solo4652

The band's been struggling with a song. Realising I was playing the introduction wrong, I changed what I was doing and sent it to the band leader/rhthym guitarist/lead singer (he's a full-time music teacher) to short-cut any further wasted time at the next rehearsal. I then re-worked and simplified the fingering and sent him the amended version. His reply: [color=#0000CD]Those are the same notes but on a different string. So... yeah, it's the same. I'm going to send you a bass fret board template. I think you should label the notes and start thinking about the fretboard in simpler terms. The fifth fret of every string is the same as the string below played open. So instead of playing 5 play 0 on the next string so you needn't use your pinky so much. [/color] [color=#0000CD][/color]

So - do we think it's genuine or not?

Just had this reply: [color=#0000CD]I[color=black] [/color]have updated the listing to include the serial number (sorry about the photo!) here it is: S868743 As to the other questions... I will have to find out for you. I am selling this item for a neighbour. I'll pop round and measure it for you, should get back to you in a day or so. don't know what active/passive means - that's to do with if it's powered, isn't it? there's no "on board" power source or battery supply, so I guess that would make it passive. (am I right?). I believe the electrics and truss rod are good... you'd be welcome to come round to Kentish Town and have a look. [/color]

Here are the seller's answers to my questions: [color=black]Where was it made? The [/color][color=#0000CD]bass is unmarked apart from a faint 'Satellite' on the headstock but Satellite made their instruments in Japan.[/color] [color=black]How wide is the neck at the nut? [/color][color=#0000CD]47mm[/color] [color=black]Do all the electrics work properly?[/color][color=#0000CD] The pickup and rotary tone and volume work great, the output socket could be better (could make a more solid connection) and I would replace it if keeping the instrument, but it does work.[/color] [color=black]Truss-rod working properly? [/color][color=#0000CD]Yes, this is fine.[/color] Any major wear or damage? [color=#0000CD]The bass is[/color] [color=#0000CD]in great condition, there is slight surface wear on the fingerboard under the lowest string but this could be sorted out with some kind of oil- there is no roughness or ridging though, the fingerboard is perfectly smooth. The body and neck are in lovely condition. A couple of machine heads rattle at certain frequencies and this is something else I would replace if keeping it. The bridge is a very solid through-body type and all adjustment screws work well.[/color]

[quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1323531004' post='1464278'] Some of the Satellites were rough! I have one of these - lent it to my mate, a year ago and although he has access to a lot of my stuff, that's the one he plays live. Neck through, lovely Old School sound, very nice to play - not too heavy. The ony iffy things are the tuners - you would need to budget for those. Although some ome the posts say don't touch it - I would agree on some of their other stuff but if you fancy fretless and are new to it, you might be tipped over the edge by the fact there is a dot for every fret postition - only the punters can't see that!!! Cheers. [/quote] but if you fancy fretless and are new to it, you might be tipped over the edge by the fact there is a dot for every fret postition - only the punters can't see that!!! [color=#0000CD]Now then, that's interesting....[/color]

[quote name='ShergoldSnickers' timestamp='1323524138' post='1464181'] I'm no P bass expert - not even a beginner really, but the seller is trying a bit too hard in the copy - which makes me suspicious. Much prefer the down to earth matter of fact ads that tell you the score and that have quality high resolution photos. The fingerboard.... either do the former fret slots in a light shade or precisely the colour of the fingerboard wood - any 'expert defrettifier' would do this. Doesn't look too good to me. Hard to tell in any case with this abysmal photography. What about a serial number that can be seen? [/quote] I've emailed him and asked for the serial number.

Message received. Thanks folks.

Aaah, right. It's not sounding too promising, is it. Just seen this, you see: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fretless-Bass-made-Satellite-through-neck-construction-precision-pickup-/270871168697?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3f112e06b9"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fretless-Bass-made-Satellite-through-neck-construction-precision-pickup-/270871168697?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3f112e06b9[/url]

See: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260913445488"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260913445488[/url] What do we think, folks?

Folks, What do we know about "Satellite" branded basses, please? Googling throws up very little. I believe they were made in Japan, but I'm struggling to find out much else. Steve

I have a headache now. I'm going to bed.

Just to add further confusion, I have a USA L2000. In the past I've owned 2 Tributes and the USA model sounds darker and richer to me. It may be that settings that work on maple-boarded Tributes don't work so well on a rosewood-boarded USA model. Just a thought.

So, to summarise the discussion so far: To get my L2000 to cut through in a fairly noisy band mix, I'll need to: Use front pickup. Or bridge. Or both Select active. Or passive Series (or parrallel) pick up switching for bass boost. Or not. Start with tone knobs on zero and slowly dial up. Alternatively, have both on max. Or possibly one up and one down Use either roundwound or halfwound strings

[quote name='scalpy' timestamp='1322504900' post='1451762'] Both pickups on will cut through the mix! However I have found when I use a modern amp, GB, EA and the like, bass cut takes too much away. Best to ramp all three knobs to max, bass boost on, stick it in active and to hell with anybody who gets in your way! [/quote] Won't that set-up remove the plaster from the ceiling?! I can make the G&L loud alright, but getting it to stand out alongside two guitars is proving quite hard.

How about this: [url="http://www.wwbw.com/Mighty-Mite-MM2919-P-Bass-Replacement-Neck-with-a-Fretless-Ebonol-Fingerboard-585058-i1519590.wwbw"]http://www.wwbw.com/Mighty-Mite-MM2919-P-Bass-Replacement-Neck-with-a-Fretless-Ebonol-Fingerboard-585058-i1519590.wwbw[/url] £98 delivered, including shipping and all duties and taxes. Drop it into my Fender P and see how I get on? Black ebanol board might look pretty sexy with my black P with white pickguard.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1322479475' post='1451183'] I bought a new Mighty Mite neck (from the USA) with an Ebanol fingerboard, and transferred the tuners from the 'donor' neck. The heel needed a shave to get it to fit the socket perfectly, which I was happy to leave to an expert, but apart from that it was a doddle. Might Mite kit isn't cheap, but it is very good. Ebanol has a very nice mwah to it, especially if you use either rounds or half-round strings. [/quote] Thanks Jack. Thinking about it, I'm not sure whether I'd really want to start messing with my Fender P. However, I do have an Ibanez Blazer that I'd happily mod. Wonder if the Mighty Mite neck would fit. Or there's this: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fretless-Precision-bass-guitar-neck-Not-Fender-but-decent-quality-/120819245845?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D4512306787961955899"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fretless-Precision-bass-guitar-neck-Not-Fender-but-decent-quality-/120819245845?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D4512306787961955899[/url]

[quote name='philw' timestamp='1322477831' post='1451146'] I'd say don't worry about lines. Dots on the side on the "fret" positions will be enough to get you in the right ball-park and then it's down to how much fretless playing you do. Fretless technique is also not really about planting your finger at the right point on the fingerboard and leaving it there. The freedom to slide notes a little, add vibrato and generally shape the expression of a note means that the nominal "correct" intonation isn't always as clear cut as you might think. P [/quote] Thanks for your reply. I'm very open to the idea of an unlined neck with a full set of side dots on the fret positions. It's just occured to me that I have a lovely 2008 USA P that I'm not playing much.Perhaps I could get a fretless neck for it. Or maybe a neck for my Ibanez Blazer. Hmmmmmmm...

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1322300761' post='1448998'] This is my old Ibanez 2366: [url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Ibanez%202366%20FLB%201972%20SOLD/"]http://s1128.photobu...%201972%20SOLD/[/url] The fret-ends appeared to be factory-fitted and were a God-send when I first started playing fretless. That bass would probably fall within your £200 budget if you could find one. Bloody heavy, mind. I liked it so much that, when I converted my old Lakland Duck Dunn into a fretless with a Mighty Mite neck, I asked my regular luthier to copy the fret-end idea: [url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Lakland%20Skyline%20Duck%20Dunn%20FL%20conversion/"]http://s1128.photobu...L%20conversion/[/url] I honestly can't remember how much he charged, but it wasn't too outrageous. It was helpful that I showed him the Ibanez before I sold it, so he could have a really good look at how they'd done it. [/quote] That's it! That's the bass I had in mind - I searched for it on Basschat but couldn't find it. If anybody has one for sale - let me know. I've seen a Yamaha BB 400s for sale and that seems to be pretty much what I'm after. Any good?

[quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1322298644' post='1448970'] If budget is a deciding factor have you considered getting an un-lined example and try some way of putting the marks on yourself? Or with the help of a luthier. [/quote] Yes - that's a thought. Wonder how much a luthier would charge...

[quote name='ikay' timestamp='1322218266' post='1448016'] There's a good example here - [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/159670-fs-fbass-ac5-alain-caron-signature-fretless"]http://basschat.co.u...nature-fretless[/url] [/quote] Aha! - that's the sort of thing. I'd be looking for 4 strings, passive, P-width neck and less than £200 though... Steve