Greggo

I suppose my love of bass is clear in that I joined a bass forum (I'm not a member of a guitar forum) and I don't have any burning desire to be a guitarist again live. I do still practice my bass chops at home, but then probably only in last year since I purchased my new basses - I hadn't bought a new bass since my first encore which I sold when I was given an unwanted 5 string yamaha which I used for about 11 years for playing live and recording stuff (which I always thought was a bit cack and a new bass confirmed it - in hindsight the encore played and sounded better!)

[quote name='Bassman Sam' timestamp='1381615785' post='2241544'] This is so true. I love noodling on my acoustic guitar but bass is where my heart is in a band situation. I used to get p*ssed off when someone would come round to my house and see the bass and say, go on, play me a tune. Twunts. It don't work like that. That's why I bought a guitar to shut the 'ckers up. [/quote] Yeah that must be annoying, or when people ask if you can play the "formula one" bassline (because that's the only famous bassline!)

[quote name='Slatfatf' timestamp='1381614956' post='2241533'] Agree with you Greggo. I started on guitar but after learning to play bass I knew that I was better as a bass player. At home I prefer playing guitar, but HAVE to be in a band to play bass! Many on here won't understand that but I do... [/quote] Yeah definitely. I suppose people that play basses as a solo instrument and do lots of clever things on it probably don't have any desire to play guitar, but I personally believe bass is a support instrument in a band and I like being that support. There is nothing better than dropping out for a few bars during a song then coming thundering back in and seeing everyone in band smile because everything sounds so good. I'm not a particularly flash player (but nor I am a root notes only all the time kind of player) but I love the idea that without me playing it would sound rubbish!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1381614464' post='2241524'] I like recording guitar parts. I sometimes write on guitar, too. But I have no desire to play guitar in a live situation. I have done it once or twice though and spent most of the time frowning at the bass player, thinking, '[i]I[/i] should be over there doing that. Only better.' [/quote] Haha, yeah I'm the same. When I did play guitar it was weird because I wasn't used to not being the bass player and I found myself either really enjoying what he was doing or as you say thinking I would do that different. He was very good though to be fair and I did get some good ideas from him which I may have subconsciously adapted through osmosis!

I've often thought about what I prefer playing guitar or bass. I started on guitar some 17 years ago and started dabbling in bass about 4 years later when I bought my first encore p bass copy (actually a very nice sounding bass in retrospect having listened back to some recordings from the past!) I used it primarily to lay down bass lines on the songs I had recorded on my 4 track but I absolutely loved doing the bass parts and couldn't wait to put them on! When I joined college I started playing in bands but my instinct was to play bass and I enjoyed it. In the few various bands that followed over the years including the present I'm still taking care of the bottom end. I did join a band as guitarist for a change once and it was alright but part of me was jealous that I wasn't laying down the bass parts. But it's weird when I'm at home I seem to get more enjoyment from playing the 6 string than bass. But I prefer to play bass in a band situation and I don't want for being the guitarist? I feel like my place in a bands is the bass (and I love playing bass in bands) but I also love the creation of riffs / passages on guitar at home. Anyone else like this or are you hardcore bass all the way?

I imagine Radiohead would fall into this category. Think how different genre first album is to last album - I was always surprised how different they had gone.

Stupid question but how exactly does a truss rod work in the sense that tightening it bends the rod upwards? Is it the pressure of the nut against the rod that forces it to bend upwards?

Update - nothing wrong with these strings they are decent! Fairly bright but not offensively so. Bit of a scooped sound I would say. Tension for a lower guage (40 - 125) is good too, easy to play with a low action but no floppy. £6 well spent I'd say!

I've got a Yamaha BB414 and I found whacking the pickups up a) makes it sound better means the pickups have a ramp effect and actually help me play a bit better. Pickups in 414 are really hot, louder than my active bass!

[quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1381228517' post='2235971'] Sounds like you need a go with a router; if you're not into power tools, get someone who knows what they're doing! Once the pickup is where you want it you can always find or make a new plate. [/quote] Theres a bit of room left to move the pickup back in its cavity so I dont think I will need to route any more space as can get within 4mm of the "sweet spot" that has been revealed in this thead

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1381184924' post='2235659'] I doubt it... but then I'm not big on the theory of tone woods in an electric instrument. [/quote] Haha funny you should say that, I'm not a big believer either but I guess there's always hope!

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1381180801' post='2235608'] You be surprised. I've been recreating a well known G&L pup placement for a few basses then recently decided that I'd try something new. I moved it about a cm neck-ward and voomp! All of a sudden we have new harmonic overtones. [/quote] In theory (if the whole body wood does make a difference rings true) if I moved the pickup back so it is right against the wood in the cavity would this have a positive impact on tone as well? At present it sits in the middle of cavity so the pup doesn't touch any wood (oo er!)

I've never had an issue with string tension over pickup. I may just experiment by moving it - it makes no odds if it doesn't sound much different can just put back into the correct place so pickguard fits.

[quote name='Ian Savage' timestamp='1381174831' post='2235469'] 21st fret to centre of the pickup on my Vintage is 160mm, probably not enough to make much of a difference... [/quote] Haha jinx doing it at same time. I'm happy that the Vintage is pretty dammed close. The alnico magnet mod definitely makes things so much sweeter for nailing that tone! May get some clips up

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1381139840' post='2234730'] From the centre of the 21st fret to the middle of the pup on my 'ray is approximately 169mm. HTH [/quote] Just measured centre of 21st to centre of pickup on my Vintage and it is approx 157mm so is further. There's actually less wiggle room to push it back than I thought, another 5mm. However I took measurement of 21st to centre of p pickup from my Yamaha BB414 and that's 120mm exactly so it's closer to ray sweet spot at least!

[quote name='tommorichards' timestamp='1381173216' post='2235430'] For added cosmetic help, you could cur the front bit off the bridge, or even get one of these [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHROME-BASS-GUITAR-BRIDGE-FOR-MUSIC-MAN-Style-5-String-Guitar-/160983855039?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item257b62afbf"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHROME-BASS-GUITAR-BRIDGE-FOR-MUSIC-MAN-Style-5-String-Guitar-/160983855039?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item257b62afbf[/url] [/quote] Proper lookalike bridge

[quote name='Ian Savage' timestamp='1381155661' post='2235052'] Is there anywhere else to fingerpick a Stingray-type? [/quote] I fingerpick at the nut, gives a very unique tone

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1381154719' post='2235034'] It is my belief that the pup placement in the 'ray (or any other bass) is integral to it's sound. I'd go for it. [/quote] If I can get the pup in the sweet spot using the available space, I will have to see about getting a new pickguard. It isnt a pretty bass without a pickguard - the pickup looks like it is in an unfilled grave!!

[quote name='Ian Savage' timestamp='1381143250' post='2234802'] I've never measured it but in terms of 'feel' when A/Bing my VS96 with a SUB fingerpicking on the Vintage seemed a little looser with the same gauge strings, so I'd take from that that the pickup IS a little further forward - shall be intrigued to find out for definite though! [/quote] Is that when playing over the pickup? I think from sight alone it looks like it is further foward, thinking perhaps getting into P-bass territory. Its not a bad thing, Im not trying to make it sound EXACTLY like a stingray, just trying to make it closer to that tone, (seeing as it is based on that design). Will be interesting to hear if it sounds any different if I screw the pickup down a bit further back using the generous space the they have routed for the pickup (seriously, the size of the cavity they've dug out for that single pickup is huge! Could probably fit about 4 or 5 single coils in it!)

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1381139840' post='2234730'] From the centre of the 21st fret to the middle of the pup on my 'ray is approximately 169mm. HTH [/quote] Ah thanks I may measure mine and see how it fairs - is it the positon of pickup relative to last fret that counts as opposed to distance from bridge? I've never been too sure of these kind of things, but as Im getting more interested in tinkering it is good to know.

Been playing around with my Vintage 'ray copy and I've been trying to get it sounding as good as I can do on a tight budget. Its already got a clone of a 2 band stingray preamp in and I've swapped out the ceramic bar magnets in it for 2 alnico v bar magnets and the results are pleasing. I did notice though that when comparing pics of the real 'ray to my copy , Im sure the pickup positioning in mine is further towards neck than the real ray - almost in the P position? (top is the vintage and bottom is the real thing - images not mine but is of same bass - pinched from google) What does anyone else think? The pickup routing in the body is massive though and in theory i could move the pickup further towards the bridge by about 15mm.

Does the 2 eq ray have a big sweep in treble when turning? I understand treble is cut/boost but I don't know if I'm expecting something that was never there or not. In position 10 its got the sizzle but from position 9 (approx) to about 3 there is a reduction but not gradual (same sound) and then the first few "positions" is like the cut and sound the same (so effectively 3 tones over the range of the pots motion) The pots are probably just cheapies (not even alpha) so that's why I'm thinking may be worth replacing. Bass control is fine though.

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1380974001' post='2232969'] Those are the same pot values he's put in the diagram for them so presumably that's what you have already. [/quote] Yeah I never originally looked at diagram (had no intention of trying to make one myself) but I see that now

[quote name='tommorichards' timestamp='1380967829' post='2232857'] If anyone was doing a clone of that preamp, then they would definitely use the same value pots for it, as anything else wouldnt make it a clone. One was you can check the values is by taking them off and getting a multimeter on them. Get the resistance straight away. But according the the widely available stringray preamp diagram the values are as follow: Vol: 25k log Bass: 100k Log treble: 1meg reverse log. May i ask where the clone preamp came from? [/quote] From probass.co.uk. Thanks for info, I think the issue is with the pots themselves,think the volume and treble are a bit duff. With the exception of the bass control which works fine (can detect the changes through the whole turn of the pot) the Volume only seems to have one setting ( which 1 is same volume as 10)and the treble has about three sounds as the pot sweeps. Will order a new vol and treble with those values and see what happens I think. Preamp itself sounds great though nonetheless. I've just done a mod to the pickup as well - swapped out the ceramic bar magnets in the Wilkinson pickup for alnico bar magnets and it sounds even better.