molan

I swapped from DR Sunbeams to Elixirs and really like them. The coating has never bothered me, although when it eventually starts to go it can be a bit annoying. Over the last year I've been playing Fodera Wooten Signature strings a lot. Quite a light gauge of 40 55 75 95 but they feel really nice to me. I've also used their standard fit set of 40 60 80 100 which were also great but I slightly prefer the Wootens on the two basses I currently have strung with them. I don't play 5 string but a top session & gigging pro I know recently declared their B strings the best he'd ever played - and this is a guy who's more particular about strings and set up than anyone I've ever known

Snow permitting, I'm hoping for a new, to me, Fodera to arrive today It's an old one though, 1983, the 30th one ever built. In terms of supply & demand stuff the litte story I saw last year kinda summed it up for me. Fodera had a cancelled order for an Anthony Jackson Presentation. This was the full on top of the range model with titanium geegaws. They offered it out to their mailing list (which I'm on) and it sold in less than 24 hours at a frightening $22,500 (they have gone up to $24,000 now). Also they recently released the new Matt Garrison Signature Standard model of which just 30 will be made this year. They sold the lot in under a week at $8,750 each. I know that Phil at Bassgear has one on order so we'll be able to see one in the flesh when it arrives. I don't think there's anyone in the States that has the demand (with any sort of volume anyway) that Vinnie, Joey & Jason have managed to generate. Jason in particular has transformed the business and they are much more efficient with shorter turnaround times and fantastic customer service since he came on board. I won't get into the whole "is a Fodera worth the cost" argument but you can't blame them for selling at a price that fits their level of demand. Having owned 2 previously, an '86 Monarch which I still have and a '10 Yin Yang Deluxe then I do have to say that there can be something really quite special about them. They don't suit everyone (my YY Deluxe didn't have the tone I was after, hence why I sold it) but the people they do suit seem to love them passionately. For me, anything that inspires this kind of passion for a bass guitar can only be a very good thing indeed

If I had a spare $40K I'd buy the pair The seller has some great amps too!

The pub was open to all last year. Exhibitors got a free drink and food I think.

[quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1328488587' post='1528091'] .... was that before or after he played for Celtic? G. [/quote] What a great player 'Wee Jinky' was - my dad's favourite ever player. I had a poster of him on my bedroom wall as a kid http://www.jimmyjohnstone.com/

I heard a Diamond Comp being put through its paces a couple of weeks ago. Sounded really nice and natural. Bit pricey at around £180 buy really did sound very nice indeed.

I really like the Aguilar DB212 sounds great at volume. For a really nice uncoloured sound the Bag End 212 is a great cab. Both are pretty weighty though

I love his playing, seems like a really nice guy too. Often on the Alembic forum chatting to people.

I think there's drink organised for all the exhibitors with a live band at a nearby pub on the Saturday night. I had to leave before the band last year but I heard it was good. I should also say that the BassGear stan will be manned by 3 or 4 Basschatters for the entire weekend Pop by and say hi!

I tend to find Eden a bit coloured - great if you like that LA 'processed' session musician kind tone. TH500 is warmer but can deliver a nice rounded clean tone if partnered with the right cabs. Personally I think choice of cabs is really important here. I've demo'd the TH500 up against a few heads and with different cabs and, maybe unsurprisingly, the TH500 seemed to work best with the matching Aguilar SL112 cabs.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1328191655' post='1523324'] That seafoam green looks great with the tort scratchplate. [/quote] All original apart from the body finish (which was originally Seafoam).

Ok - so I've posted this elsewhere but couldn't resist as I've bought one of each in the past couple of weeks '63 Jazz in Seafoam Green: [url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24576162@N00/6777452841/"][/url] '83 Fodera Monarch in curly ash:

And now I can add another incoming to the list! An original 1983 Fodera Monarch with JJ pickups, previously owned by Will Lee & played by Victor Wooten at the JVC Jazz Festival Tribute to Jaco Pastorius Concert at the Beacon Theatre on June 22nd, 2005:

'63 Jazz - Just heard that this one has arrived at my local post office! : Alleva Coppolo RA4: Loaded '62 Reissue Body - this will have the neck from the Steed fitted to it: Steed Herbie Flowers '59 Jazz Replica - this will have a new Brazilian Rosewood neck fitted:

Buy a Reflex Gareth - you know I can swing a good deal for you

Pedulla and Zon both make great fretless basses. I wonder if it's something in the respective construction that makes them 'sing' so well?

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1327779149' post='1516746'] I'm sorry - I'm sure it plays like a dream, but I don't like the shape, I don't like natural wood finishes, I don't like P/J pickup configurations, I don't like 2+2 tuner headstocks and it's got too many switches! Apart from that it's very nice. [/quote] Lol - the shape is actually great for long gigs, just kina feels 'right' after you've played it for a while. I'm also not blown away by the wood on this one, looks very '80's to me. The switches are actually really simple & surprisingly useful. 1 is a mute - either off or on, no in between settings 1 is active / passive, very slight volume boost in active mode but still very usable passive 1 is neck / both / bridge It has individual volume controls for each pickup but I find the ability to just flick the switch to the neck only P works really well, combine that with another fast flick to passive and you go from a fairly modern sounding bass to a good approximation of a P in seconds - perfect for functions band stuff when you suddenly need an older school Motown or funk sound Overall it's much mellower in sound to any of the modern Foderas I've tried so maybe not as far away from Fender as something like an Anthony Jackson Imperial Presentation model

And this is the Monarch the Fenders are up against: [url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24576162@N00/6329776932/"][/url]

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1327777576' post='1516707'] good god man youve got too many great basses!!! i would use the 73 jazz... how come we never see pics of these beauties? or have i missed them? [/quote] Thanks Andrew - I've just been really lazy about taking pics of my basses recently! The '73 is lovely, bit heavy (but not as heavy as the '79!). Shame my latest purchase hasn't arrived yet - '63 Jazz, all original apart from a refinish, in the original colour, seafoam green: [url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24576162@N00/6777453395/"][/url]

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1327777120' post='1516695'] i reckon take the Fender Barrie.. see how it pans out... [/quote] Yeah, but which one: '63 P '72 P '73 J '78 J '79 PJ '59 J replica build by Wes Steed (has a Fender neck & decal so just looks like a heavily relic'd J) Too many choices

So I have an audition on Monday & currently weighing up whether to take my trusty old Fodera, a vintage Fender P, my flashy red sparkle Alleva Coppolo P or my relic'd Steed/Fender stack knob J. Luckily the Ritter is out on loan as that's probably a bit too flash for an audition May have to try & suss out if the band are 'traditional' Fender/Gibson types or whether I can get away with the Fodera

I tried a MoMark last week through various different Bag End cabs - sounded great, really clean punchy sound. It was this one at Bassgear: http://www.bassgear.co.uk/products-page/bass-amps-cabs/mark-bass/momark-sd800/ It has the EQ module but was all solid state pre-amp. Loved it through the Bag End 4x10 http://www.bassgear.co.uk/products-page/bag-end1/bag-end-q-10-bx-d-low-bass-quad-10-ax-hi-drive/ I think all the Bag End cabs are super efficient so they tend to really make the most of whatever power source you're putting through them

Wow, that fretboard really does look amazing