Kiwi

All done

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showforum=35"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showforum=35[/url]

Members seemed to be used to making posts and using a reviews section seemed to be less popular. So on this forum we just made a forum into a reviews section. Its easier to search as well.

If I read all the forums you mods would have even less to do

[quote name='phatmonkey' post='7855' date='May 27 2007, 10:18 PM']I'll fix it, I know exactly where it is.

Edit - done![/quote]

The mods won't thank you.

If you do the post, we'll make it sticky...

...oh dear, what an unfortunate term...

No problem Matt, looks like the first three basses have been requested as it is. Next bassbash is probably going to be around September time I suspect.

I've just jabbed the screwdriver around a bit backstage and I can't see a setting that says 'allow members to delete posts' or similar. Not even in the permissions settings for each forum. I'll keep having a dig about but its not looking good. I think the only way to make it happen would be to assign everyone a moderators rank and then restrict their permissions back to only being able to delete posts.

I recommend you drop the mod a PM with a link. They complain that they don't have enough to do as it is

BTW, How could someone make the same post 6 times?

[url="http://basstalk.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=16275&b=1&st=0&p=&#entry"]http://basstalk.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...p;p=&#entry[/url]

[i]Aug 13 2006, 09:38 PM

Breakerfall:

I have had a Plek set-up done on my Jazz and while it was there I had Sadowsky strings fitted which is what I use normally. I asked for a medium action set up as I play fingerstyle and slap in a few different styles and this is pretty versatile.

When it came back I couldn't believe the amount of fret buzz. Even when fretting in the 5th position I get loads of buzz.

Is there anything I should be aware of before I pick up the phone and complain?

This is a world renowned chap that did the job and it cost a pretty penny. Surely with a medium action set up I shouldn't be getting this happening?

Anyone else have any experience of a Plek set-up?[/i]

[quote name='Alemboid' post='6049' date='May 24 2007, 09:15 PM']CK, I thought the machine did put the neck under tension? Can't see that it'd be any use at all otherwise.[/quote]

I've just gone back to my original Bassworld post which offers a little more clarity.

[url="http://basstalk.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=18752&b=1&st=0&p=&#entry"]http://basstalk.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...p;p=&#entry[/url]

[i]
Nov 4 2006, 01:30 PM

CK:
just came back from Chandler Guitars after taking my Smith 6 down there. They're only a few stops away from me on the District line and I planned to get the bass plekked and put a review on the site.

When I got there, I had a nice chat to their tech, (I think his name was Leon), who told me basically that the machine had a flaw in it and would probably not give me the results I was expecting.

I have to say it was a bit of a surprise. The plek machine takes a measurement of the neck with strings and then again without strings and works out what the neck relief should be given the bending characteristics. However apparently what it doesn't do is allow for the bending characteristics of the truss rod which only affect the neck relief from the 15th fret down. Above that, its up to shimming/microtilt to make sure the fingerboard is parallel to the strings.

If the guy I spoke to registers on BW, I'll let him explain it in a little more detail.
________________________________________________________________________________
Dood: I look forward to hearing more about it! Cheers Steve.
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CK:
Yeah, he said they've had numerous arguments with the inventor over this flaw. Apparently he invented the machine because he had an Ibanez guitar which noone could set up properly in Germany... :shock: ...this was before he thought that it might be cheaper to just fit a better neck.

Chandlers seem pretty confident they can do a hand crowning that is better than the Plek.
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Mikey:
Sounds a bit odd :?

I wonder if something 'political' happened when Charlie Chandler left them to set up his guitar experience shop in Hampton Wick - he's still offering plek setups and was apparently 'closely involved with the development of the Plek system, having helped introduce the system to the U.S.A'.

[url="http://www.guitarexperience.co.uk/html/ind...=showpage&pid=2"]http://www.guitarexperience.co.uk/html/ind...wpage&pid=2[/url]

Not that I'd ever take a bass anywhere but the gallery to get the frets done by hand.
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CK:
Yes the guy I spoke to mentioned that Charlie is a champion of the Plek system still. They had their plek machine sitting in the back of the shop which costs £60,000 to purchase now so I'd imagine if they'd probably still be pretty keen to make money off it if it didn't result in a negative backlash.

I told the guy straight up what I wanted to do by way of review and it might be that he was just being sensible considering that this site gets about 30,000 hits a day. He said that when they started using it, every celeb guitar that came in to be done ended up being refretted pretty shortly after because of the buzz in the upper registers of the neck. Imagine if I got the bass done and then started slagging it off, it would make Chandlers look bad as well as Plek.

All credit to Chandlers for being upfront with me about it.
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bassbloke:
Funnily enough, even after being plekked, I still had issues with the action of my Jazz. Finally this afternoon I twigged that removing the neck might reveal something interesting and sure enough, there was a piece of plastic being used as a shim.

I duly removed it and I've been able to drop the action right down with next to no buzz.

I'd gotten the impression that there was a period of severeal years between Chrlie Chandler leaving Chandler's music in KEw and setting up his own store in Hampton Wik, where I took mine. Wasn't he working in the states for a while?
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CK:
Yes, I think he was involved with promoting Plek heavily in the US.
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Merton:
Chandlers is the only place I'll go for a set up, their other luthier dude is Paul Herman who has done a lot of work for Fender here in the Uk, a bit for Wal (or so i'm told!) plus he builds his own instruments. Never ever had an isue with any of the numerous weird and wonderful set up and repair jobs he's done for me. The man is a genius. And no Plek in sight!

Interesting comments though, especially after other threads on this subject a few months back...
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JPJ:
As both a failed engineer and someone who sets up his own bass, I have often wondered about the Plek system.

I have tried using all the engineering know-how I have to add 'precision' (no not a fender precision, engineering precision!) to setting up my bass from a repeatability point of view with little or no success.

I have concluded that there are too many variables/factors to consider when setting up a bass, and ultimately, its a feel thing rather than precise science.

The issue I have always had with the Plek idea, is that neck bow under string tension releases in a non-linear way when the string tension is removed (rather the reverse of how a neck settles after new strings are put on your bass). The tension releases significantly at first, but the release continues, albeit at a much slower rate, over a protracted period which can be days or even weeks. The age of the neck wood has a lot to do with this as newer necks release the tension much quicker than older necks. Therefore, the idea of precisely meassuring neck relief before and immediately after tension removal appears to be flawed in my thinking.
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[/i]

Hi Stu, thanks for coming over to the dark side with us

Damn, if I didn't live in a flat with narrow staircases, I'd have snapped this one up.

Have a free admin bump.

[quote name='Buzz' post='7771' date='May 27 2007, 07:40 PM']What's that you say Kiwi? EvE online you say?

Do it, you won't look back. Ever.[/quote]

That is exactly what I'm afraid of. No time for keeping an eye on Basschat and then where would you lot be?

Probably a lot happier...

...aha! Now I see your cunning plan, Sir!

I guess the first place to check is a separate connection for stereo from the E-A pickup (assuming it exists) with a multimeter. You'll have to make sense of the wiring though and then you'll need to test the solder joints. The only way to really wrestle with this kind of problem is to be very methodical and logical about the process you're following. Or take it to someone qualified

Thanks guys - I know and have worked with letraset often in the past at work. I should have thought about that before posting really. I was hoping for something that didn't rely on the eye for letter spacing and level just because I'm lazy more than anything when it comes to doing this.

The coat of lacquer might do the trick as far as protecting it is concerned.

Marker pen and Dymo tape is possible although I'd prefer something better quality.

[quote name='NickThomas' post='7481' date='May 27 2007, 08:36 AM']Strange thing about Herbie Flowers is.... his name is very familiar to me, as I've heard him mentioned for years. But I have no idea who he is, or what he's done . The photo on that ad gives me a first impression of him I could do without lol

Nick.[/quote]

He's a lovely bloke too, just go up to him and introduce yourself as a fellow bass player. He's done sessions with pretty much every big UK name in the 70's and 80's plus others. He's also famous for writing the bass line to Lou Reeds "Take a Walk on The Wild Side" and not getting paid any more than studio scale for it!

[url="http://www.myspace.com/bassmusicianmag"]http://www.myspace.com/bassmusicianmag[/url]

This is going to be interesting. Perhaps a publisher has decided to have a go at competing with webforums?

I hope the articles aren't as sycophantic as in Bass Player.

[quote name='andyonbass' post='7354' date='May 26 2007, 10:16 PM']Heads up for all you Sussex based low enders, theres some great bass players attending the Adur festival in Shoreham in June , check out

[url="http://www.ropetacklefestival.org.uk/pages/_Marquee_Series/1106"]http://www.ropetacklefestival.org.uk/pages...uee_Series/1106[/url]
Shame I moved to Swindon [/quote]

I'd like to catch up with Herbie but I'm not going to drive back from Shoreham at 11pm.

Let me know if you decide to come to one of the bass bashes we have every 6 months. Hopefully I might be able to give you a nice surprise.

Does anyone know of a system I can use to label the controls of my new custom rack mounted mixer? I guess the alternatives are

1) Opaque white marker pen
2) Plastic strip lettering (which looks tacky)
3) Engraving (at 50p a letter)

At the moment, I've used chinograph pencil but its not a permanent solution by a long way.

What about Warwicks? No potential there? They've reached a point of market saturation and were widely endorsed.

well we're all extreme noobs now, so welcome aboard

Shrewd? Thats setting someone up for a fall, innit?

I think there are some basses that achieve a certain iconic status through a combination of band associations and general availability so I'd say they're the ones to go for. However its important to bear in mind that the pre-CBS boom was driven by baby-boomers with a severe case of nostalgia and a bucket load of money thanks to the 80's stockmarket boom.

Obviously Wal basses are a classic in the making in that they look set to attract huge sums for the forseeable future. If we don't already own a Wal then we've probably all missed the boat on that one. I remember there was a bit of a blip in the prices of Jaydees for reasons of nostalgia a few years back too. However, it looks like they might have settled back down again in the last year or so. At the height of the madness I even saw a refinished flat pink Supernatural Mark King with pink neck LED's go for £1300 on one Ebay auction.

Ibanez Musicians are probably worth investing in if you can get them for less than £300. There's a nostalgia thing going for them at the moment. Similar fallout effect for anything early 80's and japanese really, particularly Ibanez basses.

Steinbergers are probably worth getting if they're below £1k, too. Particularly white ones which were relatively rare. Trouble is, because they're graphite, there's not as much mystique attached to them over aging etc. So although I would've backed them a few years back, it looks like the 20 year window of desirability has passed them to a large extent.

It could be argued that 70's Alembics are potential investment with their high standards of build quality and iconic status. But I don't think they were ever popular enough in the way that preEB Musicman's or Fenders were for them to accrue a lot of value to anyone but an Alembic collector.

Good grief, OK then. If I didn't have a conscience and had loads of money and room to spare, then this is what I'd be diving for:

Alembic Series 2 (5 string with standard point body and 5A maple facings in black cherry 'burst)
AGC Custom 5 (fretted and fretless)
Carl Thompson Scroll Bass
Fodera Beez Elite 5 (quilted redwood facings)
Jaydee Calibas 5 (fretted and fretless)
Jaydee Supernatural Classic (if I could ever find one of the originals)
Ken Smith BMT bass (pretty much every single example I could get my hands on)
Michael Spalt custom 5 (fretted and fretless)
Modulus Quantum TBX 6 'Andy West' (fretted and fretless)
Musicman Cutlass II
Musicman Cutlass (without the I on the headstock)
Pedulla Hexabuzz
Pedulla Pentabuzz (in greenburst)
Rainsong Graphite Acoustic bass guitar
Sandberg Basic 5 (fretted and fretless)
Shuker headless 5 (fretted and fretless)
Status Stealth 6 headless custom (fretted and fretless with redwood tops)
'79 Steinberger L2 prototype (or 1980 early serial #)
Steinberger XL2 Transtrem
'83 Strata bass (one without a banana shaped neck)
Spector NS-5XL (fretted and fretless)

Preamps:
Alembic F-1X
Eden WT1000 Navigator preamp
Custom preamp/mixer/Alembic power supply + Stereo rack mounted valve compressor

+ Peavey DEC1400 or BK Electronics Mxf 1200D 1u Class D power amp

Amps:
Burman Pro4000 (whatever I could lay my hands on, in good nick)
Eden WT1205
Fender Bassman
Gallien Krueger 2001RB
Mesa Boogie 400+ (again)
Trace Elliot V8
Trace Elliot Hexavalve
Walter Woods Ultra

Cabs:
Aguilar 4x10" x2 (for the Mesa Boogie and Walter Woods)
Fender Bassman 4x12" and 2x15"
Schroeder 4x12 neo x2
Trace Elliot V type 4x12 to match the V8
Burman 4x12 to match the Burman heads

I reckon it could probably take me a lifetime and a half to accrue that lot!

Well, I'm just looking at my smacked up pre EB Stingray and comparing it favourably to my Smiths and Celinder, thats all. There have been some gorgeously muntered 70's and early 80's P-basses I've played as well. They've got fag burns between the tuners, stickers on the body and rusted pickups and bridge parts. Plugged in they sound like they've spent 20 years inside and have been on a regular course of steroids.

A reckon a bit of moderate abuse over a long period of time mellows an instrument out.

[quote name='OldGit' post='6517' date='May 25 2007, 02:25 PM']I think Rich has a Senheisser 172 now ...

I had a Trantec s2000 and was happy as larry for a while. but it's VHF and the sound way way inferior to a cable.[/quote]

Does he? I was going by his photos in Bass Porn and I thought he was showing another Trantec... ...maybe it was his old one. Anyways, in all honesty, I'm hard pushed to tell the difference between cable and wireless on my units. All three sound pretty crisp and full to me during an AB test - maybe I just got lucky?