Lfalex v1.1

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='791622' date='Mar 31 2010, 10:20 AM']Gah, image. We're cursed by the fact that we play heavy stuff, but we're a couple of short-haired, bespectacled, quiet, slightly socially awkward guys without tattoos. Even though I'm sure it'd help us get gigs if we got tattooed to the hilt and grew our hair down to our navels (and I mean [i]sure[/i], because I've seen us get overlooked before in favour of the lairy, hairy metal guys)...[/quote] Which is ironic, as the last band I was in [i]were[/i] the aforementioned tattooed hairy guys. We were a folk band. (I kid you not!) So much for the stereotypes, then.

I'm nearly Rich's age. I've got one of the last pre-VW Skoda Felicias, and I own a Status, too. I wonder what this means?! I know! I'm not comfortable unless the bass in the boot is worth more than the car!!!

[quote name='geoffbassist' post='790741' date='Mar 30 2010, 04:06 PM']I don't get it. They ruin a basses balance and I doubt anyone can hear a difference in tone. I think they will date really quickly, remember 80's headless basses? :-)[/quote] Uh-oh! Technically the Status Streamline is a single-cut (of sorts). And it's dinky. And headless. And I own one! Fortunately it avoids the "stigma" associated with the 1980s by 2 decades or so... Dons *unfashionable* coat. Leaves.

The 4HS I tried at bass merchant was superb. I have some nice stuff (Status, Vigier, Warwick, Yamaha etc.) and I still think it was superb. They had some nice stuff there (Vigier, Spector, Sandberg, Overwater, Warwick, GMR etc.) and it measured up well. Played well. No ergonomic issues, sounded awesome. Looked... Like a Bongo. I'd like one. Canary Yellow w/ Black hardware and a black/yellow/ black scratchplate!!!

[quote name='Vibrating G String' post='788368' date='Mar 28 2010, 10:48 AM']I think you can get great basses for cheap. I have a Peavey and a Fernandes, both bought used for $250 each, that are much better than 2 of the very expensive brands mentioned in this thread judging by the ones I've personally owned. I'm of the school of thought that thinks "hand made" is synonymous with inconsistent. At the risk of being banned from the internet I'd suggest that the price of a bass tells you less about the quality and more about how cool it is. [/quote] I agree about the "coolness" part. Some manufacturers/luthiers are deemed "cool", and this allows them to charge premium prices (and have mega waiting times (Thinking Rickenbacker and Fodera!) The inconsistency factor exists, but is a double edged sword; If inconsistency means each one is well made but subtly different, then great. If it means some are well made and others less so, then that's not so good. As a corollary, try a relatively expensive instrument from a lesser (or un-) known maker. You certainly aren't paying for the name then! About 15 years ago, I tried a bass I'd never heard of before, and bought it. It was my first big budget instrument. I still have it, and it's STILL one of the finest I've played. Turns out that Vigiers are extremely good. But not quite in the "cool" league!!

Nice. But FAR too expensive, especially when you consider what else is out there for $3750 (or $4100 with a Brazilian R/W fretboard) That'd get you a Smith, a "cheap" Fodera, or an entire shop-full of second-hand goodness!

Almost. But not quiet. I'd certainly change the tuning. EADGCF, methinks. Or maybe DGCFBbEb to give the drop "D" option? Could they not have put the offset bridge coils into one soapbar housing? That'd have looked... [i]tidier[/i] Then, a longer "dummy" housing for the neck "J" would have given it a better visual balance. The features would stay the same, but it'd look neater.

Thumb on "E" when playing G,D or A. Move up to pick-up when playing E. However... I damp the string above the one I'm striking with my third finger so I can "follow through" into it... Odd. but it works. Only leaves index and middle to pluck / strike with, though.

Holy Crap! HOW much stock.. ..And what stock it is, too!

[quote name='Duarte' post='774509' date='Mar 14 2010, 06:25 PM']Or a Bongo? Heheheh[/quote] Indeed! Or a Bongo!

As a couple of cheaper alternatives, why not try an Ibanez ATK up against a 'Ray, and and one of the more expensive Ibanez SRXs instead of a G&L / Tribute. I own a 'Ray 5 and an SRX700. The last G&L I played was superb (an ASAT), but IIRC they don't have a blend pot, so that ruled it out. The last ATK I played was considerably better than the £400 price tag would have suggested...

The last CVJazz I played was really very good indeed. So is my VMJazz, which is gently trundling along the upgrade path as we speak... I'd go down the Squier route, with an eye on a few "modifications"!

Not all woods are equal, not even within a species. A friend of mine had an Agathis-bodied Korean Burns, and it was wonderful. Basswood bodies don't seem to hold Bongos back- although some may argue that the aesthetics do! As with all woods, there are good quality cuts and less good quality cuts. The only way you'll ever "see" how good a piece of tree your bass is made from is if you own a natural or translucent finished instrument. Even then, there may be no direct correlation between the appearance of a piece of wood and its impact on the tone of the bass. Perhaps Squier are using relatively cheap cuts of Alder, such that the Affinities are cheaper than the Agathis-bodied ones? Are the instruments otherwise identical? Other factors may influence the cost, especially the country of manufacture!

[quote name='throwoff' post='770610' date='Mar 10 2010, 04:44 PM']If this has any big problems I'll tune it to EADGC as I would rather have a high C than a low B anyday.[/quote] Ok... Why not just take the EADGC concept and drop it a tone to give you; DGCFBb. That way you keep the fingering patterns to which you may be accustomed. AND you get the drop "D" without using a "B" string or a second "E"

I have a mixture of pick-ups in my basses, but none have hum-cancelling singles. They're either Single-coils, Humbuckers or Soapbars. I, too, use DR MM FatBeams. I really like 'em, but for some basses, I find them a bit too aggressive when coupled to my playing style. For my MIA Jazz, I wanted a softer sound and feel, but with the feel of the FatBeams... The answer (for me)? DR Sunbeams. They're still round-cored, for that lovely easy-to -fret feel, but nickel-wrapped. They feel smoother and sound smoother, but the output (courtesy of the nickel content) is much higher - as though you'd put hotter pick-ups in. except you haven't. I was impressed. Might be worth a shot before you splurge loadsa money on a new set of pick-ups?

Purple, you say? Unfortunately somewhat more than £300, though!

[quote name='JimBobTTD' post='766630' date='Mar 7 2010, 07:12 AM']When I think of him, I think of his Fernandes bass and his Squier bass. I've recently seen pics of him with a Ric and a Warwick. I don't think he is really linked to any one bass, let alone any one company.[/quote] And good for him. If I were "famous" (whatever that is), I wouldn't want to be endorsed. I'd want to play what I wanted. When I wanted. Alright. If DR Strings wanted to endorse me, I [i]might[/i] let them. As they're quite good (IMO!) Isn't there a Traben Bootsy as well as the Peavey(?) Bootsy and the Warwick one? Whilst I do own a signature model, I bought it because it was a wicked instrument. Not because of any artist association. There ARE some good artist models around, for example; Fender. Marcus Miller, Roscoe Beck, Geddy Lee Warwick (lately) seem to have gone a bit bonkers...

Further listening; "Babooshka" by Kate Bush. Shut out the histrionics and bluster. Just listen to John Giblin go... It must be good because non-bass players don't seem to get it! (unfortunately!) And if you want a super-low action, fretless will accomodate it (although they're not at their best set TOO low, as the notes can choke a bit)

That Is Nice. I'd only change one thing; I'd have black hardware, as my sweat ruins the gold stuff.

[quote name='Rich' post='760620' date='Mar 1 2010, 12:22 PM']Candy apple red, matching headstock, white pearly scratchplate, neck ashtray, bound rosewood board with MOP blocks. As a close second, the same as the above only in Lake Placid Blue. Too cool for words. [/quote] Yup, CAR or LPB with matching headstocks. Think I'd prefer Maple for a fret board, though, and I could take or leave the ashtrays...

Listed above are all the reasons that I've never sold a bass! Flogged a few fx and bits, but never a bass. Given that I spend an inordinate amount of time selecting instruments, I normally get good 'uns. If I need to finance a new one, I'll wait, or find another (legal) way to pay for it!

[quote name='XB26354' post='756999' date='Feb 25 2010, 12:55 PM']...Do Sadowsky, Ken Smith, Pedulla, MTD, Dingwall, Lakland, F Bass, Lull, Roscoe, Zon, Modulus or any other high-end luthier (except Spector, but then he's chopped and changed ownership and the name for 30 years+) make sub-£400 basses?[/quote] Do I detect a connection here? They're all American. There's been little mention so far of European Luthiers / Manufacturers, some of whom must surely be close to Fodera price tags (Ritter?!) With regard to "value for money" perceptions, Is a Fodera 10 times better than a Mexican Fender? probably not (unless you get a dodgy one!) Is it 5 times better than an entry level (German) Warwick? Is it 3 times better than a Vigier or Status? Is it twice as good as a Wal, Enfield or Gus? I think what I'm trying to say is that as you ascend the curve of diminishing returns, expensive items might start to [i]look[/i] more appealing. The flaw in my argument above is that if I had £4k or so, I'd probably have a mixture of instruments rather than 4 from the same. If I had to buy just one, I'd be looking at Ritters, Basslabs, Thompsons, Smiths, Alembics etc. There are others out there at those prices, so it's a bit unfair to single out Fodera..

[quote name='pantherairsoft' post='756381' date='Feb 24 2010, 07:26 PM']Bernie @GB said pretty much that. Even a month after I'd had it he still said if I changed my mind he'd take it back... So it's possible. Needless to say his confidence is supported by the fact that his basses are amazing and there is Zero chance I was ever giving it him back![/quote] Excellent. Plainly a man with whom I could do business!

Good topic! Plenty to discuss here, methinks! I own 2 "high-end " basses (Status Streamline, Vigier Passion V s3). And one of Mike's, which was his Zoot Chaser prototype. No serial number. Nothing. High-end basses enjoy one insurmountable advantage in my personal opinion; You get to play it before[i] any[/i] cash changes hands. With a custom, you've got to have absolute faith in your luthier of choice. Will they deliver [i]exactly[/i] what you wanted / ordered. If I had the requisite degree of woodworking skill, my guarantee would be something on the lines of; "Yes, make a downpayment, but if you don't find the instrument to be devastatingly good, I'll refund your money, because I am SO convinced that this instrument is SO good that the next player through the door will fall over themselves to buy it" How many luthiers would pass that test? I'll admit that my judgment in this matter is coloured by the fact that I certainly would not buy a (costly) bass that I hadn't played first. That said, Mike's a good bloke, and my Iceni cost me about the same as a 'Ray (at the time) and I got this; Oh, and a plus1 for dabbling yourself. There's a lot to learn!