Wil

[quote name='ped' post='96421' date='Nov 29 2007, 11:14 PM']Nice sound clips! The bridge pickup sounds really unique.[/quote]

I can certainly see it being the setting I leave it on most

Pics are showing fine for me on both my home and work PC, so a bit confused as to whats wrong there I'm afraid!

Here are some soundclips - all of these are with the preamp switched in with a slight bass boost, slight treble boost:

[url="http://media.putfile.com/StatusEncore---Bridge"]Bridge pickup solo[/url]

[url="http://media.putfile.com/StatusEncore-Bridge-and-Neck-1"]Bridge and Neck in Series[/url]

[url="http://media.putfile.com/StatusEncore-Bridge-and-Neck-2"]Bridge and Neck in Parallel[/url]

[url="http://media.putfile.com/StatusEncore---Neck"]Neck[/url]

I really love that Kent Armstrong

Also, here's the cavity just before I put the active/passive switch in

[quote name='gypsymoth' post='96185' date='Nov 29 2007, 03:45 PM']"what is proper music"

"music that is accessible to people who are not musicians"

as opposed to music that is playable by people who are not musicians?[/quote]

How hard a piece of music is to execute has no bearing on its merit as music... Music is about the content, the performance of which can enhance or detract from the audiences enjoyment of a piece, granted.

[quote name='16Again' post='96050' date='Nov 29 2007, 11:31 AM']nobody laughed when i played this bass. i'm in a punk band, the bassist with Guns On The Roof played it for a gig in aberdeen and wanted to buy it.
anyway, why cant you use a headless with a punk band?
[/quote]

That's very cool!

I guess a lot of people can't get over quite how uncool Mark King made them look, though!

I whacked a bit of card in to tighten up the neck pocket, and shifted the bridge 1 or 2 mm downwards All lines up now!

The Kent Armstrong humbucker was custom wound by Aaron Armstrong for Skelf of ACG guitars (I bought it with the preamp from him). It sounds great, with it soloed its like a cross between a Thumb and a Stingray, a bit darker than a 'ray. The pot nearest the neck is a 4 way rotary switch, which gives me neck pup solo, both pups in series, both in parrallel, and bridge pup solo. The humbucker itself I wired in parrallel.

If I used a headless in my band I would be laughed off stage, which is a shame, as I'd like one It goes with being in a punk rock band though.

Its most definately assured. I had two 5 strings as my main gigging basses, then went back to 4 strings because I just didn't need or want the extra range. When I want to make chordal music I use my guitar or Mandolin - to me having an extended range bass is a compramise on erganomics that I'm not willing to take (if I could get a 13 string bass that was as comfortable to play as a 4 though, I'd jump at it - unfortunately such a thing doesn't exist!). Playing with a pick at 160bpm is far easier on a 4, too

Now with a John East BTB01 and Kent Armstrong humbucker at the bridge - still waiting on the active/passive toggle switch to arrive so haven't fully screwed the pickguard on.

I wouldn't take anything recommended by NME or other such toilet paper seriously, but if I have a browse of the Punktastic forum for example, I can read about loads of small time bands people have seen and recommended. 90% of the bands there won't be "big" in terms of record sales, or exposure, but there's still a big scene with word of mouth behind it.

Definitely! Here are a few of my faves who I got into just by happening upon their gigs - mainly ska and dub hop:

[url="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=9095499"]The Scrub[/url]

[url="http://www.myspace.com/sonicboomsix"]Sonic Boom Six[/url]

[url="http://www.myspace.com/badscience"]Bad Science[/url]

[quote name='Breakfast' post='95350' date='Nov 27 2007, 10:22 PM']Most originals bands are rubbish, including most of the ones I've been in.

Once you've built up your reputation a bit you can start expecting to be paid for playing, but while you're trying to get a name for yourself there's no point- no bastard is going to pay to see a band they have never heard of who have a 95% chance of being rubbish. The best option is to be playing on nights where the promoter is a bit choosy and the night gets a reputation on it's own merit, and even then you need some better known bands on the bill if there is to be an audience.

If you're paying covers you already have that familliar product so punters know what they are getting and are more ready to pay for it. Rightly so, in my opinion.[/quote]

Er, what?

There are tons of brilliant originals bands! A lot of my favourite bands are unsigned or signed to small labels and tour the UK. If I go to see a band showcase, there are usually a couple of good bands on. You get the occasional ropey one, but not all the time! How would you ever discover new bands if you didn't go to gigs?

Is Rob willing to take photos of the build? I didn't ask when I had my S2 made...

Where's this money going to come from, though? Charging enough to pay orignals bands on a showcase night a decent whack is going to dissuade even more punters from going to gigs, and with the state of things at the moment, its hard enough to get people out to watch a band on a weeknight as it is.

I play for the enjoyment, I couldn't care less if we only get paid petrol, providing there is a decent crowd there.

Fat Mike, from NOFX!

Half the time we've played a long way from home they've only payed us petrol. Mind you, we can't get a break.

We've travelled over 7 hours each way before. Needs to be done if you want to build a following, just try to make sure the promotor knows their arse from their elbow and gets punters in the door!

I'm glad I kept my mid 90's encore. I've put a graphite neck on it, gotoh tuners, Wizard P pup, Kent Armstrong soapbar at the bridge and a John East BTB01 in it. Needless to say, its an improvement

Ah, I'll leave it then. I've spotted another likely Roadstar from a UK seller, just waiting to find out if he'll be willing to post it...

Ah, I take it there are a few horror stories then...

Its not a bass, but I was thinking of buying this - [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1984-IBANEZ-ROADSTAR-II-made-in-JAPAN_W0QQitemZ180183334382QQihZ008QQcategoryZ33043QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1984-IBANEZ-ROADSTAR...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

I have a soft spot for them. Unfortunately, its from the dreaded Music-Outlet-Shop and is a little overpriced. I don't mind paying, as its still a bargain in my eyes for what it is, but has anyone been brave enough to actually buy from this guy before? Any horror stories?

Those bodies don't do much for me I must say. The cadbury's mis-shape of basses, IMO

I sing backing on almost every song my band play, and did lead on a few songs when we played a Weezer covers gig, admittidly it was Pink Triangle which is pretty rhythmically straight and El Scorchio, which doesn't have any bass in the verses

All I will say is that when I owned a metal coned Berhinger cab it blew out after 2 rehearsals, and I wasn't driving it hard either. Total waste of money.

These are great cabs IMO. I use the 212 and 112 setup with a Little Mark 2 and its fantastic. Someone is going to get a bargain.

I don't think you can really call youself a luthier unless you have an understanding of how to make or repair any stringed instrument you come across, and that would include things like headstocks breaking off and other fun stuff.

I feel there is a distinction between someone with the knowledge to deal with anything that crops up on a wooden stringed instrument and someone who builds and sets up basses, hence luthier and builder. Probably not dictionary definitions, and ymmv.