Circle_of_Fifths

Sounds like time to re-institute the pillory and floggings. A salesperson should make the customer feel good about everything or anything they buy - not berate them for buying something that they carry under their roof for sale. Here - stores are hungry enough to actually help a customer out of a predicament. I hear that some wars have been fought over just a tax on tea before!

[quote name='silentbob' post='1020642' date='Nov 11 2010, 01:21 PM']Finally managed to get back to the shop today, only to be told that this is the sort of build quality i should expect from a guitar in this price range. It's now with them, waiting to be seen by the Fender rep, though they told me i shouldn't expect any different response from him.[/quote] What a nasty attitude. Did you reach across the counter and smack them - I give you my permission. I tell you what I'd do to them - demand your money back and buy it from a different source. Make sure to tell everyone the name of the store that would treat a customer that way. There's no way I'd roll over on this and let them treat me this way. Disgraceful.

As I am retired - I get to play for at least four hours a day. Yeah - that's a lot --- but I'm on a mission to learn as much as I can before I die. What I find is that it really takes a few songs to get into a groove - where creativity and one's feelings start to flow. As an old 'Street-player' who has had no formal training in bass or guitar, I find that it's best to tune to a streaming site that is playing a singular type of music: Jazz, Blues, Brit Invasion, Classic Country, Zydeco (Cajun), Progressive, Moldy-Oldies and just play along. This gives me insight to the formation of musical form and also forces my ears to recognize notes and keys. This also helps a lot that I also play harmonica where you have to recognize the key instantly and grab the correct harp to play along. Currently I am taking lessons from two great professional bassists who happen to be also good friends. This is very enlightening and one of the primary things I've learned is that LESS IS MORE. I get to gig with a progressive jazz quintet with a great sax and singer and that really sharpens my skills. I play with a fire station, a studio where I lay down bass tracks for an independent producer and then I get another 5 or 6 hours on Saturday playing with a husband/wifel group that originally was part of an opening act for big names in Las Vegas. What I firmly belive is that if you totally immerse yourself into your muse, you can accomplish anything. Surround yourself with people who actually have some talent and keep away from any one venue of music. If you play one style, you'll never make any progress. Oh - as a disclaimer I don't play for any income either. Everything I play is for free - well, maybe for a steak and a beer if it's a lawn or pasture party for a friend. I don't do bars and private clubs though: had my fill of those people years ago when I worked private strip clubs and topless venues. I keep either AOL streaming music running all the time or go into my constructed lists in my WMP player for sets of music I want to practice along to. Just for kicks, Abba is pretty good for a warm-up; I go through the whole album and that's gets the juices flowing.

[quote name='chilievans' post='1014060' date='Nov 6 2010, 03:35 AM']Thanks for all the replies guys. I was concidering changing my sr500 but after such glowing reports I think I'll hang on to it [/quote] I think the biggest problem with the SRs is that they don't have a lot of bling. What's nice about the SRs is that they don't have a lot of bling. Somewhat understated, they just 'do' it well and I can play mine in the stuffed shirt environs at a jazz gig and then switch to a Motown gig and use the same bass. Perhaps the best eye-candy is that they look like a Strad, and can howl like a Fender. I may have Fenders, but mostly I shall keep my Ibanez for those times when I want to impress myself with it's supreme playability; the audience doesn't see the bass player anyway. For the most part, bassists are the mystery artist. People hear the low notes and think it might be recorded or a keyboard on a low octave.

[quote name='funky_numba' post='1013912' date='Nov 5 2010, 06:08 PM']Hi Guys, I managed to upload pics of my bass, thanks for the help with that!! It's not a great looking, sparkly, all singing and dancing bass but it's a start. I went to Guitar Guitar this aft and bought an absolute beginners book and dvd plus some electronic tuner thingie. Now I need a LOT of patience, a few beers to help me along, OH... and going by the pics in the book, a massive rubber left hand, to stretch on the frets... how the hell do I do that?? Anyways, thanks again for all your input!!!! Massively appreciated!! [/quote] There are prolly a few members near you who will drop by and break your hand into the required shape and position to facilitate your playing the bass. Either that or pray for a quick hand evolution. Glad you got a tuner thingie - they are important since you cannot really hear the low notes as well as you can on a guitar. Just remember that the tuner has no idea what OCTAVE you are trying for - so if you try to bring it up to guitar-land, something bad's gonna happen.

[quote name='funky_numba' post='1012854' date='Nov 4 2010, 07:22 PM']I took a few photos of my bass but I have no idea how to add/ paste the images to my messages. When i try to add an image to my message I get asked for a URL (http) input. What's that all about? Can't I just simply paste the image???[/quote] You need to send the pixs to a site that can send them here - kinda an intermediary - that lets you create the link to that/those pixs and we can see them here. You have a computer - right? If so - and you have Google/Firefox installed, then just get a GMail account and then add Picasa Photo editor and with it comes a free place to upload your pixs. That's what I use - as I hate those other places that let you upload and then for some reason they are gone in a few days. Photobucket seems to dump data at regular intervals. Google/Firefox - Gmail - Picasa are all free too - the best part of the deal! Your pixs will be inside the [ ]'s and it will have the URL or site address that stores the pixs, so they aren't really on here on this server. That save the site servers here ungodly amounts of money for beer and Earl Grey teabags.

[quote name='Mykesbass' post='1011608' date='Nov 4 2010, 12:36 AM'] Why Wandsworth - worked there for 4 years and can't see what the attraction is (apart from the now departed Youngs Brewery)?[/quote] I had a girlfriend from there - Geraldine Road. Funny - I Google-Map/Street View'd her house and it's under renovation. I can see a porta-potty in the front yard and some workmen inside the yard.

[quote name='funky_numba' post='1011562' date='Nov 3 2010, 07:01 PM']Hi Joe, Thanks for your honest remarks and yeh, you're right, i'm at ground zero with bass guitars. Didn't know they would be so different from acoustic guitars. How wrong I was!!!!! Maybe i've been landed with a real duffer of a bass. Yuk!!! Don't think so tho. Think it's been used a lot and needs a major fine tuning. I tried all four strings earlier on and they all seem to buzz and when I 'slapped' the strings, they all hit against the frets near the middle. I tried an ibanez precision bass at a local shop the other day and I as far as I remember, there was no problem with the strings hitting the frets when I slapped the strings. The sound that was produced was very clean, crisp and no buzz. Don't know if that was because of the make of the bass or whatever. I'm confused about the stuff re the trussrod and the bridge. I did notice that there is an awful lot of play with all the strings. Maybe they are too loose and need tightened up to lessen the buzz, however I'm just guessing here. Like you said, I think I may need to meet up with another bass player to point me in the right direction. Free beerz.. now that's a good idea. Can any of you please help? I'm just outside Glasgow.. in East Kilbride to be more precise. Many thanks!!!!! and same goes for you too, Joe!!!![/quote] Don't fault the bass. It just needs some lovin'. Strings hitting the fret wires isn't much of a problem if the neck is rather straight or can be adjust to be so. That's the truss rod's job - to make the neck straight against the pull of the strings. You say that you might have to tighten the strings - uh. This part kinda scares me [s]somewhat[/s] a lot::: [quote][color="#FF0000"][i]I did notice that there is an awful lot of play with all the strings. Maybe they are too loose and need tightened up to lessen the buzz, however I'm just guessing here.[/i][/color][/quote] Where are they tuned now? - and remember that tuning might be a daily or frequent situation - so you're gonna have to learn how to do that very rapidly - if not sooner. You really need a friend there in Glasgow - is that near Wandsworth? Wandsworth is the only place other than London I know in the UK. Well - there's Shropshire too - but that's a very long and involved story. You fee for all this advice is to mail me a carefully wrapped beer of your choice to my home address. I don't think you can send alcohol, so just label it: "Shoe Bomb Material" and it'll pass right through customs. Don't shake the beer and put 'FRAGILE' on it too. [center][font="Century Gothic"] [size=4][i][color="#8B0000"]WILL TUNE BASS GUITARS FOR BEER. [/color][/i][/size][/font][/center]

Have you ever tried the MXR BASS DI+ unit? I find it can greatly boost or cut like an active would, yet it is totally invisible in the OFF or even the neutral EQ mode. It has a very warm distortion and if you get in trouble gigging it, you can just hit one button and get a nice pre-loaded EQ that will see you through the gig. I run a very simple board and it is my main player.

Just make sure that the truss is all adjusted first. If you've got a scoop or bump in the neck, you'll get false measurements at the string height on the neck and you'd be compensating for things that aren't really the culprit. You might notice that intonation is a non-adjustable - since the saddle is just cut to help compensate for the different string length requirements; you can mess that up if you start cutting in the wrong place. Is your bridge bone - it's still called a 'saddle' there - shaped to compensate for some intonation in it's original design? If so - just be concerned that you don't mess with the top side too much. The fact that these 1-piece saddles aren't adjustable is one firm argument that you shouldn't really change to flats or nylon-wrapped strings when you cannot re-compensate for intonation.

[quote name='funky_numba' post='1010278' date='Nov 2 2010, 07:52 PM']Hi Guys, I finally got my very first bass and amp today and it only cost me £50 for the two items (second hand of course). I've got a Wesley (Jaguar) Bass Guitar (about 5 years old) and a Starfire TEC20B 20 Watt Bass Amp. I think the bass has two humbucker pickups and 3 control knobs. I don't know if that's good or bad. Had a quick tryout just to make sure it worked. It worked!!! However, there is some buzzing from some or all of the strings. For example, when I strum the lowest sounding string, it hits off the frets in the middle. Don't know whether I should raise the bridge thingy to heighten the string(s). Should I raise the pickups? What things would I need to do to bring the bass back to perfect working order? I was thinking of replacing the strings but I don't know whether to get Roundwound or Flatwound and what gauge. I heard that if the strings are too thick, it might add too much tension to bass neck. I'm totally lost. Want to learn to the bass mainly to practice Soul, Funk, Jazz but will try anything decent (Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, blah, blah) to get me up and running. Obviously need to learn all the basics first. Hard work awaits me!! Can any of you please give me some help/ advice for this newbie. Many, many thanks!!! [/quote] This is one of those times when I think I should say that you need to make a personal friend of a bass player. You've got a lot to learn - and it's all fun and very rewarding - but you really need someone to show you all the things you asked for on a one-on-one basis. Not that I can do you any good in that realm as I am in the US - far to the left coast in California - but I am sure on that tiny little island - if you actually are in the UK - you could prolly walk down the street and find someone who is a member of this site pretty quick. The things you ask - and believe me that none of them are individually hard to help with - it's just that you sound like you are at ground zero and need some help. Any volunteers? Are you on that island somewhere? Bring beer - that helps a lot. Make sure it's cold.

[quote name='Dave Dubya' post='1009683' date='Nov 2 2010, 08:27 AM']This looks really nice and, initially, had my Buy-New-Bass senses tingling. But how different is it to Squier's P-bass Special? (a bass that I'm not a big fan of). Looks like kinda the same hardware in a bit different shaped body.[/quote] Ya know --I don't have an answer to that question. 'Special' to me means P/J and although the Jaguar is the same P/J set-up - there has to be some difference I would think. This is my first foray into P/J-land and I'm stoked beyond imagination at the clarity and mixing abilities of the two vastly different p'ups. P'ups differences between the P-Special & The VM-Jaguar? They might be the same or not - this I haven't checked and perhaps someone has already researched this. Next time I am in GC, I'll play them both to see if I can detect any similarities if they exist. But right now I am intrigued to say the least.

[quote name='Bottle' post='1008701' date='Nov 1 2010, 09:44 AM']When I bought my old ATK-305 second-hand, it still had the original Elixirs on it, was strange using that bass for the first time if you're not used to them.. Good point. In the end, opted to replace them with Rotosound Swing SS strings (not the best choice in retrospect). Has currently got a set of Hartke Bass Attack's on it - seem to be OK. HTH, Ian[/quote] Are those the Roto 66s? I hear they are like hacksaw blades with the teeth up on your fingers. I have a set of Roto 45s for my VM-Jaguar when the 7250 Fender NPSs die - which doesn't seem to be happening too fast I think. The Roto 77s I have on my P are what's gonna stay on it until I die. They are over a year old now and make no untoward sounds or have any problems which I can foresee. (now that I've talked about them, they'll break - you betchum!) The English don't seem to make much good wine, but [i]day-um[/i], they can make bass strings!

Check intonation weekly and at the same time check neck straightness. Clean and re-wax weekly on all my gear and Son-Of-A-Gun (like Armour-All, but better) treatment to all my cabs, combos and hard cases. Test impedance and resistance in all my cables after each gig or jam. I test max voltage output from the p'ups or on-board preamp at the jack about twice a year. Record readings. About every six months or so, I take off the pickguards and wax underneath them. Yeah - just a[i] little [/i]obsessive.

[quote name='silentbob' post='1009204' date='Nov 1 2010, 05:57 PM']Mine's going back this week, it looks to me like the bridge has been fitted incorrectly as the strings don't run evenly down the fretboard and are way off some of the pole pieces. I'll try and get a pic up tomorrow to illustrate. Anybody else noticed anything similer?[/quote] Do you have the info off the QC sticker yet? If so, post it here. There's been some inconsistencies with a certain run of these Jags and from a certain plant.

[quote name='noelk27' post='1008250' date='Nov 1 2010, 03:14 AM']East playing his custom shop Yamaha 5-string. He also has a 4-string example. Previously, he used Guild acoustic basses. I used to use a Takamine, but now play a K Yairi.[/quote] He's a great artist - and he can sing at the same time too! In harmony or counterpoint! I just loved both the look and the sound of his bass, so I went and bought the first black one with white binding I could find and when I walked into my 'local' GC (56 miles - one way!) I saw it and just grabbed it off the display. Four-verses-five strings has never been debatable to me - I'm still a dyed in the wool, 4-er.

[quote name='Doctor J' post='1008131' date='Nov 1 2010, 01:22 AM']Man those Elixers look like they've grown fur, change them before they get up and walk [/quote] [font="Comic Sans MS"][color="#FF00FF"][size=4][i]Meow! [/i][/font][/size][/color] I love the kitty fur and it's sure fun to see the look on a guitarist's face when he notices it. I tell them it's an optional extra-charge for those strings and that's how it gets such a mellow tone. When Winter's finally here, my fingers will be nice and warm. Just be sure that if you have Elixir Nanos, or any other coated strings that you don't use any string cleaner that rubs on the strings, as it will break through the coating and it will really fall off. Normal use will make them fuzz-up a little (or a lot if you're aggressive or use a pick) but it never harms the tone or voice of the string AFAICT.

[quote name='chilievans' post='996251' date='Oct 21 2010, 11:04 AM']Well I was toying with the idea of a new bass but after all the awesome comments about these guitars I think I'll stick with what I've got. Thanks guys What strings do you use?[/quote] Either I was under the influence of prescribed narcotics or I never saw this post - but one cannot tell if one has posted in a section or not with any sort of icon or check mark on the box --- Oh well..... I bought my SR500 just before the new models came out in 2009½. Mine doesn't have the 2010 toggle switch to take it to some other tonal zone - but I never had it - don't miss it. When I bought my SR500 - I was trying to buy something that just talked to me. Once I got it in my hands and even before I plugged it in I just KNEW! I was in a hate/hate situation with Fender at the time and refused to look there for succor. Anyway - the Ibby is a year and a half - [i]almost[/i] - old now and as anal as I am at checking things on all my gear - which NOW includes a lot of Fenders and their ugly stepchildren: Squiers, I still have the SR and won't let go of it for anything short of 45 caliber. Tone-wise it can go almost anywhere. Brilliant highs with piercing bell-ringing glass-shattering timber and yet I can get all the way down to Motown with it and just a twist of a couple of knobs. Typically I play both p'ups in some sort of mixture - but I've been known to just go thump with the neck alone. Now - here's the greatest part, besides the sing-ability: I test and test and clean and wax all my gear constantly. I figger that's the way to find something minor and head it off at the pass before it gets badder and worser. The SR500 has never had to have a truss rod adjustment - EVER! It is so straight I can use it to gauge my other guitars. The machines are taut and clean with just the right feel and drag as I turn them - which isn't very often. Now I KNOW there's no way a bass can stay in tune all by itself. Strings get cold and they shrink (go sharp) and vice-versa. But the neck is never in the calculation! I even have the original Chinese clone 9V battery in it - it's a contest for me to see how long it lasts. Maybe I'm part Scottish - I dunnow; there might've been a kilt in the fuel supply in the 1330's or so. I love the finish - it's not very tough, [u]so I hear[/u], but I have no problems nor have I chewed through spots anywhere and I think it looks better now than it did hangin' in the store. Strings? I have the ORIGINAL Elixir Nanos on it. They are great! I even put Nanos on three of my other basses from the way I like them on the SR500. The only thing I would change if I had my druthers (if I even HAVE druthers): move that jack spot to some place more logical. I always forget and bring a double 90º cord with me and it's a hassle to get it in or out of the jack port. At least relieve some of the wood around it or un-sink that jack to a little closer to the surface of the body to make access a little better. Oh, yeah --- Gawd I love that bridge too! Super duper easy-peasy to intonate and adjust the height of the strings. The only other bass I have that comes close to sounding as good is my Fender MiM Deluxe Active Jazz. The necks are the same width and even though the SR LOOKS longer - it is not when taken into the overall length of the body too. It does have a fret or two more than the Fenders though. You can do a lot worse in parabolic expressions by buying a different-named bass - but [i]fer sure[/i] the Ibby won't let you down. Good grief! I wrote a book. Her's some neck references::: This is the SR500 neck - just look at the measurement on the tape where it meets the fretboard here:: That's [b]2 3/8"[/b] where it meets the face of the board and this is measuring at the 1st fret too. OK - now the Fender Deluxe Jazz::: Notice that the fender is a teensy-weensy bit thicker. This isn't the width difference being measured here since they are the same anyway, but the radius on the back of the neck that makes it a little bit different. The top nuts are exactly the same size. Personally I don't think one who plays a J-necked bass can say that the Ibby is all that much different - right? This 'sameness' holds a long 'way down the fretboard too - the Fender is just a smidge thicker, but the width is pretty much the same for a long way down to the higher notes.

[quote name='buff' post='1004847' date='Oct 29 2010, 02:06 AM']Ive had a fiddle with my control's and both appear to work fine, but im still finding the tone on the jazz pick up very on and and off. But the tone on the precision pick up doesnt really do a lot whether its on full or completely wound off.[/quote] Sumpthing's very wrong there. My pots go from crystal brilliant to deep chocolate - BOTH of 'em do. Did you get this from a dealer - locally? Time for a re-visit I think. Hopefully they have a luthier there to help with this situation.

[quote name='Musicman20' post='1006468' date='Oct 30 2010, 09:21 AM']The Big Alua stunning in the flesh, and even the Bongo is growing on me![/quote] Time Line::: Ibanez ---> Fender ----> Nope! There's nothing else. I tried to love a Bongo - which reminds me of a Care Bear ::: I just can't create appreciation of a bass with a distended navel. Actually, they are OK - but just bearly (pun intended) and prolly would be my choice if I was introduced to them at an early-enough age. Anyway - I'd really love to find one of these for a decent price some day:::

[quote name='casapete' post='1005464' date='Oct 29 2010, 08:58 AM']I see you found it! The AB series start with the AB10 and go through to the AB40/45. Think the AB10 is similar to the old AB20, certainly looks the same.... I've seen them going new for around the £300 mark, and rate them the best in this price range, along with the Takamine 512c. Cheers[/quote] There is an Ibanez AEB5 too. $199.99USD where the AEB10 is $349.00USD. [quote][b][size=3]Ibanez AEB5 Acoustic Bass Guitar[/size][/b] The AEB acoustic bass series delivers real, punchy low end, amplified or not. As an unplugged acoustic bass, these mahogany body spruce top beauties have the quality woods and construction to create a warm sounding bottom that can be felt as well as heard. When amplified, these basses utilize Fishman Sonicore Pickups and Ibanez AEQ SST Shape Shifter Preamps to pump the tones up and offer the thump you need at whatever volume. The addition of an acoustic bass in any musical situation adds a layer of warm, low end resonance that makes songs come alive and arrangements sound more fleshed out. Ibanezs AEB models deliver full sounding, round low end...acoustic or plugged in. [indent] Spruce top w Agathis back and sides Mahogany neck w Rosewood fretboard and bridge Ibanez AEQ 202T Preamp with 2 Band EQ and Onboard Tuner Ibanez Piezo Pickup Case not included.[/quote][/indent]

[quote name='4StringFortress' post='1004694' date='Oct 28 2010, 10:39 PM']What are dean playmates like? The anoying bit is that they dont have the cutaway body wouldnt that make it harder too play high?[/quote] I don't like the Deans much, so I can't say I played one enough to form a valid opinion.

[quote name='daz' post='1002444' date='Oct 27 2010, 05:53 AM']I just put some Rotosound sm77 monel flats on my cv jazz and they sound most excellent.[/quote] I put some ROTO 77s on my Squier P and just love them. They are a smidge more tension than others, possibly, but I don't mind that if my bass-elbow doesn't get sore again. As far as breaking a neck goes - I don't see any troubles at all and I never even had to change the truss setting to keep the neck in place. Same-o, Same-o for me. That was coming off Fender 7250 NPSs that were on it. I would not use them on thru-body or acoustic basses though.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1004660' date='Oct 28 2010, 05:55 PM']Yeah sorry if it was a bit strong but I did put NSFW. I'd not heard the word before but I think that vid shows our version of Ebonics. It's a parody of a new urban English (AFAIK spoken only in England - the rest of the UK hasn't succumbed yet) that has sprung up in the last couple of years. I know it as Jafaikan (Jamaican + fake) but I don't know how accurate that is or even if it's offencive to call it that. It is heard a lot in the national media now, albeit in a diluted form. edit : I can't stop playing the "A owl" bit. It totally makes me LOL. [/quote] Got sidetracked looking for Ebonics Lessons with a few clips from Cheech & Chong. How did you enter the code to insert the Youtube clip?

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1004641' date='Oct 28 2010, 05:14 PM']Man, people don't even Speak the [b]Queen's[/b] English anymore. Of course up here in Scotland we still speak proper. [/quote] What planet was that on? Lot's of , er, Gaelic terms there - huh? I will try to find some Ebonics for you - but I like the old 'Valley Girl' talk when it was popular here in SoCal.