Jean-Luc Pickguard

I'm sure we all love a nice thread about flatwounds, so here's another one, but specifically short scale ones.

I love my thomastik flatties on my precisions (TI JF344) & mustang (TI JF324), but the 32" 324 set is too long for my 30" scale musicmaster or similar basses.

In the past I've had rotosound flats on it but they were rubbish - the individual strings didn't sound or feel like they were part of the same set, so I'm not interested in them.
LaBella were better, but I think I had to use the G from a long scale set as the short scale one wasn't long enough - which was odd. a bit of a shame as the Danelectro-specific LaBellas I have on my longhorn are great.

It looks like my main options (looking at Thomann) are Chromes or GHS - 3070 / 3020, so what are they like?

Daddario ECB81S Chromes @ £23.90
045-065-080-100

GHS 3070 R Brite Flats @ £18.13
049-062-084-108

GHS 3020 @ £19.70
045-060-075-095

Any experiences of these or other flatwound strings suitable for a 30" scale Fender musicmaster bass?

get whichever one is right for you

Someone has pointed out Vic gets a round of applause for no obvious reason in the first video. It all becomes clear if you find the video of the same event taken from another angle. He was actually providing background music for a monkey juggling on a unicycle.

Are they the ones with the headstock that looks a bit like a foot?

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1325979797' post='1490771']
And why does it have [i]two [/i]string trees?
[/quote]

Often when I've seen an extra one added, it was an ill-advised fix for a problem caused by the owner not knowing how to put strings on properly where the string exits nearer the top of post rather than the bottom, the angle over the nut is to shallow & the string doesn't sit so tight over it.

I must admit I took one look at the pic and thought 'that'll never work'. it looks like someone tried to solve the wrong problem - if you want a loop to anchor the plec to your finger, the loop should be solidy attached to the plec. Perhaps the designer should have come up with a plec with the Heath Robinson / rube Goldberg bits integral to it - like a thumbpick or a variation of one. This contraption looks daft.

doesn't the bassist in the hamsters use a thumbpick as he has a hand problem?

A genuine 1978 - 81 would have a 'big F' Neckplate & black plastic neckplate cushion thingy. The body would have holes for a chrome bridge cover. The pickguard would not have the truss rod cutaway - just a small crescent & it would have pickup cover & finger rest screwholes. That is a colour I've never seen on a Precison of that period. Decal looks similar to my '81. If the neck is genuine I suspect that it may be the only bit that is.

[quote name='Nibody' timestamp='1325778798' post='1487542']
...and here is the Photographic evidence...













[/quote]
I think I saw this on the "what I found in the canal' thread. Between the shredded lorry tyre and the tesco trolley

Discovered the punchy sound and easy-playing short-scalyness of Fender mustangs?

Is it a fender, but in a slightly different shade of sunburst?

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1325357205' post='1482539']
[size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]...[/font][/color][/size][size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]but Nordstrand pickups seem to be the ones generating the buzz these days.[/font][/color][/size]
[/quote]
Probably need shielding (sorry - couldn't resist!)

Three options:[list=1]
[*]Get a keyboard player
[*]Do your own version of the song with an arrangement that doesn't need keyboards
[*]just put the CD on & mime to it as once you use a backing track it becomes karaoke anyway.
[/list]

Is it worth putting a custom-made neck on a (probably) plywood body?

[quote name='pantherairsoft' timestamp='1325266829' post='1481572']
Yup. Over the back gate or in the bin have both happened to me, then the driver was kind enough to sign for it on my behalf - how kind.
[/quote]

I've had both of those as well. One package was delivered into the bin on bin day, just before the truck came around and another was lobbed over the gate and only discovered in a soggy state after three days of torrential rain.

You don't need to go to a pro for a good set up. Its definitely worth learning how as you can experiment with your ideal setup and make seasonal adjustments.

There is probably a basschatter near you who does their own setups (probably a lot better than some shops) who would be happy to sort you bass out & show you how to do it for a pint or two.

The cash converters website currently lists a 1975 Thinline Tele for £600, but is an obvious fake.

They've reduced it from £1000, and £600 would be very cheap for a real one, so I wonder whether they know it's fishy.

reminds me of the '1970s musicmaster bass' I saw for sale in denmark street not long ago which was mostly squier bronco. The neck was the only bit that was from a 70s musicmaster but that had been smashed & glued together badly.

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1324938970' post='1478676']
I'm sure the Ernie Ball forum would give you all the advice you need on upgrading their bridges
[/quote]
+1 definitely worth asking there they'll know

I received a les-paul type guitar from an ebay seller wrapped in not much more than clingfilm. I was convinced the headstock would be dangling when I unwrapped it, but surprisingly it was intact.

I found my tone through trial & error & have arrived at the combination of fingerstyle playing technique, old thomastik flatwounds, a behringer limiter pedal & a £5 curly cable from maplin. I get my tone with any of my basses using that combo and it works for me whether I'm using my own LMII/1212L lightweight rig or an ancient peavey combo at a jam night.

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1324911961' post='1478416']
Have just spent 2 hours playing obscure 70's funk and disco on this Ritter Cora:

Some of these riffs I know really well but have never managed to get my fingers round them in the same way I can on the Cora.

Makes it worth every penny to me
[/quote]
I know what you mean - I can get my fingers around some things on my Fender CIJ mustang that aren't so easy on any other bass. The £70 I paid for a fret level at the Gallery was worth every penny.

[quote name='ellie' timestamp='1324911076' post='1478402']
I went in a shop once and played four basses of the same type that all played differently. I picked the one I liked best!
[/quote]
A few minutes with a set of allen keys might get them playing the same though. A tiny variation in the relief on the neck can make a massive difference to how a bass feels.

[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1324729751' post='1477384']
Hah! I'll have you know that crappy curly cables were the state of the art in 1973. I still have one somewhere, plus one that was half curly half straight, the ultimate in cable chic.
[/quote]

A curly cable from is an essential part of my 'lo-fi no-top' tone. My original 70s one was stolen sometime in the 80s at the Rock Garden, so I was ever so chuffed when I saw them for a fiver in Maplin.

check out [url="http://vibedeck.com"]vibedeck[/url] - o5b page on vibedeck: [url="http://vibedeck.com/o5b"]vibedeck.com/o5b[/url]

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Tasty bass playing, but I'm unable watch the video for more than a few seconds without being irritated by that tit with the mic prancing about in his daft hat.