Greggo

I've got a set of these on my 'ray copy. I don't know if it's the bass itself or the nature of the strings but from day one they didn't sound very bright, certainly not compared to the daddario xl pack I slung on my yammy. Anyone else find this with them? Tension does also seem higher too which has made a setup for my tastes a bit of a pain. I didn't actually order cobalt though they were upgraded by strings direct because run out of slinkies so was a bonus.

http://db.tt/GgUxAQvc Took this picture of the body strung up, Full length shot http://db.tt/PZGPlula

Haha, Why do you want it Sir? I've just recently lent that one out to my father in law so might be an while before I can flog that one!

LAst year decided to get a new inexpensive bass but was limited by budget so bought a Vintage brand 'ray copy that I saw and was appealed by its looks price and the way it played. I did at the time see some (what I now realise were) Yamaha BB 424 basses which because I already had a Yamaha I didn't even consider and thought they were a bit ugly at the time. Now I'm really gassing for one after hearing nothing but good things about that series. Now I actually think they are very attractive too especially the x series with the metal control plate! I really wish I had done more research prior to buying a new bass as from listening to YouTube clips they sound lovely! Anyone else care to convince me I should maybe trade up what I've got and get one?!

I've come to conclusion that my plectrum playing on bass needs work to tighten up and have been reading up on Carol Kaye method and it feels strange but is slowly improving this area. Does anyone agree that the techniques for playing bass with a plectrum are (or should be) different to on guitar? On guitar I find if I'm playing single notes I anchor pinky on pick guard but doing this on bass limits my playing somewhat due to wider string span.

I've been tempted to try flats for a while now, especially now I have a 2nd and third bass. I've got an Ibanez Roadstar II (similiar shape to a modern Ibanez SR300) which puts out slightly too much treble even with tone rolled off, so thinking a set of flats might sweeten the deal a little bit. Ive seen the fender flats cheap, but I've read that they have a fairly high tension? I have this bass strung 45 - 105 with a low action, but I understand same guage flats have a higher tension and can be harder to play at first.

I think the way pluck seems to be diagonally through string which seems to smack the string below. If the string below is fretted it clicks if it's not fretted (or muted) it makes an audible thud. I may need to relearn my finger style techniques perhaps. I reckon it's probably always been the case but I've only in last year been practicing bass at home solo, in a band situ I think it's probably not noticeable which is when I've only really ever played bass. What is a better technique for plucking?

I had another go at setting neck relief but realised my bass feels much nicer with a straighter neck, albeit the bridge saddles need to go up a bit. One thing I can't shake with a low action is an annoying clicking when playing a note on a string when string below is fretted, because my fingers are pushing string below one into frets. Probably a technique thing though anyone else experienced this?

Is the string tension generally a bit higher on a straighter neck?

[quote name='BassBod' timestamp='1372876970' post='2131103'] I go for 12th...most necks only give from there due to the body join area supporting the top of the neck. That doesn't mean other things can't happen at the top end mind! [/quote] Yes that does make more sense that from the neck join out the neck would bend from that point. I've got relief a business card thickness from measuring 1st and last and action is low without buzz but when chording an interval for example my fingers push the lower string into the frets causing a clicking. Wondering if adding more relief to neck will minimise this. Checking 1st and 15th fret (where neck meets body on mine) there is no gap whatsoever at 7th fret!

Sorry if this has had a definitive answer before, but when checking neck relief using a capo at first fret, is it the last fret you also press to check relief at 7th fret or at the fret where neck joins body? I've read different things so not sure what to believe! Thanks

I can vouch for that also. Bought a harness for a very cheap telecaster copy and tone before and after very noticeably improved. The actual tone knob now does something rather than just on/off!

I think thats just it, although got some good guitars basses, would be better to just have an overhaul and streamline the collection. For me more versality from a smaller number would be ideal.

Has anyone with more than a couple of guitars/basses ever get tempted to sell all the existing guitars and with the money raised "reboot" the collection? Maybe in order to downsize collection but also so can choose better suited/better quality/more versatile instruments to replace the ones sold. Im going through this temptation right now. I have 7 guitars/basses, little room for them and in all honestly so little time to play them. Starting to think that one bass, one electric guitar and one acoustic would be all I would need for forseeable future. Does anyone else ever go through this urge?!

[url="http://www.probass.co.uk/StingerEQ.html"]http://www.probass.co.uk/StingerEQ.html[/url] Whack one of these in an OLP or decently made stingray copy and you will get you incredibly close to the stingray sound. I've put one in a £200 bass made by JHS Vintage and it sounds fantastic.

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1369738673' post='2092081'] Not true there either, bestest tone monsters out there have telephone wire strings and high action (SRV for one) I tried straightening and lowering out my old Strat, it sounded crap. The SG likes it though. Low action is pointless for anyone who likes to hit the strings properly rather than tickle them like a girl [/quote] Thats interesting that the SG liked it but Strat didnt - arent SG's shorter scale?

I wonder if its a hangover from the guitar world where it gets drummed into you from magazine/forums that you need a straight as an arrow neck and the lowest possible. Having said that, I never bothered adjusting necks on any of the 6 strings I owned. I dont shred,so low action not essential (but then I do play with 9 guage strings ) On bass Im torn between enjoying the ease of a low action but preferring the tone of slightly higher action. Getting the balance right is certainly a compromise as someone has said. I use 45 - 130 (on a 5 banger), I sometimes wonder if I shoud go down a guage.

[quote name='iiipopes' timestamp='1369712907' post='2091844'] It's not just the string excursion. It's the mechanical impedance of the neck. I have a Gibson J45 which I really enjoy. When I first got it, I was very careful to set it up properly. As I tightened the truss rod to a point of proper relief, it felt really, really good, and it appeared that it could go just a little bit straighter to make the action even better. But that last 1/4 turn of the truss rod damped down the vibration of the entire instrument too much, and the entire instrument lost its resonance. I backed the truss rod back off that 1/4 turn, and all the tone and resonance came back. I left it there, even though the action could, in an abstract sense, be even lower. [/quote] Its interesting isn't it how little adjustments can affect the whole instrument. I've backed off the truss rod on both basses now and they sound better, even though as you say, the action could be lower.