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grayn

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Posts posted by grayn

    Unusual earthing issue

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    Things took a turn for the better.

    I took the Warwick to band rehearsal. last night,

    Using my gigging amp and there was no problem at all.

    Must be a problem between my home amp and the Warwick, as it's OK with my other basses.

    So, that's pleased me.
    Loud and proud with no earthing crackle.
    Cool!

    Unusual earthing issue

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    Thanks.

    I'm certain it's not the jack socket, it's just not that kind of effect.
    The bass is passive.
    It's strange how when the brightness of tone is reduced how the problem seems to disappear.
    My hope is a stray wire/connection.

    Unusual earthing issue

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    I recently acquired a Warwick Streamer CV.

    Great bass that sounded really good, even with the old strings,it had on it.
    I put some new Elixirs on it, yesterday.
    The bass came alive tonally, with a lot more brightness, as you'd expect.
    Unfortunately it also brought to light an earthing issue, I'd not picked up on, with the old, dead strings.
    The bass seems to randomly crackle, when playing.
    I can stop it by resting my hand on the anchor of the 2-peice bridge.
    It's not the lead, amp or room, as all my other basses are fine.
    What makes it unusual is, that the bass has passive treble & bass controls.
    If I turn the treble control from full on -10, down to 6 or 7, the problem is resolved.
    And infact, I prefer the tone that way but it's still something I'd like to resolve.
    I'll take it to a tech but just wondered if anyone has had a similar experience?

    NBD: Warwick Streamer CV 4 - German Pro Series

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    My head was in an odd place.
    I'd recently picked up a couple of cheapie basses, to add to my herd.
    One was an Epiphone Viola bass.
    A primitive instrument but full of charm.
    I was really enjoying it's short scale and slim neck.
    And it's semi acoustic thunk, as well.
    Anyways, I'd pretty much played it exclusively, for over a week.
    Trouble was, when I went back to my "serious" basses, they seemed rather large and unwieldy.
    So I decided I'd better concentrate on the gigging basses, to re-acclimatise.
    But I'd got the idea in my head, that perhaps I was better off with short scale basses.
    Which didn't sit well, with having 3 really good, long scale basses.
    Then I saw a beautiful Rickenbacker, 4004, Cheyenne bass, for sale, at a very good price.
    Well it is 33 inch scale and Ric's have nice slim necks, don't they.
    So this morning, I headed off to check this beauty out.
    It was in mint condition and as lovely as a femme fatale, in her undies.
    All fireglo and no industrial hardware, like you get on the 4003.
    Trouble was, the neck was pretty chunky, which was especially surprising, on a Ric.
    And even with lovely low action, I didn't enjoy playing it.
    Oh dear!
    The seller, a bit of a gear head, like myself, had brought out another bass.
    To show me, rather than trying to sell it.
    It was a Warwick but quite a different looking one.
    No wenge, no ovangkol, not even bell-brass frets.
    Instead it had a lovely sunburst, high gloss, Streamer style body.
    Passive electronics and nickel frets.
    And to top it all, a cream coloured scratchplate.
    Turns out it was a CV (classic vintage) Streamer.
    Part of the German Pro Series.
    I've owned a couple of Warwicks before.
    A Corvette $$ and a Thumb.
    Both superbly built, German basses.
    Though the Thumb did feel like you'd need to catch a bus, to get to the bottom, F fret.
    Now I can see how, many long time Warwick fans might not like these CV models.
    They are not all dark and organic.
    But what about the tone?
    These passive MEC, J-style pickups, in a swamp ash body will obviously sound different.
    And yes they do.
    But there is still some Warwick growl, mixed in with that, more classic, vintage sound.
    I'd say solid and punchy, yet quite a broad tone.
    Like most basses, with a vol-knob for each pickup, they often sound best, with one on 10 and the other on 8.
    There's a lot more in there too, as instead of having a tone cotrol, for each pickup, you get passive bass and treble controls.
    It all works rather well, I'd say.
    It's funny, as the Streamer was never my favourite Warwick, looks wise.
    But with this finish, IMO, it really works.
    And on second thoughts, those long term, die hard Warwick fans, who perhaps, like to own more than one bass, should be grateful for the choice, the CV series offer.
    Yes the CV Streamer came home with me and I'm really looking forward to band rehearsal, this week.

    Specifications:

    Machineheads: Warwick, angled.
    Nut: Tedur Just-A-Nut III
    Neck Wood: Maple
    Fretboard: Rosewood fingerboard
    Inlay: Dots
    Side Dots: Fluorescent
    F/board Radius: 9.5 "
    Scale length: 34"
    Frets: 21, Jumbo Nickelsilver frets
    Frets: IFT - Invisible Fretwork Technology
    Bridge: Cast Alloy, 2 piece.
    Pickups: MEC passive J/J Alnico 5
    Controls: Passive - 2 volume, 1 treble & 1 bass
    Body Shape: Curved Body shape
    Bodywood 2 piece, US Swamp Ash.
    Strap system: Warwick security locks
    Construction: Bolt-On
    Finish: Vintage Sunburst, Transparent High Gloss.
    Weight: 3.9 kg
    Accessories: Allen key Tools & Polish Cloth, in small Warwick bag
    Case: Starline RockBag

    Pics:
    http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/E_2.jpg~original
    http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/D_2.jpg~original
    http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/C_2.jpg~original
    http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/A_2.jpg~original
    http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/F_2.jpg~original

    NBsD: Little & Large - Ancient & Modern

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    My gigging basses are 2, 4-string Sandbergs.
    I've no desire to replace them but still like to acquire gear.
    I'd thought about getting a cheap 5-stringer, to dabble on.
    But decided I wanted to collect, lower priced, short scale, semi acoustic basses.
    There are quite a few about but I thought I'd start with one, I'd owned some years ago.
    An Epiphone Allen Woody Rumblekat Bass.

    So I went down to Reidys in Blackburn, as they are local and had one in.
    Their shop is huge but their stock is larger.
    So I had to wait half an hour, whilst they got the bass from their warehouse, down the road.
    So I took the oppertunity to try out an Epiphone Viola Bass.
    I'd owned something similar, donkey's years ago.
    It was an Ibanez or Antoria, I think.
    Anyway, these copies of the iconic Hofner Violin bass, are nicely built.
    When I picked it up, it had that familiar, light-weight, vintage feel.
    Slim neck, short scale and tiny body, give this bass a unique touch.
    What did surprise me was the punchy tone, from the pickups.
    Trying various balances of the 2 mini-humbuckers, gives some very good and usable sounds.
    I don't want to offend Hofner owners but I find the Staple pickups of the Hofner Violin bass, kind of dead and thunky.
    OK, the design of these diminutive basses, lends itself to that 60s, thick, slightly muted tone.
    But IMO, the Viola works with that design, rather better.
    It can't achieve the ringing tones of many contemporary basses.
    But it merges the vintage with a slightly more contemporary approach.
    This results in a very usable, if primitive bass.
    I was quite impressed.

    I also had time to have a quick play on a Squier, Deluxe Dimension Bass V, MN Black.
    At under £300, I was very impressed.
    Good build quality, nice design and active electronics.
    The action was lovely and low, too.
    The pre-amp isn't going to set the world on fire but overall, I really liked the feel of this fiver.

    The Rumblekat arrived and reminded me, what a nicely built bass, it is.
    Again, amazing quality for not much cash.
    In many ways, a step up, from the Viola.
    But tonally it is just far too limited.
    Both it's pickups are near the neck.
    So it does warm and vibrant very well and sounds good with a plectrum.
    But the Viola has far more variety, punch and definition.

    So I went away with the Viola and the Dimension.
    Talk about opposites.
    And also, very different from my 2 Sandbergs.
    What fun I'm having with these 2 cheapies.
    Cheap but very tasty, in my book.

    Specs:

    Epiphone Viola

    Body: Maple
    Colour: Vintage Sunburst
    Neck: Maple, with Sloped Dovewing Headstock.
    Neck Joint: Set-glued
    Scale: 30.5 ins.
    Fingerboard: Rosewood, with a 12 inch radius.
    Nut: 1.65 ins.
    Pick-ups: NYR mini humbucker
    Controls: Volume for each pickup and a Master Tone.
    All with, classic inlaid gold tailpiece, a rosewood bridge, with a compensated rosewood saddle.



    SQUIER Deluxe Dimension Bass V MN Black

    Body Shape: Dimension Bass
    Body Material: Basswood
    Body Finish: Gloss Polyester
    Neck Material: Maple
    Neck Shape: "C" Shape
    Scale Length: 34" (864 mm)
    Fingerboard Radius: 12" (305 mm)
    Number of Frets: 20
    Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
    String Nut: Synthetic Bone
    Nut Width: 2.008" (51 mm)
    Neck Plate: 5-Bolt
    Neck Finish: Gloss Polyester
    Fingerboard: Maple
    Position Inlays: Black Dot
    Pickup: High Output Humbucking
    Controls: Master Volume, Active 3-Band EQ (Bass, Middle, Treble)
    Special Electronics: Active Electronics
    Bridge: 4-Saddle Fender Hi-Mass
    Tuning Machines: Standard Open-Gear
    Pickguard: 3-Ply Black
    Control Knobs: Knurled Flat-Top

    PICS:

    Viola

    http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/100_2322.jpg~original
    http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/100_2340.jpg~original
    http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/100_2331.jpg~original
    http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/100_2326.jpg~original


    Squier

    http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/100_2308.jpg~original
    http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/100_2309.jpg~original
    http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo78/grahamsmike/100_2317.jpg~original

    Pangborn Warrior bass - not for sale!

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted · Edited by grayn

    Ashley went to the same school as me.
    Riddlesdown High.
    I seem to remember he started in the basement workshop of a music shoip, in the south end of Croydon.
    Might have been called Wholmes but I'm not sure.
    Must have been late 70s.
    Before he went onto the Alembic style basses, he was working on an aluminuim fingerboard bass.
    Same time as Travis Bean etc.
    Nice guy.

    Sandberg California VM5 - Sold

    in Basses For Sale

    Posted

    [quote name='Grahambythesea' timestamp='1482340097' post='3199741']
    Lovely colour, I suppose like most Sandbergs this weighs a ton!
    [/quote]

    I've owned 4 Sandbergs and none of them weighed a ton.

    My lastest, a 30th anniv model, is pretty light..


    BTW, beautiful 5er you are selling.
    GLWTS.

    Wish I had the cash.

    The Great British Bass Lounge

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    [quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1479892646' post='3180022']
    Yes, it is a shame. I was hoping to take a trip at some point early next year as I'm fairly (ish) local.
    [/quote]

    I expect GBBL will still be running, early next year.
    I think Drew has given it 18 months or so, to sort things out.

    What a shame though,
    Great shop, great bloke.

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