Linus27

[quote name='Twigman' post='455334' date='Apr 6 2009, 12:39 PM'][url="http://www.simscustom.com/"]http://www.simscustom.com/[/url] [url="http://www.simscustom.com/html/scratchplate_files/scratchplates.html"]http://www.simscustom.com/html/scratchplat...atchplates.html[/url][/quote] Wow, that was quick, thank you very much. Jobs a carrot

I have an ESP 400 series Jazz bass in black with a white pickguard. I would really like to get a black pickguard for it and had hoped that a Fender Jazz would fit but they are different shape and size. Is there anyone or anywhere that can make me one to fit the ESP? Thanks for any help.

Either wedged between the D string on the bridge, in a pocket, on the amp or on gaffer tape to mic.

[quote name='obbm' post='454915' date='Apr 5 2009, 09:05 PM']Congrats. What's the band called?[/quote] Thank you. The Fleas.

Well I got the devil bass back from my Luthier who changed all the electrics (pots and wires) in the bass but alas, no difference. He copied a standard precision setup and also set the pickup height to what Lakland recommends and despite being slightly better, overall, its not that different and the problem continues. However, he did notice that the coils are vibrating like crazy and Lakland have offered to replace the pickups free of charge which I thought was rather superb of them. So this is what I will do and fingers crossed, will solve the problem. It has to really as everything else has been changed already.

Well, just got an email for the band saying it was great playing with me yesterday and would I like to join the band. WOOOHOOO, so looks like I did an ok job Once again, thanks for all the help and support guys.

[quote name='thepurpleblob' post='454740' date='Apr 5 2009, 03:51 PM']As a matter interest did they tell you in advance they'd be asking you to play songs you had not had chance to rehearse?[/quote] No, not at all. In the email I got mid last week, they asked if I could learn 3 songs, so I learnt to play 4. After we had run through them twice they gave the impression that it was going very well and so said, lets run through some others and mentioned a few titles. I said the only problem is I don't know those songs and have never heard them. They still wanted to jam and told me the chords for the verse, bridge and chorus. We then just started playing through them. I had no idea on structure or ryhthm etc and so had to make up bass lines and listen what was happening with the drums and structure. Also, some of the songs I had learnt, they had changed the structure a little so I had to re-learn the new structure on the spot and write a few new bass lines. I also locked in really well with the drummer. Still, it did go very well even if I don't get it

My Lotus Elise S1 should end up as a classic. Its going that way at the moment. Not many for sale on Pistonheads and seems to be getting less as the years pass. Mine is 12 years old and cost me £8000 and has not lost anything in value. Still only has 40k on the clock and is it amazing condition. As its in the original Lotus Racing Green colour with cream interior like the launch car, fingers crossed it will be worth a bit in 10 years plus. Some say that they think it will go the same way as early Porsche 911's. I think its very difficult to predict which cars will be classics and worth money but its worth looking for bizarre or rare models. BMW have sold bucket loads of Mini Coopers so I can't see that being a classic but maybe the John Cooper Special might. BMW Z3 probably won't but the BMW Z3M Coupe probably will.

[quote name='PURPOLARIS' post='454661' date='Apr 5 2009, 01:44 PM']Our drummer has the tempo for every song we play written down and programmed into his metronome thingy that he has attached to his drums. He counts us in using that. We're generally not too far off the tempo that way.[/quote] Yep, we did this also. Really does help, even to get you starting off at the right tempo.

Thanks again for all the help guys. My audition was at 3pm in Ealing. Thought the best route from Camberley would be M3, M25, M4 and then cut up to Ealing just after Heathrow. Well for some reason, I ended up in Hamersmith and got totally lost. Decided to make my way back through Chiswick and cut back up rather than turn around and head back along the M4. However, after Hammersmith and Chiswick. which was a nightmare on Saturday, I then got hit by traffic heading to Wembley but took some shortcuts and got to the audition just in time Got stuck right in with the four songs I had learnt which impressed them and it all sounded very good. In fact they were pretty impressed how much I had learnt. They said I am a very mathimatical bass player, learning the songs down to the last note. Never heard of that saying before. I was also very happy with how well I played considering first time with fingers and nerves. We then stopped and had a chat and then got back to playing again. Went through the songs again and they were sounding really tight and again, the band was very pleased. They then said lets play some more songs which I did not know and so had to make up the bass lines on the spot. After the first song they asked if I had ever heard it as your playing like you know the song. I had not so they were very impressed and applauded me. We then did three more new songs which again they applauded me after. The audition lasted for 3 hours. So all in all, I was very very happy with my audition and played as well as I could. No idea if I have got the gig but even if I don't, then at least it has given me the confidence to know I can do it. Also, I'm a big believer in fate, so if it happens then its supposed to be. If not, then I know its not right and something better is around the corner. I'll keep you all posted and thanks again for all the advice.

[quote name='bassace' post='453677' date='Apr 3 2009, 08:59 PM']Good luck! Are you taking the Stagg? If not it may be a good idea to mention it to show your versatility. Might give them some ideas.[/quote] No Stagg this time, probably just the Jazz. I might take the Musicman or the cursed Lakland as a backup. Mentioning however as well as fretless might be a good move.

[quote name='leschirons' post='453672' date='Apr 3 2009, 08:52 PM']20 years of playing? you only look about 22 in your pic. You must be the "Peter Pan" of bass players. Hope it went well for you and you got the gig.[/quote] hehehe thank you. Well I don't look 22 but I have been told I don't look my age (38) so I got something going for me :)

Thanks for all the advice. Some great tips which would not had entered my mind so a big thank you. I'll keep you posted.

Tomorrow afternoon I have my first ever audition. In the 20 years of playing I have never had one before. Always been in bands with friends. So as you can imagine, I am a little nervous especially as for the last year I have been learning to play with fingers and I really want to play with fingers in this audition. 20 years of pick player is a hard habit to change. All the songs are original and I feel fairly comfortable with what I have learnt so far despite some of the bass being hard to hear in the mix. Can anyone offer me some pointers, tips or advice for my audition. Thanks.

obbm is your man. Top fella also.

Good on you Dave, hope it all works out for you.

I love big band or swing bands. Not so much from a bass point of view but just for the overall sound and feel. Love it. Count Basie rocks :)

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='451507' date='Apr 1 2009, 02:12 PM']Agreed although it sounds to me like maybe the Lakland is turning its nose up at the Ashdown. [/quote] How very rude of it Maybe I should show it the wood saw, that might make it change its mind :)

[quote name='obbm' post='451503' date='Apr 1 2009, 02:09 PM']It might be a good idea to bring your rig, or at least the amp part. When you hear back from Joe PM me.[/quote] Will do. Thanks again Dave for your help.

[quote name='Huge Hands' post='451495' date='Apr 1 2009, 02:02 PM']I have a MAG300 combo and even with my high output Wizard pups I struggle to get the VU meter to move much unless I have the input gain set pretty high. If these are passive pups I'm surprised they'd be able to throw out any crazy high level signal. You haven't got an active preamp hidden under the scratchplate have you?[/quote] Yeah, thats what my Jazz and Stingray are like. Defo no pre-amp. Checked that one. Two pots, one jack socket and some wires.

[quote name='bumnote' post='451453' date='Apr 1 2009, 01:23 PM']If it had a 'PROPER' precision neck, i would have given you a couple of hundred for it and taken a chance [/quote] The funny thing is, this bass was bought with the intention of being my main workhorse, yet so far has never worked I won't give up on her yet though, she will be my bitch and do what I say or else I will torch her

[quote name='obbm' post='451475' date='Apr 1 2009, 01:41 PM']You might think that Dave, i couldn't possibly comment. It would be useful to try it through several different amps and try mine through the MAG.[/quote] Dave, thats a very kind offer, thank you. It's at Jo's at the moment being looked at. If he fails to fix the problem then yes, I would love to come down and compare bass for bass. Do you want me to bring my rig also? I hope to hear back this afternoon so I'll let you know how it goes.

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='451257' date='Apr 1 2009, 10:35 AM']Well good luck. Im sure its nothing too serious that cant be sorted. At least the necks not bent or damaged etc.[/quote] Thank you. Not yet its not but considering how cursed this bass is, its only a matter of time before that happens. Its funny how the car in the film Chritine is the same colour as this bass. I'm sure this bass is cursed. I might have to call it Christine

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='451206' date='Apr 1 2009, 09:29 AM']Damn that Bass. After all you have been through with it and now this. Cant really offer anything other than its obviously not right. a passive P should be that hot, especially with that Lakland pup. I would suggest it could well be the amp but if you haven't had any other issues with your other basses then its obviously the DD. Can you not take it back to the guy who fixed it up before and get him to check the pots and pup for you.? My guess is its the pots or wiring but then i know nothing about pup's. I do know that ages ago i had a SD QP in a P and even that wasn't clipping the VU in my Ashdown MAG. Good luck mate.[/quote] Yeah, tell me about it. It plays great and the tone is great but its just problem after problem. Hopefully though, this is going to be the last problem. Definately not the amp. I tested my three main basses again last night, The Stingray, The Duck Dunn and the Fender Jazz. Not sure what the top series of numbers mean on the VU meter, but with the input set at 9 o clock and the volume set 8 o clock, the Fender on full volume is staying around the 15 mark. The Stingray was around the 20 mark and goes up to 15 if I plug it into the active input. The Duck Dunn on the same settings shoots the VU meter all the way to max and is bouncing off the edge. The only way i can stop it from doing this is by reducing the volume on the bass, which I guess is reducing the input to the amp. As for taking it back to my luthier, yep, this is what i am going to do today so fingers crossed its something simple.

[quote name='bumnote' post='449985' date='Mar 30 2009, 09:44 PM']Hi Hows the lotus The duck IIRC is a precision body with a jazz neck I have fralins in my precision and also my jo osb and they are not as powerfull as a musicman. Logic says that a standard pick up wont be as hot as a guitar with a preamp such as a stingray Have you checked the pick up height relative to the strings? If the pick up is very close to the strings it might want lowering a bit to prevent you getting too strong a signal. If you driva a lotus you must have to rebuild it every other week, so you should be good with your hands Have a look under the scratch plate and make sure all the wires are fitted properly. Go to the seymour duncan site or the fralin one a get a precsion wiring diagram, see if its connected correctly. Its very simple, it really is only a few wires. check the pickup height. If its had new pots fitted, check they are the right ones, again, you can get that from one of the sites. They are 250K if I recall correctly. Good luck[/quote] hahaha hiya, the Lotus is great, got back from a track day at Snetterton the other week. Thankfully, my Loti has been pretty reliable and thats after 4 trackdays and 10,000 miles but I do know what your saying though :) Not sure i could afford it if it kept breaking down. I know my pickups are the Lakland own brand. If the pots were wrong then, could it be possible then that they are too powerful and causing this problem. Is that a possibility? The pickups could be a little high, especially the E string but you only really need to play the string softly for the input needle to go off the scale. I would think that lowering the pickups would not reduce it that much. Maybe I am wrong on this.