fretmeister

Pickup height is very important. My PJs are both Ibanez. One has the stock pickups and the other has EMGs. On both the P pickup has loads more output than the J. That's partly because a P is just more powerful, but also because at the point it is sensing the strings the string movement is massive compared to where the J is. My J pickups are raised very high until the point where there is about 1mm string clearance when the last fret is fretted. Then I adjust the P height to get similar levels when swapping between them. The P will be lower but probably not as low as you might expect so will keep the lovely P tone fully. Works for me!

I'm loving my medium scale basses so much I'm actually beginning to think about selling off the long scales. Took me about 30 years to find the perfect P bass for me and now I'm not playing it! Decisions, decisions!

Ooooo! Shiny things!

Mmmm. 12db / oct doesn't seem to be a strong enough cut.

I like my Thumpinator - but can anyone recommend a variable HPF? Ideally a modestly priced one?

I sometimes run my Hotone into my BF Super Twin. It sounds fantastic and is surprisingly loud for such a tiny amp.

Another vote for the Barefaced one10

Sounds like intonation to me. Is the 12th fret when fretted the same as the harmonic? or is it sharp or flat?

GAS is very real. To be honest I am convinced that cocaine would be a cheaper habit.

Not surprised that a 105 feels floppy on a 28.5 inch scale! You could go for a heavier string - maybe a 115 or 120. You'd probably have to widen the nut slot. If you aren't confident to do it yourself then get a pro to do that. Or you could go for a 30 inch - short scale, or a 32 inch medium scale. Ibanez do the 32 scale Mezzo instruments and they are very good. There's a noticeable difference in stretch even with just that 2 inch change from 34 to 32. I find that really comfy. String type is also an issue. Some strings of the same gauge have very different tensions and feels. So a 105 of a different brand and construction could be even floppier or much tighter. Short scale (30) instruments have been around for decades so there's a lot of string choice out there. There's fewer options for medium scales, but some, like the Mezzo, have headstock construction that keeps the tuning heads far enough away that normal long scale strings can be used. Really you need to get to a shop that has a few and try out 30 and 32 inch scales. Won't be many shops that have them all together, but worth a look. You could tune higher if you want, but if you read music or you are playing along to something that needs that E note then you'll need to relearn the positions of all the notes on the fretboard. Heavier strings or a longer scale bass will be less work for the brain!

WOW! That's lovely!

I want one. I can play alto a bit. Can't justify a a bari though.

The low B is very good, but is very string type sensitive. It comes with a .130 D'addario nickel which was a bit rubbish. .135 Pro Steel was a lot better for tension but a bit clangy like steels can be and now I've got DR Pure Blues .130 on it and it's lovely. Great fundamental and the tension is just right for me. The tension of the DR is a little higher than the D'addario nickel for the same gauge. Deciding on the right strings for a multi-scale is always a bit experimental. I have 40-100 or sometimes 35-95 on my 'normal' basses and a 100 E DR Pure Blues is fine on the EHB even though the scale is shorter. 40 on the 30 inch side G string feels more like a 35 on a long scale bass. In an ideal world I'd have a 37.5 I've got a full set of 45-130 DR Pure Blues on it and I think they really suit it. Not the cheapest strings in the world but they do last well.

I must admit I don’t like him, but the live trio album with Pino is a cracker.

I have now used it in anger with far too many brass players, not enough Reed players, and a good drummer. very easy to play but I did find the prosteels a bit tinny so I’ve put some DR Pure Blues on instead. They are my favourite nickels. I took my MB Marcus head with a BF Super Twin and a compressor. Sounded very nice. Got a pretty good emulation of a P bass with some tweaking. Might try the Tech21 head next week to see what I like best with it.

I’ve got the short / medium multi scale and it’s great. And the truss rod is fine.

Amazing isn't it! The only downside was when I discovered how expensive good clarinets are. Us bassists have it cheap in comparison!

At some point I heard music that did change my life as it inspired me to play an instrument (piano) then later change instrument to guitar, then bass. It has given me opportunities to compose, meet people, perform etc etc that I would not have otherwise experienced. But it's also the emotional response to music that is amazing. Hearing something that stops me in my tracks. I saw it in my eldest spawn (about to turn 18 in a few weeks! arrgghh) when she was 2 years old. She was just walking around the lounge and I put some Mozart on. It was the Clarinet Concerto in A Major. She stopped dead and tilted her head towards the stereo and didn't move for a good 10 minutes. It was fascinating to watch her be so absorbed by it. Did it change her life? She's a really really good clarinetist now. I think I can spot when that seed was planted!

eBay completed used sales. Past adverts on here. Then I add 50% so it never sells and I can tell my wife I did try to reduce the number of basses. Oh well.

I swap on mine. Either Ernie Ball Group 4 flats, or DR Pure Blues rounds. I really like both. Maybe one day I'll buy another j type so I can have one of each all the time.

https://www.boss.info/global/products/sy-200/ Oooo! I'm excited! We need proper bass demos of course but until then...

I've got a Focus estate. Plenty of room.

I use one sometimes. It has a steep cut off slope at 30hz. Useful for getting rid of annoying low end rumble. Tightens things up nicely.

Good thread. I love live albums. This will help fill up the spotify playlists.

If competence was an issue I'd have never been in a band ever!