Maude

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1388705812' post='2325244'] Thing of how much lager £150 would buy. [/quote] 150 quids worth of lager leads to this type of thing

Just noticed this, only needs the nut sticking back on but you'll have to be quick. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SubZero-Detroit-Semi-Acoustic-Bass-Red-Wine-Faulty-RRP-249-99-/301049247623?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4617eef787"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SubZero-Detroit-Semi-Acoustic-Bass-Red-Wine-Faulty-RRP-249-99-/301049247623?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4617eef787[/url]

I thought black blocks would've looked really good against all the light wood, especially with the black P/U, thumbrest, nut, etc. Not to say I don't like the cream pearl. Is that scratchplate clear or a wooden one, looks wooden, I like it

If positions didn't overlap it would be a fun experiment to route out and fit, from neck downwards, Mudbucker Jazz neck Precision Musicman Jazz bridge Would take some wiring and switching but would definitely be interesting.

That looks really good xilddx, headstock looks fab. My blocks turned up this morning, that's been a week from Japan over New Year period, not bad at all. I've now got to resist ordering loads of different inlays and pimping everything, less is more as they say .

Can't say I've really noticed a problem with neck dive. No weights added, just there to pimp it up along with the tort guard, which may be going black in a mo. I like to move my bass around a lot when gigging anyway, sometimes it's horizontal, sometimes it's vertical so I probably don't notice neckdive as much as a lot of folks seem to, can't stand a grippy strap for the same reason.

I've gigged with my Aria STB P loads, I paid a whacking £40, 1/4 Pounder P/U and Chromes later and it's awesome. [attachment=151467:531471_10150898487935686_321614790_n.jpg] [attachment=151468:dscf6709_1.jpg]

I've no idea about the Sub Zero, sorry, but in that price range I'd be looking at second hand. For around £250 you should be able to pick up a Yamaha Bex 4 or an Ibanez. I can vouch for the Bex 4 being amazing value for money as I own one and the Ibanez basses in general are usually on par with Yamaha, both make really great 'budget' instruments. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ibanez-Artcore-Bass-AGB-200-and-Practice-Amp-/251412649493?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3a895c9615"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ibanez-Artcore-Bass-AGB-200-and-Practice-Amp-/251412649493?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3a895c9615[/url] [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/c-2005-Ibanez-AGB-140-Semi-hollow-Bass-Guitar-Clean-Stock-/261363186556?pt=Guitar&hash=item3cda75bb7c"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/c-2005-Ibanez-AGB-140-Semi-hollow-Bass-Guitar-Clean-Stock-/261363186556?pt=Guitar&hash=item3cda75bb7c[/url]

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1388613653' post='2324128'] [url="http://bit.ly/1iuyhSQ"]http://bit.ly/1iuyhSQ[/url] [/quote] Ah it never gets old that does it Noel Coward? Unfortunately the first I don't know how many rows of pictures on there are all BWB so not much use, never mind eh, the thought was there . So anyone else got some pictures of plain black or BWB plates on their P?

Firstly, happy new year . I have a 3TB P bass copy that's currently wearing a tort scratchplate, the one in my avatar. I'm thinking of putting a black plate on it but I'm not sure whether to get B/W/B 3 ply or just a black single ply. Rather than go searching for pictures I'm being lazy and asking if you could post up your pictures of a 3TB P with black plates. I know you all love posting pictures of your basses and I love seeing them . Thank you.

Blimey, how long ago was this! Right, I got some time over Christmas to finish this, eventually. The wax never dried properly before as there was still some finish left on so the wax couldn't be absorbed, so off it came with white spirit. I then sanded all the finish off the body and filled the fret slots in the neck and gave it all a nice rub down ready for waxing properly. [attachment=151325:281220131330_2.jpg] I first gave the body a coat of 'dark oak' water based wood stain, the stuff you put on sheds, to darken it up as I didn't want to put lots of wax on. I had the same stuff in black kicking about as well so I did the neck. [attachment=151326:281220131332_1.jpg] Another coat of black on the neck and a coat of dark wax on the body have made it just the colour I was after, the flash in the pictures make all the colours look a lot light than they really are. [attachment=151327:281220131334.jpg] After all this dried and a good buff up it was looking something like it. String time, I had to file the E string slot out on the machine head so the fat Pahoehoe would fit in. I glued the new nut in place and fitted the E and G string and visually lined them up over the bridge so I could mark where the new holes needed to be drilled. I drilled new holes straight down through the saddle so the new strings could be fitted from inside the body and over the bridge. Once the E and G strings were done I then did the same with A and D strings, I didn't bother measuring any of the string spacings as it was simpler to do by eye due to the differing thicknesses of the strings. The strings really need stretching to close to pitch before fitting through the machine heads so as not to have too much string wrapped around the post. They are still stretching in so may need to be pulled through some more yet, I have just fed the strings through the post and not down the centre hole as the E,A and D won't fit. They hold in place nicely as to fit them you need to stretch them so they are slightly thinner, once released they grip well on their own. [attachment=151328:010120141348.jpg] Here it is all built up including a thumbrest I had spare, it plays really well and is surprisingly loud, it's only for at home anyway. Although I am going to order a peizo for under bridge so it can be amplified, I reckon it'll sound awesome amped up. I'll take some nicer pictures in daylight to better show the colour but it wasn't ever meant to be a stunner, just a cheap Ubass for a bit of fun, which it definitely is. I've also added a couple of strap buttons in case I need them. A nice Christmas shot [attachment=151329:311220131339.jpg] Price up time, Guitar £15 Tuners £15 Strings £20 Nut £2 Strap buttons £2 Thumbrest £2 Total £56

Got to agree with the others, rock the rock band and when your new band is ready, get the funk out .................. do you see what I did there ? No harm in doing both until the time is right to quit. Or as has been suggested, try to funk up the rock band, although that may alienate an established fan base if you're doing well.

My take on the original question is answered in a recent thread about Bruno Mars. The main gist of it was that he was very good/entertaining not just because of musical talent but because of the whole show he puts on, all dressed smartly, doing little dance routines including the whole band, which all added up to being an immensely entertaining show. Now would he be as popular if he wore jeans, t shirt, and trainers and just stood on the spot, centre stage singing his songs? I'd guess no. It's all part of the business called show, as they say. I wouldn't say you [i]have[/i] to dress up to be successful, but it can definitely help. I wouldn't imagine there is anyone on here that purely buys their clothes to clothe themselves and not to make a statement of who they, however small that statement. If it was purely about comfort and and it really didn't matter what you looked like then I'd be wearing a dress all summer, surely more comfortable and cooler than shorts and t shirt.

I don't agree with the old 'acoustic basses are pointless' comments. They aren't loud but when amplified have a completely different tone to an electric bass. I'll compare three of the basses I own, a cheapy ebay acoustic, a Yamaha Bex 4 semi and any of the electrics. The Bex 4 has a solid block through the centre on which the pickups and bridge are mounted, this makes it far more like an electric unplugged but means it doesn't feed back amplified, unplugged it is more audible than an electric but is far quieter than the acoustic. To practice unplugged I'd always go for the acoustic, but the acoustic will be feedback prone when amplified. The acoustic, a fifty quid ebay jobby bought a long time ago but currently being sold as Swift is very good for the money. It did needed some work to the nut and bridge to bring the action down and is now strung with flats, all of which will quieten it down unplugged, is still plenty loud enough for home practice and will happily be heard with one acoustic guitar when practicing, but not loud enough for our acoustic band alongside a mandolin, acoustic guitar and cajon. It also sounds very nice considering it's price. Volumewise unplugged the acoustic is definitely the loudest, then the semi and then the electric but on a scale of one to ten with the acoustic being ten and the electric being one I'd place the semi at two or three, it is in no way half way between the two. Hope this helps.

I was going to get one of these but after buying a Variax bass I got a Pod X3 Live as I could save the bass settings on it as well. Not meaning to knock the B3, as it does still look very appealing, but it does seem to be quite limited in certain aspects that would've annoyed me trying to use it in a gigging situation. For home use the B3 looks like a lot of fun.

I have finally settled on predominantly using the P bass setting on my stupidly complex Variax ....................... not sure where I fit into this thread

I've never had any problems with the lids coming off, I have two tubs, one which I've had for years but couldn't find so I bought another, it then turned up at the bottom of a case that contains all my spare leads, strings, tools etc, still had the lid on . I use it before playing to 'slippy up' those strings but don't bother afterwards, can't say it brightens my strings at all so used that way would probably suit 'tedmanzie'. That's all I want, lube not brightness.

I'll be watching this with interest. I haven't got my Bass VI yet, end of Feb , but I'm pretty certain I'll be wanting some flats or at least heavier rounds but the LaBella flats are pricey. Aren't the LaBella rounds a bit cheaper, £35ish, I'm sure a heavier gauge than the Fenders.

Thanks for the info guys, especially that link ikay . I'm going to try some nylon tapewounds and I'll let you know how it goes. The strings on it are definitely dull anyway so it may well be very similar. My next question, as the Fender nylons were my first set of nylons apart from doublebass strings, is, are all nylon tapewounds roundwound strings with a nylon wrap? I assumed (never a good idea ) based on doublebass experience, that they would be like flats, only nylon wrapped but the Fender ones are definitely roundwounds with a nylon tape wrap, which obviously retains a degree of zing, they're like worn in rounds out of the packet but a lot smoother to play. I keep hearing very good things about the Rotosound Trubass 88's but wondered if they are wrapped rounds like the Fenders or wrapped flats. Anyone know? Also what gauge they are available in? I prefer a chunkier string.

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1388263739' post='2320245'] Anyone know what's in this stuff? [/quote] The sweat from John Entwistles ballbag, Geezer Butlers moustache trimmings and Sid Vicious' spit, mixed up and sieved through the gap in Fleas front teeth, but I couldn't say what the ratios are, it's a closely guarded secret .

Right enough is enough!! How do the Trubass 88s compared to Fender 58-110 nylon tapewounds? I've got the Fenders on a fretless and love the feel and was going to get another set for my main bass but the 88s seem to get a lot of love. I don't know if this is allowed but I asked a string question in 'Accessories and misc' but it's like going down the pub and trying to order a pint in the bog, so I'm going to link it here as it vaguely related to my question here, I hope no one minds [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/225608-will-strings-change-the-tone-with-under-saddle-pus/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/225608-will-strings-change-the-tone-with-under-saddle-pus/[/url] Anyway back on topic, why put clanky rounds on a fancy bass?

I can't imagine finding an original lefty Fender Bass VI in a comparative price bracket to the Squier. Surely being tuned E to E in the bass range makes it a bass, I thought tuning it between bass and standard guitar made it a Baritone ie, A to A, B to B or C to C etc.

As the title says really. I use a Variax primarily and really like the playability and variety of sounds, (I play in a covers band) the strings are quite possibly the original strings, I bought it s/h and haven't felt the need to change them, I like dead strings anyway, but I do love the feel of flats or nylon tapewounds. I have Chromes on a P bass and Fender nylon tapes on a fretless P and really like the feel of the tapes, I thought about putting a set on the Variax but wouldn't want lose the roundwound grind on the brighter sounding models. My gut instinct tells me with rounds on it the circuitry can dull that sound to emulate flats but may not be able to emulate rounds with flats on it. But who knows? Then I started thinking would new strings even change the tone of it as it uses under saddle P/U's? What most gives a string it's characteristic sound, the vibration at the bridge or the way it oscillates in the P/Us magnetic field? I will probably get a set a nylon tapes for it anyway and if they do affect the sound too much then I'll just put them on my acoustic but it just got me wondering. Any theories anyone?

It's not bass related but along the lines of silly bids I did once get eleven double glazed windows (none broken all good nick) for 99p. It was a bit embarrassing when I collected them so I let him keep the penny change

Just been browsing ebay and came across this little lot. Yes it's all cheapy stuff but even so, a P bass, a strat, an amp and bags and stands for £50. Might be of use to someone. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electric-guitar-and-bass-amp-stands-and-bags-/151195122494?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2333ee7b3e"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electric-guitar-and-bass-amp-stands-and-bags-/151195122494?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2333ee7b3e[/url]