sgt-pluck

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='350334' date='Dec 10 2008, 12:21 AM']This is a real 'Marmite' bass: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Westone-Dynasty-Bass-XV200RD-MATSUMOKU-Hardcase-NR_W0QQitemZ110323972082QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item110323972082&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Westone-Dynasty-Bass...A1%7C240%3A1318[/url] Me? Yuk.[/quote] She's ugly - but I would Pluck

Anyone mention Coffee and Tv? Not the biggest Blur fan, but this is a great line.... [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kWUil383us4"]Coffee and TV[/url]

Sorry I can't help in any way with Clash books, but I always read your threads anyway as your username makes me laugh every time I see it! Thanks! Pluck

Has to be shilling going on there. He's already bought his own bass once... Pluck

[quote name='OldG' post='334341' date='Nov 22 2008, 12:04 PM']Yup, me too..[/quote] And another. That From The Jam vid is excellent - normally I really don't like aging rockers re-united, but that sounded good. Pluck

OK that's enough! Where can I get this Dan's book? Pluck

Whilst I pretty much agree with what the bloke above me said - I personally wouldn't give my cash to anyone who can't be arsed to answer my questions on eBay. Another one will be along soon - I'd wait. Pluck

[quote]So I'm at a loss as to what I do now. I'm gonna take it back tomorrow but [b]any ideas what the problem may be?[/b][/quote] A shop tech who doesn't know what he's doing by the sound of it. What bridge is on that bass? Is it a stock Fender bridge? Pluck

[quote]I read an article on it using a print onto a transparency and then glueing down and laquer over the top. I'll give it a go unless anyone has any better ideas? Even if it screws up, it's only a case of sanding and starting again. Should be a good experiment either way[/quote] You can buy the special [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Inkjet-water-slide-decal-paper-clear-models-transfers_W0QQitemZ310099691034QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item310099691034&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318"]water-slide paper [/url]on eBay which goes through a printer. There's a technique for doing right, some basic instructions are on the listing and google should help with the details. Good luck, and don't forget to post finished pics Pluck

I'd hate to see changes made ( for all the right reasons ) end up inadvertently spoiling what is currently a really good forum. I think the advertising model may be a problem because you'd have to hand over quite a bit of screen 'real estate' to make it worthwhile - and that would change the feel of the place. I'd worry about the sponsorship model also for reasons already mentioned earlier. Another forum I visit regularly has a voluntary subs system - it's an open forum much like this except that non-subscribed users can't see or use the ( busy ) FS&W section. IIRC it's about a tenner a year. It works really well on that forum, nearly all the regulars subscribe whilst newbs, lurkers etc aren't excluded either - could it work here? I'd happily pay a sub to keep this place independent of business. Pluck

[quote name='AndyMartin' post='325268' date='Nov 9 2008, 01:49 PM']Sure, I understand the relationship between trussrod and bridge saddle adjustment. I'm just worried that I'm having to adjust it so much this early in the bass's life. The trussrod's head is already disappearing into the neck end. My understanding (maybe wrong) is that the trussrod is something that needs tweaking over time to counteract the effects of ageing on the neck relief. If I've already run out of adjustment on the bridge saddles it's kinda limiting my options in the future. I've been reading that thread. Very interesting and I've learnt a lot from it but it doesn't answer my particular worry.[/quote] I don't mean to be rude, but are you sure you understand?! Running out of adjustment on the bridge saddles does not limit your options in the future - you just need to shim the neck. It's nothing to worry about - loads of Fender guitars and basses are shimmed like this from the factory. It's common to find fag packets, bits of sand paper etc in the neck pocket. If you try to fix the problem by over-tightening the truss rod, not only will you not fix the problem (as you're finding out!), but you might feck your neck! Pluck

[quote name='AndyMartin' post='325250' date='Nov 9 2008, 01:11 PM']Kinda yes and kinda no I'm slightly confused now. Surely reducing the neck relief using the truss rod will have the side effect of lowering the action? Tightening the trussrod flattens the neck therefore reducing the action. My main worry is that having to make the amount of adjustment that I've had to is an indicator that the neck is faulty. If there is no more adjustment on the bridge saddles to lower the strings then how do I get the action lower, bearing in mind that I like it quite high anyway, I'm not trying to get it unrealistically low.[/quote] Adjusting the neck relief is only a part of the action story. You don't get full adjustment of string height through truss rod/neck relief only. If it were me I'd be getting the action somewhere near where I want it through shimming the neck and adjusting the bridge, and then be fine tuning it with truss rod adjustment. If your action is still high when the bridge saddles are at their lowest position, I think you need to shim the neck. There's a really good thread going on at the moment about neck shims. Edit - [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=29444"]here[/url] it is. Pluck

For what it's worth and to second everything Thunderhead says: pretty much all of the second hand basses I've bought have either had body-end neck shims already in place, or have needed one putting in to allow for the aftermarket bridges fitted which never seem to adjust as low as the stock bridges IM(limited)E. I did once try shimming an entire neck pocket but I got no-where with it. The only thing I would say is that it can take a bit of experimentation to find the right thickness for the shim - a few thou makes a big difference! Pluck

Isn't this one of those things that only really works in theory? Getting the fret-height right to 1/100 of a whatever it is might be fine when you try the bass out fresh from the machine, but surely by the time you've got it home and into different temperatures/humidities etc it all becomes hypothetical doesn't it? Bung a new set of strings on you back to having to tweak again. I suppose it would be OK as a starting point, but I think I'd rather do the job manually and have a margin of error built in resulting in less tweaking over time? Or maybe this is the kind of technology manufacturers could use to save time/money on mass-produced instruments so they start off with a nice set-up for when you try them out in the shop...? Not sure whats actually being achieved here, or maybe I'm missing the point... Pluck

Beautiful. Some of the early Ibby's and some of the Aria's too are really a bit special. Now where that 'old basses are crap' thread... Pluck

I like hangers with 4, rather than 3 bolts into the wall, and with a shorter arm ( so electric-specific, no good for acoustic instruments ). Can't find them now but they're usually on eBay. Edit - [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GUITAR-WALL-STAND-HANGER-METAL-WITH-SCREWS_W0QQitemZ230303689099QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item230303689099&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1298|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318"]found it[/url]. Pluck

I've got this odd-sized truss rod nut which is a bit mangled and I want to replace it/make a new one. It has an M5 internal thread and a 7mm external diameter. Non of the Fender replacements will do as they have the wrong thread and are too fat to fit down the 'ole. I've been down to B&Q to see if I could find some suitable threaded tube to make a new one out of but no joy. Any idea's? Pluck

Some of it is about 'antiqueness'. Fenders in particular are so iconic that they command huge prices just as vintage cars, motorcycles etc etc do. Some of it is about 'mojo'. Real or imagined, playing an old bass that has been around the block a bit appeals to some ( me included ). And usually a good instrument is only still around because it is a good instrument, otherwise it would have ended up on tip years ago. You could also argue that much of the modern technology hasn't necessarily moved things forward all that much. It's interesting that despite all the advances in electrickery and manufacturing complexity, the humble p-bass whether bought new or second-hand is still a much-loved and much played bass - more so than any other bass I'd have thought. My take on it is that the 'new' doesn't alway replace the 'old' like you'd expect, they often end up running along side each other ( for instance, vinyl never died with the advent of CD ). It's a good question, and each to his own obviously, but I personally can't imagine myself buying a new bass - I wouldn't spend thousands on a relic, but I do prefer stuff thats 'played in'. Pluck

[quote]I can't add anything too the idebtification of the wood but the knots might be an indication that either the body was not originally a natural finish. Alternatively it might just be the fact that it was a lower cost bass therefore used cheaper woods.[/quote] I thinks it's option B. It hasn't been refinished, and these were ( apparently ) mid priced instruments. I posed the same question on TB - most folk there are saying Ash too. Shall we just say it's Ash? It's Ash. Cheers all Pluck

Yeah the knots confused me too. I think it's those, plus the fairly orange tint to the ( poly ) finish that make it look like pine. Don't think it is though. It is fairly light-weight. Ash is generally lighter than Alder right? This bass is lighter than my Tokai JS which [i]is[/i] alder. This is that Gherson I nabbed off the bay the other day... Pluck