Kiwi

still, its not like anyone is going to be ripped off. The reserve was very reasonable given the value of the parts.

Half Moon in Putney was on the brink of closing as well.

[quote name='molan' post='703720' date='Jan 7 2010, 12:24 AM']1) What are the differences between the J Updates and a Vintage? The Gallery are listing the Daphne blue one as Vintage but it looks very similar to my Update! N.B. Is this the same ex Me'Shell bass mentioned in the Celinder factory tour?[/quote] I get confused myself sometimes, but I thought Chris offered Classic and Update. Not sure what a vintage is but the main difference between a Classic and an Update is an active eq. [quote name='molan' post='703720' date='Jan 7 2010, 12:24 AM']2) Do most Celinders have their own brand pickups fitted? Mine has these but I have heard that some have Barts so maybe there are lots of pickup options available?[/quote] Whatever you want if you're paying the money...apart from probably EMGs because Chris isn't fond of the sound of them! [quote name='molan' post='703720' date='Jan 7 2010, 12:24 AM']3) Mine has a 2 band active tone circuit - I'd like to know a a bit more about this? Bass has a centre detent but treble rolls freely - is this standard? Are there internal adjustments (I haven't looked yet, lol). How dooes the pre work - the tone controls don't feel like they work in a 'conventional' manner?[/quote] There wasn't a standard eq in the earlier instruments. He'd install anything a customer wanted but many have Aguilar preamps. Later off-the-shelf basses have had a Greengrove pre though as standard. [quote name='molan' post='703720' date='Jan 7 2010, 12:24 AM']4) I've seen some Celinders with an additional flick switch - what does this do? Again, I spotted this on the Me'Shell bass.[/quote] Usually switches between active and passive. My old black one that Bigwan refers to had the same function but as a push/pull pot. I had a go on the Meshell bass in Chris's workshop and it was gorgeous (for a jazz). Didn't seem to be anything particularly unusual about the electronics, just a standard 2 band with active/passive switch, vol and pan. Also, Badass bridges were standard on earlier basses until he went to his own branded hardware.

Not only flats but other types, I've been scrounging for sets of super steps. None to be had since July because they don't bother making them until they fill the order book.

My 2p: Its a bit difficult for anyone (including myself) to draw definitive conclusions on a bit of kit unless its been tried in a variety of environments. On stage acoustics count for a lot in my experience. Also getting the right sound is as much about getting the recipe of wood, construction, electronics and hardware right in the bass and then bass vs amp, signal chain and speakers as anything. If the bass isn't 100% then maybe pairing it with a rig with the right colouring could be worth doing. Markbass rigs make jazz basses sound fantastic but suck with Smiths and Shukers and I couldn't buy an amp just for one bass. My advice is get the bass sounding right first. The more work you can do with the instrument, the less you have to do with the amp, signal chain and speaker. Its the path I've more or less followed. Also, there are some times on stage when nothing you ever do will sound 'right' so its worth taking the performance of the backline with a pinch of salt. In my book, the bigger the stage, the better the acoustics due to a lack of reflecting surfaces close by. After I found a bass that was 80% of the way there, the final tweak was changing the pickups. That meant I could plug it into any old amp and know that the essentials of I wanted to hear would be there even if I wasn't going to get everything. Alternatively, consider a parametric eq. perhaps? Sound engineers use them and I think they're the ultimate for tone tweaking. I have an old TL Audio 5013 valve parametric eq which is awesome for nailing specific frequencies that are getting pointy or smothered. I'm also about to install a 3 band parametric eq by Klaus Noll in one of my Spectors and will be doing an A/B against the other Spector which has a East MM/U-Retro. The 3 band para isn't any more difficult to operate than a sweep filter based eq and perhaps is easier to visualise. However as Mcgraham says, if you use IEM's then you cut out two variables (the speakers and stage acoustics). Not to mention the benefits of an obscene level of portability.

Wow, great opp. I'd be up for this if I was still in the UK.

I'm in the process of putting together an improv house disco band. The idea is that we do live mash ups and remixes on the fly after agreeing before hand which songs can mash up with each other best. Then we each learn the component parts and pre agreed signals for doing things like break downs and segues and make it up on stage. It's going to take a lot of rehearsal but I think once we're all used to communicating and reacting while we're playing, it'll be one of the most amazing experiences. Have a keyboardist and singer lined up so far but am looking for a solid drummer.

Steinberger graphite necks don't fit the spirit models, according to the Moses website. The Moses Steinberger blend necks are very good though, waaaay better than the dreadful floppy things they make for jazz and stingray basses.

It's like a public admission that Spector doesn't have enough faith in its own products. I'm sure Spector already know there are lots of jazz basses out there but, apart from taking advantage of any brand loyalty in current spector owners, I'm at a loss to understand where the added value is. Maybe the profit margins on these instruments are so good (with the uncomplicated hardware, popularity and relatively low construction costs) that manufacturers can't resist the temptation.

Good slogan! "Basschat - the kiss of life for old bastards."

Oh really?! No 1 after 'cutlass' on the headstock? Yours is one of the earliest by the sound of it. Out of interest do you know what the date on the neck is? The neck will have a series of three numbers handwritten in black marker under the finish. (Although supposedly made from 1980, I've yet to find a Cutlass that wasn't made in '83 or '84.)

[quote name='demanufacture' post='694628' date='Dec 28 2009, 01:56 AM']its cutlass 1 serial: B023151 action 3mm on E string on 12th fret. If I get it lower then i have terrible fretbuzz[/quote] All three of mine had the same issue. If you'd had an instrument that was capable of low action I would have been booking air tickets to Poland. Does the headstock say Cutlass or Cutlass 1?

Well, to compensate for my families lack of imagination, I went out yesterday and bought myself a Marantz Dolby 5.1 home theatre sound system (new for a ridiculous $1500) and a secondhand Mitsubishi LCD projector I spotted in a local pawn shop (a steal at NZ$800 when the new price was US$6500). All I need are a load of bean bags and Mission Set-Up-The-AV-Room will be complete! Whoop! I can't understand why a locally made leather lounge suite costs $5000 though, considering the price of the sound system. There's no logic in that from what I can see. The price of raw materials in NZ is pretty expensive, all things considered.

welcome to BC matey. I've owned three Cutlass basses, a couple of ones and a two. Whats the serial on yours and can you get low action on it? Any shots of it?

its hard to be certain because the book photo doesn't show the wood grain on the body very well. The wear pattern of that thumb anchoring point is a little different too. If its not the same bass, the similarities are still remarkable.

I have a headless Shuker 6 string bass and a headless Shuker guitar with Steinberger parts. I've never owned a headless Status bass, but I can assure you the balance thing is a bonus for 5+ string basses.

I was listening to some Police in the car the other day and, compared to Fields of Gold, his voice has deepened since those days. Hopefully as the result of some singing lessons. It sounds to me that his untrained voice sounds like the air escaping from a hot air balloon because thats where it was strongest. I can sing in the original key sometimes, I've got a fairly high singing voice but the range is pretty limited.

Used to be, and with good reason. Basses don't depreciate as much as cars. Now I'm not sure, because I've upgraded the car and the basses value on paper is a lot more too but whether someone out there would be prepared to pay the theoretical value is another matter.

I'd have a 5'er if thats what they're going for, but not as a main bass. Steal of a price though.

Ha ha, Marks voice sounds really good! He did well to hit those high notes. The Heathrow inspired fills and groove are nostalgic too. The video is obviously lip syncing but hell, who cares. Its the thought that counts. Merry Christmas Mark and Heather.