my Shuttle 9.2. The original are hard plastic and offer no grip at all on my BF cabs. I put some nice rubbery ones that cost pennies each, and the head stays in place now.

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1440115836' post='2848472'] I couldn't agree more - I've just bought a well used 5 in white - still with the checker plate pickguard - absolutely love it and fills my urge for a 2 band rosewood board MM 5. The neck feel reminds me exactly of my Bongo, and I think it has a standard 11 mm radius. Plays and sounds absolutely great. I have just measured my US Sub 5 - outer edge of strings at nut = 44 mm, actual neck width there 49 mm; at 12th fret outer edge of strings, 59 mm, actual neck width there 68 mm. This may be of interest to McNach but it is a very early build, late 2003 bass and although I haven't looked to check it sounds distinctly like it has series wiring (especially noticeable in slap and pop sound higher up the neck). Whatever, it's an awesome playing, sounding and looking bass and I certainly will be keeping it stock - it feels extremely light, to the extent it has significant deck dive when played seated - balances great on a strap and has been gigged several times already. A pity the previous owner put one or two nasty dings in the textured paint finish ......... but hey ho!!!! [/quote] Thanks! I'm always curious about the SUBs Late 2003 SUB5? I had a 2004 which was parallel. However I know that 2003 and at least some way into 2004 4-string SUBs seem to be wired in series (at least, every single one I know of is). It always seemed strange to me that at a time where the SR5 was ceramic, they'd put an alnico into the SUB5 making the SUB5 "THE real" Stingray 5-string: I thought the point was using components they already manufactured, not making new ones. But I love that there is variation. My series-wired SUB is lovely. I think it suits the 2EQ better than the parallel configuration (to this ears of mine!). It still sounds clearly "Stingray", but the extra punch, and using stainless strings, is just perfect. I had another SUB, a later one wired in parallel with the compensated nut (so 2005-2006?), and between the two the 2003 was the one that got all the action. Nothing wrong with the 2005 one, it sounded much like my 2EQ 2002 natural/maple Stingray - before I replaced the preamp for a John East 3-band. The 3-band adds versatility, but after my experience, I think instead of changing the preamp I would have tried to wire the pickup in series instead. It's a little fiddly, as it one has 2 wires, so you need to rewire it a bit but it's doable if one is careful. Ok, enough rambling for now... I'm not sure what my point was, or whether there was one I just read "SUB5 - series" and it got my interest If you ever get around to lifting the pickup and check the actual wiring, don't forget to post the results here, please looking at the wiring will be the definite proof that SUB5s also came in series at some point. I should not have sold mine Amazing basses

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1440088290' post='2848222'] You could be right. I've listened to it a few times now. When I played this before I used to play two notes in the high register, not as a pedal. Not sure if the recorded version uses a high note and a pedal, two high and a pedal or multitracking. However he plays it its fantastic. [/quote] I'm now sure it's not multitracked: he plays it just like I did and if I can do it, doubtless he can do it too It's actually pretty simple... but beautiful. I like Flea more from BSSM onwards than before BSSM. It seems that at that point he decided to go for less "gymnastics" and more thinking about the actual notes he played, the melody... and he came up with basslines like this one for Scar Tissue, which is just beautiful

[quote name='mikeycrikey' timestamp='1440080960' post='2848120'] Just measured the neck on my MM sub and it was 44 mm at the nut and 57mm at the 12th fret give or take a millimetre to allow for my dodgy glasses. Hope it helps [/quote] I still haven't measured mine, but it must be true. Wow, really? It doesn't feel it, which goes to show that a lot of the feel is the profile, the depth, not so much the width, I guess!

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1440071125' post='2848017'] In the each guitar solo there's a high part and low part definitely double tracked. It repeats in the outro. [/quote] You got my curiosity going I found this, that's how I used to play it, no double tracking The bottom notes are mostly droning, so really easy to play [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82-T9ivCuV0#t=75[/media]

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1440071125' post='2848017'] In the each guitar solo there's a high part and low part definitely double tracked. It repeats in the outro. [/quote] I used to play that live, plucking two notes simultaneously, I'm pretty sure that's what he does too... or I *was* pretty sure I have to confess I never sat down to analyse it in detail. It just sounded to me like two strings plucked at once (with thumb and index? can't recall and I don't have a bass in the office)... To my ears it sounds right. Try it!

[quote name='police squad' timestamp='1439807321' post='2845843'] learn some Police tunes, that should challenge peoples awareness of space and time keeping (sounds all a bit Star Trek) or tell 'em to fook off [/quote] That's a great suggestion. The songs sound simple and easy enough... but it takes decent players to make them sound right, so they can highlight the band's shortcomings easily.

[quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1439755423' post='2845540'] At a gig once a punter shouted out 'What does the bass do?' I replied, 'OK, I won't play in the next song' and the band backed me. It sounded sh*te and when I started playing again in the next song I got a big cheer. It's not only punters who don't know what we do but I'm lucky that my bandmates do. [/quote] ha ha Similarly, my very first band on bass was a not very good black metal kind of band. When I asked for some recordings prior to the audition they said not to worry. When I showed up it was clear to me that they (a drummer and a guitarist, no singer yet) only looked for a bass player because, well, bands always have a bass player, not because they thought they needed the sound of a bass. I was told, literally "just follow the guitar, it won't matter if you make mistakes because nobody listens to the bass anyway". We got together maybe four times, once a week. Then, I could not make the next practice and they decided to go ahead and do it without me. Halfway through I received a text from the guitarist: "you ok for next week? it sounds like sh*te without the bass!!!" No, I did not stay with that band long. They were good guys, but musically it was dreadful. We'd go for a pint after practice and they'd talk about whether it'd be a problem to take time off work when we have to go on tour, and how amazing it'd be if we get to support Slayer, and... So for my next band, it was a funk/hip hop thing, I joined a week before our first gig. I do like a bit of contrast in my life

two basslines? I hear two simultaneous notes in places, sure, but that's just two notes played at the same time not multitracked... I could be wrong, of course, but that's what I hear

[quote name='goonieman' timestamp='1439974150' post='2847123'] What i'm after is a solid rationale on which to choose if I had to. i.e. are there noise implications? impedance issues that will impact on FX use, etc. [/quote] Nope

[quote name='goonieman' timestamp='1439970234' post='2847081'] Hi All, I'm revamping a fleabass (the cheapie ones - not a modulus!), and am routing for a MM pickup (seymour duncan SMB-4D ceramic). I'll be using a stingray 2EQ preamp. My question is, should I go for series or parallel wiring? If I go series, it will be hotter and more middly, but I can dial that out at the amp if desired, right? Are there any other issues I should be aware of? For me, series or parallel is kind of irrelevant because one can adjust onboard or at the amp... am I right? thanks [/quote] The ceramic is more mids rich, so maybe this is irrelevant, but I'll carry on undeterred anyway :-p I think the alnico Stingray pickup, in series, is a wonderful combination for the 2EQ preamp. In parallel is slightly scooped, and the 2EQ can control the midrange but it's a bit fiddly if you're not very familiar with those preamps and how the two controls interact. The alnico one in series adds just enough oomph in the mid region and it suits the 2EQ very well, in my experience: my USA SUB was wired in series (I'm led to believe that the initial run of SUBs in 2003/early 2004 were wired this way, then they reverted to the more usual parallel configuration) and with it the original 2EQ preamp is just fine. I always lean towards the John East preamp otherwise (2EQ, but with a separate mids control with sweepable centre frequency). So... I dunno I'd go series. I like the extra fat