spinynorman

More here [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=119164"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=119164[/url]

Dimarzio do a drop-in replacement for the neck pickup [url="http://www.axiomatic-music.co.uk/acatalog/Gibson_Style.html"]Model 1[/url] There's also a Bill Lawrence EB-50 which is a drop in. These will make some difference, but maybe not enough, depending on how far you want to get from the classic Gibson EB3 vibe. Another option is the Hammon Engineering DarkStar - problem with these is they rarely come up used and there are very strong indications from people in the US who I would expect to be reliable sources that Fred Hammon can't be contacted and appears to be out of business. If you're up for routing you could replace the bridge pickup with a guitar-sized humbucker like you find on some Les Paul basses and Thunderbirds. These come up on eBay from time to time, mostly in the US. Or EMG does the HB which is P internals in a humbucker case.

Another good thing about Thomann I didn't really take much notice of till I needed it is they give a 3-year warranty on everything, regardless of what the manufacturer provides. So when our Mackie speaker packed up 2 months outside the standard 1-yr warranty, Thomann organised UPS to collect it and take it back to Germany, had it repaired and sent it back. About 3 weeks round trip. I guess you're just unlucky if you get Parcelfarce, I would think that only happens if they use the Bundespost at their end for lower value things. They probably assume our postal service operates with the same teutonic efficiency. Might be an idea for anyone who has trouble with delivery to let Thomann know, I guess they'd stop using that route if there were a few complaints.

Not the world's best site to find your way around, but seems to be some kind of CAD software for musical instruments and a couple of parts kits for bass and guitar .... [url="http://www.zoybar.net/About/about-zoybar"]http://www.zoybar.net/About/about-zoybar[/url] [url="http://www.zoybar.net/zoybarbasskit.html"]http://www.zoybar.net/zoybarbasskit.html[/url]

[quote name='basskit_case' post='1138584' date='Feb 23 2011, 02:04 PM']Hijack time Just Wondering what model gigbag or case Casady owners were using, l have been looking for the Epiphone Casady hardcase but cannot find anywhere? Cheers[/quote] It's very difficult. When I was looking for one for my Starfire, I never found a retailer with one in stock - even when it said they had one online, it mysteriously disappeared when I phoned. You might have more luck if you contact a shop you trust and see if they can order one. I ended up with a Warwick Premium Acoustic Bass gigbag. There was a seller on ebay that sells them for about £60. They're huge, too big really, but there's so much padding it held the Starfire quite securely. It's [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Warwick-Acoustic-Bass-GigBag-Premium-Range-NEW-/270652439109"]this one[/url] I think.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='1138334' date='Feb 23 2011, 11:16 AM']Definitely - that's the Ebay Effect for you. You can also see the effect of [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WESTONE-THUNDER-1A-BASS-ASH-BLACK-flight-case-/270704807579"]this deluded twonk & his hilariously overpriced Westone Thunder 1[/url] in the various £200+ Westy Thunders that have suddenly appeared since he listed it. The fact that someone was evidently prepared to pay over £400 for what's previously always been a £150ish bass ain't going to help reality/sanity reassert itself, either. J.[/quote] Brass has gone up a lot, so you could sell the knobs.

I think he's just got very nasty squirrels in his grandfather's loft.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='1133338' date='Feb 19 2011, 01:17 PM']Whatever else these are sold for, it's holding the bridge together, no question. This was mine when I got it - I've seen a lot of these & this is quite typical: [attachment=72631:trackbridge.jpg] Obviously, I had to replace it! The spacer bar idea does look like a workable fix if the bridge is deformed but not actually cracked, like mine. Definitely a fair bit cheaper than a new replacement 3-point bridge. J.[/quote] Not sure it would fix that - the bar is just held against the back of the bridge by the pull of the strings.

[quote name='tarcher' post='1133052' date='Feb 19 2011, 08:09 AM']How old are you then? That catalogue was the equivalent of porn to me when I was a teenager. I'm not sure I made the pages stick together though [/quote] 58 I'm just starting Keef Richard's autobiography, where he's talking about playing guitar using an old radio or tape recorder as an amplifier. We suffered for our art.

[quote]I will not respond to time wasters, silly offers or stupid questions from dreamers, this is a pre requisite/term of the auction so I can report such activity to Ebay as a breach of auction rights terms and conditions. And I will.[/quote] Why do people think they can set their own terms and conditions for auctions and Ebay will support them? Ebay barely enforce their own Ts&Cs unless it suits them.

When I was about 15 I dreamed of owning a Watkins Rapier. Fortunately I never had enough money for my dreams to be tarnished by reality. Oh, the joys of the Selmer catalogue.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='1129691' date='Feb 16 2011, 02:39 PM']Has a "sustain bar" fitted at the rear of the bridge? Has a what? What he means is that the cheapsh!t bridge fitted to these was bending under string tension (as they all seem to) so someone jammed a bit of steel rod across the back to hold it straight! Bodged bridge aside, it does look tidy, as far as one can tell - but on recent form it wouldn't sell even if it was £100 cheaper. J.[/quote] Actually it's a fairly common problem with the 3-point bridge, even Gibson ones, that the ball-end silks go over the saddles and mute the string. So a wily entrepreneur in the US makes a small living selling [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GIBSON-EPIPHONE-BASS-BRIDGE-3-POINT-MOD-BAR-/300526375990"]metal spacer bars[/url] which solve the problem. I had one on my EB3. EDIT: Just noticed he's using strings with no silks, so it probably makes bugger all difference, or, as you suggest, is holding the bridge together.

Bought a microphone from Chris and he even drove over to deliver it, which was greatly appreciated and beyond the call. Thanks, nice to meet you.

Neil bought my huge Warwick gig bag a while back, and I'm just catching up on the feedback I should have left at the time. Easy transaction, no problems at all.

Sold Si a case ages ago and forgot to do feedback. But I do remember him being great to do business with.

Paul bought some strings from me. Very easy to deal with, hope you enjoy those black nylons.

First Bass Owned: Korean Kay 'Go To' Bass: Fender MIJ Precision 'Your' Bass: Fender MIJ Precision

Use a metal pick and it'll stick to the pickup.

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='1128086' date='Feb 15 2011, 10:41 AM']Paint it black by the stones - a stupid song with a stupid bassline[/quote] We play Paint it Black and Jumping Jack Flash, and I can't think of a single good reason to follow Wyman's bassline in either case. So I don't.

[quote name='Eight' post='1125963' date='Feb 13 2011, 02:13 PM']No, I mean any bass lines. Give me an A blues backing for example, and I'll play all the right notes in one of the most boring, unoriginal, repetitive (or at the other end of the spectrum - random) lines you've ever heard. A solo line (as the lead instrument) would be a lot easier. You can get away with anything then.[/quote] Who are you listening to? Who plays blues lines that you think are interesting? What are they doing? You'll probably find that they're playing the same lines you are, but their experience and feeling for the song lets them put in interesting variations in just the right place. If you haven't already, try Tommy Shannon (Johnny Winter, Stevie Ray Vaughan), John McVie (John Mayall, early Fleetwood Mac), Harvey Brooks (Electric Flag, Kooper/Stills/Bloomfield Super Sessions).

Rather than looking for "the sound", I look for light weight and as little as possible to carry, set up and go wrong. Markbass combo, Korg DT10, Fender Precision. Strangely I was only thinking the other night how awesome I was sounding.

I never expected to see this as a backing track [url="http://www.guitarbackingtrack.com/play/spotnicks,_the/rocket_man.htm"]http://www.guitarbackingtrack.com/play/spo.../rocket_man.htm[/url]

With long scale flats on a short scale bass I've read there's more danger of the string breaking because of stress where it's wound round the post. On the other hand, I've done it and survived.

Another revealing set of covers: "I Put A Spell on You", Screaming J Hawkins, Nina Simone, The Animals, Marilyn Manson ... and by the time you get to Manson it's almost back to Screaming J. I guess that's R&B rather than Blues.