Jean-Luc Pickguard

Its not the worst modification on ebay at the moment though. It looks like this chap didn't realise that it would be a good idea to dismantle the bass before painting the body. I could be wrong, but it certainly looks to me like the pickguard and body were sprayed together. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-Mark-Hoppus-Jazz-Bass_W0QQitemZ130175455061QQihZ003QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]Matt black rattle-can sprayed Hoppus[/url]

I have a few basses with Glued-in/ Neck thru construction and I've come to the conclusion that I prefer Bolt on Necks as I like to be able to shim the neck to get the angle just right for the set up. Thru necks are supposed to have better sustain, but I don't need notes to sustain while I get a bite to eat, also it could be my imagination but traditional Fender-Style bolt-ons seem to have more "punch" whereas glued/thru necked instruments have less oomph to the attack. So what do you like best & why?

Another vote here for the Markbass Little Mark II. I use a Schroeder 1212L with mine and I'm very happy not just with the sound, but the portability as well.

The Graphtech Ghost system looks like a good bit of gear if you *did* want to try a piezo bridge.

This looks to be a bargain at £325 buy-it-now. I could learn to live with the tacky Sting signature 12th fret block, but the holes drilled for the thumbrest would anny the hell out of me. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-Sting-Signature-Bass-upgraded-Jap-Model_W0QQitemZ280175335095QQihZ018QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]Sting Bass on ebay[/url]

I hope you managed to get a discount - they missed a bit when painting the headstock Go on what was the cost? you can tell us

I'm not aware of there is a limitation of a single hardware device in LE (Thats not to say there definitely isn't one, but I am not aware of it and I have not found it documented anywhere), but there is a limit of 8 physical inputs/outputs. There is a free patch available from [url="http://steinberg.net"]http://steinberg.net[/url] if you're running an earlier version with a lower limit.

[quote name='SJA' post='90540' date='Nov 18 2007, 10:05 PM']is the guy demonstrating it trying to be like Tim Westwood in Pimp my ride? dammmmnnnn......[/quote] I didn't look at the video until seeing your post. Now I have watched (& heard) it - Its now quite clear exactly what the [b]terrible [/b]knob does - it appears to be some kind of distortion that makes it sound, well, terrible.

I don't play using harmionics, but I do use them for checking tuning & intonation. I don't recall harmonics being particularly strong on the dean pace electric upright I used to own, which had a gotoh-type bridge with piezo elements & a complete absence of magnetic pickups.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Electro-Acoustic-Bass-Guitar-3-Equalizer-Active-Pickup_W0QQitemZ140177224171QQihZ004QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Electro-Acoustic-Bas...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url] Quite a nice looking copy of a washburn electro acoustic with a ply top, but its listed as having "3 equalizer controls including; [b]Terrible[/b], Midd, and Bass" I'm sure I've done a few gigs with the "Terrible" control full on

Don't forget to slacken off the strings a bit before raising the height and check that when you retune it doesn't pull the bridge out of perependicular towards the floor.

[quote name='dr.funk' post='90352' date='Nov 18 2007, 05:05 PM']I'm not sure if it supports multiple devices, if it doesn't it might be worth looking at a utility called ASIO for all (maybe 4 all?) which should do just that![/quote] You only need that if the devices you're using do not have asio drivers.

Is that the original pickup? I recall the rail having a covered pickup. (but my memory could be faulty)

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='89846' date='Nov 17 2007, 12:34 PM']I'm not so worried about the reflection on the neck that Chris refers to but shouldn't the fingerboard have weathered and aged the same colour as the headstock? Wonder what his reserve is?[/quote] Nope - Because the finish goes over the decal, during that period they used Nitro laquer just on the front of the headstock which tends to yellow with age.

[quote name='Sibob' post='89983' date='Nov 17 2007, 07:06 PM']You're playing a lot of Primus covers at gigs to necessitate a trem unit huh?! With regards to "pitch shift on sustained notes", i find that adding vibrato with my fingers adds enough interest without needing to cut massive holes in my bass! lol Si[/quote] Or sliding a note on a fretless

[quote name='NancyJohnson' post='89982' date='Nov 17 2007, 07:03 PM']Have a looksie at this link: [url="http://www.gibson.com/robotguitar/index.html"]Gibson Les Paul 'Robot' Guitar[/url]. Soon to be appearing on a bass or are guitarists just too anal? P[/quote] The latter I hope

[quote name='Buzz' post='89974' date='Nov 17 2007, 06:42 PM']Hnmm, if it doesn't go up by too much, could be an excellent buy. I'm presuming that's a refinish (kinda) rather than just a loose cover, so if you could get it for 4-500 for a Stingray, factor in a professional refinish, and you'll probably be quids in.[/quote] Nah its definitely "something" sewn on - look at the stitches around the edge and you can see the outline of the neckplate & screw under the cover. I bet its glued on as well. Cowboys on acid shouldn't be allowed near basses. Oh well at least its only an EBMM.

It should work with more than one interface.

I'd email ashdown to see if thay'd sell you a suitable sleeve mount it in to turn it into a head. Howeverfor a potentially cheaper solution it should fit into something like this: [url="http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=30611&&source=14&doy=17m11"]http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Module...4&doy=17m11[/url] It will need a bit of modification You'd need to drill some holes on the top where the screws are in the top of the combo and maybe block off some space at the sides. If you decide to try this it might be a good idea to either: Take the removed amp into the shop to check it'll fit or confirm that you can take the case back for a refund if it looks lke it won't work.

[quote name='s_u_y_*' post='89789' date='Nov 17 2007, 10:32 AM']Oh... I can never do that! Frankly, it looks like I've got a phallus sprouting from the top of my head! (Sorry, had to avoid the profanity filters. )[/quote] I was walking home from a jam night with my bass gigbag on my back and a bunch of lads approached me because they thought I was some kind of nutter wearing an Elvis quiff wig. When they realised I had a heavy lump of wood instead they decided against taking the p155.

Jap 70s RI Jazz - PROS: Looks cool CONS: No idea, not actually got to look at one closely, such is the availability in the UK; possibly price (i'll come onto that) Highway 1 - PROS: seem to be well made; secondhand price is good; not too many out; nitro looks cool; badass CONS: No S1 (i'll come onto that as well), rosewood boards only (I think); Nitro - could possibly start to look battered quickly. Amercian Series S1 PROS: S1 switch which actually makes a difference to the tone (compared to a precision) and I WOULD use it if I had it; comes with a hard case; second hand prices actually not bad; should be plenty to choose from; maple boards available. CONS: Can't really think of any right now - new ones are expensive (comparitvely) I suppose Well,It looks like you're set on geting a new one - If so the Japanese ones are very well made and you can get an upgraded model with usa pickups. I have a highway 1 jazz (original 2003 version) to which i've added a badass, kent armstrong lipstick pickups etc. The thin finish is cool and the accelerated wear pattern is personal to how you play it, but it doesn't wear overnight - I've used mine as my main gigging bass for four years and apart from a few dents its picked up through carelessness (I do try to be careful though) the only playing wear its picked up is a small patch of finish worn off over the bridge pickup where I sometimes anchor my thumb. The S1 switch is just a series/parallel switch it is probably a £20/£30 job to get a mini toggle that does exactly the same thing fitted by a luthier/tech or you could fit one yourself if you feel up to it for a few quid and under an hour.

I'm thinking of putting a wizard thumper in one of my Precisions,but I don't have one yet, so I can't comment. As for the pickguard a genuine fender tort will look best I reckon. Cheaper torts may look a bit, well, cheap.

Journalists make up such a load of s**t sometimes when they're writing about a subject they know nothing about: [quote]A guitar has been made which tunes itself - but does this mean that roadies, or guitar techs as they're now called, could be out of a job?[/quote] Yes roadies are all guitar techs and all they do is tune guitars as its too difficult for the guitarist to tune for himself. Perhaps the writer thinks that roadies are like the stereotypical 90 year old blind gentlemen that tune pianos for a living. This one made me laugh [quote]Professionals have guitar techs and as many as 80 guitars on stage to combat that, but the average person doesn't have that.[/quote] Yes a lot of guitarists change guitar at least three times a song. Self tuning guitar or bass - no point if you use standard tuning. Get an SOS tuner for £15 and tune accurately in seconds.

[quote name='charic' post='88967' date='Nov 15 2007, 02:57 PM']1/4lbs all the way [/quote] Seeing as an ancient thread has been dug up, I'll add that the Wizard Thumper pickups seem to be very well regarded as well. [url="http://www.wizardpickups.co.uk/shop.asp?category=Bass"]http://www.wizardpickups.co.uk/shop.asp?category=Bass[/url]

I prefer the more mellow sound of a rosewood board with a P, but I have a US P with maple a MIJ P with maple and a "frankenstein" fretless with ebony. My Maple necked P is very bright even with TI flats, but that could just as equally be due to the heavy ash body and original 80s pickup. I'm thinking of putting a Wizard thumper in to warm up the tone a bit. Because of the finish applied to maple it is a more expensive job to get a refret on a maple board - not that this would worry you on a new bass of course.