mentalextra

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1332421296' post='1588033'] Well i'd give it a swerve personally, I don't think it'll be any better quality than those Shine basses that are on eBay ready built, I doubt you'd get much over £100 if you sell it, and you probably won't want to keep it. ;-) [/quote] If all else fails I could stick a broom head on it lol

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1332420866' post='1588019'] I have not built one of these although I've seen the link before. I would be wary as to the quality of all those bits personally. You may find having built it that you will need to replace much of the hardware as well as spending considerable effort setting it up. But it could be a good starter project, for someone looking to get into building Fender copies, to make their mistakes on... [/quote] Already done that! lol Im a sucker for a bag of bits! Takes me back to Airfix kits!

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Unfinished-P-Bass-Style-Bass-Guitar-Kit-Project-New-/310303016035?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item483f804463"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Unfinished-P-Bass-Style-Bass-Guitar-Kit-Project-New-/310303016035?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item483f804463[/url] Looks like a lot of bits for the money! Can anyone recommend or otherwise! Cheers, Mike

[size=5][sub]Im in too. I was encouraged to pick up a bass in the first instance by listening to JJ burnell, but since the passing of Mr Karn (RIP) and his amazing lines, I have found a new love. It is an instrument with a beautiful soulful voice so expressive. I am enjoying learning bass all over again! [/sub][/size]

Yh I realise that, but is there a recognised leader in "cheapness"! Sorry to keep pushing but buying new guitars is something I dont do very often. I know how and where to buy second hand. I have done some basic searches and found very little price differences which surprised me.

so there isnt a large box shifter that offers standard discounts!

yeah, but if I was looking for a new bass. Where is the best place to buy price wise at the moment?

So for arguments sake, Im looking for a Squier vintage modified jazz fretless bass. Where would I look for a bargain at the moment?

Didnt the shop give it the "once over" before they shipped it to you, I bet they will with the next one?

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1330695635' post='1561747'] Gig with it. What's the point in owning a musical instrument if you ain't going to use it. [/quote] Its a bit of history, wants putting in a museum!

Does any of this free software have any effects built in or are they just for recording and playback?

Insurance companies can make their products sound fantastic until you have to make a claim, then it goes downhill rapidly!

[quote name='basstech' timestamp='1330281578' post='1555114'] Welcome to Great Britain mate. The word 'service' is not existent in music shops apart from a few and some manufacturers who possess the intelligence to understand that customers = £££ = wages = food/mortgage/survival. It's especially hard for shops like bass merchant - where service was fantastic and yet still failed. I've been looking to spend around £2000 on a new rig and apart from Barefaced (Alex) I've got the impression that most shops don't give a toss. So I've decided to buy from the US (where i did get a great response) and pay the duty. ;-))) [/quote] +1 this post Im afraid to say. We are always being told to support local shops independents but they seem to have forgotten about how to treat people. If we want crap service and cheap price we can buy off internet or go to a box shifter! I must say this doesnt just apply to music shops but everwhere from butchers to candleshops. Opening a shop does not give you the god given right to expect customers! When will they learn! Ive got a Fender too!

Even if you had the cash spare, what could you do with it. Really. Especially if you respect the history of the instrument.

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1329904454' post='1549252'] Yeah I had heard about the cola trick! Think I'll give it a blast! I'm planning on stripping he body of it's old finish (clear lacquer) and then building up coats of wax. But that takes weeks so I can't do that until I get my new bass (hopefully next week! So excited!) As for polish, I've always used Tonetechs non-abrasive polish. Always worked for me! Cheers mate! Alex [/quote] Be very careful before deciding to refinish. Dont underestimate the amount of work/time, especially if its your only bass.

As far as the bridge, machine heads etc goes, you can either pop it in the [s]partswasher[/s] dishwasher when indoors isnt looking! Or leave it soaking for a few days in cheap cola out of the pound shop! Bear in mind that this will obviously not only remove dirt, but also any [i]necessary[/i] lubrication, so a spray of light/wd40 on the moving surfaces will keep them running smooth, a final wipe off wont hurt either! As a general cleaner for anything other than the fretboard I would recommend "stardrops". You can buy it most places from the pound shop up to Sainsburys. Dont be put off it is a brand name, been going for donkeys years. You mix a few drops up with warm water. Oh, and this is just my opinion. I dont think cleaning things should cost a lot of money. If you walk into a music shop there will always be some fancy "snake oil" that costs a fortune but will do the same job! That covers cleaning, polishing is another subject!

[i]I recently converted a fretted Yamaha to fretless. Got it off Gumtree for nothing. Seriously underrated guitars in my opinion. Made all the sweeter if you dont pay much for it. It makes all the right noises and is a pleasure to own. But, as far as fretless goes, I will get another.[/i] [i]Fret lines are not high on my priority list. [/i][i]In my current financial position. 1 = price, 2 = sound, 3 = fretlines! When I win the lottery my priority list will be 1 = sound, 2 = sound, 3 = fretlines [/i]

[quote name='untune' timestamp='1329572066' post='1544387'] Hi all Just bought a new bridge to fix a string spacing problem. It went on fine and appears to have sorted it out to some degree, the outer strings could probably be a mm closer in ideally but it's far better than it was. Anyways, this bridge was the only one with 54mm string spacing that would also cover the holes from the old high mass Fender style bridge that was on previously (that had 60mm spacing and was too much). The problem is the new one is a Hipshot styled one that uses block saddles. [url="http://www.axesrus.com/Hardware/BassBridges/BB007/BB0074StringFront.jpg"]http://www.axesrus.c...StringFront.jpg[/url] So this one has a chunky baseplate and chunky saddles that can't be lowered - and they sit much higher than the old ones. The distance between the bottom of the baseplate/top of the body to the top of the saddle is about 19mm and there's also no curvature to the strings. I measured the same on another bass with a Gotoh 203 and that distance is about 13mm. There seems to be a good 7mm gap between fretboard and strings at the 12th fret. That needs to drop drastically - but what are the options? I was thinking either try grinding 5mm off the bottom of each saddle, not sure if that would work. Could try a dremel to deepen the string grooves... or I could try a neck shim, although I don't think a little bit of card will make 5mm disappear (then again I've never tried it, I don't know how drastic the change is). Any ideas? Cheers [/quote] I had a similar problem with a "thicker" replacement bridge. I couldnt lower the strings enough to get a reasonable action. Tried shimming the neck, but really what was needed was some woodworking. I felt that I didnt want to modify my guitar to that extent and got a different bridge!

[quote name='E sharp' timestamp='1329345671' post='1541206'] Used to love driving back from Canvey years ago , and looking at the power station lights - found them quite magical . Once I hit the A12 , that feeling went . Used to fall asleep at the wheel quite a lot , not now though . Used to quite like Bob Harris on the way home , but strangely a bit bored by him now . Oh and I've too listened to the shipping forecast , can't make head nor tail of it , but find it quite calming , thinking of all the small boats out there . Strange thoughts sometimes , late at night . Quite enjoy the trip home , often more than the trip to the gig - bizarre . [/quote] You should check out Hatfield Peverel junction on the A12 that is normally full of action!

[quote name='soopercrip' timestamp='1319137541' post='1410511'] My refurb arrived yesterday, body style is exactly the same as this ^^^^^^^^ including scratchplate, but mine has two gibson style humbuckers and a kayak paddle headstock. Was going to post some pics but had to charge battery (stands tapping foot and glaring) heres a link to the auction [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290617029253?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1497.l2649[/url] Did I mention it was a train wreck?? Thinking of using this guy for parts [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400219227027?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1438.l2649[/url] Korean parts but, its close enough for me check out his shop Andy [/quote] Just looking at the bridge you are thinking of using. I used a similar bridge as a replacement for a fender type and had problems with getting the string low enough. Bridge sat much higher the original and the action was too high at the lowest setting. You may be ok but check the measurements. I apologise if you have taken all this into consideration already. Teaching grandmothers to suck eggs is my speciality

What sort of bass does Joey DeMaio from Manowar play. I know he plays Rickenbacker but the one I saw him playing had a very thin neck and its crammed full of pickups. Not my sort of taste in music just interested?

Yes, I would like to make it less bright/metallic sounding. I will give flats a go I think and then see whats what. Thanks

Its was too good to last . I have noticed some wear from the roundwound strings on parts of the fretboard. I dont want to varnish the fretboard unless I [i]really[/i] have to. I dont want to risk [i]losing my sound[/i] by changing to flatwounds. What to do? What to do?