Lfalex v1.1

Still liking mine. Yes, they can be a bit on the heavy side, due to the Maple body. The stock pick-ups aren't so good- I'll probably change those next. Mine's wearing a BadAss II bridge, which was a straight swap for the old one. I could get a suitably low action from the original, but the BadAss just sounds better. It now wears DR FatBeams, too, though I may switch to Sunbeams next time around.

[quote name='JTUK' post='694174' date='Dec 27 2009, 11:46 AM']And what is this thing about neck-dive...?? if the bass isn't balanced why would you buy it...?[/quote] Because even the best instruments are compromises (no matter how good), and it ticks all the other boxes? A good example being my Yamaha Attitude. Monster Tone Plays well Feels good Really well made (Japanese!) Good hardware (DiMarzios, Gotohs, a proper Hipshot De-Tuner) "Real" P neck profile But- that hefty neck, headstock layout, weighty tuners and Hipshot do make it a bit dive-prone. I'll live with it, though.

[quote name='karlthebassist' post='694153' date='Dec 27 2009, 10:54 AM']Not sure if this has been mentioned already (I skimmed through some of the posts) but.... Strings. You need double ball end strings really if you want it all nice and tidy. If your favorite srings are not availiable as double ball end jobbys then you'll have to use the retaining grub screws in the string retainer (I know status/abm hardware has this option, not sure about other makes) - not pretty. But works. Just something to consider.[/quote] Fortunately, Status Hotwires are really good strings. Typical of Rob & Dawn to come up with a complete solution... I think they may even do flats. I'm not sure, as I use rounds exclusively. I've seen DB end strings made by other reputable manufacturers - I think it was either LaBella or D'Addario. Apparently, round-cored roundwounds "come undone" when assembled in a DB end format.

At the risk of flying in the face of accepted wisdom, I dare to suggest; Ritual de lo Habitual > BloodSugarSexMagik

[quote name='The Burpster' post='694123' date='Dec 27 2009, 09:40 AM']I think you may find that if you play a Status Streamline, you may struggle to want to play anything else afterwards! [/quote] Actually, I find I go through "phases" of playing my Streamline, then put it down in favour of the Jazz, Attitude or Vigier. That said, it's easier to transport (especially abroad!) and less susceptible to damage or environmental changes than most basses, and makes an excellent all-round instrument.

I have a Status Streamline / Korg Pandora / Sennheiser HD215 set-up (plus an MP3) player for times like this (and for taking on holiday!)

Pros: Lighter, Shorter, better balanced, fewer obvious deadspots. Can't knock them out of tune so easily. You can lean them against walls. Cons: Can be odd if you're not familliar with them. If you move around a lot as you play, the lack of headstock may mean that the neck bounces around without the added mass of a headstock to damp the movement. You can't use wall hangers very easily. They won't stay in some stands.

I'm sorry. Really I am. I feel like I've just outted myself in public. Definitely "The bass that taste forgot"!

From messing around with various ideas on my own, I can safely say that my £80 8 track mixer does all but 2 of these, namely; It isn't rack-mountable. It only has one FX loop (and wouldn't be able to cope with the compressor requirement as stipulated) BUT it does allow a wet/dry FX mix for each channel. It has enough gain to enable me to use each channel as a pre-amp. I can mix in MP3s for practice purposes. And it will merrily drive a big pair of headphones! Oh, and it'll phantom power up to 4 devices via XLR I have 5 pre-amps at my disposal Ampeg SVP Pro Hartke VXL bass attack MXR M-80 Peavey MaxBass The desk channels themselves. Which is the best? Damn it, the desk channels are! clean as you want, but overdo the gain, and even (a good) mild overdrive is available! 3 band EQ, too! The SVP gives the grit, but can be too noisy. The Peavey has switchable/combinable SS and tube stages, but is hamstrung by poor tube gain, lack of a master output "volume" and noisy switching. The VXL is too clean but is very "Hi Fi" The MXR is okay. but sounds a bit dull, and the OD can't match the desk or SVP. At least it's switcahble, though. Check out rack-mountable mixers and microphone pre-amps. They may secretly harbour what you seek, in spite of their not being bass-specific...

I'm in accord with what everyone else says, but the pivotal issue is; "[i]Why[/i] do you favour a high action?" Is it tone? Do you attack the strings really hard? (I do. Too hard) What styles do you play? Would a lower action benefit your fretting hand technique, stamina and speed? The list is endless... But ultimately, I suppose it's a compromise. That said, if your action preferences are [i]so[/i] high that relief has negligible impact, go for straight!

The Bassassin never fails to amaze me! A true fountain of (Oriental) knowledge. A credit to bass players, and this site.

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='681941' date='Dec 12 2009, 09:22 AM']Most electric basses will do a fairly good facsimilie of an upright if you play over the end of the fingerboard, but my personal recommendation would be a Stingray with the piezo bridge. Very convincing & adaptable, too. It's like having two basses in one. [/quote] I was going to suggest the technique option! No, it doesn't make the instrument "fretless", but it gives a fretted delivery of [i]that[/i] sound. If you have a a two pick-up instrument (especially if it has the extra flexibility of active tone controls), favour the neck pick-up, and dial in a bit of extra bottom, judiciously rollimg of a bit of the top. Plucking with your thumb (from the same basic position) softens the attack further.

Depends on many of the factors people have already mentioned. For example, Warwick Just-a-nut IIs have the same sized grooves in all of the adjusters, and will accomodate any gauges without protest IME. I've strung/tuned my Stingray V fretless EADGC. I've used 30-50-70-90-105 on it without issues. You will, of course, have to look at action, intonation and neck relief. IIRC, a High C string exerts more stress on the neck than the Low B it replaces, so your truss-rod may need a [i]slight tighten[/i] to compensate... As with all set-ups, it's a bit "suck it & see" until you arrive at something which suits you.

[quote name='Buzz' post='678469' date='Dec 8 2009, 09:18 PM']I was going to post how it's really wierd to name inanimate objects when you're an adult at least. I know I don't do it with any of my possessions as far as I'm aware. However, I then realised I posted a comment in regards to [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=68066&view=findpost&p=668443"]this post in the Porn section[/url] which unless I'm all confused, is one of Beedster's from back in the day, a certain white precision known as Kylie. That bass has been named and it's stuck. I think it will always be Kylie to those who own it (if they're BC members and know it's history).[/quote] You want to be careful with that one. "Kylie" is Aboriginal for Boomerang. "She" might go running back to him! [quote name='silverfoxnik' post='678474' date='Dec 8 2009, 09:21 PM']The Far Side!! Love it.. Naming basses is definitely wierd...[/quote] Which is why lots of manufacturers do it? [quote name='Eight' post='678556' date='Dec 8 2009, 10:18 PM']Don't know if "necessary" is quite right... but the only inanimate object I ever named came from a similar vein. Ended up referring once to my Vampyre as Vanessa. Just thinking of Vanessa Warwick... the old Headbanger's Ball presenter on MTV. Unfortunately the name stuck... but I try not to use it around people. On the other hand, I used to spend a lot of time setting up servers which need network names and always found it so boring to use a naming scheme like apps002... so coming up with cool names was always the highlight of my job.[/quote] Only one name for a Warwick... Dionne!

[quote name='BigRedX' post='677814' date='Dec 8 2009, 01:03 PM']A tuner isn't just for tuning up on stage. If you're doing your own setups you want the best you can get.[/quote] +1. And it wants to be mains powered in some way, shape or form. It's no good if your 9v packs up when you're only half way through setting-up your 13-string Schack! And as for the Tone Suck issue? run it from a tuner out. It's not in the signal path that way. Only problem is that you may lose the ability to tune silently... The choice is yours!

+1 to a "gentle" shim to tilt the neck ever so slightly - just using something as thin as those plastic A4 document pouches or laminating material in the pocket under the rearward part of the neck may be enough. I had a similar issue with a bass (not my Status, though!) and fixed it with a piece of card from a cereal box. I felt a bit "guilty" about having done it until the Luthier who built it played it again. He said it was phenomenal! Needless to say I didn't tell him about the shim! Otherwise, I'm surprised that a Status product has failed to completely satisfy. Rob's QC is legendary. Are there no specialist Bass Vendors / Luthiers in the Chicago area? From the way you worded your original post, it sounds like youv'e approached "Guitar Techs", and whilst many of these are perfectly capable, we all know that bass & guitar are entirely different disciplines ( ) and that they may not quite understand what you want !

You live in Colchester? Get thee to Status Graphite! Rob, Dawn & co. will doubtless have something that takes your fancy!

[quote name='gafbass02' post='672386' date='Dec 2 2009, 06:50 PM']The hardware is prob gonna be black n gold I reckon[/quote] Custom 3 ply. Black/Gold/Black!!

Try and make sure whatever strings you buy have hexagonal cores. Round-cored strings have a bit more "give" in them, and that'll not be helping with the floppiness. Sounds like a cure for erectile dysfunction to me...

Is it tuned EADGC or BEADG though? I can't tell! If it's the former, I'd rather have one of the old fender V's with 14(?) frets...

+1 on black. Not sure whether it'd be single-ply or b/w/b, though. What colour's the hardware?

Welcome to the forum! And remember, GAS is not a crime! (Well, not around here it ain't!) Alex.

Hmm. Don't think I'd part with that much for the 4 string- the 3piece body timbers aren't very well matched. I'd save my better cuts for natural / translucent finishes, and hide the less appealing ones under solid finishes. Having bemoaned the aesthetics, it could still be a great player and a tone monster. I'd rather have all three; tone, feel and a lovely finish on a nice bit of wood.

I tried a (Korean) Bison on the off-chance when looking for a Jazz many moons ago @ the Wapping Bass Centre. It was better than many of the MIA Fenders (various vintages) Certainly better than any Epi T-Bird I've played, and without the dive. I've not played any LP basses, I'm afraid... My only bugbear? The white/gold ones look like a tacky bathroom. I prefer the Black/Silver incarnation!

[quote name='thedonutman' post='638325' date='Oct 27 2009, 06:56 PM']I'd love a bongo too, probably a white 5HH for me. My only gripe is that they've got painted necks - it's understandable why a set neck/neck-thru could be painted, but why would anybody want to paint the back of a bolt on neck?![/quote] Ahhh.. Story time! I went to a well respected Bass Stockist last January. It had been super-evil cold (and dry) the previous night (-6c) For once I had a good budget and tried everything I liked the look of. So many basses were suffering from being cold that (whilst still playable) they'd all gone a bit dead. All the Warwicks, Overwaters, Laklands, Sandbergs (and many others) were not well at all. The ones that had survived the cold night best had a couple of common denominators; i) Some Graphite in the necks somewhere (Vigier, Status, Fender (!)) ii) Heavily Painted or Varnished necks (Bongo, Spectors) So I think that a good coat of varnish (or paint) may help the neck retain moisture and therefore its stablity in cold environments (possibly) I have to say that painted / varnished / satin / natural necks have never bothered me that much. Oh yes, and the last Bongo I tried was excellent (4HH) and gave the Corvette $$ a royal battering!