D.I. Joe

Cassidy JB2 UK Custom Built Electric Bass Guitar and Cassidy EB1 Hard Case. Build Specification as follows : 3 piece Solid Ash Body finished in High Gloss Tobacco Sunburst, Black Scratchplate, Canadian Maple Neck with Honey Gloss finish, Indian Rosewood Fretboard with Cream Binding, Pearl Block Fretboard Inlays, Abalone logo Inlay to Headstock, Gotoh 201B Bridge, Gotoh GB528S Tuners, Fully shielded cavities and Scratchplate, Custom Neck Bolts and Inserts, Custom Engraved Neckplate, The following components were supplied by myself and hence differ from the standard spec found [url="http://www.cassidymusic.co.uk/index.php/environment/uk-custom-build/166-ukcb-jb1"]here[/url]: Bare Knuckle J Bass Series ­ '60 PE J Bass Pickups, Bare Knuckle CTS Pots and Jensen BKP 0.022μfd capacitor all assembled using Vintage style Cloth Vintage style Chrome Pickup Covers. Firstly, I make it no secret on this forum that I am an endorsee of the Cassidy Music Company – in fact it is something which I take great pride in, given the quality of the instruments which the company produce. Let me make it clear though that I was not given this bass free of charge, and that this is review is my true opinion of the bass. Build - One thing that I have to remark about this bass is its sheer beauty. The high-gloss finish on the body, coupled with the honey gloss neck finish and block neck inlays make this look like a “new-vintage” jazz bass. I couldn’t help but source some ash tray covers to complete the vintage look! The Cassidy logo inlay on the headstock also gives you some idea of the craftsmanship, pride and dedication which has gone into the making of this instrument. Don’t be put off by the fact that the neck and body are made in China, the construction of this instrument from top to bottom is pure quality. The one adjustment that I had to make though, is that the body contour is not quite as generous as some, myself included, may be used to. However this doesn't affect the overall playability once you get used to it. Playability – In a word, YES! As you would expect for a custom build, it arrived having been completely set up. Low action, buzz-free, ready to rock and roll! Again here though, the beauty is in the attention to detail, as the frets have been meticulously polished and levelled prior to shipping so the playing action is consistently fast and smooth throughout the entire length of the neck. There are no dead spots to report either, just unadulterated great tone all the way! Tone – This is where my particular specimen differs slightly from the standard-spec of the UKCB JB1 as I am using Bare Knuckle ’60 PE Jazz Bass Pickups, rather than the ‘stock’ Fender CS ‘60s pickups. For better or worse is down to the individual, but the Bare Knuckles do the job perfectly here for me. This bass has all the sonic versatility that you would expect from a jazz bass, and more. There are far too many tones to even begin to list them here, but from the sharpest Rock sounds to the smoothest Reggae vibe, this is the perfect bass for any job. To wrap up, this bass for me will be a friend for life. I could not recommend the Cassidy UKCB range highly enough in terms of build quality and value for money. These basses currently retail for[b] £895[/b], which is much less than the American Standard, never mind their Custom Shop or big-name custom builders. If you are looking for an affordable custom build, great quality without spending thousands or even just something nice and a bit different to add to the collection, this could be the bass for you. You can find more photos of this bass here: [url="https://www.facebook.com/cassidyguitars/photos_stream"]https://www.facebook...s/photos_stream[/url] Thanks for reading Joe

Thanks David!

Just bought David's MXR Bass Octave Deluxe and I can only reiterate what has been said before. Great communication, secure packaging and quick dispatch. A superb ambassador for the Hungarian second hand market! Cheers

I had a Rickenfaker made by Shine and replaced the bridge with a Hipshot. I needn't have bothered... I didn't notice much real benefit over the stock bridge and also found that I had to have a mounting plate made to fit the Hipshot bridge, as the saddles were a few millimetres lower than on the stock bridge. When I first installed the Hipshot I had some crazy buzzing and neck relief problems. Definitely not worth the £150-odd that my naive 18 year-old self paid for it

Not yet!

Second hand BF Compact is the way forward. Best cab I've ever bought! Not sure how much they go for now, but mine for example is a first gen which I got on this forum about 9 months ago for £300

I'm another that uses the volume pot on the bass as an on/off switch. The only time it is anything else is when I'm quietly "warming up" before sound check

So... Anyone else going to this? It's only a couple of weeks away now

[quote name='odysseus' timestamp='1391266036' post='2355160'] We managed to survive a gig in Cornwall's (allegedly) roughest pub, The Swordfish in Newlyn. Having heard of it's reputation, there was an element of trepidation, but the fact of it was that we had a really enjoyable and well-received gig. They seem to love their rock and roll. As a bonus, I was able to give my newly-acquired Geddy Lee jazz bass, and my new Genz combo a chance to stretch their legs. Good stuff! [/quote] You took your Genz into the Swordfish?! Brave man.

You can get a theramin iPhone app, if that's any help.

It really does depend on what your needs are. If you only use a clean bass tone then you won't need any tone or colouration pedals. The compressor debate is down to everyone's personal taste just as much as any other pedals would be - and let's not forget that you can set a compressor in many different ways to achieve different effects, tonally or otherwise. Personally, a good compressor is something that I would never be without. I have a Boss CS-3 kitted up with the Monte Allums Opto-Plus mod and it is always on to keep the bass sound focused and audible in the mix, without squeezing the life out of my tone and dynamics. It can be a fine line but it's so satisfying to be able to hear every note precisely and not just be lost in a bellowing rumble.

Basschat members in Cornwall are a pretty rare beast! The only member's bands that I have seen live are DeanoVW's Tumbao and Cameltoe's Hold The Sun, though they now have a different bassist. I keep meaning to check out Basschatters' recordings and live videos but I never know quite where to start! Best dive in head first I suppose! Thanks for the link to the Share Your Music forum - I'll be sure to check it out!

[quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1388800949' post='2326336'] could i maybe put a strange suggestion out there, why not use a good quality capo? to bring the bass up a tone? easy and quick and no second bass needed just tune the bass to d and pop a capo on the right fret andy [/quote] Exactly what I would suggest! Having 2 basses at a gig is never a bad idea though.

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1387210654' post='2309406'] Would have loved to meet up again, but I can't go to this for the same reason as I'm missing the LBGS - holiday in Tenerife. It seems that all the best events of the year are on that weekend! I'm also missing a comedy in improv masterclass/workshop on the same day. :-0 This had better be a bloody good holiday to make up for it! [/quote] Boo! I hope it rains, that'll learn ye

Sounds good! I'll be at the Guitar Show with The Bare Knuckle Blues Band, performing in the afternoon on both days, and probably milling around the Bare Knuckle Pickups stand too. It'd be good to get a chance to meet some fellow Basschatters at the show!

I asked Tim (Bare Knuckle CEO) about the 65 and he said that it's really designed for basses that have really heavy wood which sounds really dull and dark. The 65 has much more top end response and a bit less bottom than the more versatile 58, which is what I use and is fantastic. It might be that a snarly top end is what you're after, but if not then the 58 would be a better shout.

[quote name='grenadilla' timestamp='1384298845' post='2275097'] For people who like a Precision better just use your neck pickup on your Rickenbacker. If the clanging treble from the bridge pickup is too much, turn down the tone knob for that pickup. As aggressive as the distortion is on " Smoke On The Water", many bands want it clean. Roger Glover seems to use a cleaner sound on the recent What Now? album. You probably don't want h. f. horns . They are too harsh for proper 'Purple tone. [/quote] I think he uses Vigier pretty much exclusively now though.

[quote name='paulieaudiobloom' timestamp='1383692353' post='2267902'] I don't have any experience with Trinity or Rockschool but you should definitely check out the Registry of Guitar Tutors bass grades ([url="http://www.rgt.org/exams/bass-guitar.php"]http://www.rgt.org/e...bass-guitar.php[/url]). They are recognized qualifications and the advanced grades (6,7 and 8) count as UCAS points towards university. You learn scales, arpeggios, modes, bass patterns in different styles, improv, various aural skills and much more. Plus you only have to buy three books at the most and can take any exam you like rather than them all. It massively improved my playing no doubt! [/quote] Now that looks worth a look! Thanks

[quote name='thebassist' timestamp='1383580926' post='2266140'] I spoke to a guy who skipped grades 2 and 4 and regretted not doing them. I'll talk to my tutor again - I plan on becoming a tutor so my intention is to complete all of the courses so that I have firsthand experience of them myself. [/quote] Sounds like my situation too. I'm looking to begin tutoring and I'm thinking that using the grades would be a good way to go. When I started I went straight in at Grade 4 but I think that the way the books work is that they take you from the ground up, so would be useful for absolute beginners.

I'd go with whatever your tutor thinks most appropriate.

[quote name='Mr Fretbuzz' timestamp='1383430149' post='2264517'] I got Rockschool Grade 3 with Merit after 6 months of playing and spending so much time on it held back my playing. [/quote] Interesting to hear that you found this, though the first one I did was Grade 4. I found that the grades helped me to improve my playing enormously; not just in terms of technical ability, but with musical understanding of a range of styles as well. I went through the grades while I was at college as I had free bass lessons as part of my course (which I did alongside A-Levels) and at the end passed Grade 8. The higher grades are especially helpful in developing versatility with different styles and techniques and the Grade 8 exam features some ear training, improvising and transcribing exercises.

[quote name='ML94' timestamp='1383382228' post='2263761'] I'm doing the trinity grade 8 now. I'd say its more enjoyable than the rock school as there 'real songs'. Even though they aren't transcribed to bit by bit they get the general jist of. [b]Then there's the improvisation and reading part. You choose one of them and then do it lol. Then there's the 3 general questions like what do the knobs on your bass do etc. pretty hard to fail IMO[/b] [/quote] Referring to Rockschool here? Sounds familiar

I've only done Rockschool. I think it's a great resource, it's good for learning different styles and techniques and some essential theory and scales. Not had any experience of the Guildhall though so don't know how it compares. I do think that the Rockschool Grades are a fantastic tool for anyone at a beginner/intermediate level. If you're more advanced as a player then they could still benefit you as an introduction to theory, but I think (blindly) that the Guildhall grades are more theory intensive. (?) I've been thinking about revisiting grades and doing the Guildhall grades myself for this reason.

Yup. Perhaps almost as much as the spec of the pickup itself.