mcnach

[quote name='Stag' post='1028610' date='Nov 18 2010, 10:30 PM']Ill have to go out and try some more I think

A part of me is thinking that maybe im percieving these necks to be really slim.... when a large factor why I think this could be down to the fact im used to my Ric, which isnt exactly slim [/quote]


It's not just perception. They ARE really slim compared to most other basses.

My Ibanez SR400 is similar, or even thinner (shallower, rather), but that's what makes it not as nice to me. I prefer bigger necks. I play a Jazz copy that sounds great, and has teh trademark thin Jazz neck... which I love but at the same time I realy do prefer slightly bigger necks.
For me, the ideal is teh Stingray neck. It is wider than a Jazz, but it's shallow, so it doesn't feel as chunky as a P-bass. It just seems to fill my hand better and it's more comfortable for me (despite not having big hands).

At first I also thought Jazz was teh neck to have, but if you persevere a bit, you can play with just about any neck, so to me it's more a matter of finding a neck profile that feels comfortable to hold... and the thin necks can be less comfortable long term than a wider one.

Personal preference at teh end of teh day.

[quote name='Simmo' post='1024225' date='Nov 15 2010, 03:28 AM']Hello all

I am contemplating getting a new bass after xmas, and I currently have a jackson kelly looking ripoff bass with a P/J configuration, the precision sounds terribly weak (just an opinion, dont slaughter me devout precision fans ), and I have fell in love with the tone I can get from the single Jazz pickup. Taking this into account I have decided a Jazz bass is in order, I am currently out of work and cant really stretch above £200, and there are a few Jazz basses that have caught my eye, and because of their cheap price tag there arent many reviews about them, I just wanted to know if any of you have played, seen close up, or owned any of them?

First, the Vintage (brand) EJM96 £175+P&P, here is the link

[url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/8357"]http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/8357[/url]

And here are the specs

Body: Eastern Poplar

Neck: Hard Maple – Bolt On
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Scale: 34"/864mm
Frets: 20
Neck Inlays: Pearloid Dot
Tuners: Wilkinson® WJBL200
Bridge: Adjustable
Pickups: Wilkinson® PB x 1 (M) WJB00 ( WJB800
Hardware: Chrome
Controls: 1 x Volume/ 1 x Tone

Second, the Chord CJB62, here is the link

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Chord-Electric-Jazz-Bass-Guitar-Alder-Body-Natural-/160498054527?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item255e6df57f"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Chord-Electric-Jazz-...=item255e6df57f[/url]

And here are the specs

Controls 2 volume, 1 master tone
Construction Contoured body, bolt-on neck
Body Alder
Neck Maple
Fingerboard Rosewood
Scale length 865mm
Pickups 2 single coil (twinned pole-piece)
Hardware Chrome plate bridge
Tuning machineheads Large clover leaf open geared
Frets 20 large
Nut Width 41mm
Dimensions 345 x 1195 x 60mm
Weight 4.42kg

If i was to choose by looks and spec list i'd definitely choose the chord, because if any of the pickups, electronics, hardware were a problem i could switch them out in the future, its just i have never heard of this brand, and the Vintage looks good and the brand name is (ever so slightly ) more credible, its just i read somewhere they are extremely heavy, and opinions would be greatly appreciated [/quote]


I owned one of the Vintage ones. Finish wasn't great, but it was a nice bass. The pickups were a bit disappointing, and in mine, a bit microphonic. But for teh price it wasn't bad at all, and one day you put a pair of good pickups there and you ahve a great bass.

However, I got a Westfield B4000 (Jazz clone) earlier this year for £40 plus delivery on eBay. It was so cheap, and I had tried a nice Westfield before, that I had to go for it.
And it's a much better bass. The pickups, surprisingly, are quite nice. I didn't need to change anything on it, stock it was nice. Just set it up, mine had a couple of slightly tall frets that needed levelling, but that's about it.
Last week I installed a J-retro01 preamp in it... and it turned it into a bass that sounds and feels like it's worth a lot more. It's still ugly (translucent green, and the grain isn't pretty), but it's a great bass that I can play proudly next to my Warwick Corvette $$ and my MM Stingray.
I spent about £180 in total, and I have a beast of a bass.

I noticed they stopped doing the green one early on. I'm not sure if all B4000 were built similarly, but it's worth a try...and if it's a green one you know it's from the same time of mine, so maybe you get lucky too. I suspect there'll be variation between basses, much more than among more expensive instruments, but from my experience in general with Westfield, you get pretty decent instruments that turn into nice ones with just a basic setup.

bumped

[quote name='silddx' post='1024768' date='Nov 15 2010, 03:54 PM']Here's a good thread for the OP [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=100547"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=100547[/url] Westfield.[/quote]

I can't recommend it highly enough. I'm not sure if I got the "1 in a milion" individual bass or what, but it truly is remarkable stock, and punchingb well above its price level withe the adition of the J-retro preamp. The other Westfield bass I tried was very nice too and I bought it as well, although that one needs new pickups/electronics (a VS4A, "Thumb" type of copy)... but the Jazz was good stock.

Thanks for clarifying that for me. So the gear works the oposite way on the BT3. Interesting! I had no idea.

Hipshot Bass X-tender model BT7 just ordered!

[quote name='falcodub' post='1026914' date='Nov 17 2010, 02:40 PM']I have just received my bass from Jose.

A pleasure to deal with, honest, helpful and all round awesome purchasing experience.

Nice one [/quote]


I hope you enjoy the bass. That one was very much loved and served me well.
All the best!

[quote name='Larmer' post='1025279' date='Nov 15 2010, 10:26 PM']Hey,

I have an extra RC4 Bass footswitch. Still in its box, unused, never even opened the plastic wraps.

As it can't be used with no other amp than the RH450, I'm kinda stuck with it. Hopefully someone is missing one of these.

[url="http://www.dv247.com/guitars/tc-electronic-rc4-floor-controller-for-rh450--61537"]http://www.dv247.com/guitars/tc-electronic...or-rh450--61537[/url]

That's what they go for. I'd say I would be really happy if I could get half of that + shipping.

Payment via paypal, and I'll send with registered shipping. Thanks![/quote]


Hi, I might be tempted. I didn't buy one initially, then I did... but the one I received was faulty and it seems there was a batch of faulty RC4s... and I just returned it for a refund.
I am interested, subject to two things:
1) that you open it and try it and make sure it works as intended
2) that the postage cost is not too much... I just saw you're in Helsinki.

do you have some idea how much postage to the UK would be?

My edit:

3Leaf Audio Groove Regulator - 6
Adrenalinn II - 1
Aguilar Agro - 1
Aguilar Octamizer - 1
Akai Unibass - 2
AMT Slap Bass -1
Analogman Mini Chorus - 1
Ashdown Chorus - 1
Ashdown Drive Plus - 2
Asdown dual band compressor - 2
Ashdown sub octave plus - 1
Barge Concepts VFB-2 - 2
Behringer BDI21 - 3
[b]Behringer PB100 preamp booster - 1[/b]
Behringer chorus - 1
Boomstick Bottom Feeder - 1
Boss BF-2 - 1
Boss BF-3 - 1
Boss CE-2 - 4
Boss CEB3 - 1
Boss CS-3 - 1
Doss DD-3 - 1
Boss DD-20 - 3
Boss DS-1 - 2
[b]Boss LS-2 - 9[/b]
[b]Boss LMB-3 limiter - 1[/b]
Boss ME-50B - 2
Boss ME-8B - 1
Boss MT-2 - 1
Boss OC-2 - 15
Boss OC-3 - 3
Boss ODB-3 - 7
Boss PH-1r - 1
Boss PS-3 - 1
Boss PW-10 - 1
Boss SD-1 - 1
Boss SL-20 -2
Boss SYB 3 - 2
Boss TU2 - 14
Boss TU3 - 2
Boss TU-12H - 2
Boss chorus ensemble CE-5 - 2
Bugbrand Bugcrusher - 1
Catalinbread SFT - 3
Catalinbread Teaser Stallion - 1
Chunk Systems Octavius Squeezer - 1
Crowther Prunes & Custard - 1
[b]Danelectro Cool Cat Transparent Overdrive - 1[/b]
Danelectro French Toast - 2
Danelectro Reel Echo - 1
Demeter Opto Comp - 3
Devi Ever Hyperion - 1
Devi Ever Cherry Pop - 1
Devi Ever SodaMeiser - 1
Digitech Bad Monkey - 2
[b]Digitech Bass driver - 1[/b]
[b]Digitech Bass Synth Wah - 2[/b]
Digitech Dual Band Bass Compressor - 1
Digitech Whammy - 5
DOD FX-25 B - 1
DOD FX-68 - 1
DOD FX-80B - 1
Dunlop Bass Cry Baby - 4
DHA VT2 - 3
EBS Octabass - 3
EBS Microbass - 1
EBS Multidrive - 1
EBS Multicomp - 5
EBS Dynaverb - 1
EBS Unichorus - 1
EHX Memory Man with Hazarai - 1
EHX Bass Balls - 1
EHX Bass Big Muff - 6
EHX Bass Metaphors - 2
EHX Bass Micro Synth - 4
EHX Big Muff Pi (Black Russian) - 3
EHX Big Muff Pi (Green Russian) - 2
EHX Black Finger - 1
EHX HOG - 1
EHX Octave Multiplexer - 2
EHX POG2 - 1
EHX Small Clone - 1
EHX Small Stone Nano - 3
EHX Small Stone (Black Russian) - 1
EHX Qtron - 2
EHX Qtron+ - 3
[b]EHX micro Q-tron - 1[/b]
ElectroniX Crossdrive - 1
ElectroniX Submarine - 1
Exar PigNose - 1
Ernie Ball VP-Jr - 1
Fishman Platinum Pro EQ -1
FuzzHugger ABsynth - 1
Fulltone Bassdrive non-MOSFET - 1
Fulltone Bass-Drive Mosfet - 1
Guyatone MD-3 delay - 1
Guyatone PS-3 Phase Shifter - 1
HBE Psilocybe -1
Ibanez FL9
[b]Ibanez PD7 Phat-Hed Bass Overdrive - 3[/b]
Ibanez SB 7 - 1
Ibanez WD7 Weeping Demon - 1
Korg DT-10 - 2
[b]Korg Pitchblack - 5[/b]
Line 6 M9 - 2
Line 6 Bass Pod XT Live - 1
Line 6 DL4 - 3
Line6 FM4 - 1
Maestro Brassmaster (clone) -1
MarkBass Compressore - 1
MarkBass Super Synth - 1
Marshall Guv'nor (MK1) - 1
Marshall Jackhammer - 2
Marshall Echohead - 1
Marshall Regenerator - 1
Maxon AD9 Pro - 1
Maxon CP9+ - 1
Maxon PT999 - 1
Mellowtone Clean Chan Dirty Chan - 1
Mojo Hand Cream Pie - 1
Montgomery Flanger - 1
Moog MF-101 - 3
Moog MF-102 - 1
Moog MF-105b - 1
Moog MF-107 - 2
Moog MP-201 - 1
Mr Zinky Master Blaster - 1
[b]MXR Kerry King 10-band equaliser - 1[/b]
[b]MXR auto-Q - 1[/b]
[b]MXR Bass Octave Deluxe - 3[/b]
MXR Blowtorch - 4
MXR Carbon Copy - 1
MXR El Grande Bass Fuzz -1
[b]MXR M-80 DI+ - 8[/b]
MXR M-143 Limiter
MXR Phase 90 - 1
MXR Phase 100 - 1
MXR Super Comp - 1
Peterson StroboStomp 1 - 1
ProCo Tubro Rat - 2
Radial Bassbone - 1
Radial bishot io - 1
Robot Factory Meatwad - 1
Rocktron Cyborg Reverb - 1
Sansamp Bddi - 9
SansAmp Para-driver - 1
Seymour Duncan Tweak Fuzz - 1
SFX Micro Fuzz - 1
SFX S&M - 1
Sonic Research Turbo Tuner - 1
Subdecay Noise Box - 1
TC Electronics PolyTune - 2
TC Electronics Nova Modulator - 1
Tech 21 VT Bass - 4
Tech 21 VT Bass Deluxe - 3
Toadworks Mr Squishy - 1
Tone Factor 442 Red Filter - 1
Way huge swollen pickle - 1
Wren & Cuff Pickle Pie B - 1
Xotic X-Blender - 1
Xotic Bass BB Preamp - 1
Yamaha OD-10 - 1
[b]Zoom B2 - 1[/b]
Z.Vex Box of Rock - 1 (clone)
Zvex Fuzz Factory - 1
Z.Vex Woolly Mammoth - 7
Z.Vex Mastotron - 1
Z.Vex Wah Probe - 1

So I have this cheap Westfield B4000 bass, a Jazz copy. It is very nice. I mean, it's ugly (green, blergh) but it felt and sounded quite good... so I installed a J-Retro premap on it and... it's amazing. I've been leaving my Stingray at home for the past few days and using this one instead to explore the possibilities of the new preamp, and I just keep grinning like an idiot

Yesterday I sort of bumped into an audition for a Rage Against The Machine tribute band, with the Jazz bass, and walked out as a new member of the band. Because being in two bands already wasn't enough

The thing is, there's a hell of a lot of drop-D stuff and it gets boring easily to manually detune/retune. I have d-tuners already on my Stingray, my OLP, and the Warwick $$... but I suspect I'll end up playing the Jazz mostly in this band, so I need another D-tuner.

The question is... which one????

It was straight forward for teh Stingray/Warwick... but I'm utterly confused for the Jazz.

I look at the Hipshot page, and I think that the BT7 or the BT10 will probably do, even if I'm almost sure teh holes will not align, but I'll make new ones. However, the BT3 looks *a lot* like the ones I have already, so I feel I'd buy those... but in teh description it says something about vintage Fenders, reverse winding blah blah blah... What? Reverse winding? what is that? I mean, I can wind teh string anyway I want.... what am I missing?
There's like 4 types of Hipshot d-tuners, for mexican, for japanese, for preCBS style, for this and the other... and I'm a little confused. I'd go for the BT3 as they look more like the ones I already have but... the "reverse winding" comment throws me out and confuses me. I'm just a bass player after all

I don't have pictures with me right now... but I found an ad the previous owner of my very bass plaxced on music radar, and you can just about make out the tuners:

[url="http://www.musicradar.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53616"]Westfield B4000[/url]

any idea what the reverse winding refers to?
Looks-wise, it's teh closest match and I'd buy it right away, if it wasn't for that comment.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1023376' date='Nov 14 2010, 01:40 PM']I remember turning up at a jam session in West London a few years ago. The house band bassist was playing a P-bass which sounded really great.

When I asked to have a look, it turned out to be a cheap Westfield with an SD 1/4-lb pickup.

He was a good player, certainly better than me, but no prodigy. The bass was just sounding WAY better than plenty of much more expensive basses at the same jam.[/quote]


I still own another Westfield bass, it's beautiful, a nice chunk of ash for body, shaped very much like a Warwick Thumb, even teh headstock, just not curved as the Thumb. The pickups are unfortunately some horrible soapbar type and it sounds very blergh, but it feels fantastic (I bought it s/h after trying it unplugged). Pity there aren't many pickup options for that one... but one day I'll "rescue" it.
It seems that Westfield are a brand to take into acount when looking for cheapies.

I tried the Jazz last night at rehearsal finally, and if it was already good, now with the J-retro is terribly addictive. The slap tone is really amazing.
We're getting filmed tonight and I think I'm going to use the Westfield, just because I love a bit of reverse snobbery every now and then

It had to happen...

I said I was a mod-oholic.

I loved the bass as it was... but I really like active options... so I just installed a John East J-retro preamp in it I bought from another basschatter.

It's... H U G E

My Stingray is safe but I just can't get over how great these preamps are. Granted, I spent nearly 3x on teh preamp as in the bass but at around £180 total is not a bad bass at all. I couldn't play it very loud tonight, but for what I could gather, it's a lot fatter, louder, clearer... and now I can really get a beautiful slap tone out of this bass, with powerful dead notes and muted hits and full bodied ringing notes...

This is ridiculous, I can't stop installing preamps on cheap basses

... and again.

an interested party just pulled out... so this pickup is still up for grabs!

Sold, pending payment...

Just bought the John East J-Retro preamp from Luke... it arrived almost before I knew he had one for sale! It was that fast!
Very pleasant guy, easy transaction. No problems whatsoever.

Thank you, Luke!

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1014822' date='Nov 6 2010, 10:41 PM']On the neck pup! For me that's the most comfortable and versatile place - it's where my thumb mainly stays, as the OP has a Jazz he'll probably have the same issues if he plays fingerstyle.

I don't find MM basses a struggle, just that they're not as comfortable as other basses i own. The arwick fits much more snugly around my beer gut![/quote]

I got curious after reading this thread, because I really don't know what I do! I know I rest my thum on the Stingray's pickup sometimes, but not always.
I realised that generally I rest my thumb on the E string, except when I use it. Then I just move my hand upwards and just rest it on the body until the E string note(s) are done and I go back to the initial position. It sounds more complicate than it is! And I tend to use a position just right above the top of teh Stingray pickup. On any bass. The position does vary, depending on what I play, and I had noticed that I rest my thum on the Stingray's pickup, but only sometimes.

Different people, different techniques. I'm glad a proper thumb rest is not useful to me, I don't like how they look.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1014099' date='Nov 6 2010, 11:18 AM']Chili's and Rage you say?
There's a couple of MM4 Stingrays in the FS section that should sort you right out. [/quote]


and two beautiful MM SUB4 on eBay right now! And a Sterling SUB too.

[quote name='Bass_Guardian' post='1008919' date='Nov 1 2010, 07:44 PM']I can vouch on McNach's behalf that he is a great bloke and brilliant to deal with [/quote]


Thank you, Alex
how much did we say I was going to pay you for the feedback?

[quote name='Delberthot' post='999615' date='Oct 25 2010, 01:39 AM']its definitely worth doing your homework when it comes to buying second hand - you can get a bargain on Ebay only to find that its only a few pounds to buy it new


McNach - did you intend your avatar to look like a classic John Deacon image?[/quote]


Ha ha!

I didn't realise until now!

I was going to use a different picture because that one makes me look like a dwarf... and I'm not a big guy but I'm not as little as the picture suggests! I left second grade many years ago!
But maybe now I'll leave it

PM'd

I've been buying these for years:

[url="http://www.award-session.com/cleartone_cables.html"]http://www.award-session.com/cleartone_cables.html[/url]

very good quality and well made, lots of options. And if something is not there, just email Stewart, he'll sort you out.
I haven't bought many because... I don't have to buy many. the first ones I bought back in 2001 or 2002 are still going strong.
Mic, instrument, patch leads... whatever.

Highly recommended.

Jose, not connected to the company, just a very happy customer
(and I had the pleasure of meeting Stewart too at a ukmg meeting, great no-bull kind of guy)

[quote name='JPJ' post='1006333' date='Oct 30 2010, 01:55 PM']I've recently picked up an early nineties MM Stingray five string and have the following questions which I thought you guys might know the answer to:

1) how long does a battery last?
2) what's the best string to pickup height (to close and it sounds choked, to far and it sounds weak)?
3) is it just me or is the tone very dependent on whether you pluck over the pickup or in front/behind?
4) the output signal is not as hot as my East equipped Jazz'es, what do people think of the East MM 3-band circuit?

I'm loving playing the bass which sits lovely on the strap and the neck is to die for. Fits really well in both my bands, but I do find it a little harder to play than my East equipped Overwater J as it's just not as sensitive to the touch.

Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated [/quote]

1) forever
well, not quite, but many months of daily use. It will not suddenly die, you'll hear degradation before you get to that, so you'll have warning. I normally change it every few months without getting to that. For peace of mind.

2) Ernie Ball's website has the specs and lots of good info about loking after your oiled neck. I just adjust by ear. Tilting away from teh strings on the E side.

3) That's true on any guitar. How hard you pluck will enhance/disguise some of teh differences

4) I love mine. I installed it in a 2EQ Stingray, and it keeps teh character of teh 2EQ sound but the mid sweep gives it a bit extra when you want it. I love it. Output is similar to the original preamp. Not the hottest output the way I normally set it, but you can boost bass to saturate any external preamp. Loads of bottom on tap.

biddibiddi-bump

NOw SOLD!

another bump on me.

I have a lovely SUB5... I wouldn't hesitate getting a SUB4 if I were after a Stingray type of bass.