Jean-Luc Pickguard

Well I eventually got a reply to my questions. Didn't really get a satisfactory answer to the question about the truss rod though - he said "[i]as far as truss rod problems i dont think so[/i]" I'm not sure if that's reassurance enough. Once I've factored in the postage charge, customs & VAT, a set of TI JF3244 & a fret level from the gallery it'll be expensive, but there can't be many daphne blue ones around in this condition.

My questions to the seller have gone unanswered. Apart from asking for a shipping price I asked about the truss rod & back of the neck. I'm not going to risk bidding without getting answers to my questions, so it looks like this'll be the one that got away. Ho Hum.

If my experience is anything to go by, first you want a bass you can't walk past without wanting to pick & have it on a stand ready to play.It helps if its set up perfectly so it feels like its doing half the work for you. Then have a way of playing along to songs without having to hunt for cables, plug in an amp etc. I have a tascam MP-GT1, (a headphone guitar amp & MP3 player in one handy rechargable unit) I have it loaded up with all the songs I'm working on & everything that is likely to be on the next gig setlist. I make sure its always charged up and keep it next to a curly cable and a set of headphones. Even if I've only got ten minutes to spare I can play through three songs without wasting half the time setting everything up first. As for what to play - nothing makes me make time to practice like an upcoming gig, so I always make sure the set list is made about a week in advance of the gig so I know what to practice. the most fun I've had learning recently (but not for a specific gig) was working through Ed Friedland's 'Blues Bass' book - I put the CD on my Tascam so I can dip into it whenever I like.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=280284888719"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=280284888719[/url] Does this finish look original to you? The hardware looks right - I love those lollypop tuners and the bridge seems to have the correct saddles. I'm very tempted - this as its the first year mustang in the colour I like & (it looks like) an original silver case. I've been waiting for one to surface, but I'm amazed at the condition this one is in - equivalent to 'closet classic' rather than knackered 'relic'. I think it'll be a long wait before another like this comes up. I'm awaiting a reply from the seller about shipping to the UK, the truss rod & the back of the neck (often the popper button on the strap securing it in the case rubs away a patch on the back of the neck) What other questions should I ask the seller before bidding & possibly parting with my Benjamins?

How about a headphone MP3 trainer - I have the guitar version of this (bought before the bass version came out) & find it very valuable for practicing. Includes tuner, fx, 1GB MP3 including transpose function.

The headstock on the live at San Quentin CD looks like a Burns.

Its probably pretty pointless to learn bass from a guitar teacher. They may have a basic idea of the mechanics, but they often approach it wrong. My daughter had a few lessons from a guitar teacher who claimed to also be a bass player, but the technique she was shown was complete crap. I don't think he even owned a bass. You'll be better off jamming with a mate on guitar or getting a real bass teacher.

My favourite is the planet waves SOS. Accurate, easy & quick, but for (B-[b]E-A-D-G[/b]-C only). I never use anything else these days.

[quote name='tauzero' post='325717' date='Nov 10 2008, 09:53 AM']It could be that the lines were put on in their theoretical positions, and Ashbory in their wisdom neglected to consider the fact that as you fret the string, you also increase the tension in it, and with an action that is presumably quite high in relation to the scale length, that actually makes a considerable difference to the pitch of the note.[/quote] Not on an ashbory - The rubber strings are very low tension so you can bend it by half an inch & not get any noticable change in pitch.

I hope no one posts the pic of that chap who photographed his chrome kettle starkers

I have my eye on the Harley Benton fretless acoustic five string from Thomann for around £200 with case. I've been dropping hints to the missus but apparently I already have too many basses.

I like the tasty little bass solo James did on Mutiny by Jnr Walker & the Allstars. He didn't get to play an actual solo very often.

I got a few cans of custom lilac rattle cans mixed at my local Halfords for my daughter's '71 musicmaster and it went on with no problems. If it was good enough for Leo Fender, its good enough for me.

Now I have gas again, just when I though I had everything I could possibly want. Absobloodylutely lovely looking bass. I bet it sounds as good as it looks.

Certainly sounds like it it is. Although I usually play it on my Ashbory or NS electric upright.

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='321677' date='Nov 4 2008, 11:57 AM']I would recommend you play with your ears and not your eyes![/quote] I hope I will be able to once I'm more used to it & know what I'm doing. I hadn't heard about the intonation changing as the strings warm up on an Ashbory - I haven't noticed this happening, but [b]new [/b]strings take a long time to stop stretching (several days) so they keep going flat. Once the strings are a few weeks old they settle down and should be able to keep in tune for a whole set. btw the Planet Waves SOS strobe tuner works really well on an Ashbory (at the octave dots) I went to Robin Bibi's Jam night in Sutton last night with my blue Ashbory (playing though Chris_b's lovely rig) I think my intonation wasn't too bad for my first time playing Ashbory in public.

Laklands reason for using Plek seems to be to save their workers' hands rather than it being superior to a [s]hand[/s] manual job. The fretstone John at the Gallery did on my CIJ mustang is absolutely perfect for my TI flats with ultra low action. I can't imagine any way that bass could possibly play any better.

[quote name='SJA' post='320814' date='Nov 3 2008, 11:53 AM']JLP, have you got a 34in lined fretless you can compare the intonation with? ie. playing above the octave at the 18in string length point?[/quote] Nope - my fretless precision has an unlined ebony board. I now know that Ashborys are in tune if you play between the lines & horribly out of tune (a quarter tone sharp) if played on the line. It just seems weird that it was designed like that.

[quote name='lozbass' post='320772' date='Nov 3 2008, 11:03 AM']My current fretless (Jazz) is unlined but the dots are in the standard positions for a fretted bass. When I took it for a re-string and set-up recently, the luthier initially thought it needed a new bridge as it apparently wouldn't intonate properly - he's assumed that the dots were 'on the line'.[/quote] Aha - this is the exact opposite of what I have on my Ashbory (The current ones are made by/for fender in Korea). If I play it behind the fretline as if it was fretted its perfect. [quote name='lozbass' post='320772' date='Nov 3 2008, 11:03 AM']You could try re-intonating the Ashbory[/quote] Unfortunately there's nothing to adjust - the bridge/pickup assemble is a solid fixed unit. Thanks for the replies everyone. I think the concensus seems that [list] [*][b]Unlined fretless - play on the dots[/b] [i]Except for Lozbass's Fender CS masterbuilt[/i] [*][b]Lined fretless - play on the lines[/b] Except for Fender/DeArmond (& possibly Guild) Ashborys. [/list] So as I expected, the fingerboard layout on both of my Ashborys is different to other lined fretlesses so I can only surmise that one of the following is true [list=1] [*]The fingerboard was designed specifically to confuse new users [*]someone cocked up [*]There is a practical reason for it which I have yet to work out. [/list] Its not a problem once you know the secret though - perhaps Fender should include a manual that explains this.

This is the bass I have to play "between the lines". Ashborys are always fretless with thick rubber band strings, piezo bridge & 18" scale.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='320411' date='Nov 2 2008, 07:49 PM']In my experience, it's usual for unlined fretlesses to have the dots where the fretlines would be.[/quote] Yep - that's my experience as well I said it was a confusing post - what about where the lines are on [b]lined [/b]fretlesses

After almost a year of thinking my Ashborys were practically impossible to play in tune I have now realised that this is not the case if you don't play by 'fretting' [b]on the lines[/b], but using the dots [b]between [/b]the fretlines as the fret-point like on an unlined fretless. All lined fretlesses I recall playing were in tune when played on the lines and unlined ones were in tune on the dots. [b][i] Is this always the case or are there lined fretlesses where you also have to play between the lines?[/i][/b] I only ask as this seems really odd on the Ashbory and I think a lot of people may have formed a negative view of the Ashbory as it sounds so out of tune if you don't play between the lines.

You should really send them back for a refund. Rotosound jazz-bass flatwounds were also just as bad when I last used them. Utter crap imo.

That get my vote for the best StSanders 'shreds' video yet

Have you tried lowering the pickups? If its the same sound I had on a bass once this will solve it. I think it was caused by the magnetic pull on the string.