neepheid

I don't understand the relevance of the second question in the title of your thread, specifically in its targeting of basses. Gibson do make other things out of the disputed wood after all.

There's been one in Moffat for a few years now, February.

What's wrong with it?

[quote name='LemonCello' timestamp='1318318124' post='1400322'] I appear to have rung your Gibson bell don't I? Facts of the matter are that Fender have produced several hundred thousand P basses and Gibson only made three Victory Standards. Andy Baxter has one, there's the one on E bay and the bloke from the Wurzels has the other one. I rest my case. You seem overly sensitive about my 'bog standard' comment? In case you hadn't noticed the word 'standard' appears in the name of that particular model doesn't it, so I guess we are only at odds over the word 'bog'? I think I've got better things to do quite honestly. [/quote] It's gone way beyond types of basses. I dealt with that quite capably in my first post. You then went after me. You made a comment about me, and who I am. That is what I take exception to. I'm guessing an apology for your insensitive behaviour is way too much to hope for, so I won't hold my breath. I think that any further correspondence on this matter should be in PM. I've said my public piece.

[quote name='LemonCello' timestamp='1318267182' post='1399896'] I notice you have 2 artists models. Was the standard a bit too bog standard for you? It's a fact that many have tried to emulate the success of the Fender P, but most have failed dismally, including Gibson! [/quote] You haven't noticed much else though, have you? What has my choice of basses got to do with the fact that you've completely missed my point? Shall I reiterate in more concise terms? The whole Gibson Victory range has all the things I listed, most of these things are not found in "bog standard" basses, never mind all of them. I wanted the Victory Artist because I felt that a 2 pickup bass would be more flexible than a single pickup bass. Your attempt to make me look like a snob is bang out of order when you can clearly see (from the link in my sig) that my Victory Artist was basket case picked up for dirt cheap then lovingly restored and even more pertinent my RD Artist was a gift to me from my wife bought with her inheritance, having lost her father just over a year ago. You know nothing about me but you thought you'd have a pop anyway. Well done. Furthermore, it's a lot easier to pick up an RD Artist: they outsold the RD Standard by at least a factor of 3:1. Also why would I get an RD Standard when I already have a 2 pickup passive VVT Gibson bass - my 1987 IV? Yes, the Victory is a heavy bass. So are some other basses. Big whoop. No-one's holding a gun to your head and forcing you to play one.

Well I reported it - fat lot of good that did. evilBay really don't give a hoot as long as they get their fees.

The right strap makes a difference. I think relaxing and proper posture when playing helps. I am still quite uptight when I play, but it's getting better. I played my G&L at a gig a while back and while it's not my heaviest bass I was using a non-padded strap and my shoulder hurt quite badly after the gig, compounded with the problem that I was too uptight when I played.

This is how to do a 3 pickup Les Paul, imo.

I think it looks rotten - and that's coming from a Gibson bass fan.

[quote name='LemonCello' timestamp='1318102290' post='1398186'] Yeah, nice looking thing. A fairly bog standard failed P bass rival though. This one is not a bad price, there's one on Andy Baxter Bass for £850! [/quote] How many "fairly bog standard" basses do you know have a maple body, have 22-24 frets, have a series/parallel switchable humbucker, have a four in line angled headstock, have strengthening rods in the neck and have a bridge which is adjustable in all directions (action, intonation and string spacing)? I hate to think what your understanding of "bog standard" is.

If you like the Grabber sound so much then why not get something that uses those pickups? Either a Gibson Q-80 or Explorer basses use them. Not sliding of course

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1317981891' post='1396855'] I think its more a case of not worth it as the posts will be deleted and the poster banned. Just a waste of time. Ive seen someone get told off by a mod just for talking about another manufactures strings and comparing them to EB's. [/quote] I think I'll start a Gibson bass forum and delete all dissent and ban those responsible. Then I'll watch the tumbleweed go by

I hate playing bass, I just get lumped with it because I always have a pen/pencil, I always have a toolkit, I always have spare 9V batteries, I always have a spare instrument lead, I always have a 4 way extension and I know how to do web pages. The bass playing is just a consequence of that

Enjoy it, don't drink too much before you go on (drink as much as you like after ) and be sure to report back!

DB: the pickguard I have has the Thunderbird engraved into it. I wish it had been silk screened on, a bit of T-cut would have put paid to its head with a bit of patience. So I have to fill the head in with something. Have tried layers of paint but despite being careful to not layer too thick and waiting for each layer to dry it didn't stick. I have got some Milliput (2 part epoxy putty) which I intend to fill the unwanted lines with, but I don't know how well it will polish up. J: That sounds like a worthy plan B to me

Well, I picked up the headless chicken last night and was pleased to find that the neck is still playable right to the first fret on all strings. I wonder if my steaming and clamping has stuck this time. It's been a month. Even though I've got a direct replacement neck should things go awry, I think I'll go ahead with the one that I've steamed. Worst case scenario is that the neck springs back while it's off the bass and having no string tension on it while I work on the body. Things to do - deepen the neck pocket by a few mm (everything's a little proud, pickups jacked up, bridge saddles about as far up as they'll go, can fly a 747 under the strings at the neck heel ), then get to work on making things more comfy at the dusty end. Test that stuff, then make the recesses for the neck screw bushings, followed by finishing (which is not my strong suit, but I'll give it a go). Also getting rid of the head on the pickguard logo is proving trickier than I first thought. I have another plan, which is permanent, but I don't know how invisible it's going to be. Need a scrap of BWB pickguard material to test on - anyone got some?

I learned more in a couple of months of lessons than I did in the entirety of the time I had spent pretending to play bass before that. I probably knew more than I give myself credit for, but the lessons were instrumental in bringing all that fractured information together and making it all make sense.

Agreed, that butterscotch Tele is turning my head.

Yes, the three point bridge does suck. No individual string height adjustment means that it's functionally less capable than an old 4 saddle Fender bridge. If it bugs you, get a Hipshot Supertone.

Got enough wraps on the tuner? Try pushing them down a bit so there's more break angle over the nut?

You could mark the fret positions along the side of the neck until you get up to speed? Stickers? Non-permanent marker of some sort?

Was it a Mazeti? I can only find a pic of a little guitar, but I'm sure I saw a bass version of this: