Musky

Why? Because these things weren't always valuable and some people like to modify instruments.

I felt exactly the same when I took my plate off and found routs the same as the blue one above. The straight rout with the grounding wire really is pointless. Perhaps I'm underthinking things. It seems to be a trait in my day to day life!

[quote name='cytania' timestamp='1383383102' post='2263778'] Hi Musky, those tiffs coming up as unreadable on my mac. Taking this along with KiOgon's post this suggests Fender have been using holes as erratically in the past for painting reasons but over the last two or three years have made this the norm. Two different paint shops? Why do Strat owners get three holes sometimes? I looked at the strat forum photos and they're not 3 tone bursts. Going through the dog-eared pile of Guitar and Bass magazines in the loo and there's Norman Watt-Roy holding his 70s Precision. He took the guard off to be more like Jaco and he'd played it so much the finish is obliterated. No rout, no sign of a hole. If I owned a Fender and had never taken the pick guard off I'd be feeling a dread 'do I look underneath or do I live in happy ignorance' emotion. Sort of like Schrodingers Cat, but for a hole that may or may not exist! [/quote] OK, now edited my post. The router holes only appeared in the late 70's. They have been the norm since then, though not all basses have them as has already been noted. Norman's bass is earlier. You can ID the basses from the way the control cavities are routed, so no need to stick extra holes in there. Why do Fender use them? No idea, other than they can and it's probably cheaper than messing about with paint sticks or other methods of securing the bass. Fender has always been about mass manufacturing methods in order to keep costs down. The fact that this has been going on for 30+ years doesn't appear to have lost them too many sales. I think you're over thinking all this. The simplest explanation is that they're used in the manufacturing process, as has already been stated.

79 and 1980 Precisions. You can add the latter one to the routs used to ID the bass. Edit: Stupid forum software! They're Tiff images, and you'll have to rename the file extension to open them. OK now added pics for 77 and 81 basses which I've just discovered I had on photobucket. The routs are exactly the same as the first ones..

These holes first appeared in the late seventies when there was only one 'series' available. You bought a Fender Precision and that was it: no options from other countries or ranges. There was no need to identify where the bass originated because they all came from the same place. Sorry, I don't buy the ID theory.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1383300206' post='2262724'] The modules are actually rated at the 450/750 though. [/quote] The whole TC wattage thing has been done to death, but I was just wondering if newer models had been modified in that respect. As for volume and tone, it's the same as every other amp on the planet. You like the tone or you don't, and it's loud enough for you or it isn't.

[quote name='bassgurumonster' timestamp='1383298297' post='2262666'] The main problem is that i need something with volume but easy to carry ( both amp and cab) due to a bad back!! Any other suggestions guys? Btw the new wattage is 750 w. Supposedly very loud!! [/quote] Have they changed things recently? TC were using 'sounds like' wattage figures, rather than the 236w rms both the 450 and 750 actually put out.

I think you've posted the wrong link.

Missed it - it's been removed. I guess the seller must have been bad after all.

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1383041830' post='2259327'] I'd settle for the links on the mobile site acting correctly. When I tap the dot it does indeed take me to the first unread post. Trouble is, so does tapping on the thread title - which should take me to the start of the thread. [/quote] This is exactly what happens for me as well. I'm actually quite happy with that.

FWIW I've got Warwick Red Labels on my Precision. I quite like them, so if you're looking for something less than a tenner and willing to experiment they're well worth the punt in my opinion.

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1382878694' post='2257429'] Musky - don't think it's a Mat - the body's ply and all the Mat J copies I can remember had veneered butcher-block or solid timber bodies. Apart from the 3-piece neck it's completely identical to the Columbus-brand J copies from the mid-70s (I've had several!) so I'd be inclined to think it came from the same factory as those. Regarding that neck, many of the "good" Japanese factories used this method, including Kasuga & Fujigen. Anecdotally bodies & necks often came from different manufacturers so I'd be inclined to think that might be the case with this one. To the OP - unfortunately "Made in Japan copy" is as accurate as it's possible to be with many unbranded basses - pretty much all of the brand names from that era were importer/exporter names & nothing to do with the factories that made them, so unless it's possible to work out which specific factory made the instrument, the best you can say is "70s MIJ Jazz copy". [/quote] See, I'm quite hopeless without you to keep me on the straight and narrow.

To be fair, that it's a house clearance find and he's "had the guitar checked out" tends to suggest that he's not a musician and probably knows next to nothing about brands. Or perhaps that's the idea. :ninja:

[quote name='Fingerslikesausages' timestamp='1382957477' post='2258336'] Had the same strings on it for about 18 months! [/quote] I'd say for the type of stuff you're doing they're just getting worn in!

First thing I'd want to know is who is going to be paying who. Just ask formore details and a copy of the contract and take things from there.

[quote name='donkelley' timestamp='1382908751' post='2257985'] [b]- Does anyone know more about the black market on basses?[/b] [b]- How can we avoid being stung (if, for example, the price and control layout wasn't a dead giveaway)?[/b] [/quote] Some manufacturers will create copies shoddy copies and sell them with pictures of the genuine article as the real thing - the price should be a give away. See tradetang for examples. Some individuals will modify copies to look like the real thing and sell them for inflated prices, whilst others will sell them for more realistic prices (as seems to have happened here). Yet others will have no real knowledge of what they've got, or feign ignorance and gloss over the fact. These auctions will sometimes point out that they know nothing about basses or add caveats in theit description. As for how to avoid being ripped off, as has already been pointed out - do your homework. If you can't find what you nred to know ask on the forums or PM someone who has a lot of knowledge about the instrument. If it seems very cheap, ask yourself why and treat with caution. That about covers it I think.

So how was it? After recently missing gigs by both bands I'd consoled myself that I would be getting a double hit with this gig. Until it was sprung on me that I was covering someone else's work on top of my own - cue a 16 hour day. Hope you guys had a blinder that was such a massive success that you're planning on a follow up soon.

An interesting idea, but no longer a novel one. This sort of thing has been touted around blogs promoting the benefits of crowd sourcing for years now.

Yay! I knew we had this smiley for something!

[quote name='MB1' timestamp='1382548900' post='2253552'] ...I'll get me Zygote![/quote]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1382479632' post='2252809'] I did have a quick look at Best Practice but it seems to only allow files to be imported from CD or DVD - is that correct? [/quote] As it's PC only software I haven't used it (I use ASD) but the description of it says "CD or mp3" so as far as I know it'll play mp3's from your hard drive. Could be wrong though.

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1382477581' post='2252770'] There's Best Practice, and there's a plugin for Winamp too - in fact, lots on Winamp plugins, just google "winamp plugin pitch shift". And if you have an Android phone or tablet, there's Maple MP3 player. [/quote] I was just about to mention Best Practice. I haven't used it myself as it's PC only software, but the GUI looks remarkably similar to the ASD (posted above). Audacity is an amazingly useful bit of software, but making changes on the fly isn't its forte (IMHO).

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1382393938' post='2251759'] The Fender Modern Player series are made in China (although this isn't one of them). [/quote] I didn't know that. Every day really is a school day.

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1382464132' post='2252525'] Check out Italia and Danelectro basses too if you want the retro look like that Eastwood. [/quote] +1 The Ibanez Jet King and DeArmond Jet Star are worth a gander as well.

Well it's a P bass, but it's not a Fender. [quote][font="Arial"][size="5"][color="#ad001f"]made in china[/color][/size][/font][/quote]