JapanAxe

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1365801760' post='2044847']


Ooh, thanks Stu, just ordered on vinyl - CD player in the car isn't working anyway!
[/quote]
Good job you have a record player in your car then!

Usually have my iPod plugged in. Last few albums listened to:

David Bowie - David Live
Gram Parsons - GP
The Rolling Stones - Dirty Work
John Hiatt - Crossing Muddy Waters
David Bowie - The Next Day
Sheryl Crow - C'mon C'mon
Eddie Cochran - The Original...

[u]What's Hot[/u]

After its success with the Squier brand in the 80s, Fender went back to Japan in the early 90s for the Silver Series (not to mention making Fender-branded instruments there too!). The serial number on this example puts its production date at 1991 or 1992.

It is very much a Jazz, with the characteristic slim neck (40.25mm at the nut) and typical Jazz tones, plus Japanese build quality. The control and pickup cavities have those brass(?) screening plates, with an earth strip running from the bridge pickup cavity to the bridge. When both volume controls are at the same level, the pickups are hum-cancelling; otherwise some single-coil hum can be noticed, especially if the bass is close to an amplifier or whatever.

For the MDP fans among you, I have added felt washers to the strap buttons - and yes, I got them from the Netherlands!

[u]What's Not[/u]

The previous owner was most likely a teenager who used the bass to shovel up all the dirty washing, pizza boxes, and X-Box games off his bedroom floor after his mum shouted at him. That's my guess anyway - the body is covered in dings, scratches, and gouges of varying magnitude, a couple of them through to the bare wood. Given that you can pay extra to have Sandberg do this to your custom order, you may feel that belongs in 'What's Hot'. Fortunately, the neck has got off quite lightly in this respect!

When I bought this bass, I almost didn't, because I could feel that the 'skunk stripe' (the darker wood that fills the truss-rod channel on the back of the neck) stands ever-so-slightly proud of the neck. I worried that it might be about to pop out, but (despite plenty of gigging) it never has, and in fact I have since felt exactly the same thing on a Dingwall neck.

I have replaced the bridge volume pot, otherwise the electronics are all original.

[u]The Bottom Line[/u]

I am looking for [size=5][b][color=#ff0000][s]£250[/s][/color] [color=#0000ff]£225[/color][/b][/size] shipped within mainland Britain. This includes a tatty but serviceable semi-hard case. Payment by bank transfer (preferred) or PayPal.

Of course you are welcome to come and try the bass first through my TC/Barefaced rig (or bring your own), in which case payment by cash.

I am not looking for trades thanks, I would rather have the readies so that I can [s]indulge my whims[/s] look around for the right instrument to help take my playing forward.
[attachment=132334:Jazz1.jpg][attachment=132335:Jazz2.jpg][attachment=132336:Jazz3.jpg][attachment=132337:Jazz4.jpg][attachment=132338:Jazz5.jpg]

[u]EDIT[/u] for missing neck width!

Cheers for that Danny!

EDIT: 42mm!!?? That's narrower than my former 4-string P!

Blimey that looks well chunky! Would I be right in thinking that the big boys are for mains and output, smaller ones chokes? Or for driving a reverb spring?

I'm currently toying with the idea of a 5-er, and the BB415 and 425 have come into my sights as possibles. Before I start schlepping round the music shops (the few that are left), can anyone comment on the feel/action of these basses down at the low end? The reason I ask is that some years ago I had a BBG, and that seemed quite tiring to play near the nut.

Note - please no offers of stuff for sale, I'm not at the wallet-worrying stage yet!

[quote name='megallica' timestamp='1365668465' post='2042477']
I know it's all personal taste but listening to this song which I really like and the dead bass tone really sticks out. I've heard all the James Jamerson stories and can appreciate that some players don't like anythiing but low end thump but for me dead strings sound awful on a recording.

Any other nominations for what you might deem a crap bass sound?

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgHHFKpxjKs"]https://www.youtube....h?v=YgHHFKpxjKs[/url]
[/quote]
I actually quite like that. I would struggle to achieve that tone myself! Also that song rocks \m/

You could use a generic 9V supply plus the El Paso 9-15V converter from [url="http://thegigrig.com/acatalog/Modular-Power-Supply.html"]TheGigRig[/url].

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1365585701' post='2041297']
It's just music. And when did micro-timing become more important than note-choice for bass players?
[/quote]
Just as important! Surely rocking is a particular kind of grooving?

If chordify is as good as chordie.com you may as well try and play everything with 3 or 4 chords, usually the wrong ones!

My back is twingeing just looking at that.

Suggest you pick up the Warwick and play the riff or a small part of is as slowly as you can. Observe yourself to see whether anything is going wrong. If not, speed up slightly and repeat until you get it wrong. Then home in on each little action you are doing until you find the culprit.

You may also have issues generally with your plucking-hand technique. Any chance you could post a short vid?

An Ashdown ABM combo and extension cab fit perfectly (face down) between the wheel arches of a Focus. That space is actually a tad narrower in my E-class Merc estate - good job I downsized my bass rig!

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1365332119' post='2038052']
Total opposite here , love p bass but this does nothing for me .
[/quote]
To me it kind of misses the point of P-basses. Just like posh Teles.

Unless it's very simple I always use music notation. This establishes a second (visual) learning route. Tab is good for conveying the mechanics of where to put your fingers, but usually poor when it comes to rhythmic information. *sudden realisation of collision with existing thread(s)*

Bit far for me but have a good one!

I'm sure I responded to a thread like this before, but in addition to all the essentials that I lug into the gig, I also keep a bag in the well under my car's boot, containing a mic lead, a jack lead, a kettle lead, and a mains 4-way.

Have you though about one of those bike trailers that ecologically-minded folks tow their sproglets about in? Your DB would be much safer in one of those methinks...

1) What the other guys said.

2) A ground lift disconnects the signal earth but leaves the safety earth in the mains cable connected. Thus when you connect to another bit of kit, both devices are earthed for safety, but there is no earth connection on the signal lead to cause an earth loop [someone post a diagram?]

3) Anything black that looks like it's been made from parts of a dead alien. In the 80s, red and black 'magma' effect was also acceptable. Doesn't matter what it sounds like as your eardrums will already have imploded.

As I understand it, it is a legal requirement for mains-powered portable kit (e.g. bass amps!) to come with a UK mains lead. (There is an exemtion for 'bathroom appliances like shavers and toothbrushes).

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1364244186' post='2023799']
Yes! And a £5 fine for bloody window shoppers who write, 'if only I had the cash for this'... ...'If this had 4/5/6/7/8/12/21 strings I'd be all over it'... ...'why are all the things I want too far away?'... ...'I never thought I'd see you sell this, mate!'... ...'you can get these much cheaper at Argos'... ...'My arse hurts!... ...and so on and so forth.
[/quote]
Nah, leave 'em be, they represent free bumps!

My 3-piece plays I Got You (I Feel Good) by James Brown, and I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye (but more like the Creedence version). Both have great bass lines IMO, but I'm on guitar!

There seem to be 3 themes emerging here, namely
(1) Costume;
(2) Feeling comfortable;
(3) Acting up / showing off.

I have been playing live in front of people for over 30 years, so (2) is rarely a problem. The stage is a comfort zone, it's my gig and I'm in control (most of the time).

I think (1) helps a lot with (3), as it kinda gives you permission to be a show biz version of yourself. I used to dress up as Keef (wig, makeup, animal prints) in a Stones tribute band, and that was the first time I got into jumping about and drawing attention to myself rather than just trying to play the songs properly.

Conversely, in my current trios I am 'tied' to the mic most of the time, so despite the Western wear or shiny shirt (depending on the trio), my only arsing-about opportunities are during solos. Even so, it makes a big difference if you try to engage with the audience - fielding song requests, dealing with hecklers, or otherwise reacting to what the buggers get up to. If you just play the songs, you're missing a large part of the experience.

'Can't believe this still hasn't sold' type of bump

[quote name='Mr Basstastic' timestamp='1363887474' post='2019000']
Also whats is the difference between CIJ and MIJ?
[/quote]
AFAIK the CIJ instruments were officially meant solely for the Japanese market, but some dealers have imported them to the UK.