Jean-Luc Pickguard

I bought my CR5-M just before the WAV4 was announced, so I didn't have to make the choice. Also as I was after a 5 string bass the Wav wouldn't have been appropriate for me anyway. The WAV4 is a great instrument and if I had been after a four string I would have probably bought one to save a few quid. Although they look similar there are a few differences apart from the country of manufacture. The Wav is made of beech whereas the CR range is maple. I prefer the oiled finish and the flamed facing of the CR. Th The WAVs have a nice range of colours, but they have a thicker glossy finish which I don't like so much on the back of the neck, but is a matter of preference. The magnetic pickups in the CR5M help to beef up the sound. I wasn't sure how much use they'd get, but I tend to mix the magnetic and piezo pickups. Also the eq is very flexible. If The wav4 has no preamp - its passive, so I don't know how a long cable run would affect the sound of the piezo. I'd probably use a preamp with it. Something like the Behringer ADI21 (which I've used with the Dean Pace I used to own) would probably sound great with it. The only thing I really didn't like about the WAV is the stand. The one I tried was on a tripod that looked much like one from Jessops. The one that comes with the CR range was designed specifically for the job and seems a bit more stable to me.

[quote name='~tl' post='405668' date='Feb 10 2009, 07:30 PM']...sometimes with block inlays[/quote] Not on a precision

[quote name='Gothicontheloose' post='403651' date='Feb 8 2009, 07:03 PM']... So that excludes Fender [/quote] [quote name='Gothicontheloose' post='403651' date='Feb 8 2009, 07:03 PM']... I don't know much about 'em![/quote]

[quote name='ray_6ao7' post='399698' date='Feb 4 2009, 09:05 AM']thanks for all the advice! d'addario have also been in touch so gonna have a word with the guitarists and see what they wanna do.[/quote] No contest - & you might be able to get some nice planet waves stuff like cables & SOS tuners by going with d'addario. Personally I'd hold out for thomastik to make an offer though

I wouldn't use 'em even if they were free.

mine is: fingers -> mustang with TI 324 flats + tone rolled off -> behringer cheapo limiter pedal all controls at 12 oclock -> littlemark II everything flat -> schroeder 1212L with tweeter off

[quote name='hubrad' post='395690' date='Jan 30 2009, 07:59 PM']Hmm. I'm stuck with IE6 as I use Win2000 Prof - nice and stable but lost support from MS. They're pulling support from WinXP in a while.. anyone think that'll give them time to iron out all the Vista incompatibilities? Plucking up courage to switch OS to Linux or just get my hand deep in my pocket and buy a Mac![/quote] Firefox 3 runs on Win2000 - it installs without replacing IE6 if you just want to try it without committing to it. [url="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/system-requirements.html"]http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/syste...quirements.html[/url] Vista will never be fixed. When Windows7 comes out I expect M$ will try to erase the memory that Vista ever existed like they did with WinME.

[quote name='Jono Bolton' post='395392' date='Jan 30 2009, 01:46 PM']...and you can pick them up for about £400 new too - bargain![/quote] Shame they don't import the california blue ones though I think mine looks alright in vintage white with with aged pearl pickguard though. I didn't like the original tort pg much. [attachment=19417:mikeys_mustang.JPG]

[quote name='tauzero' post='394620' date='Jan 29 2009, 02:52 PM']Only now it will be three, one for IE7, one for IE8, and one for proper browsers.[/quote] Assuming MSIE6 will finally die. Looking at the stats for some of the sites I have developed, I see that people are still using that old heap of sh*te.

My CIJ one is my no 1 gigging bass. It sounds deeper & punchier than my precisons (all using TI flats - the 'tang has a 32" set), but I really love it for the super slim neck and excellent playability.

How about using an [url="http://www.o5b.co.uk/ashbory-bass/"]Ashbory[/url]? I play mine in a blues band for acoustic sessions.

Mine doesn't do that.

I own that one. A copy of the book that is

[size=5]?[/size]

I have a few keepers: [list] [*]my '81 Precision I bought new from Rockbottom for £260 with my wages for working all summer in Bejams. I recently refitted the eighties EMG pick up I fitted andtook out a few years ago, but this time running it off 18v - It sounds massive now. [*]My Black Ashbory - no idea why it should be any better than my blue one, but I prefer it as it just seems nicer to play. [*]NS-Design CR5-M. lovely lovely electric upright. I bought it new when the exchange rate was better and it was just blummin' expensive. If I hadn't bought then I certainly wouldn't be able to afford one now as they have since gone up to f'kin expensive. [*]My white CIJ mustang might also be a keeper as its been my favourite gigging bass since I bought it (& I have bought one or two others since) [/list]

I'm always surprised that the instruments hanging up in a lot of small shops are often not set up at all and would put non-savvy purchasers off, so it must be a unique selling point to have new & secondhand instruments that play. Boxed encores from Argos won't be able to compete with that.

If you need a web site for the shop, give me a shout. I've just started in that business. I might even be able to do a special "basschatters rate" Good luck.

Nice. I alway wonders gibson/epi don't just put the front strap button at the neck heel like I did with my alpine-white epi tbird, then people won't keep going on about neck dive.

I have examples of both - I bought a secondhand CIJ mustang for £300 and in terns of tone and playability it knocks spots off my 1971 musicmaster which was a lot more expensive.

[quote name='Happy Jack']Neat-looking, but I'll bet they're buggers to take off again ... not enough material to get a decent grip on.[/quote] They are a bit more flexible as they are slightly thinner so are no more difficult to put on & take off, but in my experience both types work best if, like me, you tend to keep them on when the bass is hung on the wall, in the gigbag, on a stand at a gig/rehearsal and (of course) when playing. [quote name='Happy Jack']ah but ... half the point is to have that cool "Grolsch waser" look, isn't it? [/quote] You could paint them red & dip them in beer

I used to use 'em, but these days I much prefer the understated looks of shower hose washers. I use them on all my basses (from the Heavy Ash '81 Precision to the Ashborys). They're smaller in diameter and slightly thinner than Grolsch washers and are a matt black rather than bright red, so are better for a stealth or vintage look. They hold just as well as the grolsch ones, and similarly are best if the strap is left on the bass more-or-less permanently. [attachment=18492:rubberwasher.jpg]

one of a big upright banjos would be on my shopping list as well.

Just when I though being made redundant had completely cured my gas, I had to see a pic of a great big f**k off mandolin. I really want one now

Some early viols had loops of gut tied around the neck as frets. I saw one somewhere, but can't remember where - might have been at the Victoria & Albert museum. Not sure if that's what this one has

I just carry my mustang bass in a standard fender gigbag. fender do make a rectangular hard case for mustang, musicmaster and bronco basses, but its ridiculously expensive - something like £140 last time I looked. When I bought my danelectro honghorn I was surprised that it fits perfectly in a telecaster hard case.