mcnach

[quote name='paul j h' timestamp='1420482243' post='2649852'] Hi all I was looking at my creamy white stingray with brown torti plate today and thinking after this post that a vintage tint would be a good idea, especially when I put it on a stand next to my stingray classic in the same colours/finish. If its not too cheeky a question what is the approx cost? Cheers Paul [/quote] You've got a PM. I'd contact David directly to ask him further details, he's always been great at replying to emails/facebook. [url="http://www.dwilsonguitars.com/"]http://www.dwilsonguitars.com/[/url] [url="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002025970885"]https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002025970885[/url]

That's more like it. I was starting to worry and thinking of arranging an intervention

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1420424536' post='2649283'] If you adjust what you think is the pan, tap the pickups gently with something metal, you should be able to see if you're right, needs to be plugged in of course �� turn the control all one way, tap the pickups then turn all the other way, you should only get a tapping noise from 1 pickup at a time. [/quote] ah, that will teach me to wait till the end of the thread!

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1420295684' post='2647692'] Ok instead of the ibanez. i went and tested out a Peavey millennium active. Liked the shape, and was easy to play even while not set up well i was impressed, Sounded great maybe a bit dark sounding but i like that. So i bought it. Just set it up, still needs a little nut work on the g string but other than that very nice, also excellent fret work. Ok so i can't work out the controls the volume one was easy. And the bass control ive worked out and the mid. Now i would of thought working them out was easy but everytime i think ive got it something doesn't add up. The treble and what could be the blend pot sound similar but ones more powerful which i assume is the blend as its infront of the bass and mid where i think the treble is behind to the back of the bass. The model i bought seems to be a transition one too or something or other. Its supposed to have 18v electronics well there's only one 9v battery in there, tho ive not checked the main compartment for all i know there might be one wrongly stuffed in there. The neck and headstock is slightly different to ones ive seen online, its similar to the new ones with the truss rod access in the head. But decorated more like the older ones. And the controls don't match what it says online anywhere or on some of the vids ive seen online. In fact the vids don't match other vids or some of the things online either so maybe they swapped them around a few times. Am i being thick here or what?. My first bass was an active vintage with blend, bass,mid and treble and although it was not great sounding i could clearly tell by ear what was going on. Anyhow pleased with my purchase. [/quote] tap the polepieces lightly with something metallic, that will tell you without doubt which pickups you're using: that will allow you to find out which one is the blend control if the sound alone is not enough indication. Once you have the blend sorted, the others will be easy to figure out.

would have been awesome to have a clean blend incorporated into this

Like others have said, Strat switches eventually fail. You may extend their life by fiddling with the contacts, but once it starts misbehaving, it's best to simply replace it. It may seem ok now, but it'll probably fail again and you know Murphy's law It may also be a time to consider other arrangements, perhaps. On one of my strats I fitted a "megaswitch" I think it was called... It looks and works just like a standard 5-way switch, but instead of the middle pickup alone (which I didn't care for) you can easily wire it to give you neck+bridge, which I find it a more interesting combination. There are other alternative wirings around, and switches that allows you to easily achieve them. I also tend to move mid tone control to the bridge, and have the neck and mid either share the other or leave the mid without it. Lots of fun can be had with strats and their wiring!

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1420402133' post='2649005'] Good work Jose, I bet it will come out nice, I'm not sure what the Classic neck finish is but it's not sticky like some, that said I dont notice my Jazz being too bad either. My normal Rays are filthy! [/quote] My Stingray was a mess to look at I'm not sure what the lacquer is that Dave uses, but he seems to have done quite a few Stingrays already and I'm sure he knows what he's doing. He has some pictures on his facebook of another Ray he did, and it looked great, with a slight tint, and shiny... Funny, I used the Stingray (instead of the Precision I've been using for the past couple of months) at the NYE gig, as I wanted to have one last go before giving it to Dave... and every 5 minutes I was "wow, I love this bass!!!" I do that from time to time, spend some time with another bass, and one day I take the Stingray and that's it... Stingray for another 9 months uninterrupted I don't think the Precision will see quite as much action after I get the Ray back Oh, what am I doing talking to you? I forgot you were a traitor!

[quote name='Alun' timestamp='1420405475' post='2649072'] Here's a silly idea I had last year :-) [media]http://youtu.be/K_oBtvzX8gQ[/media] [/quote] that was really cool! thanks for posting!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1420297774' post='2647748'] One of the cardinal errors made by many members of this forum (myself included) is to put the acquisition of new equipment before doing anything about improving playing skills. You can buy a very good used bass indeed for £300 - you will have to become a top-drawer player to actually [i]need [/i]anything that costs a lot more than that. And you can keep Mrs Bad Sign happy at the same time. Edit: As mentioned above, a Squier Classic Vibe could be all the bass you ever need. [/quote] Banned!!!

[quote name='Born under a bad sign' timestamp='1420297278' post='2647735'] I have about £700 squirreled away and at present have a bad P bass copy that I have to bang occasionally cos the pick-ups keeping going off Although new to bass I have already acquired GAS and [s]want [/s]need lots of basses, that I won't be able to play very well. So I have 3 ideas for the money: a) Spend it all on the highest spec used bass I can find Buy a used bass for about £300 and spend the rest on lessons c) Fess up to Mrs Bad Sign about the money and let her spend it for me, hoping she will see my need for a new bass with what is leftover after her trip to the Metrocentre. Your thoughts would be appreciated PS c) isn't really an option, is It? [/quote] I'd start looking and trying basses within your budget, and buy the one that speaks to you. Yes, they talk. You'll know when you find one that wants to talk to you It may be that £400 gets you that, hey, and you have lots extra to have the bass setup nicely and some lessons too Second hand is a very good route, in my opinion, for you'll be able to get a more expensive bass (should that be the one you find you want) and you will not lose much if two months later you find another one you prefer It's pointless recommending models or whatever as you have to decide. I recently bought a Fender Precision Classic 50, and I think it's lovely, I'm in love with that bass. Other people say the neck is "meh", a bit too wide, or does not feel nice because it's laquered, or... but for *me* it's fantastic. So, I'd say, try as many basses as you can. Second hand is a bit slower as you'll typically have to travel to someone's house etc, as opposed to going to a shop and testing all of the basses they have... but it's a good way to get a nice deal. I'd try both ways!

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1412099260' post='2565669'] I think i'd rather be locked in a room listening to a continuous loop of Richard Clayderman. [/quote] !!!!!! Yeah, the music is not for me either, but I really enjoyed the bass AND the drums... fantastic players, all of them.

more here: [url="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002025970885&fref=photo"]https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002025970885&fref=photo[/url]

I've always liked lacquered maple necks. I like the feel, and the look. I recently bought a 75RI Jazz, and a previous owner sanded off the back of the neck (nooooo! it's one of its nicest features! ). Not a huge deal, but... I like it lacquered. Now, to my favourite bass: the Stingray. Mine is a 2002, EBMM - made, so it has the oiled neck only. It looked nice when I bought it in 2010, but by now it is pretty grey in parts, even if I try to maintain it and I wash my hands before I play etc. So, having had another 75RI Jazz [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/251507-kind-of-nbd-refinished-jazz-bass/"]refinished in red[/url] by David Wilson last month, I enquired about lacquering the neck on my Stingray... and it is now in his hands. I am looking forward to it, but... it was difficult to see the first pictures of the neck being sanded... "my baaabyyyyyyy!!!!" I cried!

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1420314919' post='2648044'] Yeah I'm also glad you're back contributing Vail. I saw the thread in question; I've also felt a bit hurt by some comments on threads I've contributed to in the past but I guess we all need to remember that[u][b] internet based communication is a poor substitute for what we'd be doing in a face to face conversation[/b][/u]. So yeah, hang on in there! [/quote] soooo true!

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1420312313' post='2647996'] I just went back and looked at that logo - it's an odd sci-fi influenced thing, the "designed and built" bit works quite well - but the rest of it... the b and d echo quite nicely - but that f is the most disgusting thing I've seen for a while, and also oddly seems upper case... it just kinda works against the whole "very well engineered technology products" by having such an odd logo.... all IMO IME of course... . [/quote] well, I like it!

Glad you changed your mind, Vail. Looking forward to further discussions about anything bass, and I hope next time we all can disagree in a more civil manner. Disagreements imake up a large part of discussions, and that can be cool and enriching! But that old thread was pretty ugly unnecessarily and I regret my contribution to the ugliness. Welcome back!

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1420272708' post='2647323'] Haha what happens when an Engineer designs stuff that's should look pretty. Tbh, the old painted finish and the logo do not deter me one bit. I don't have to look at it at gigs. But I'm not half tempted by a TKS cab though in red. [/quote]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1420037244' post='2645057'] Well, he operates in a world where opinions are whether he gets the gig or not... and he has gotten an awful lot of AAAAA gigs...so I'd say he knows what he is talking about because he knows how to deliver in a world of top level players. His signal chain and playing technique and all round ability will have gone passed such scrutiny because that level is so high and there is a lot of money at stake to get the best out there. [b]I really don't think he deserved the treatment he got ( I happen to think he had a very valid point and said as much )[/b] and it seems a pattern that top level pros wont touch this place...or dip out as soon as they realise the way it works. So yes, I'm serious... some ppl have just pissed off a potential massive resource and someone who was willing to share it. Unbelievable..........AGAIN..!!! [/quote] The difference between what you and he said is... you were not arrogant. Looking back at how the discussion developed... I think he acted wrong, but some of us did too, and for my part I wish I hadn't emphasised just so much that line on post #19 . I meant to highlight it, but that font resize thing got a little out of hand. I can see how something like that could make Vail get defensive, just like his subsequent name-dropping etc was perceived by some as being arrogant... It is a shame, I stand by my not caring to hear from someone and defer to someone if they cannot behave like a normal human being and look like they expect to be bowed to... But looking back, it was all kind of silly and unnecessary, from both sides. It's perhaps a good example of how discussions face to face are different to forums. I can imagine a (heated even) discussion face to face, but with no falling out... yet, in writing, it all somehow appears a lot heavier and stronger than it needs to be, sometimes. Not my best hour, for what it concerns me, regretful. Not our best hour, both on BC and Vail's perspective.

loved it! Very nice and wide variety of gigs,,, looks fun!

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1420029000' post='2644959'] I was ditched from a band because the lead guitarist and drummer wanted to bring in an old mate of theirs. The day after I got the news (the members responsible didn't tell me, the rhythm guitarist was the one who broke the news), FB suggested that I might like to become friends with their new bassist... [/quote] You should have... and then go off together to form a band with two bass players and the rhythm guitarist of the other band.

when people say "why do I need active EQ on the bass, if I already have it on the amp, or on a pedal", you have to also consider not all EQ sound the same. They operate differently. Just like not all overdrive pedals sound the same, not all EQ circuits work the same way. So sometimes it's not where you have it, but simply how it sounds.

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1419973381' post='2644558'] Isn't it the case that an active bass also buffers the signal so you don't need to worry about long guitar cables or cable capacitance which can affect the tone from a passive bass. [/quote] That's also true. But the way I see it is if you always play with the same type/length cables... the sound you get is the sound you get. If it sounds the way it does because it's lost some high frequency content through the cable, it doesn't matter that much, as long as it sounds good. But it's worth keeping that in mind, especially if you start noticing inconsistencies when playing through different setups.

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1419969319' post='2644492'] I rarely find the need to even touch my tone controls, but I did have to when I first got the bass to get the default sound I wanted. [/quote] That is true! Once I find a tone I like on a bass, I tend to stick to those settings. It;s only very minor tweaks after that, depending on the actual place I'm playing etc. I remember seeing Flea's Modulus having the knobs held with tape at particular positions, presumably for the same reason.

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1419968478' post='2644479'] maybe I'm being a bit thick here, don't know whether this question been asked before but why do you need an active bass or even tone controls on a passive? (never touch my on/off P tone knob, always full on) when an amp or FX pedal does the job so much better, it's not like you can easily alter any of the bass controls mid song. [/quote] I don't think you *need* one. I see it simply as just another flavour, one you might like, or not. I'd never choose a bass because it is passive, or active, I choose a bass because I like how it plays and sounds. For sure, you can argue a preamp in a pedal makes more sense, as you can apply it to every one of your instruments, and some do just that. I kind of like having the controls at my fingertips (although lately I've been playing a passive Precision, so...). The preamps I really like have a semiparametric mids control, which I find very useful (John East). Well, very useful... they often stay flat, doing nothing! But when you need a little tweak on the mids, to cut through better or eliminate honk... I love having the ability to control and tweak that easily on my bass. Just a matter of preference, really. I do use the tone controls on passive basses, 'though. It just doesn't do the same as the controls on my amp.