stoo

Most of my financially driven seller's remorse has been motorbike based..... But there was one exception. Back in the early 90s I was a budding teenage guitar hero, and all the guitar magazines told me my solid state Marshall combo wasn't good enough, and that I definitely NEEDED a proper 100 watt valve stack. I'd managed to acquire a couple of tatty cabinets on the cheap from a mate and then finally spotted a cheap valve head in the free ads. Can't remember how much exactly, but think it was around £100 or so... Maybe even less. Stuck with it for a bit, but it just didn't do metally distortion like the old Marshall did. It'd do some nice crunch tones, but just needed to be sooooo loud to work properly I lost interest in it and convinced myself I needed another Marshall again. So I flogged it to the bass player from the band I was in at the time.. and it seemed to work loads better for him than it ever had for me. I got back exactly what I'd paid for it, and everyone was happy... . Until about 20 years later, when I'd started playing again, and on the bass this time. I had a bit of a hankering to get another head like the one I'd let go all those years ago, so fired up the internet and got ready to seek out another bargain. It turns out that since the advent of the internet, it's much harder to find a Hiwatt head for £100ish. D'Oh! Ah well, eh?

[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1480854971' post='3187546'] It didn't make it to rehearsal, but I've tweaked away and sorted the alignment and neck. Not sure about the strings. A couple of them don't even have one complete wind around the tuning peg. I've not owned a short scale bass before, so I'm not sure if the string floppiness is normal? [/quote] The link posted above suggested it's got locking tuners.... If so, there's no real benefit to wrapping round the peg as it doesn't rely on the strings friction against itself to stop the end of the string working its way back through the slot.

Depending on the angle the hole is drilled from under the bridge (dooowntooooooown) to the control cavity, it might be very difficult to push the wire through from the control cavity end.... If so, you don't really have much option but to join it to the rest of the loom afterwards

If its USB, it'll be 5V.... Won't you need 9V?

Kala do a solid body Uke bass which might fit the bill? https://www.thomann.de/gb/kala_sub_ubass_sb.htm

Yep. Not on a jazz, but on a USA ebmm sub which came with a painted neck. More info and pics here: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/271642-inept-woodworker-bodges-his-way-to-a-half-decent-result-well-chuffed/page__pid__2938502

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1473290667' post='3128857'] I could be in the market for an acoustic 4 string. I'd prefer a 34" scale if possible but recognise this isn't 'normal' for acoustics. I like jazz width necks - my favourite neck is my Status Jazz neck. I'd prefer a fretted neck. I'd like it to be quite loud as an acoustic (no amp required in a front room say with acoustic six string and some simple percussion) I don't want the body to be too big nor for it to be a stretch around the body for the plucking hand. I'd like it to be well balanced and comfortable to sit without a strap without it sliding off... Budget around £400 max I suppose. What would you recommend??? [/quote] I went to buy one a couple of years ago - tried a few out in a local shop and went for a Tanglewood TAB 1 CE. Can't remember the others I tried, but one was an Ibanez very similar to the one you've linked to, and it neither played nor sounded as nice as the Tanglewood. I bought it with the intention of backing my other half with it when she was into doing open mic nights, but ended up just using the electric and a small combo. Ended up giving it to her mum who really likes it - her house is in a terrace, so low volume jams are a more common occurrence at hers than at my place, where we don't really have to worry about the neighbours too much. Volume wise - it does OK against an acoustic guitar or two up close, but any distance away and the bass soon gets lost. Fine for practice / jam stuff but pointless for playing to an audience with unless you amp it up. Size wise - It's definitely chunky, but perfectly manageable. Easy for me as I'm 6'3" and have fairly long arms, but the gf's mum is a shortarse and copes with it fine. I'm pretty sure its a 34" scale. Neck is definitely chunkier than a Jazz, nut is 42mm. It plays more like a well setup electric than I ever expected it would though.

Also - have you hit the mute button on the tuner by any chance? According to the manual: [quote] DTR-2000 only: - INPUT select switch This switch selects whether to use the INPUT 1 or the INPUT 2 jack. The input indicator will light to indicate the jack you selected. When you turn on the power, INPUT 1 will be selected. - MIC You can use this mic to tune acoustic instruments. If you want to use the mic, use the INPUT SELECT switch to select an INPUT jack that is not connected, and turn Mute on [/quote] If the mic shouldn't be active unless you've got Mute on and a non-connected input selected, then it sounds like the tuner's not getting a decent level from the output on your amp for whatever reason. Hang on a minute.... when you say "[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]The only time it works is when I turn up"..... you're not using the volume control on your bass to do that are you? If your bass is turned right down then the tuner's definitely not going to be getting any signal![/font][/color]

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1470936028' post='3109493'] I'm not sure what you mean on your first point. Both instrument cables are fine. Checked both and I can play bass with them. The tuner out should be fine as I've never used it. I'm very confused. The seller is a BC member so maybe he could shed some light. [/quote] What happens if you plug the bass directly into input 1 on the korg? If the tuner works with the amp out of the equation, then you know the problem's either with the amp, or the way you're using it. Can you connect the tuner output on your amp to another amp, or a soundcard input on your computer - anything to tell you whether you're receiving a signal?

[quote name='highwayman' timestamp='1469180704' post='3096334'] Don't know if this will catch on, but I suggest a pre-EB 'Ray could be referred to as a 'Classic Stingray' & the recent EB homage (string through, slab body etc.) as the 'Stingray Classic'... [/quote] Knowing EBMM, they'd probably go for calling the new one the 'Sterling era Stingray Classic'

[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1469104570' post='3095771'] Still on-topic I think... I'm thinking about doing this to my USA SUB, not because I have a big problem with the slab body but more to reduce the weight. I'm not sure how much the weight would be reduced by contours but I'll work that out before I start. I did a few calculations once to see how rebuilding my AER amp two in lighter plywood would reduce the weight and the result was that it wasn't worth the effort and expense as it was minimal. A pity because I absolutely love everything else about this amp but find the weight is getting too much as my years on the planet increase. Adding contours to a US SUB though is a bit different as I'd do it myself and do a respray from cans. I'm not really bothered about the value because it's not worth as much as a Classic Stingray. Still, it's a superb bass and a very economical entry to Musicman. Any thoughts on the SUB contour modifications welcomed. Frank. [/quote] I recently put a belly cut and forearm contour on my USA SUB... It didn't make much difference to the weight in terms of picking it up out of the rack, but it definitely feels lighter once strapped on due it not sitting at an awkward angle. I've got a fretless one I'm going to do the same to as well.

Just sandpaper wrapped round a foam pad really... Started with something fairly coarse - probably 80 grit or so, and then worked up to 800 or 1200, followed by a going over with 0000 wire wool. I've got appalling hand eye coordination for this kind of stuff, but it was pretty easy to make a fairly tidy job of it - you can go as steady as you like until you've got your eye in & no need to use anything as coarse as 80 grit if you're not too confident

Had the same with mine - I sanded the peeling black stuff off and went for an oil & wax finish, same as they use on the Stingrays. Its easy, quick and cheap. Looks pretty good and feels much nicer to play. http://basschat.co.uk/topic/271642-inept-woodworker-bodges-his-way-to-a-half-decent-result-well-chuffed/unread/

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1466944926' post='3079865'] Thanks for that. Does it retain a satiny feel? [/quote] Depends on how you apply it - the first one I did was 3 very thin coats of tru oil and then one rubdown with the wax and feels very much like untreated wood. The second one I had more time and did more coats - maybe 6 of oil and 3 of wax, and probably slightly thicker coats each time... that one ended up feeling more like a conventional lacquer finish. Only took a couple of minutes with some 0000 wire wool to get it back to a similar satin feel to the first one though. In case it helps, here's a link to the thread when I did mine - there's a couple of links to videos in there with some helpful tips on the process http://basschat.co.uk/topic/271642-inept-woodworker-bodges-his-way-to-a-half-decent-result-well-chuffed/page__pid__2938502#entry2938502

I used birchwood Casey tru oil and gunstock wax on my USA ebmm sub when I removed the peeling black finish from the neck. It's what they use on the proper stingrays and I'm really happy with it.

[quote name='JimBobTTD' timestamp='1462041325' post='3039921'] I'm thinking going the Warmoth route... I have never used a Kahler. Not sure I have even seen one in the flesh. [/quote] I've got a kahler on my strat copy.. Never played a Floyd to compare but ... The roller bridge saddles are locked in place and are great for palm muting. The ball ends aren't clamped in place so heavy dive bombing can cause them to unseat and result in tuning issues. There's an Allen key bolt to lock the trem in place. Mine stays locked. No real tuning issues with it unlocked but I never use the arm. I'd replace it with a hardtail but its too much work for a guitar I rarely use.

[quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1464941838' post='3063891'] I think they're a weird company, tbh. Guitarists can have a signature model, but bassists cannot? And now they only offer basses in a choice of what is it four or five colours? Pfff. [/quote] The story as I heard it was that Flea saw the amount that Chad was getting off the back of his signature drum models that he asked Sterling for a signature Stingray model. Sterling didn't want to do that as it seemed disrespectful to the other artists that had already helped develop it & raise it's profile. All the signature guitars tend to be borne of artists coming to them looking for something significantly different to their existing models. If it turns out to be something that might sell, they get a name check on the headstock. (And presumably some $$$ too?)

I don't do any winding on my guitars with locking tuners... I thought the whole point of them was that you didn't need to, so the entire length of the string can be at the same tension as the speaking part - which gets rid of the possibility of winding slippage causing tuning issues....?

Yep. Goosed my back pretty bad last year so treated myself to a pair of barefaced big babies to go with the gk mb500 I already had. The BFM omnis I already had weren't ridiculously heavy, but I had a genuine medical reason to succumb to the GAS... Bit of a no brainer!

[quote name='MrDaveTheBass' timestamp='1462798070' post='3045694'] Is there a way of connecting a Zoom B3 via USB to an Android phone? I'd like to use the USB as a Aux-in so that I can play along with music files from my phone. (Samsung galaxy S3 Mini running Android ver 4.2.2). I've had a trawl through t'interweb, but most of the information that I've found on Android USB is either vague or contradictory. I'm hoping that you knowledgeable lot might be able to point me in the right direction. I assume that I'll need a USB OTG cable - does anyone have any recommendations as to which one to get? Also, does anyone have any experience of playing recorded music from an Android phone over USB? - What apps would you recommend? Many Thanks, Dave [/quote] My hunch is that it's going to be a lot of work to get your phone to reroute its sound output through the B3's soundcard. Not necessarily impossible - looks like someones's done something vaguely similar here - http://www.head-fi.org/t/627459/use-a-standard-usb-dac-with-a-nexus-7-step-by-step-guide - but it looks like such a faff, I'd be inclined to find a simpler solution. Where's your output from the B3 going? Could you use a tiny mixer to blend in the output from your phone? If it's going straight to headphones, what about using some in-ear headphones for one source, and some over-ear headphones for the other?

I recently picked up a zoom g3 and have been pleasantly surpassed by its sound and versatility. Takes a little bit of playing around with to get the best out of it as the standard presets aren't great, but there's loads of great sounds in it if you're prepared to cock about with it for a bit..

[quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1461846054' post='3038123'] Could form a band just doing the hits of dead people. [/quote] Maybe narrow it down to dead people that had short, but impressive careers. Tonight Matthew, I'm gonna be Carol Bunga with the Six foot under, One hit wonders...

I've got one of those for my VF-1... it's currently out at a mate's studio and I won't be over there again until next week. I might just have the second screw that came with the rack tray tucked away in the VF1 box though, which is at home somewhere. I'll have a look when I get home

[quote name='juliusmonk' timestamp='1460381146' post='3025164'] How can strap locks not fit a strap? Must be a special strap? Pardon the ignorance... [/quote] Straps with thick ends can be a bit of a pain unless you enlarge the hole a bit. More info in this thread - http://basschat.co.uk/topic/70420-schaller-strap-locks-and-how-to-fit-them-properly/