pete.young

[quote name='neepheid' post='145216' date='Feb 22 2008, 05:52 PM']2. Active 2 band EQ: Hated the standard wiring (2 volume (1 for each coil of the humbucker) and 1 passive tone) so installed an Artec SE-2A. New config: 1 blend pot (all rear coil > both full > all front coil), master volume, stacked treble/bass.[/quote] Very neat job. Where did you get your Artec and the stacked pot from?

[quote name='jono b' post='145023' date='Feb 22 2008, 01:26 PM']I'm looking at buying a soldering iron for my Strat project so I can do all the connections myself but I don't know what to look for. I've heard I should get a low wattage one. What sort of price is good for an iron too? I've seen them for a fiver on ebay, but I assume they'll be junk. Someone on here also bought one recently but it was bigger than he thought. What sort of size to I want it to be? Cheers[/quote] I've had one of these for a while and it seems pretty good for the money. [url="http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=35016&doy=22m2"]http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?Module...16&doy=22m2[/url]

Hamster, Another one for the list - Colin Fulton, Glemham, Suffolk IP13 0BE Phone 07913 797193 I've had work done by him - he set up my CIJ Precision and did some fretwork fettling, did an excellent job for a very reasonable price. So much so that when my prized Fylde electric got a major-league ding in the finish, that went his way and he sorted that out too.

[quote name='thedarxide' post='144283' date='Feb 21 2008, 11:39 AM']John Birch: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-John-Birch-bass-guitar-in-Sunburst-finish_W0QQitemZ320220265627QQihZ011QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-John-Birch-bass...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url][/quote] That one was up to £310 before it got pulled, and still hadn't made reserve. It's in Ipswich so I can go and have a look at it if any of you dudes are seriously interested in it.

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='144271' date='Feb 21 2008, 11:07 AM']Edit: Hang on - The Badass II doesn't cater for through-body stringing, does it?[/quote] I think you need a Badass III for through-body stringing, but don't quote me!

[quote name='Perry' post='144199' date='Feb 21 2008, 08:51 AM']Hey while we are on about learning songs, don't you find it anoying when you learn a sing only to find the singer wants to change the key? Ahhh![/quote] That depends. Raising it is no problem. Lowering it so that it drops off the end of your bass is a PITA. Have to get the 5-string out, or mess about detuning.

[quote name='TimmyC' post='143787' date='Feb 20 2008, 04:10 PM']Got my grade 5 theory test coming up and one thing that has always confused me is time signatures. I know what each number means but I don't understand how to distinguish between "simple" or "complicated" and "duple", "triple" and "quadruple"[/quote] I think you mean simple and compound time. A simple rule of thumb: Simple time signatures are like 4/4 and 2/4 , where the value of the beat is a whole note (in this case a crotchet). Compound time is something like 6/8 (irish jigs) or 12/8 (My Way) , where the value of the beat is a dotted crotchet. Duple is 2 beats per bar, triple is three and quadruple is 4.

[quote name='clauster' post='143971' date='Feb 20 2008, 08:29 PM']I didn't even know until tonight that I like Linda Ronstadt??!!!!?[/quote] There's no need to be ashamed. Some of the stuff that Linda Ronstadt recorded in the '70s was outstanding at the time and still sounds good now. And her backing band weren't bad either.

[quote name='vegas_hooker' post='143257' date='Feb 19 2008, 05:53 PM']All I wanted was a CIJ jazz at a neat price. Buggers![/quote] I don't think you're going to find better than this one from Russ in the Basses For Sale forum. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=12745"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=12745[/url]

[quote name='mcgraham' post='143291' date='Feb 19 2008, 06:46 PM'][b]"Whose bass would you most like to have and why?" [/b][/quote] Kiwi's Celinder P Bass. Very closely followed by his PentaBuzz.

[quote name='lozbass' post='143132' date='Feb 19 2008, 03:49 PM']Dave Lunt in Stockport 0161 432 9698 (I think - someone else posted in response to a similar enquiry) - Dave has an excellent reputation[/quote] If that's the same Dave Lunt that used to work out of Muir Music on Chester Rd in the late 70s/early 80s' , he's a top valve amp man and an excellent left-handed bass player too.

[quote name='bigjohn' post='142387' date='Feb 18 2008, 12:27 PM']I've got a marshall JCM 800 - it uses 4 EL34s and 3 ECC83s for the pre amp.[/quote] If you're going to change the power valves, you'll probably need to get an amp technician to re-bias the plate voltage. If you've just acquired the amp and it hasn't been looked at for a while, it's probably worth getting someone to do that anyway because they can drift. The JJ KT77 is a direct replacement for the EL34 and produces a lot more power, better and deeper bass response and better tone across the range (to my ears, anyway). I have these in my Burmans and I'm very happy with them - the original Genalex KT77 was standard equipment in Burman amps until the KT77 Golden Lion came out. You'll probably need a matched set.

Thanks folks, some great information here. I knew I could rely on you! The bridge pu tone control mod seems like a good idea. I'll do the pot and see how it goes. It doesn't seem particularly noisy so may already be shielded. I've really no inclination to mess with it - it sounds beautiful through my Burman Pro 2000 . The house has been ringing to the sounds of 'Wind Cries Mary' and I'm not complaining. For those who Just Have To Know, it's a MIJ '71 not for export , sunburst alder body with maple board from the venerable John at Far East Guitars. He has some lovely Jazz basses at the moment too.

Son no. 1 has just acquired a very nice strat, perfect in every way except that it has a duff tone pot which needs to be changed. Since we've got to take a soldering iron to it, I was wondering if there are any other recommended mods that I should be thinking about. I was contemplating shielding the cavity. Pickups are Texas Specials so don't need to be changed and we're not looking for bridge humbuckers.

[quote name='burno70' post='130757' date='Jan 30 2008, 04:04 PM']Has anyone any experience of this? What are his basses like "straight out of the box?"[/quote] I've never had a bass from Jon, but I've had other instruments hand-made to my specification. Consider this. You've clearly put a lot of thought and money into getting Jon to build something that's unmistakeably yours. It's more than just something off the shelf, and will probably be something you'll play every day and cherish. Why not wait a few days until you can enjoy the experience of picking it up in person, talking to Jon about it, maybe getting anything sorted that needs sorting. That'll give you a special day that you'll always remember, that will make the bass even more special and personal. You aren't going to have too many days like that. Make the most of it.

[quote name='setekh' post='136302' date='Feb 8 2008, 09:27 AM']I also have to sing praises to thomann, musicstore and musik-produktiv - great prices and service (even with my 21% VAT)[/quote] musik-produktiv is an interesting one. I've had really good customer service from imuso.co.uk on several occasions. Imuso are musik-produktiv in the UK. I did once ask Imuso if they'd price match musik-produktiv though, and I'm still waiting for an answer ;-)

[quote name='OldGit' post='130744' date='Jan 30 2008, 03:54 PM']Yeah +1 Why is it so hard for music retailers to do that consistently?[/quote] Because for every one OldGit or Perry who really does appreciate the service, there are 1000 other customers who are only interested in the cheapest deal and will even attempt to lowball that. Internet sales have taken the pile-it-high, sell-it-cheap concept to the limit and it's getting harder and harder for the decent shops to stay in business. Ultimately the market will support a certain number of specialists, and I guess what we're seeing is this shaking out. No surprise that the Brune St. Bass Centre has gone, particularly given that the main man is now fully occupied selling Brian May skinny-string replicats. I never visited the Wapping shop so I don't have anything to compare it to, but there are other examples of shops that were great for customers but bad for business - any Manc types of a certain age might remember Sounds Acoustic, for example.

The Nordstrand pickup replacement is made to measure, and is supposedly a lot better than 'nice'.

For folks in Suffolk who don't know about Paul Glazebrook , he has just done an excellent job replacing a duff op-amp on my EA iAmp 350, and has also rebiased and serviced both my Burman valve amps in the past. Excellent service and a very reasonable price - he does setups too. Sounds like GM Audio need to be removed from the list in the light of recent events.

Behringer do one for £40 - UCG102 . Shoulda bought a macbook instead!

[quote name='chris_b' post='125668' date='Jan 22 2008, 07:22 PM']There's your problem. Spotted it right away!!![/quote] Oi! Be careful what you say next, I've got 2 banjoes. And 3 accordions. Don't play em much though.