Jono Bolton

[quote name='johnnylager' post='142285' date='Feb 18 2008, 08:50 AM']I've just gone back to Fender Stainless Bass 7350M's (.045, .065, .085, .105) after trying many different kinds. Good life, easy to play. This gadgey does cheap strings... [url="http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Guitar-Strings-n-Things"]http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Guitar-Strings-n-Things[/url][/quote] +1 Started buying all my strings from him. Massive selection and even with postage (which is usually about a quid) it beats buying anything they have on offer in Ayr (Ernie Balls, or cheapo lengths of cheese wire). If you order early enough in the day - before 3pm I think - you can have your strings the next day too. It cost me £14 for a set of D' Addario XLs the other day, which are my recommendation if anyone still checks this out. I like 45-100.

I'm looking for a new bridge for my Jazz, something to increase sustain and improve intonation on the original one, but isn't a Badass II (or III, or I). I've got one on it already but I don't really like the way it looks. I'd prefer something a bit more traditional looking, but I don't want the sound to suffer as a result. Any suggestions?

Strung up my Jazz with a set of D' Addario XLs yesterday to try and adjust the string break angle on the E. Went for a set of 45-100s instead of the 50-105 Ernie Balls I had on there, much nicer to play now, comfortable and the XLs sound nicer than the EBs, and they were a quid less Plus you get the added novelty of the multicoloured ball ends. Think a set of Chromes or halfs for the Precision may be in order.

I saw that too, trawling the 'Bay for a cheapo P copy. You've got to wonder why he put the J pickups where he did, they're not exactly standard locations. They're both pretty close, can't imagine they'd sound that different. That scratchplate is horrible too.

And what is a 'standard' gauge while we're at it? I've been using 50-105 on my Jazz and I believe I have 45-100s on my Precision (both Ernie Balls). I prefer the 100s, they're more comfortable IMO. What is a standard gauge for bass strings though? I have no idea what my basses came with and altering your strings without adjusting your bass can be pretty disastrous but so far I seem to be okay.

They work when they're both on but it's only when they're both on full that the volume drops out. I never have them both on full so I've only noticed recently and it's not really a problem, it's just a bit annoying.

I can't see that it would, unless one has more windings in it. You could always swap them about, and see if they change the sound at all, you might uncover something interesting. If you don't like it then you can always swap back.

I'm not totally sure how long I've had this problem, but I only noticed for the first time about 3 months or so ago. Anyway, the problem is this - with both volume controls on full, the volume drops out to almost nil. I have a Mexican Jazz, with 2 volumes and a master tone. With just one pickup on full and the other turned right down, the pickup works fine. This is the case for both pickups, when isolated they're fine, but with both on full they're almost silent. If I turn either knob roughly a quarter turn down it's fine. As I say, I don't know how long my bass has been like this, but I've only noticed it recently. I usually have the neck pickup full and the bridge at about 3/4 full, and so I never noticed the drop as I was just a fraction of a turn shy of it cutting out. I had the neck pickup replaced with a Duncan Quarterpounder last year sometime but I can't think when. Is it possible this is the cause of the volume drop, or when it was fitted the tech didn't re-wire it properly? Looking at the underside of the control plate everything seems to be in order.

[quote name='steve-soar' post='161898' date='Mar 22 2008, 06:32 PM']Huh?[/quote] You said cheers after you posted those pictures. Who are you thanking and why?

Ordered a new set of D'Addarios, will restring the Jazz on Monday/Tuesday and see how it goes.

[quote name='steve-soar' post='161813' date='Mar 22 2008, 03:23 PM']Here are some pics to help you. Leave about 150mm of string to wind on. Cheers Steve.[/quote] You're welcome

How are you winding your strings JLP? The way I do it is I cut the string, put the end inside the hole inside the post and then tune. If I did it this way with a full string the windings would stack up but the string would leave the post at the top and not the bottom.

The headstock on these looks pretty SX'y: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350037097151&indexURL=0#ebayphotohosting"]Light Crust Doughboys Precision[/url]. Nice colour combo, brilliant name too

Think Jon posted [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-Ibanez-Bass_W0QQitemZ280211041730QQihZ018QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]this one[/url] before it was taken down. Still, it's back up, and it's pricey.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-Ibanez-Bass_W0QQitemZ280211041730QQihZ018QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]Ibanez Rick-a-like[/url]. Taken off and then re-listed. Looks nice but the start price is a bit high.

[quote name='coasterbass' post='160782' date='Mar 20 2008, 01:14 PM']When i went to my local shop to ask about getting my first left handed bass the guy told me to learn to play right handed, on the basis that you need more power in your fretting hand than your picking hand. Clearly I ignored him, but I think he may have had a sound point... Maybe everyone should swap?!?[/quote] Exactly, on that basis everyone who's right handed should be playing a lefty, and vice versa. I bet your shop assistant didn't play the other way round Also, spare a thought for Finnish post-hardcore band [url="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=15370025"]Disco Ensemble[/url], both their guitarist and bassist are lefties. Actually I don't think I've ever seen a band where all the guitarists/bassists are lefties.

So what sort of angle should I be looking for in terms of degrees? 0 degrees is totally flat, 90 degrees is straight up. Looking at my E just now it's probably about 10-15 degrees. I would have thought that having more turns would give you less of an angle as the string leaves the tuner higher up on the post. EDIT: Any chance someone could post a picture of their headstock to show me what the string break angle should be like? Please?

[quote name='Silverdog' post='161465' date='Mar 21 2008, 03:29 PM']thanks for the thoughts guys, I was hoping for a bit more DIY suggestions but hey ho. The screws are actually supposed to be black I think. Thanks again.[/quote] But the ones on the pickup surround are rusty I'd get them changed but I've found replacing guitar screws to be a nightmare.

[quote name='steve-soar' post='161414' date='Mar 21 2008, 01:54 PM']Hi Jono, how have you wound the E string onto the tuner post? I restrung my Precision last night and put 4 turns of string underneath each other. This makes the string come off the post at the same angle as the D and G strings. The only string I've had trouble with has been the A string but I just put 5 turns on it at the post. I think that I'll order a Hipshot 3 string retainer, $12, worth it for even string break behind the nut. Anyway if you have another E string to fit, if the one on it is too short, leave at least 20 cms extra string past the tuner post, put the string right down into the slot and wind the string with each turn going under the last. This should give you 4 to 5 turns around the post, enough back angle to stop buzzing and popping out. Cheers Steve. Knackers, didn't see BigRedx's post. :blush:[/quote] I normally cut the string at the next tuning post, so for the E I cut it so that the string reaches the far end of the A string post if that makes sense? Some crude editing in paint: The red line would be a continuation of the string if it was lain out flat, the 'X' being where I would cut the string. This is not my bass's headstock, by the way. I generally get 1 or 2 turns of the string before it's tuned up. Looking at it now, it's just one. I had a bit of a mess around earlier, it seems ok just now. Should I be trying to get the string as straight as possible, or do I want it at angle? The D and G strings are a very sharp angle, but the E and more so the A seem very straight. Put simply, do I want it a gentle incline or a steep slope? I would've thought that having 4 or 5 turns of string before the string leaves the tuning post would mean the string met the post quite high up.

My flatmate has offered me his Danelectro Wasabi Distortion now that my ODB-3 has been sold. It's pretty good, I'm getting a nicer sound (IMO) than I got with the Boss, but this thing swallows batteries whole! My flatmate said that by the end of a gig he could hear it struggling, and I think I probably got 3 hours or so out of it with a new battery. That could probably be remedied with using a better battery, not that the one I bought was rubbish, but really the only solution is to get a power supply. Will I need to get a Danelectro-specific PS or will a generic 9v adapter do the job?