Ian2k

I bought a Washburn Status from Rob. Bass all as described, very well packed. Nice guy to deal with. Thanks Rob.

[quote name='martthebass' post='1139357' date='Feb 23 2011, 11:07 PM']The streamline is headless yes. Neck profile....feels similar to a modern USA precision to me, quite slim front to back but the wider fretboard width of about 1.6" compared to 1.5" on a Jazz. I find it very playable and I almost exclusively played a Jazz for years.[/quote] [quote name='Fat Rich' post='1139391' date='Feb 23 2011, 11:26 PM']Headed Status S1 and S2 basses balance perfectly with only the headed 6 stringers starting to get a little neck heavy. Neck profiles are generally pretty slim although the very early ones (80s) were a bit chunkier.[/quote] Thanks to both. Statuses (or Statii ?) added to my list of possibilities.

[quote name='AttitudeCastle' post='1139837' date='Feb 24 2011, 12:25 PM']Am i the ONLY fan of neck dive? I quite like the feel, but not on some basses when its extreme where moving a finger from the neck sends it to 6'oclock![/quote] I know where there's a nice RBX260 available, neck dive guaranteed ...

[quote name='subdude' post='1140160' date='Feb 24 2011, 05:12 PM']i play the yamaha rbx170 and a rbx 375, weight wise they are both very balanced and have no dive, if you dig the neck of yours you should feel comfortable with any of them. i love them both, amazing value for money.[/quote] [quote name='Ghost_Bass' post='1139897' date='Feb 24 2011, 01:07 PM']What model was it? I wasn't a California PM-5? Was it?... I'm GASing for one sometime in a near-ish future but neck dive issues would put me off! Back on topic: I had a RBX 375 with no neck dive problems whatsoever. I see the maker's point of view in developing the top-of-the-line model and downgrading parts and materials for the cheaper stuff but from my experience with Yamaha basses i've never seen one with design faults (of course there are always lemons...)! I think you should try to get some hipshot ultralites and a high-mass bridge to try to balance the bass you enjoy playing... but doing the math i think you can grab that money, sell the 270 and get a RBX 374 and solve your problems while upgrading to a better bass! Cheers[/quote] That's useful, thanks to both. I'd been wary about getting another yamaha as I thought they might all suffer the same problem. I'd considered light tuners and heavy bridge, but 1 1/2 lbs is quite a lot of adjustment, and wasn't sure if even after the outlay it would be right. I'd even considered cutting the headstock off and making it headless - quite a bit of work, but might be fun for a project! So I've added the 374 (375 - too many strings for me!) on to the list of possible replacements for the 260. Thanks.

[quote name='The Crimson King' post='1139243' date='Feb 23 2011, 09:43 PM']I am also from Devon, I live a few miles away from Plymouth. [/quote] I lived in Plymouth for a few years, as a city I like it, still know a couple of people there. I moved away for work and study, but made it back to the Westcountry!

[quote name='mep' post='1139231' date='Feb 23 2011, 09:37 PM']Sorry to hear you are not gigging due to drummer problems. We have not got any gigs in Exmouth at present, but I have done plenty in the past at The Shed, Molloys & The Old Barrel. The nearest we get is in Exeter. The video is from the Brixham Hapnin from 2 years ago. It was a quite Friday night but good fun. 3 out of the 4 bands bassists were using Stingrays I couldn't help but notice.[/quote] Let me know when you're next playing up this way and I'll try to make it along. Quite a lot of people seem to rate Stingrays, I've not even picked one up so don't really have any idea what they're like.

[quote name='lettsguitars' post='1139212' date='Feb 23 2011, 09:26 PM']the [url="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://hcms.hertford.ox.ac.uk/files/rbx374%2520(small).jpg&imgrefurl=http://pineapster.com/forums/topics/bass_for_tradesale_telecaster_or_similar_wanted&usg=__cQ14bx3Z5EVaeIZ1lvOtvGTxL6g=&h=413&w=550&sz=206&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=uGnarJH7VXGnTM:&tbnh=126&tbnw=168&ei=MntlTcbaBtCZhQfkttH2BQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Drbx%2Bbass%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox%26biw%3D1007%26bih%3D671%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=157&oei=MntlTcbaBtCZhQfkttH2BQ&page=1&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0&tx=245&ty=44"]rbx[/url] has rounded hips as opposed to an 'extended' lower bout which is important imo.[/quote] Ah, thanks for the clarification, I'd misunderstood. Yes that makes perfect sense to me, it's not something I'd considered before. Very useful bit of info., thanks.

[quote name='wrinkleygit' post='1139178' date='Feb 23 2011, 09:10 PM']I think it was sunny here once, if you are in exeter ,check out the blues jam, last friday of the month at the farmers union queen st, don't get many bass players turn up, I will be the old fool with "rita" (mm sterling) drapped around his neck, mention basschat & you're welcome to have a blast, mike b.[/quote] Thanks, I didn't know about that, I'll try and make it along. Can't make this Friday unfortunately, I've put it on my calendar for next month though, so hopefully then. (I'm in Exmouth and I think it has it's own microclimate, very often it'll be one thing here, and something completely different in Exeter. Did actually get some sun here today!).

[quote name='mep' post='1139169' date='Feb 23 2011, 09:02 PM']Hi & welcome. I'm from sunny! Devon too, Paignton in fact. Where are you based? If you are gigging locally I might pop by.[/quote] Thanks. I'm in Exmouth. We've just lost our drummer - it happens, so no gig in the near future, but I'll certainly let you know when we've something lined up, although it'd be a little trek depending on where. That looks like it was a fun gig (video on your website), I really like playing outside.

[quote name='lettsguitars' post='1139176' date='Feb 23 2011, 09:09 PM']warwick have similar neck thickness. check out their web site for neck dimensions. quite interesting if you're as sad as me. although i have heard someone complain about warwicks diving.[/quote] Thanks, I'll head over there and have a look.

[quote name='fretmeister' post='1139146' date='Feb 23 2011, 08:46 PM']I hate neck dive with a passion. I don't care how nice a bass sounds, if it dives then it goes. Yamaha Attitude Mk1 was bad, Fender Jazz was bad. My Statii have all been good, my Modulus VJ is great. I have a Status Streamline on order - narrow string spacing, headless. That won't dive at all. So if you want the ultimate non-dive - go headless.[/quote] I'd also been thinking that that would be the way to go, the Hohner started me off thinking about that solution. I'm interested in what lettsguitars is saying too, hopefully it'll help me to understand where the problem actually lies within a design.

[quote name='lettsguitars' post='1139152' date='Feb 23 2011, 08:49 PM']looking at the rbx the bass horn is looking heavy on its own which is pushing the weight forward, while the bridge end is totally round, making the trble side significantly smaller than the bass side. the treble side is where the counter balance exists, or not as the case may be. [url="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.acguitars.co.uk/gfxs/gallery/img_4507.jpg&imgrefurl=http://finnbass.com/showthread.php%3Ft%3D6218&usg=__ZrpFlLo1u5BUTPiuH2CATx8DEU8=&h=377&w=800&sz=23&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=8REzRk2GkPoeKM:&tbnh=140&tbnw=295&ei=6XJlTajCKtO7hAer18TpBQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dacg%2Bbass%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox%26biw%3D1007%26bih%3D671%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=256&vpy=346&dur=4765&hovh=154&hovw=327&tx=103&ty=84&oei=6XJlTajCKtO7hAer18TpBQ&page=1&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0"]this is how a bass with no dive should look.[/url] generally, not that all basses should look the same.[/quote] Thanks. I'm not sure I quite understand. The RBX bass horn reaches to around the 12th fret, and the lower bout does extend back further. What I thought was the case was the counter balance was the going to basically be the bridge end of the bass, but do I understand you correctly that it's really treble side rather than what's towards the bridge?

[quote name='Blademan_98' post='1139123' date='Feb 23 2011, 08:38 PM']The Viola suffers from that so I bought a long strap and fixed it (acoustic guitar style) to the neck. Job done no more neck dive! [/quote] That's interesting, I had thought about that, but have never seen it done, and I was worried whether that would put a strain on the neck joint that it wasn't designed for. Presumably you've not had any indications of any problems like that?

[quote name='martthebass' post='1139115' date='Feb 23 2011, 08:33 PM']Like you I don't have a great deal of love for basses with neck dive. At the minute the 2 Rays I have certainly aren't lightweights, the 4 stringer is about 9.5lb and the 5 a bit over 10, however the weight is in the body on both so they balance well. Due to this both are tolerable on gigs even tho I'm a lightweight mid 5 footer. I've had a couple of lightweight basses (7lb ish) an Overwater Perception and an Epi EBO. Due to the small light bodies on both they both suffered with neck dive and both ended up going. The only lightweight bass I've owned (and still own) that doesn't suffer from neck dive is my Status. Because of this it gets all the longer set gigs.[/quote] The Status is headless I belive? What's the thickness of the neck like - I don't know how to technically describe it, but what I'm used to and like with the RBX is the neck thinness, so for example at fret 1, from fretboard to the back of the neck is around 2cm.

My first bass was a Yamaha RBX 260, which I still have. I was perfectly happy with it until my playing progressed to the point where I realised that it was hampering my playing as I was having to stop it neck diving. I must have been unconsciously doing it for quite some time before I realised the problem. It became very apparent after I changed my playing postition slightly and got a new stap that was non-grippy. I know a grippy strap can mitigate to a certain extent, but it's not really ideal as with that my shirt moves instead. Some people seem to manage fine with neck heavy instruments, but unfortunately I'm not one of them. I spoke to one of the Yamaha reps at a recent show, and my understanding from that conversation is that the designs are done for the higher spec. instruments, and then when they come to make the cheaper instruments they use different, lighter, wood, hence the neck dive. I know wood is a natural product and does vary, but I keep coming back to the conclusion that it amounts to poor design. I measured the RBX and it needed a balance of 1 and 1/2 lbs to stop the dive, which I think is quite a lot. I considered drilling out part of the body and putting in lead plugs, but don't know what that would do to the sound. Still haven't abandoned that idea completely, but I'll probably use the neck as the basis for a project at some point. In desperation I bought a Hohner "The Jack", untried, from a well known auction site ... (that's another story all in itself). It's headless, so no neck dive, but a much chunkier neck, which I'm not very keen on, so the search for my perfect bass is on, hampered by the fact that the RBX that I learnt on was 24 fret, and so I do use right up to fret 24. (The Hohner is 24 fret too). So, I thought it would be interesting to hear your experiences of neck dive, or not. And any recommendations for 24 fret, thin necked, non neck divers! VERDICT: Yahama RBX 260 - guilty Hohner "The Jack" - innocent

Hi All, Well, not quite so Sunny Devon right now ... night ... I've been playing aroung 15 years on and off, current gear RBX 260, Hohner "The Jack", Markbass CMD151 mini, Markbass CL104. Playing in a "genre blurring" band - well, we don't know what it is we play, and no-one can tell us either. Probably due to us being in our 30s and 40s with a diverse range of influences to call up. Keeps 'em guessing! Anyway, I've read this forum quite a bit, so thought it was time to join and contribute!