neepheid

How many mahogany necks have you broken? I haven't managed to break any - what am I doing wrong?

Welcome. Also the pickups etc. connect to the board with plugs - worth unplugging and reattaching a few times to clean those contacts up, just in case there's some oxidisation in there causing poor connection.

I can't say I've ever liked how two pickups together sound on a 2 pickup bass. Neck on its own - great. Bridge on its own - I don't like it much but I appreciate the honky, nasal thing it's going for and it does have character. Both together has always sounded "meh" to me, a bit gutless, subtracting rather than adding even when in phase. A less good neck pickup, basically. Not a fan. There are exceptions to every rule, but they are technicalities. Like the two inner coils of both pickups together on a G&L L-2000 - that's a sweet sound but they're close enough together that they might as well be a third, central pickup when you're using it that way. Or the Gibson G-3, which gives you no option without rewiring to use the pickups individually, either 1+2, 2+3 or 1+2+3. Even with that one, I favoured 1+2 over 1+2+3 so I think it fits the theory in its own way. It's why I love my Jack Casady (which has three, progressively more aggressive versions of the same core sound), why the volume on the bridge pickup on my Les Paul is always off so the selector switch ends up as a kill switch and why if I ever want to get a really special bass in the future (i.e. spending more than a grand), it'll likely be a G&L L-1000.

Hope it isn't a preamp issue. I had to change the battery snap on a '79 one I had a while back. Can't remember if it was cutting out or just doing weird things - might be worth changing anyway, they don't last forever. Also, you have the '78 with the two three way switches - try cleaning those contacts up with switch cleaner/fine sandpaper. Hopefully some simple TLC will get you up and running again.

Echo the above sentiment - I've only seen my drummer briefly about twice in a year, never mind played anything. The rest of the band(s) have stayed in sporadic contact electronically. We haven't played a note together in over a year. Gigging in May? We won't even be rehearsing in May because we fail on number of households. Bollox to rehearsing outdoors. Will see about getting together with my drummer to chase the rust out of the engine room if nothing else - up in Scotland that's tenatively pencilled in after 17th May when up to 4 people from 2 households can meet indoors. We've still got a wedding in October on the books, so let's hope we can do that. But it's a hope, not an expectation.

I currently (still) have my Epiphone Les Paul (not so) Standard - 2x EMG-HB pickups into an EMG-BQC 3 band EQ with added selector switch: And I used to have a Gibson Les Paul Double Cut: Also have an Epiphone Jack Casady, but they've been mentioned already so I'll save your scroll wheels

Well they are not the best bridge ever created. On the other hand, they're not the worst either. But unless you are the sort of person who likes total control of things like string spacing and individual string heights then it's going to be OK. Set it up and forget about it. String the bass with flats and never touch it again Any bridge which has caveats for operation clearly isn't elegant. Here are some of mine: Beware of having the back of the bridge significantly higher or lower than the front - it is possible to pull the mounts out of the body with string tension applied. Back being higher than front makes it more likely for this to happen if I remember correctly. Try and keep it level, front to back. If you're removing your strings (for cleaning or changing them for example) - keep a hold of the bridge when you release the tension on that last string. String tension is the only thing keeping the bridge up against the posts. Neglect this and expect to have a metal bridge drop onto your lovely shiny bass. BONUS CAVEAT: You may well find that the silked bits on silked strings go over the bridge saddles. Some people find that annoying or tell you how detrimental this is to your tone. Solutions - buy unsilked strings, scrape the silk off, thread some small nuts/washers on the ends of the strings so they end up between the ball ends and the bridge, or get a mod bar (cylinder of metal with holes bored through it). If this all sounds like too much work, or if you simply must have per string adjustment of spacing and height then by all means replace it with either a Hipshot Supertone or a Babicz. You'll have to do something to combat the arched top though. Have seen some people place felt pads under the Supertone. I think the Babicz has a curved shim available - did I read that somewhere or did I just imagine the curved bit?

It's a separate line to the regular USA L-2000, the CLF Research line. Long may it continue, sidestepping the L-2000 the CLF Research line is the only way you'll be getting a new L-1000 and they all look lovely - that's coming from a fan of the the regular modern eye gouger G&L headstock.

Also available at GigGear and DV247. Same price. Thinking of treating my JC to one also, but keeping money back for the car insurance due next month first. So leave one for me please!

Can't say I've ever felt like a full on clear out and start again. Waste of time anyway - history shows that I'd just go and get another Jack Casady so I might as well keep the one I've got

The Blue Royale I used to have: Sparkly!

20th Anniversary JC:

I have owned both and kept one - the Jack Casady. There's nothing wrong with the T-bird, it's a fine bass but I have just enjoyed playing the Jack Casady more. It's light, sounds great, you can mess around with intentional feedback if you like and it looks fantastic. So, a vote for the JC from me, but I'd echo what's been said about trying them both and if money isn't an issue - just get 'em both

I am what you would consider a serial Jack Casady owner. I've had 3, sold 2. I had a gold one, sold it. I had a limited edition blue royale one (the one which was blue sparkly all over, even the sides and the binding was pearl sparkly too), sold it. I should point out that both times I sold it was no reflection on the basses themselves, first time was stupid itchy feet and the second time was needing to make ends meet. Currently I have the 20th Anniversary one (trans red with flame maple top). I am enjoying the new colours but for me the 20th Anniversary is the classiest Jack Casady - except for the cheesy truss rod cover maybe Might see if I can source a regular Epiphone E one and just keep the 20th Anniversary one safe with the rest of the nicknacks which came with it. Please slap me if I ever think of selling it, as it won't be as easily replaced as, say a gold top or ebony one. Threads like this give me the crazy, "what I'd do if I won the lottery" type of thought - collect ALL the Jack Casady finishes. Getting the sunburst one would be the most difficult I would think - was only available early on when they were first released 20+ years ago, I think.

Presumably the neck relief has been sorted out? If you've got some wiggle room, perhaps straighten up the neck a touch more?

I think there's some truth to the idea that the average punter doesn't give a monkeys what your effects chain is or what it does - because they're inebriated/dancing around like a tit/talking to their mates/just enjoying the music in a general way. I'm sure some people wouldn't even notice if you changed basses at the half time break. Maybe if you went from a P bass to a Bootsy Star bass or something - something's different - was he wearing a hat in the first half? I'm a simpleton - the only effect I use is an overdrive - when I remember to stomp on it and hit the button right, of course. Generally speaking, I'm just happy to be heard and I'm too busy trying not to f the song up to handle directing my foot to anything more than one button. Players who can manage a pedal board which looks like they bought half the guitar shop in addition to playing the damn song correctly, trying to look up at the audience more than once in a blue moon and move around at least a little bit - I salute you. I'm just not that into it. If you want a functional bass player who gets it right most of the time, has their own transport and usually has a spare lead or some other nicknack you forgot - I'm your man.

If it's a 5mm hex, you could try using a T27 Torx on it as it's 5mm point to point. This worked for me once, the star shape managed to find something to push against and turned the nut

I've sold a few basses I said I'd never sell. Can't really contribute in good conscience to this thread

I hope no-one was hurt in the tour bus crash

Furthermore, it seems like you're trying to gauge interest in something you make/obtain and wish to sell? I'm guessing as it's still unclear. That only became (kinda) clear after you waved a "look what you could have won" picture in our faces. Again, I refer back to my "Basschat != YouTube" comment - just be straight up here and tell us what you're doing - we don't need to be teased and we don't need to be baited. Some, in fact don't take too kindly to that. If you'd come to us with a more straightforward "Here's this cool thing I make and put on all my basses, <show thing, explain what's so cool about it>, was thinking of making them available to others, <price>, who's interested?" type approach, I think you would have gained more traction. In a week. If I've got the wrong end of the stick on this, please feel free to grab the stick off me, orientate it the correct way then slap me silly with it

You came to that conclusion in 8 hours? I see you're new. This is a forum, it isn't YouTube. You are talking to an potential audience of thousands, not millions. People take their time to reply - you're not going to get someone commenting "FIRST" 3 seconds after you submit something then a bunch of sycophantic "me too" comments interspersed with whatever variant of "your mom" is currency this week. Slow your roll, let your thread marinade in the slow cooker that is Basschat. If you get no replies in a week then sure, take the hump, but not after 8 hours!

Seems wasteful, could end up throwing away batteries with useful life left in them if you replace them on arbitrarily decided days 6 months apart. If I was playing at any level that wouldn't tolerate waiting for me to sound crappy long enough for me to clock that the problem is the battery and waiting for me to change said battery then I would also like a low battery indicator in my active basses.

Very nice, I had a white one a few years back, great sounding/playing basses these. I wish they would do an SB-1 Tribute. I really don't care about bridge pickups, I always had it turned down/off on my SB-2. There was/is a USA G&L SB-1 (it looks lovely in surf green), but if I'm going USA I'd rather get an L-1000 (in an equally fetching, if slightly bonkers purple metallic). Only downside is that both of them cost more than my car did

I think that's my name been mentioned three times Unfortunately I've never wired a 6 position Ripper, only the original 4 position one. Also, the term "varitone" is a little misleading here - in a Ripper (4 or 6 position) it has nothing to do with tone - it is just a pickup switch. "Varitone" as I understand it is a way of switching in different caps or whatnot to alter the tone of whatever is going through it, but happy to be corrected on that one. The only thing I've managed to find so far is Gibson's description of what the 6 positions do: The new six-position selector knob lets you dial in six very different tone selections. In position one you get the bridge pickup only. Position two gives you the second coil of the neck pickup and the first coil of the bridge pickup. Position three delivers the first coil of the bridge pickup. Position four dials in the second coil of the neck pickup. Position five gives you the first coil of the neck pickup and the second coil of the bridge pickup. And the sixth position gives you only the neck pickup. So, assuming we're talking (from the neck down) it's neck coil 1, neck coil 2, bridge coil 1, bridge coil 2, we can translate from Gibsonspeak as follows: Position 1 - bridge only (both coils) Position 2 - both pickups (single coils, inner) Position 3 - bridge only (coil 1 only) Position 4 - neck only (coil 2 only) Position 5 - both pickups (single coils, outer) Position 6 - neck only (both coils) I am assuming that all wiring is parallel. That's a lot of assume, sorry. You're going to need someone who knows a lot more about electronics and wiring than me, but a wizard should be able to translate the above into switch wiring. Sorry I can't be of more help. Matt

Epiphone EB-3. Cherry red. I sold it. I don't miss it. I didn't really know what I wanted from a bass at the time, I got it because it was kinda what Jack Bruce played. Very kinda as it turns out. Would be interesting to go back and see how it feels now that I know what's going on On the plus side, it put me down the Gibson side of life rather than the Fender way and gave me a taste for crown inlays, flower pots and 2+2 headstock, so it wasn't all bad.