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I come from a classical music background. I started with piano lessons when I was eight years old in April, 1970 for a few years. Believe it or not, learning some rudimentary piano can help a player learn bass. That's how I learned. After a few years of piano lessons as a boy, I showed up at a summer band camp and offered to play electric bass for the jazz band section of the camp for what we call the "middle" years or "junior high" years in USA schools (13-14 years old). They passed out the charts. Literally, the first note was a 4th line f, so I went in my mind, "Open D, Eb, E, F - third fret"; second note was a 4th space G, so, in my mind, "open string G"; third note was top line A, so it was, "Open G, Ab, A - second fret"; etc., note by note throughout the piece, and I built on that throughout the week of camp. This was on Monday morning. That Friday evening I anchored the band with a half-hour concert for all the parents & friends, before the concert band section of the band camp gave their concert. I've never looked back. I am now a #1 call guy where I live when a bass player in another band goes down, because I can sight read the gig on either electric or double bass, whether on written out charts, chord charts, head charts, chord symbols with lyrics, etc. Yes, by all means, learn to read. You will get more offers for gigs than you can handle. In the past week, I have accepted for over the next month four or five gigs and turned down two or three because of conflicting timing.

Bob has one of the best respected shops in the USA. I have done business with his shop, and it is always a superlative experience. Using some of his ideas in his booklet, I have received numerous compliments on both the electric bass and double bass side of things (using the same amp & extension cab setup).

I don't know of any that large. Seymour Duncan makes 1/4 inch polepieces for their "quarter-pounder" P pickup, and DiMarzio makes a rails type pickup, and a couple others, but other than the Delano already mentioned above, I don't know of anyone who makes the 3/8 magnet in a P-pickup. But think about it: the reason for traditional pairs of magnet slugs for each string is to take the edge off articulation for a smoother tone, which is part of the P persona. If you use a single slug under each string, you emphasize the articulation, which provides a spikey transient, and is exactly why Leo Fender went from single pole pieces in the original P-bass 1951-1956, to the dual polepieces from 1957 to present.

Short scale alone may or may not help your wrist. Having the same problem some years ago, I solved it for myself by having a custom fanned fret bass made for myself. The description and pix are here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/174777-and-now-for-something-completely-different-in-a-pj/page__p__1632811__hl__fanned__fromsearch__1#entry1632811"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/174777-and-now-for-something-completely-different-in-a-pj/page__p__1632811__hl__fanned__fromsearch__1#entry1632811[/url]

Remember he coated his fingerboard with epoxy to make it harder; "the" Jaco bass had been damaged, so it had to be rebuilt and was resurfaced with maple veneers, etc.; and tone is first in the fingers, second in the gear.

You're all missing the best flats in the last thirty years: the 9050 Fender steel flats. They growl when you want them to. They are mellow when you need them to be. The are absolutely consistent both string-to-string and up the neck. They don't clank. They don't thud out. They are value-for-money and last forever. I'm still on my first set after almost two years of gigging. If the OP needs a hair less tension, then the 40-100 SL set might be a good choice. Since they are smooth to the touch, a little more tension can mean the setup can be a little lower string action, and still have good feel. This is what I did when I switched, after over 30 years of playing roundwound strings of all brands, to the CL 45-60-80-105 set. I am a convert, and I play these strings all all gigs and all styles from Friday night to Sunday morning.

First, I'm not sure I'd call changing Barts to DiMarzio an "upgrade." Quite the opposite. That said, I played a J-bass with a pair of original Model J's in the early '80's, when the stock pickups died and factory replacements were not available (the transition years between CBS & FMIC); I've played (and still do in the bridge position) the UltraJazz. I've played the Seymour Duncan Stack. I've played basses with Barts. They all simply have different characteristics. The DiMarzio Model J is a little grittier, but I like it for live "classic rock" gigs where the bass is playing with significant gain, and that each pickup is humbucking in and of itself. The UltraJazz is also humbucking, and incredibly versatile: a hair more scooped and "rounder" or "modern" in tone, not exactly "classic" single coil J-bass, but still gotta love the ability for it to sit in the mix with no noise or hum. The Seymour stack I had was a little shy on bass; but I'm just not a fan of stacked pickups for electric bass. YMMV. SD's "vintage" and "antiquities" are good, each with a slightly different take on classic J tone. The quarter-pounders are a little "hard" for me, the "hot" models a little dull. The Barts are smooth. Ultra-smooth. Clean. Not high-gain pickups. This is what some folks are hearing when they describe them as lacking character. To me, they need a good versatile onboard preamp to bring out their best. Fralin makes great pickups. If you don't mind the noise, his vintage styles (like all single coils, irrespective of make or model) are some of the best. He also makes an end-to-end humbucker, if noise is an issue. It's all a matter of flavor.

Check the pickup as well by unsoldering the hot lead to make sure it has a steady DC resistance reading consistent with the type of pickup. Then before you replace the potentiometer, first try the slightest application of contact cleaner to make sure it isn't just a speck of crud. If it does turn out to be the pot, don't skimp. In the USA CTS is the standard. Bournes is another good brand; I prefer the CTS because of their longevity. Many original '50's and '60's vintage instruments still function on their original CTS pots. As far as replacement: I've even done a replacement during the 15 minute between set breaks in the middle of a gig before. But you do have to know what you are doing.

[quote name='bassbluestew' timestamp='1345995229' post='1783897'] Having tried lots of different wiring diagrams and this one worked for me. [url="http://home.provide.net/~cfh/57pbass.gif"]http://home.provide....cfh/57pbass.gif[/url] Got my new bitsa p bass going now, hope this makes someone else just as happy ! Stewart [/quote] +1

The bottom line is that if Fender discontinued the stacks after less than a year of production for both production and tonal reasons, then (rhetorically) why would anybody want to go back to this configuration, especially since the VVT is so much easier to work with, both on stage and in the studio?! Regarding hum/buzz: original Fender Jazz pickups and their copies are all single coil, and all are prone to hum/buzz/electrostatic noise when used singly. The humbucking effect is best when both pickups are set at the same level. But most people bias one way or the other for their personal tone, so it's a compromise at best. That's what finally turned me off traditional J pickups in favor of the humbucking varieties. I currently run a DiMarzio UltraJazz bridge pickup with my Rick humbucker on my custom fanned fret bass in VVT.

[quote name='artisan' timestamp='1343904004' post='1757015'] hi Chris,nice Bandit,have you bought a new toy to replace it ? yes that's my new baby only had it 5 weeks & love it to bits. i've had too many bikes to count over the years & nearly all of them mental fast sport bikes,i did have a nice XJR1300 that i spent a fortune on, JMC underbraced swing arm etc. i finally got sick of trying to kill myself though & switched to Harley,much prefer it too i actually enjoy riding the bike now instead of just the adrenalin rush i used to get. [/quote] Ah, reminds me of when I got my "Hugger" (factory chopped Sportster) in the early '90's and actually passed my motorcycle qualification test on it.

Is you J pickup a single coil? If so, that in and of itself can cause phasing issues. Are they different aftermarket pickups? If so, the coil and magnet orientation can be different, using different coloured leads, etc. My P-J has a Rickenbacker humbucker in the position where the D-G precision segment usually is, and a DiMarzio UltraJazz in the bridge position. I had to try every orientation of wiring on the J to find the proper orientation so that the pickup was wired both electrically and magnetically in phase with the Rick. Does everything come to one ground/earthing point so there is no "loop" to induce hum? Yes, in the late '80's when Fender started using the black shielding paint in their cavities, one wire came off one of the pot casings to a lug screwed into the cavity to make a ground/earthing contact. It also sounds like the E-A segment leads are swapped the wrong way. The best way to wire a P-J is to use the jazz bass V-V-T configuration, wire the P-pickup segments conventionally, find a J pickup that is also humbucking, and make sure it is in wired in both electrical and magnetic phase as the P pickup.

Well, unfortunately, with original inexpensive strings, they do not necessarily hold. Placeholders they are. If budget is a problem, look around on the forums and otherwise. Because double bass strings are so expensive, sometimes a good lightly used set (purchased, mounted, and didn't like the tone/action/arco/whatever reason and took them right off) from an established company like Thomastik-Infeld or Pirastro will be about half to two-thirds the cost of new, and last a significantly long time. Oh -- there is one good set that does have a solid steel core: the original T-I Precision strings. But they are a bit stiff by modern standards.

I live near Branson, Missouri, USA, right in the middle of dulcimer country. But that doesn't help you. Here's a link to a UK luthier with his plans; scroll down to Appalacian dulcimer. He charges a bit, but it appears worth it: [url="http://www.art-robb.co.uk/plans.html"]http://www.art-robb.co.uk/plans.html[/url]

With all due respect, vaseline/cosmoline/petroleum jelly/gel lubricants can seep into the headstock and cause wood deterioration. I absolutely agree with graphite or teflon powder lubricants. All contact points and string contact points, especially the nut slot, must be lubricated with graphite or teflon powder. Moreover, the nut slot, in addition to being lubricated, must be absolutely smooth and burnished, with a slight back bevel and clean "witness point" at the front of the edge of the nut so the string will intonate properly but not bind or hang when engaging the HipShot. The E string, with use of the HipShot, will see more stress than the rest of the set, so I recommend purchasing extra E strings in addition to sets so when tone, intonation, or ease of use become an issue, but the rest of the strings sound fine, that the E string can be swapped out. Oh, yes: I'd say trim one of the windings. Maybe three instead of four, or just enough to make sure to keep the silk leader from binding on the bushing or the post. I wouldn't go as low as two with a HipShot, because of stability issues.

To quote George Harrison, "All things must pass." I had a great band in the early '90's. It had its life cycle. We're all still good friends. I jam otherwise and perform regularly in a variety of other groups on tuba, double bass and electric bass. I seek and find that "magic" as I can as an integral part of playing and studying as we play the different musicians I play with and match their styles.

Korg. Best value for money. You can set them to whatever frequency you desire. In my decades of experience, they filter out the crap and read the true pitch of the string better and quicker than anything else. I used to go rack mount; now I have one of their hand-helds on the side out of my amp.

Chromes give that hollow, thuddy classic P-bass tone. Pure nickels, like the T-I and the Optimas, will give you the "Macca" tone. As for me, +1 on the Fender 9050CL 45-60-80-105 steel flats. They're growly when you want them to be; mellow when you need them to be; absolutely consistent string-to-string and up the neck; they don't "clank"; they don't "thud"; they last "forever"; and they're economical compared to a lot of sets. These are the strings that converted me from a round wound guy to flats after decades of playing. I use them for everything from Friday night to Sunday morning.

[size=5][sup]Several websites, like Seymour Duncan, have templates for the measurements of "Fender Standard" sized P-pickups.[/sup][/size]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' timestamp='1342706835' post='1739672'] I know some bloke that works in an old guitar shop in London, he has run an old 1965 mitsubishi car from new, regularly serviced, he claims it's never once gone wrong on him, he does all his own services on the car, oil change, filters, pads, cam belt, what not you name it. The car still looks like when he bought it new. He claims his car is still a gTi killer so one day I met him at the lights on Roehampton lane with my single cilinder Yamaha XT660X Supermoto. I said to him g'wan then show me how good that car is. By the time I was in 4th gear I was 700 yards away and when I got to the next set of lights they went red/green twice before he got there to take the shame. There is a moral in that story. [/quote] No, there isn't. I have a 1967 Jaguar E-type roadster, body #1E13203 (this was before modern 16-digit VIN). For the mid-'60's, it was fast. Very fast. Now it just looks good by comparison. Would I try to race it against a new Porsche? No. Do I still turn heads every time I take it out? Definitely. Apples and oranges. We're talking about reliability with no noise for the least respected aspect of electric guitar & bass playing. I can afford to play and use any cord, switch, jack, or other connection device out there, and in the almost-40-years of playing electric instruments, I have tried them all. By experience, by 21st century standards, Switchcraft still makes the most reliable plugs and jacks out there.

In order to avoid neck dive, I recommend Hipshot tuners. They are machined aircraft grade aluminum, and a Hipshot ultralight weighs about half of a traditional old-style Fender tuner. On my P-style fanned fret bass, I used these instead of the traditional Schaller-designed old-style Fender tuners and about 1/4 kilo of weight just in the tuners, and I have absolutely no neck dive. They are stable, smooth in their movement, easy to tune, and of the highest construction quality. [url="http://store.hipshotproducts.com/cart.php?m=product_list&c=5"]http://store.hipshotproducts.com/cart.php?m=product_list&c=5[/url] Of course, this advise assumes a modern instrument, not a vintage instrument where originality of parts is an issue.

After you get the Simandl, there are a lot of other things to practice which a good tutor can refer you to. You can also start reading jazz/dance band standards charts. Most of them, because of the horns, are in flat keys that work very well in 1/2 position.

Typical. Forgive the rant: Switchcraft. Now and forever. Simple is best. I have the plain ordinary simple Switchcraft jacks and plugs on my instruments and cords, and have for decades. Never a failure, never a bad connection. The cords have gone bad, and I've salvaged the plugs to put on new cords.

Look carefully: as 1957 was the first year of the split-P pickup, the pre-production pickup cover in the picture has a different profile than the standard pickup cover we've all come to, well, either love or hate as your personal style may be. [quote name='crez5150' timestamp='1342470237' post='1735820'] He'd have you believe that.... if you look at his fretting hand he is actually into the main riff of Mr. Pink! [/quote] And his bass is a "transitional" '55 or '56, with the single-coil pickup, but beveled front armrest.

It's not "phase cancellation" or "comb filtering." It's a function of[i][b] inductance[/b][/i], measured in an electronic value called, "Henry" (no relation to the houses of Normandy, Plantagenet, Lancaster or Tudor). What's happening is (oversimplified) when you put two coils in parallel, you decrease the amount of overall inductance the circuit has. The practical effect is that the less inductance, the less mids. For those of you who play electric guitar, you will recall that a humbucker wired in parallel has a brighter, thinner tone than it does in series wiring, or with a single coil. Conversely, the more inductance, whether by two coils in series (typical humbucker, and stock P-bass wiring), or by overwinding a single coil, the inductance goes up, the treble goes down, and the mid resonance increases. Here's the math: [url="http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/inductor/parallel-inductors.html"]http://www.electroni...-inductors.html[/url] Now, one way to get around part of that is what Rickenbacker does: add a capacitor inline to one of the pickups. I personally have a .01 microfarad capacitor inline to my jazz bridge pickup. This does roll off the bass a little out of this pickup, but 1) it's so near the bridge there's not much real bass content anyway; and 2) what comb filtering there is from having two pickups is reduced where it matters, on the lowest fundamental, giving me a more solid bottom end, and 3) adding the capacitance in line adds another whole 'nuther kettle of fish, because a guitar or bass pickup induces an alternating current, so you get into reactance, set forth as "Z" in the math equations.