JapanAxe

Dry cleaning shops often take in repairs or have contacts who can do sewing jobs. The problem will be finding a zip that's long enough!

Nice bass but that Jazz pickup needs the stealth treatment!

+1 for Richer Sounds - great value and proper customer service.

Mart bought a gig-bag from me, paid promptly and kept in touch throughout. Oh, and a thoroughly nice chap

Having studied this thread in depth I have just taken delivery of a set of D'Addario Chromes 45-100 for my Sandberg VM4, which is basically a P with an extra MM pickup near the bridge. These will replace the roundwounds that it came with. Comments to follow soon!

Yes definitely go for used, you can get more for your money that way. Take an open-minded bass-playing friend with you when bass-shopping. And don't be satisfied with 'that'll do', go for the one that says 'take me, I'm yours'!

The Sonia connection is bound to push the price up

*NERD ALERT* In para 19, I think you mean 'timbr[u]a[/u]l qualities'; 'timbral' is an adjective meaning 'of or pertaining to timbre', whereas a timbrel is a percussion instrument. */NERD ALERT*

[quote name='mart' timestamp='1375906335' post='2167355'] [i]thinner[/i] strings does not always mean less tension in the neck, or not enough to make a noticeable difference. [/quote] True, but check out and compare the quoted string tensions on any of the 'Family Tension Guides' accessible form each range's page on the D'Addario site - e.g [url="http://www.daddario.com/DADProductFamily.Page?ActiveID=3768&familyid=18"]this[/url].

[quote name='deanovw' timestamp='1375909109' post='2167409'] its not very exciting but i like it. [/quote] That was in Bass Direct when I visited! Seriously, that freakin' configurator is a recipe for GAS

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1375900255' post='2167200'] I didn't see it as any of those things. Rock was a music of rebellion but also an art form -- something to listen to. Disco was about partying -- something to dance to. Rock music was progressing as was the musicianship. Solos and wild experimentation were a growing part of it. Disco was about precise rhythm, repetition and simplicity. [/quote] This kind of illustrates the whole rock=authentic, pop=artificial conceit - no offence intended Lowender, it's a long established phenomenon!

Definitely don't drench it with WD40! You should be able to remove the nut completely. Even if it's at the end of its travel, you may be able to get a bit more effect out of it by fitting a suitable washer. Have you checked the gauge of strings on there? You can do this with a micrometer or vernier caliper. A lighter and/or lower gauge string should give you less neck relief. Any pics?

Great intro Joe! It would be good to see some pictures of those basses, maybe before-and-after photos of the double bass?

I'm not a DB player but Ab sucks on bass guitar too - until you play it on a 5-string, then you can get the whole scale in 4th position! [Thinks: Probably stated the obvious here, but someone has to...]

I commend to your attention the worthy tome 'Musicophilia' by Oliver Sacks. Subtitled 'Tales of Music and the Brain', it deals with quite a few phenomena like this.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1375615557' post='2163414'] We usually ran a lead from the cigarette machine socket. Failing that we turned down. Not ideal I know but we've turned up and we're not going home empty handed. On the other hand, if a venue is required to install a noise limiter by the Council then it is in breach of its licence if it allows you to bypass the limiter. That's a big deal for a venue. Whether a limiter is pointless or not isn't for the band to decide. A band might have other things to think about, like why do we have a drummer who is so inflexible that he can't alter his volume and, the band is looking like a bunch of amateurs if it is constantly loosing power by playing too loud. Gigging bands don’t live in a bubble anymore. Noise was always an issue to neighbours and these days their complaints are being listened to. You either adapt or you don't gig as much as you would like. [/quote] Points well made and taken. I just hate playing with one eye on the pesky traffic lights!

Not sure of your budget but Sandbergs seem to come out of the factory with a very low action (and 40-100 gauge strings). Various pickup combinations but unfortunately none with a pickup right by the neck. For a complete curveball, how about the Variax? You could model a honking great humbucker in the correct position.