mentalextra

Has anyone else noticed the nice little bass bits that are used as incidental music on the old series "The Sweeney".

It is turning into an obsession. Hunting down cheap basses and trying to turn a sows ear into a silk purse. I found a Yamaha RBX 200 in need of a rewire and setup for £30. Offered him £20. How could I [i]not[/i] buy it.

[quote name='Dom in Somerset' timestamp='1324155379' post='1471414'] Once the frets are gone the strings have to go down further before they hit the neck. If you don't adjust the nut , the action is too high. [/quote] That is how I understand it. So for example the nut on a standard Fender jazz fretted would be different to a fretless version?

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1324156170' post='1471422'] I had one of them. Same model but with a white plate rather than the black. It must've weighed around 15lbs and had a really fat neck with chronic neck dive. It cost about £30 in '80 or '81 and was a crock of sh*t. I can't imagine paying £295 for one these days...seller is in cloud cuckooland. [color=#ff0000]Only place for a bass like that was the bonfire[/color]. [/quote] Take the pups and bridge off first!

[quote name='Dom in Somerset' timestamp='1324137177' post='1471205'] To do a good set up you'd need to modify the nut, I've never heard of an off the shelf fretless nut but I would expect to have to make adjustments whatever i used. [/quote] Which is interesting as if all nuts are the same, whether fretted or fretless, why do most fretless conversions require an adjustment to the nut.

I bought one off ebay ages ago, jazz version. Cost me about £30. Once i changed the bridge, pups and control plate it sounded ok! Still only worth £30 though! Weighs a tonne!

Are there different "nuts" for fretted and fretless basses. If after defretting a bass I found the nut too high would I have to "modify" it, or can you buy one off the shelf?

Yeah, I agree. Take the signed one off and replace it

I saw this old Yamaha rbx200 bass advertised and couldnt resist. Seller owned it from new. Hardly any use. One of the knobs has siezed and twisted breaking off some wires. Other than that all good. The action is a mile high, the neck needs a tweek and a new set of strings would be nice. I have a reason to hide away over Christmas now. Does anyone have a wiring diagram that I could just take a peep at. As the bass only has two knobs I am guessing volume and tone, nothing fancy in there. It Looks to me like the "hot+" wire has come off the jack socket and an earth has been pulled off the siezed pot where it has "spun". But for my own sake I wold like to confirm that all is as it should be. Thanks and Merry Christmas

Loving this [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPhQ2r-xdi0&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPhQ2r-xdi0&feature=related[/url]

[quote name='stef030' timestamp='1321820553' post='1443512'] I think that was the tube those backing singers are a bit eh PERT nice [/quote] 1080!

Being the old cynic that I am it all looked a bit "staged". Actors workshop. I like the way the guitarist threw the guitar in a fit of rage nicely towards the edge of the room so it wouldnt hit anyone; I'm surprised he didnt put it in a dustbin. Sounded like someones mum shouting at the end! lol

Did anyone see the episode of QI a few weeks back where they had this gadget that was used to "help" increase the spread of a pianists hands; literally forces the fingers apart like something out of the middle ages. Still, if it works....

I agree completely. While you are in the Karn mood, have a crack at this! [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8Gqqb3IPmU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8Gqqb3IPmU[/url]

I just tried shimming the neck on my bitza jazz and it went well. The action is great but I now find that the 13th fret is buzzing which I assume to be raised. I have tweaked the truss rod and adjusted the action but still buzzing. Going to try and find a decent straight edge to lay across the frets and have a little look see.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1320769571' post='1431156'] Don`t like the tone much, but the playing - wow! [/quote] Yeah, I agree about the tone. I did think it was down to the recording though. He seems to play with straight fingers and sort of press the strings, weird! Shame she didnt shut up!

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1320763436' post='1431022'] Agreed, apart from the three month old daughter that I have to factor in to the equation [/quote] She'll love it! All those windmills and tulips!

[i]Good find![/i] [i]That'll keep me busy! [/i]

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1320752082' post='1430778'] I had thought of it but it's the time issue and the potential for things to go wrong with a large outlay of cash on tickets and petrol that puts me off [/quote] Looks like you may have to do something along these lines if its safe arrival is paramount. You can get stinking cheap eurostar tickets if you are prepared to book online and go at an ungodly hour. I believe fuel is cheaper over there too, so fill up, Most of the actual distance is under the water after all. As for time, if you are prepared to travel late at night you could be in Eurostar terminal in an hour from Canterbury, another 2 hours with eurostar to get over there and then meet up with buyer. I reckon you'd still be home before dawn all done and dusted, holding folding! I often used to nip over to Calais, and I am in North London so have to tackle M25. The key to it is travel off peak!

Something else to remember is that some couriers (DHL) require photographic proof of a damaged parcel, [i]before[/i] it is opened! So the buyer would have to have the common sense to either not sign for it or not open it and contact the seller before checking inside which I think is almost impossible to stop!

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W14YmRABFFg[/media] Mick Karn playing Dalis car. Can any "Basschat gods" help me get a handle on playing this. Obviously no tabs available! . I cant seem to get exactly what he is doing from 0:54s Its not that it seems technically difficult but its sounds wrong when I play? There must be more going on than is obvious, or is it down to the Wal? Help?

Baroque Bordello - The Stranglers Glow World - Bill nelson/Mick Karn

Just thought I'd mention that if anyone else on here has to endure kids tv that a series called "good luck charlie" showed a couple of G&L basses in an episode where the father played bass. Its unusual for american tv programs to place products so blatantly. Usually if they are playing Gibson or Fender the logos are obscured. On "Hannah Montana", the house was full of guitars but not a logo in sight! ........I need to get out more!

Way back when in the 80s I had a good mate who played guitar in a south london band. He was the only one working and generally ended up financing any purchase for the "good of the band". They sumhow got him to sell his lovely MG roadster and replace with a transit. Not only that, he was the only one with a driving licence. Poor fella had to work a shift printing in fleet street then drive them all over london for gigs (including picking them all up including the drummer! It didnt end well!