Grangur

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1469209923' post='3096736'] Can't remember what i've had, but what I got currently is a Revelation RBJ67 that i brought for £165 from Rikaxxe in Bristol. He specialises in cheap stuff and these kinds of brands. Seems like a nice guy with experience in the industry, but I have no way to verify that and this bass isn't working out great. A couple of dead spots, intonation never seems to stay and it just feels oddly weighted - like it's too small and too big at the same time. It's a Jazz style instrument. If i pick over the neck pickup the instrument feels really short and my hand is awkward. It's kinda hard to explain. The varnished fingerboard is nice (and easy to clean), but higher up it's hard to get to the lower strings (my hands aren't weirdly small either). Tonally it's ok. Nothing earth shattering. Some fret buzz on the low E, which feels very flappy. [/quote] If you're not happy with the weight, then the neck and tuners are probably too heavy for the body - sell it. Dead-spots; most basses have spots that may not be as powerful as others. You can even have that on some more expensive basses. Intonation shouldn't move. If it's set right, it should be set for life, or at least the life of the strings - you could change the bridge to fix this. Varnished fingerboards are generally what you get with a maple board. No fingerboard should get very dirty though. It's best to wash your hands before you play. Access to the E-string at the dusty end - this is near impossible on a lot of basses. But playing up here is the sign of a sick mind and it's only put there by luthiers as a tormentation. Flappy E-string - I don't know if you've ever changed the strings. But cheap strings can give some interesting results. I even bought a cheap bass once that had 2 A strings - one was fitted as a D string, so the tension was really high - to make it go up a few notes. Maybe you've got a dodgy E string. Go play some basses. If PMT only have expensive basses, still play them. OK you won't buy, but who cares? They chose to put them up there. It's a choice they make. And by trying them you'll get a feel for what you would get at the top end. You never know you might find the result surprising. Maybe what you're cursing in a cheap instrument is still there in some top-end basses? Maybe you'll find other things you don't like?

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1469209923' post='3096736'] I'm not judging cheap basses per se, just that I want something that's good all round, not just good for it's value. It's time I had an instrument that lets me do what I want to do without having to fight it or having a crappy tone. Can't remember what i've had, but what I got currently is a Revelation RBJ67 that i brought for £165 from Rikaxxe in Bristol. He specialises in cheap stuff and these kinds of brands. Seems like a nice guy with experience in the industry, but I have no way to verify that and this bass isn't working out great. A couple of dead spots, intonation never seems to stay and it just feels oddly weighted - like it's too small and too big at the same time. It's a Jazz style instrument. If i pick over the neck pickup the instrument feels really short and my hand is awkward. It's kinda hard to explain. The varnished fingerboard is nice (and easy to clean), but higher up it's hard to get to the lower strings (my hands aren't weirdly small either). Tonally it's ok. Nothing earth shattering. Some fret buzz on the low E, which feels very flappy. The sound I like is a rounded tone, that's why I like the music man tone. But i like the Jazz tone. Geddy's tone (less the overdrive) is nice too, punchy but not overly trebly. [/quote] OK, I'm on a PC now, so it's easier to answer a long message. The Revelation RBJ67 is a jazz bass style. That should give a good rounded sound. It has a variable sound by adjusting the volume of the pickups. The Neck pickup will give a more rounded tone. The Bridge pickup will give a tighter more treble (to my ears), punchy tone. Other pickup configurations will also give other tones: P-bass, or Precision: This pup is positioned in, about the same position as the jazz-bass Neck pup. Because this pup has more coils and so the induction in the coil is greater, the tone is similar to the jazz-bass neck pup, but it's got more umph, heft, or punch/thump to the tone. The bass on the far left above is a Musicman. This has one pup in the "Bridge" position. This is a double-coil pup, so the punch will be similar to a Precision twin-coil pup, but being in a bridge position, the output is more punchy. The actual tone you get will be dependent on the strings as well, but with a more rounded sounding string this will give a punchy burpy kind of sound or a trebley punch, This is not soft and round at all. The tone of a bass can also be changed by the playing position - play near the neck and it will be more rounded, as the string has more ability to move. Play near the bridge and the sound will be more punchy and clipped. In any case ALL pups work most effectively when you play with your hand plucking the strings above the pup. You said: [i][b]"The sound I like is a rounded tone, that's why I like the music man tone. But i like the Jazz tone. Geddy's tone (less the overdrive) is nice too, punchy but not overly trebly.[/b][/i] Then I'd stick with a jazz if I were you. The MM would be wrong. Buying a bass: If you are in the market for a bass in the price range under £400, then I'd definitely look at used instruments - you'll get far more bang for your buck. Here's some in your area: https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/fender-mexican-jazz-bass-with-hard-case/1179555499 https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/fender-squier-silver-series-made-in-japan-jazz-bass-1993-1994/1176315198 Go play and see what you think of them.

Hey Bajanbass, Welcome to Basschat. Cheers Rich

[quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1469269025' post='3097040'] You have "a few hundred pounds" to spend on a bass. Any bass you buy will be a compromise: what you can afford versus what you actually what you want to buy. You are being very vague on what you are looking for and as soon as someone offers a suggestion, you seem to go out of your way to dismiss it. Top tip. Go to guitarguitar or similar and try lots of basses in your budget. [/quote] Very true the OP isn't giving any idea of the sound he wants. After all, Tone should be the first consideration when choosing as it points to what pickup configuration to look at. This thread is a waste of time.

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1469208314' post='3096718'] The ones that were in the shops i visited in town today were around £300, i found a second hand one for £280 but it was buzzing all over the place. Id on't know if they are USA ones or whoever. This is the problem I have; I don't know all this secret manufacturer stuff and I don't want to commit to something without being 100% sure [/quote] That's anoying when the bass is buzzing. It's probably nothing more than being in need of a setup, but without doing that for them there's no way of knowing. The secret to the origin of these basses is usually in the serial number. I'm on a mobile phone right now. Maybe someone else can tell you more about that.

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1469194789' post='3096518'] I'm a competent if amateur player and I have the opportunity now to buy something a little better than the cheap end instruments I've always played. These haven't been the best instruments and I'd like some advice on getting something genuinely decent not just decent for its price. That said it'll likely have to be second hand because I don't think can justify more than a few hundred quid (no fender jazz for me). Any help is appreciated, thanks. [/quote] There's nowt wrong with a cheap bass. Many cheap basses will simply get better with a few upgrades; nut, pickups, bridge, a good set up... It's worth remembering that most mass-produced instruments are made now by a computerised factory. The plant is set up to produce a perfectly serviceable instrument. What often lets a cheap bass down is poor quality tuning heads, frets not leveled and smoothed at the ends, nut not the right height, cheap BBOT bridge (bent bit of tin), ahhhh and a brand name; arguably the most expensive ingredient. What have you had? What do you have? What don't you like about what you've had? What sound are you after? What features do you like?

I think this is the info you're looking for: [quote name='Youtube comment'] [color=#000000][font=Roboto, arial, sans-serif][size=3]Bassist is Joe Dart. This song was mixed by Jack Stratton, the guy with the tucked in shirt who yells during the breakdown. He's sort of a recording expert and the leader of the band, and he designed a program called the Vulf Compressor along with a company called goodhertz. They use it on a lot of their songs and it can get some crazy funky tones.[/size][/font][/color] [/quote] https://goodhertz.co/vulf-comp

There's never any excitement when you deal with Martyn is there? A few times I've bought/traded with him and it's always quick delivery and you get exactly what you were expecting. Many thanks Martyn. We traded some pups of mine for a couple of books. Cheers Rich

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1469181404' post='3096344'] LOL, subscribed - thank you Jack for pointing this thread out to me. Priceless [/quote] Have you thought of getting a left-handed set?

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1469105958' post='3095794'] Another step on the way to having children killed and stuffed so they don't make any noise or mess. [/quote] ... with a permanently excited face expression I hope! God help the taller kids when they stand behind the smaller kids and get their noses ripped off by the row of rising fists from the row in front.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1469172615' post='3096244'] ...which, from the sounds of it, was then wiped from the master tape and re-dubbed using a typical 80's synth. [/quote] Which would lack the theatrical drama of bagpipes if you can carry it off. We demand to see the video on the finished result, of course.

[quote name='Fionn' timestamp='1469032556' post='3095251'] I can help with set-ups, fret/ fingerboard work, and basic electronic issues. I'm located in the Highlands (right up the top, on the north coast) [/quote] Huh! The extremes some folk will go to just to get first billing in this list amazes me!

[sub]Get the Gear 4 Music ones for £69, then you can send them back if the idea is beyond all hope[/sub] http://www.gear4music.com/Woodwind-Brass-Strings/Bagpipes-by-Gear4music-Junior-Royal-Stewart/AAD?origin=product-ads&campaign=PLA+Shop+-+GENERIC&adgroup=GENERIC&medium=vertical_search&network=google&merchant_id=1279443&product_id=13333d1&product_country=GB&product_partition_id=117880820239&gclid=CjwKEAjwiMe8BRD0ts3Vtv-ohWgSJAAZurk1O8vLRAeHaHgLg6MeG1ocZ169UMA3U-dnX-A54HzzrxoCdjHw_wcB

I'm liking it too. You're doing a great job as always.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1468922480' post='3094275'] In the past I've answered "bass player wanted" ads where I've been told that I would be expected to socialise regularly with the rest of them. The last band I joined actually started talking about all getting together with our wives/girlfriends at each others houses for meals on a regular basis before we'd played a note. [/quote] My response to this would be dependent on who they are. I'd probably be up for a meal at each others homes. Suggestions of darts-nights at the pub on a random week night would kill my interest. I know, I'm a snob. I once got a call from a drummer who wanted to get together as a start of a band. We'd never met. She was 70 and a female drummer. This raised my curiosity. She was all for booking a studio. I suggested simply a meet down a local pub. This lady turned up in skinny jeans, lacey ankle socks, bright make-up and large ear-rings. Her hair was in a long pony-tail. This would have been ok, maybe, but she also was missing most of her hair on top and most of her teeth. She was clearly trans. I don't normally have a problem with any LGBT etc. I've shared an office with a trans, but you have to feel comfortable to be friends, or to feel it acceptable to stand on a stage with them.

[quote name='Trueno' timestamp='1468922278' post='3094272'] Can't answer that, but my first two fretless Warwicks were Rockbasses, and they had ebony boards... which was quite impressive. [/quote] Sometimes using high quality materials can seem surprising, but if the factory uses ebony as standard on many other basses, then keeping to the same materials can be cheaper/easier than to go out of their way to find a low-cost alternative.

[quote name='Trueno' timestamp='1468918770' post='3094244'] I presume the frets on a Warwick are brass (All of my Warwicks have been fretless... so I'm not sure). So it would make sense to make the nut out of brass too... tonewise... or maybe have a zero fret. [/quote] All my Warwicks are German made. So I believe mine probably are. I can't say for Rockbass Wicks

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1468916839' post='3094219'] The other members wanting the band to be a big socialising/friends thing when all I want to do is play some music & then go home. [/quote] [quote name='Trueno' timestamp='1468919222' post='3094246'] I could come up with all kinds of reasons, but this is at the heart of it. [/quote] Doesn't this view depend really on how this starts? What I mean by this is this: There are 2 ways you can be mates in a band: 1 - Mates first, band develops out of friendship - then the social scene is good. You have loads on common. 2 - Band happens, then you start to socialise - then the social gatherings are only really band-meetings, because it's all you have in common, unless you MAKE it go to another level.

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1468917529' post='3094224'] I fitted the plastic one to my own fretless and the thumb tribute I built a few years ago. They are absolutely fine, but I've opted for the brass ones on three builds since. I would defy anyone to detect any difference tonally- especially on fretless if you adjust, as I do, to string contact at the fretboard corner edge. However, the adjustment fit on the brass one just feels a bit slicker. Either are fine, but I would personally choose brass. [/quote] I've changed from plarstic to brass on 3 of my W'wicks. I noticed a difference in the tone straight away. Mind you, the 3 I changed had broken tabs at the sides. The open-string sounds with the brass were/are more like the fretted note sound. I do still have a fretless Warwick and I've not yet changed that. I doubt it would be so marked on the fretless. Also, the tabs on that nut aren't yet broken.

[quote name='Fionn' timestamp='1468912426' post='3094183'] Sometimes it's just better to do your own thing, given how cheap, easy, and of a high standard home production can be, these days. No creative compromise, no travel, no personality clashes, no being let down by the failings of others, no being held to doing anything at inconvenient times, etc, etc, etc ... [/quote] I guess this is also why you get "bands" in pubs these days consisting of 1 guitarist and a tambourine wielding singer, with a backing recording of drum and bass. (Or pre-set drum machine)

Personal presentation of the other folk in the band. Is there any point in putting effort into a project if you think some of the folk look a mess and the image won't sell to the bar owners?

Not familiar with a 2 pack lacquer. I've come across a spray paint or lacquer going milky when sprayed when it's too cold or damp. But I hope my bump to the thread might bring an answer Fremont someone more knowledgeable.

Steady on chaps!! Any more of this banter and we all won't have anything to talk about. BC will be empty! IBTL