mrcrow

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='542004' date='Jul 16 2009, 10:19 AM']I was looking at the back of my P5 last night and noticed, in the right (or wrong) light i see lots of little scratches. Noting major and only in the finish. Im normally careful with my Basses but we do have to wear shirts at a lot of our gigs, and tucked in so exposing the belt buckle. I just wondered what others do in this situation. I dont have any sharp corners on my buckle but of course the bass is still rubbing against metal.[/quote] put your belt on so the buckle is on the side...means a bit of mucking about but it works or fold a bit of soft napking...or duster..over the buckle and inside your jeans etc

i have used elites in the past and tried the roto black tape wannabees for the money..which is a lot...TI jazz flats were made for jazz worth a try you will be surprised at the low E sustain and bendability

[quote name='bumnote' post='540393' date='Jul 14 2009, 03:30 PM']Another good source of practise are midi files which you can get free off the net. I dont know if there are any cheap or free sequence packages, [I use cakewalk] The advantages of using a midi file, [the parts are not always very accurate] you can slow them down, they will repeat and never get bored, and you can either play along with the midi bass part, or mute it and play with a backing track with no bass. On cakewalk i can display the notes so you can find out what the note is if you cant figure it out, and it could help your reading practise[/quote] hi nigel..good to hear from you my answer for this is fundamentally to learn scales and arpeggii....boring then armed with a good knowledge of the fretboard tackle some classics and do your own thing none of the music i play has basslines and i am faced with either chord progressions or some pinching of keyboard bass line/harmonic/melodic figures this makes life very interesting and i dont feel i am copying anyone...freedom!! point being i dont play covers and like to improvise...each time round on a verse keeping rhythm is the most important and filling those gaps where there are rests for the other musicians to hear the rested beats i am tempted to throw in synchopation and hesitation but this does throw a singer what a tosser i am

[quote name='WHUFC BASS' post='540534' date='Jul 14 2009, 05:44 PM']Lately I've seen a lot of after-market bass bridge on Ebay and I can't help but think they look a lot like the bridges used on a lot of medium to high end basses that are made in Korea and the Far-East. For example I have seen the Traben bridges on Ebay being sold for about 15 quid or thereabouts. Same goes for some Ibanez bridges too. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking them for using these parts but was just wondering if these come from the same OEM manufacturers that the big companies use. I know they are many different makes made in the one factory so I am assuming this to be the case. Any thoughts?[/quote] they used to say this about film as well...but i always bought fuji film its a bit of a vague area...the word used to be that quality control was better on the fuji line and the other cheapie films were sub grades just like factory outlets etc you would need to see both bridges together to assess quality and finish and other factors like engineering tolerances and fit the lesser grade may be sold at cost being subsidised by the upper grade item the manufacturer then doesnt have material loss and lost labour as an overhead costing is a neat science and at the end of the day you have raw materials, setting costs, times to machine, machinery write off costings etc against this is income from sales etc....not what you sell but how much you get across the whole spectrum of a line output good and bad i still feel most folks think the higher the cost the better the item and its inherent use

i spend a lot of time looking at the materials and craftsmanship... fret edges bolt on neck tighness tune up accurately and check intonation etc...take a tuner and screwdriver as for what to play..its really how the bass feels with just scales and rapid hand movements on the neck comfort and lack of 'stickiness' when you get home you can play your party pieces...

[quote name='leftybassman392' post='540041' date='Jul 14 2009, 09:26 AM']Got a question for the string geeks - I recently changed the strings on my MIM Jazz IV. On the strength of reviews and a bit of local buzz I tried some Thomastik Jazz roundwounds - my god, what a difference! Not just 'new for old' syndrome, but a genuine transformation in the sound. Can't remember the previous set's identity, but don't recall feeling there was much wrong with them at the time. On the strength of this I had Martin Petersen put a set on my SEI Original headless V when I had serviced a couple of weeks ago, in place of the Elite DBE's that it had previously been home to.... Yeughh! I hate them! All the sparkle is gone, and they sound limp & lifeless by comparison. I'm gonna stick with them for a bit cos they were pricey at £45 a set, but unless things improve dramatically they'll go in the bin and back on with some Elites. Any thoughts? Anyone?[/quote] TI are nickel...perhaps your SEI needs stainless for my 2p they are the best flat on a 4 i have ever used including the old elites from 1990's with the black tapes

[quote name='Geek99' post='540194' date='Jul 14 2009, 11:51 AM']Will confirm from my 62 ri jap jazz tonight[/quote] i got a bass routed for jazz pups 1 3/4" from g string saddle to centre of poles for the bridge pup and then spaced at 3 3/4" to the centre of poles for the neck one..which you wont have sounds like you plan to have a musicman or humbucker type pup on your bass the P bass pup position is scale over 6 (= 34/6 = 5 2/3) to the mating faces of the split coil just for interest when the jazz was designed it had the neck pup just a little bit nearer the bridge to the centre line of the poles set your dimensions to pole positions...thats where the nodes occur...not at the edges of surrounds etc

[quote name='crez5150' post='539876' date='Jul 13 2009, 11:17 PM']All I'm gonna say is make sure you keep receipts for everything..... I mean everything.... [/quote] defo!!! keep records and receipts for everything...and even if you dont have a receipt keep the record in your cash book i worked self employed for years and got on fine with the tax man.. no cheating and good relationships had an accountant who was also self employed never paid tax...just accounts fees a bargain !!

[quote name='aardys' post='519475' date='Jun 20 2009, 06:15 PM']do any of you like the cover over the bridge on a p bass. i sorta like the vintage look of it, but cant make my mind up .[/quote] over the bridge dear friends....the pup one is a fools errand

firstly make sure you need a 5 and that your gear can do it justice on the low end stringing costs more i had a 5 for some time but could never get used to the bottom not being the bottom and had a lot of cross string fingering i reconciled myself to the fact that i could perhaps try to be better and more interesting on a 4 and switched back it was a very rewarding experience though....get a good one

[quote name='steve-soar' post='519414' date='Jun 20 2009, 04:32 PM']Could be a bit trickier than that if the nut is curved at the bottom, to mirror the radius of the board (I can't remember if that is the case on early 70's P basses) but with any luck, it will be flat and a straight channel will be left for it. Try using a piece of hard woood, 1" thick, wide enough to be broader than the nut and long enough to tap confidently with a small hammer, lay it flat on the fingerboard and give the end of it a gentle tap, making sure that the end that is pressed against the nut, is dead flush, (I hit one once that wasn't and I cracked the nut in the middle ).[/quote] and the other nut?

[quote name='arabassist' post='519731' date='Jun 21 2009, 12:48 AM']I'm thinking of getting coated strings due to their longer life. I assume i'll still have to clean them to keep their life long? What do people suggest i use, WD40? Cheers[/quote] a micro fibre cloth is best imho and if you want to use some cleaning fluid use something which evaporates quick...meths for instance..smelly but sure the coatings shouldnt let any moisture or cleaining liquid get into the wraps ...

[quote name='zbigniew' post='502186' date='May 31 2009, 12:04 PM']That's a good looking Rick copy - I like it![/quote] its a fair cop..y sound comes next...if it sounds like a P or J you are on a winner..[size=1]<runs out of forum>[/size]

[quote name='aardys' post='519475' date='Jun 20 2009, 06:15 PM']do any of you like the cover over the bridge on a p bass. i sorta like the vintage look of it, but cant make my mind up .[/quote] you will need to keep the BPOM leo invented for through stringing a badass wont let you get an ashtray on they look cool though..ashtrays

[quote name='Bay Splayer' post='519776' date='Jun 21 2009, 09:24 AM']I`d give my right arm to play like him [/quote] you said it

[quote name='Bay Splayer' post='519540' date='Jun 20 2009, 08:02 PM']jesus christ feel like you lot are giving me a right bollocking s`pose i`ll give it a go though [/quote] i like that finger fretting avatar...thanks

[quote name='JPAC' post='519915' date='Jun 21 2009, 12:58 PM'][url="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7342168.stm"]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7342168.stm[/url][/quote] sir paul's daughter?

[quote name='riff raff' post='519349' date='Jun 20 2009, 02:55 PM']oh yes.same criteria as i use for girlfriends.good looks go a long way in the face of being difficult to handle. [/quote] riff raff you are a genius

[quote name='paul h' post='519364' date='Jun 20 2009, 03:13 PM']If you can play what you want to play and achieve what you want to achieve on the instrument it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever whether you use your middle finger, a slice of sponge cake or a Fiat Panda.[/quote] i think for fender it would be more appropriate to use a buick sedan or a pontiac

[quote name='alexharvay' post='518255' date='Jun 19 2009, 11:56 AM']This solves all my A string buzzing.[/quote] some users have fitted a string guide washer similar to the one on the D and G for the A to help give a better break angle over the nut..ideally it should also take in the E so that the forces are balanced but making sure the string is wrapped well down obviously did the trick

[quote name='paul h' post='518545' date='Jun 19 2009, 04:26 PM']IIRC the Aerodyne has a 7.25" fingerboard radius, so the pickups would be higher in the middle to give a more uniform height from the strings. Flatter fretboards would need less pitch on the pickups.[/quote] this is leo's brilliant move in splitting the single coil into two you can set the string to pup heights more accurately...can't do this on a jazz it is the same on a standard P....have you seen them the other way round...the first attempts at setting up for slap

[quote name='steve-soar' post='515430' date='Jun 16 2009, 04:16 PM']Make sure the scratchplate is totally free from grease, wash in luke warm water, with a little washing up liquid, rinse well leave to dry. Put your sheet over the plate, working from the centre, start to press outward, so as to not get any air trapped, then to trim, cut it around the outside as close as you can, then you could use a small file to cut around the bevel, using careful downstrokes, like removing pastry from a pie lid. Tart up (no pun intended) the edge with some fine sand paper using the same method. I'd experiment on something similar and take your time, looking forward to seeing the finished article.[/quote] :thumbsup: getting the outer edge feathered off with really fine sandpaper is a must...take your time

[quote name='Beedster' post='519354' date='Jun 20 2009, 03:01 PM']Hi all The nut on my fretless Precision is cut a little too low. I've another that will fit perfectly and which i think will improve the sound/playability. How do I get the old one out and what do I use to keep the new one in there (I'm assuming not Superglue)? Any other tips? Cheers Chris[/quote] getting it out should be fairly easy as they are really held by the strings...a gentle tap sideways with a blunt tool the new one can be put in position with just a skim of glue in the middle third...not expoxy...pva diluted will do the strings will do the rest the nut on my manson fretless was actually loose but always held its position after stringing and tensioning i just coaxed it into position and it stayed there definately not superglue

[quote name='henry norton' post='517209' date='Jun 18 2009, 10:15 AM']A router is the easiest way to get a good result although you can do it with drills and chisels. You just need to take your time and work very carefully. Bear in mind if you want to use a router safely, you'll need to use it with a jig (a bit of plywood with a hole the same shape as the one you need to cut), so you'll need a jig saw or a fret saw to cut that out too. Even with cheap tools it's still a fair wedge if you only intend to do it once.[/quote] imho...changing a P to a P/J is not worth the effort sonically a better bet is J/J...but then why reinvent the wheel?? btw henry is that a T100