Linus27

This is my CIJ 62 reissue Jazz. It was bought brand new in 89 from Nova Guitar Centre in Guildford and has seen 30 years of hard gigging including TV, tours, radio sessions etc. Pickups are changed to Barts and the pickguard has been changed from white to the black but apart from that it is all original. It is the best sounding and playing bass I have ever had and will never leave me. It has been with me for my entire music career and has been my main working bass. All the mojo is genuine wear and tear apart from the two engravements. The GB is my dads initials who bought the bass for me and who died a couple of months before I signed my record deal. The MB 4 LG is my initials and the initials of Lisa Germano, the violinist who I fancied when I was younger.

Just as a side question, if I'd bought a fretless Fender Precision bass in the 70's, what strings would Fender have fitted to it, flats or rounds?

Post pictures 😀

Yeah, to me its like a Precision with the tone in the center. Not clanky and not thumpy, just a very rounded bass tone. Generic sounding even.

Can I just say, this thread is great. Informative, humorous and makes you contemplate. Carry on chaps.

Quite possibly although my Limelight Fretless Jazz is currently in production so I might be getting no.2. I might ask Mark how many hes made.

SUNN Mustang Fretless Precision was gorgeous.

What is this method? Please explain this black magic 😁

Thanks Graham, I'd forgotten all about this interview and I can't believe it was 9 years ago, how time flies.

Thank you, I shall be buying one

Oooh yes, I forgot about her. I remember Clare playing a Bass Collection.

I've found football supports have absolutely no sense of humor when it comes to their own football team. I'm more than happy for someone to take the mick out of my favourite F1 team or driver ( I support Renault and have supported Alesi, Montoya and Alonso so quite an easy target at times) but football fans seem to not be able to take with some sort of humor. I wonder if it the gang/tribe mentality.

I was talking about this yesterday. I was watching the F1 which was in Spain and the commentators starting talking about Barcelona and some football match or championship that Barcelona didn't get through to or something. What bugged me was the way he was talking as if we all followed football and knew exactly what he was talking about. I had no idea and no interest and you never here then talking about Rugby or Cricket but its as if we all follow football.

I have a Fender Mike Dirnt Precision in yellow in mint condition. It's the mk1 version and I've never seen a yellow one before. It's an amazing bass but I really dont need it and I keep deciding to sell it and then changing my mind. I just know that I will never see another one again if I let it go, it sounds and plays beautifully and is in mint condition. I know sellers remource will be high if I let it go so I've hidden it under the bed, out of sight, out of mind 😂🤣

For me, I've never really been able to capture the sound I like. What I liked and what worked for me were two totally different things. I love Derek Forbes's early simple minds sound. We even spoke about it but even if I got anything close, I hated it for my own sound. Just didn't feel right for me and flanger works great for him but for me I hated it but I love his sound. I also love the whole Stingray sound but when I played my Stingray and got that sound, I hated it. Even the woody sound of Warwick's I love but for me it just didn't work. I did once get that typical Precision sound and it was glorious but generally my sound is very rounded and warm. Not thumpy like Jamerson, but full, balanced and no matter what bass I play, it always goes that way and if it doesnt then I just feel uncomfortable and awkward. As for technique then what I found was I was being subconsciously influenced by a lot of fretless bass players. A lot of my bass lines had slides and points where I would sustain certain notes so when I did start playing fretless, the lines came alive. The few comments I've had about my playing that have stuck are my notes are consistent in volume and I hold a note and let it sustain rather than cutting it short. I'm also a melodic player and like to keep busy which might be linked to the comment earlier about Jazz players tend to be melodic and play more in the middle of the neck. As for basses, I love Precisions but always play Jazz, again, I always feel more comfortable with them tonally. I have never liked fancy woods like birdseye this or roasted that. Plus, no fancy colours please, just natural or pastel colours please.

Ok thank you, Rotosound rounds would be my choice but I would like the lighter gauge of 40 - 100. I might drop him an email. Thanks for your reply.

Mark is making me a 1960's stack knob light relic fretless jazz in Sherwood Green. I so can't wait. He said its going to be 12 to 16 weeks so I won't get it until July at the earliest but so excited. Does anyone know what strings Mark puts on the bass or do I need to specify?

Wow, such a highly regarded bass manufacturing and it doesn't look like he's passing it on to anyone. I'm really surprised nobody snaps his business up to keep the brand alive.

Stage left for me as its easier to make eye contact with the drummer, not that it makes any difference with my drummer as he has no understanding of playing together, either with bass or in a band and being a team player. I've actually learnt an amazing skill of tapping my foot to create my own time beat regardless of what the drums are doing. Anyway, stage left as I am more comfortable that side.

Nope, 2eq is the best. Had 2 x 3eq Stingrays and never liked the tone but the 1 x 2eq Stingray I had I loved. Just my opinion and not fact. Nothing wrong with the 3eq so maybe just a bit more time playing with the eq is needed to get the tone you like.