Lfalex v1.1

Not Teuffel, but along similar lines. Might be of interest if you've never seen them before... [url="http://www.spaltinstruments.com/introduction.html"]Spalt Guitars[/url]

[quote name='Linus27' post='635994' date='Oct 25 2009, 11:15 AM']Thanks for the help everyone, I do plan to pop down to Andertons and have a play of some soon. Lfalex v1.1, thanks for the input, especially as you have a Jazz and a Stingray like me also. How does the Streamer compare tonally? Can it produce a smooth tone, similar to a Jazz or does it have a very distinct sound like a Stingray?[/quote] As a rule, yes. Mine (an LX 6) certainly can. It has a Maple body, Wenge Neck and Duncan Soapbars in it. Roll off the treble a smidge, move my plucking hand toward the neck a bit and favour the neck pick-up. Do be aware that other variables really can alter the way a bass plays and sounds. The Warwicks all seem to ship with either Yellow Label (Nickel) or Black Label strings. Changing them can alter the tone and feel of an instrument quite dramatically. My 2 Jazzes (07 Squier VMJ and 02 MIA S1 Jazz) are wearing DR FatBeams and Sunbeams respectively. The VMJ can sound positively vicious if you dig in. The change to Sunbeams on the MIA was astonishing. The extra output not least. The 'Ray is fretless, so it's a bit of a different story... Moving away from the Streamer, the Infinity is excellent, very versatile. I agree that the design of some Warwicks can "throw" the first fret further away than a Jazz would, but the Streamer suffers less from this than the Thumb, Infinity, Corvette do. The Wenge Fretboards are a good thing IMO. They do subtly influence the sound, but are tough and don't show dirt! Ultimately, you've got to try them and see if they're for you. DO [b]wear[/b] one standing up, rather than balancing it on one knee (!) That way, you'll be properly able to judge weight, balance and reach. In terms of design, I'd rate the Streamer (and it's Spector realtives) as something of a "sleeper classic". No, it's not as iconic as a Jazz, Precision, Rick or 'Ray, but I reckon it slots in just beneath. There's a reason for that. It is a genuinely good design.

As a Jazz, Streamer (LX) , and Stingray (5) owner, I suppose I'm qualified to comment! The Streamer is [i]arguably[/i] one of the better Warwick efforts on a number of fronts; i) Ergonomics (Spector got it right. Warwick "borrowed" it) ii) Number of available configurations, 4,5,6 bolt-on, neck-thru, P/J, J/J, Soapbars, J/MM, MM/MM (the DoubleBuck) JJ (Pro M) Add to the mix good hardware and generally good build quality (all I've seen on here were knackered Truss-rods, and I think only 2 or 3) Tonally, just choose one that suits- Trying before you buy, naturally! The downsides? They [i]can[/i] be heavy. Both my Streamer and Infinity are. Others are not, though. They do polarize opinion a bit, but that's normally related to the aesthetics (and then seldom the Streamer!) and the neck dimensions of the 4 stringers- particularly the recent ones. I guess I prefer the Wenge necks to the Ovangkol, but they're both quite stable. Personally, I like the Jazzman. It's very versatile, as is the DoubleBuck Streamer. As for the 24 fret thing, you soon get used to it. It's not that great a difference, especially as the first 20 frets on both basses are in the same place realtive to the bridge (All the basses you've mentioned are 34" scale) The extra 4 just eat into the body a bit more, requiring deeper cut-aways. Do Stringrays and Jazzes even have the same number of frets? The 'Ray 5 has 22. I have basses with 20,21,22,24 and 26. Swapping to and fro rarely causes me much grief. Only occasionally do I charge up the neck and run out of frets, expecting there to be more... Hope this helps a bit.

One ex tried to saw the headstock off of one of my basses. In retrospect, it may have been an example of her work to support a job application at Status Graphite. Got to say, she did do a nice boiled rabbit though. Very tasty.

Look also to Warwicks for an implementation of this sort using an MEC Pick-up known as a TJ (twin Jazz). It's also sometimes denoted as JJ (as opposed to J/J as used in a Fender Jazz) The models in question? The Infinity, Vampyre, Dolphin and Streamer Pro M (I vaguely recall a Fortress Masterman?) The Infinity, Vampyre and Dolphin use it in parallel at the bridge, with a coil tap to switch it to single coil operation. They also have a J at the neck. The Pro M had its bang in the middle. If at all possible, I'd opt for a coil switch to allow series/parallel/single coil operation. If you intend to use another pick-up such as a J at the neck position, watch out for the increase in output as you change coils - particularly from parallel to series. I've often debated the merits of having a resistor put in the switching to match the output in series to that in parallel mode.

Maybe try out a Fender MIA Precision Deluxe? Last one I played was really good, naff Fender EQ notwithstanding. True, it doesn't capture the MM aspect, but nor does the P/MM Sandberg really. The last Sandberg P/MM I played I expected the world of, and it really didn't deliver. It was really cold, though, and I don't think many instruments had a fair crack of the whip that day...

If you're heading to Status, best to phone and let them know you're coming. Then they'll be ready for you....

No one's mentioned Gail Ann Dorsey yet... Oooops! I think in just may have!

[quote name='YouMa' post='628927' date='Oct 17 2009, 06:44 PM']Good luck with your op.[/quote] Precisely! On a personal note, I'd have turned everything up (including the amp), leant it casually against a wall, left it buzzing/howling and walked out.

Now we may all be bassists together, but every so often I hear a bit of drumming that's so "on the button" that I can't help but go "WOW!" Here's a few from today's listening; The Flesh is Weak (Judy Tzuke) Going Back to My Roots (Odyssey) - Which in its unabridged form also contains a gorgeously squishy wah-infested w**k-free guitar solo Raining Blood (Slayer) - Yes, really. Dave Lombardo somehow imbues some sections with a degree of swing against the will of his bandmates!

I see that "Take 5" has already been mentioned, but I'll add "Unsquare Dance", also from Dave Brubeck. In 7/8 at a nice tempo. With spoons, too! Otherwise, check out Tool (Generally) as they love to mix it up a bit, in spite of the fact that I think that they're better when they stick to 4/4 (Stinkfist, for example) Is it me or do many odd signatures not flow as well as even ones? "Money" is a bit of an exception. Two others that spring to mind; "Golden Brown" by the Stranglers and "(I want to be) An American)" from West Side Story (? Musicals not a strong suit!), which are very strange! Did I really just cite Brubeck, Tool, The Stranglers and Bernstein/Sondheim in one post? [gets coat!]

For all those of you that gig a lot, there's one other related point to consider with lined/stuffed cabinets; Since the inception of the ban on smoking in public places, cabinets will no longer smell of 40,000 smoked cigarettes when you remove the drivers. Those were the days!

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='627400' date='Oct 15 2009, 10:15 PM']Bob - wait until you try the DR Sunbeams on the Jazz tomorrow - they're brilliant.[/quote] I changed the original strings on my 04 MIA Jazz for Fender 7150 Nickels which were quite good in a mellow sort of way. For my second change, I went "upmarket" and bought DR Sunbeams and made sure it was all set up well. [socks blown off] The difference was unbelievable! The better compliance of round cores was a known factor, but the increased output from both the Nickel itself plus the fact that DR put more metal (allegedly!) in their strings was quite surprising[/pulls socks back on] In summary, though, you've no way of knowing what's happened to your strings on a bass before you collect/receive it. Best thing to do is swap in a good set that are a known quantity to you so you can get an idea what the bass is really like.

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='625823' date='Oct 14 2009, 11:11 AM']...If someone goes into The Gallery and buys a Sei off the wall, even if the bass was originally put together as a complete custom job, the 'new' owner is buying 'off the peg' i.e. taking a credible professional instrument 'as is' and making it work for him/her. If its handbuilt, fine. If its machine built, fine. Its all academic. The aspect of all of this that I am 'challenging' is the practice of individuals specifying the minutiae of a new build to their own exacting standards vs just getting a great instrument and spending some quality time with it in order to make it sing...[/quote] Right. So if someone plays a given instrument, no matter what it's origin / specification, and they like it (and buy it), then that's acceptable because it's a known quantity and they've played it. Is the issue at stake here "paying (lots) for the unknown"? That's the black and white interpretation. What of the shades of grey in between; Taking a stock instrument and modifying it to your preference (bridges, pick-ups, tuners, pre-amps) Ordering modified versions of standard instruments (I specified my Status without front-face fretboard dots and with series/parallel switching) Neither come with satisfaction guaranteed, yet many of us enagage in such practices, and do so because no standard instrument exists to cater for our needs. Some players may well understand (from experience) what modifications will bring the about changes in tone/playablity that would improve a given instrument to their taste. How does that differ dramatically from someone specifying those elements in a bespoke instrument?

I don't know if this applies to a 'Ray, but I know a lot of Active Basses (without passive bypasses) will either make no sound at all or an awful buzzing. Has the EQ been bypassed, I wonder? TBH, I probably wouldn't be able to tell either. Perhaps a visit to a knowledgeable tech will help. That or wait for one of the electronically gifted members to pop up here. They may ask for a detailed photo, though...

More than one way to skin a cat! Is it really the pick-ups? Could it be the EQ? Or could it be the strings? (Try a different brand? Try Nickels rather than steels?) I'm not suggesting that you're wrong, per se, but do consider the other variables that can contribute to the tone before you commit time, effort and money to changing something like pick-ups. If the EQ is the one I [i]think[/i] it is, it's plenty powerful/flexible enough to have the potential to EQ out your difficulties. Give it a go before you consign the Barts to the bin...

Excellent, informative post! Maybe they should do the necks, too to improve their tolerance to humidity changes!

[quote name='alexclaber' post='623118' date='Oct 11 2009, 02:29 PM']When you mix a bridge and neck pickup equally, the resulting tone is not an average of the two - i.e. adding the neck pickup doesn't simply add lows to the bridge pickup, and vice versa. What actually happens is a load of addition AND cancellation due to differing phase (like with the bigger aperture pickups). If you take a bass with a couple of jazz pickups, the most natural tone (i.e. similar to the acoustic tone) will be with just the neck pickup. The bridge pickup gives a more trebly, more high-midrangey and bottom-shy representation. But blend the two pickups equally and the resulting tone is more like the neck pickup sound but with some extra treble added (as you'd expect)* BUT ALSO a load of midrange cut out. Yes, two jazz pickups on full gives you a scooped tone! The further apart the pickups the bigger the midrange scoop, and the closer their midpoint is to the bridge, the higher in frequency that that scoop is centered. Have a close listen next time you have a two pickup bass plugged in and you'll see what I mean. As I said at the time, how and where you pluck has the most significant effect on your tone but if you're needing to punch through the mix yet you're running two similar pickups up full then you're removing a lot of critical midrange - so instead of twisting EQ, back off one of those pickups and reclaim some punch.[/quote] Which explains why I like the basses I do. The common factor in all of miy favourites is the close proximity of the pick-ups to each other (Vigier Passion, for example) None of my blend controls are centred! I usually favour a bit more bridge pick-up and EQ in a bit of bottom end. I wouldn't like to try and predict the permutations that differing styles of pick-up offer! (P/J, J/JJ, J/MM, P/MM etc)

No worries. Did it with my Fretless 'Ray5. Best thing I've done with it. Hope it goes well.

[quote name='rasher80' post='620548' date='Oct 8 2009, 01:53 PM']Andy Rourke is the main reason i'm a bass player, his ability astounds me. The band i'm in did a last-minute stand in at a gig in Manc and Andy was in the audience, my head totally went but i just about held it together. Surreal experience. I'd rate my top 5 Rourke basslines as (in no particular order) The Headmaster Ritual This Charming Man There Is A Light That Never Goes Out Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now You've Got Everything Now[/quote] There is a Light That Never Goes Out is awesome. I also like Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others and Bigmouth Strikes Again. All from "The Queen Is Dead", BTW.

Whilst I can't speak (particularly) for Poly vs. Nitro vs. Oiled, it seems to me that your choice of finish should be dictated by; 1) What looks attractive to you now 2) The way in which the finish will "mature" over time, and whether this will be desirable in your eyes. 3) If it affects the tone (a moot point!) or the playability of the finished instrument (this applies more to necks, though) There's a lot you can do to protect your bass. I never play with rings or watches on I never play wearing a belt (or braces!) I wear trousers without rivets OR a jumper/T shirt long enough to cover the rivets on my jeans... I clean my basses and hang them up or put them away after use. At gigs, I'll leave the bass in the case until the last minute, get it out, tune it up, play, and back in a case it goes. Excessive? Not particularly. As an analogy, how many of you try not to damage your car's finish when unlocking/using it. You (probably) wouldn't let your car get buckle rash! My greatest issue arises from hardware corrosion from my sweaty mitts...

[quote name='NickThomas' post='622587' date='Oct 10 2009, 06:43 PM']Looking forward to seeing the photo thread [/quote] Ditto! And big thanks to Silverfoxnik for arranging it. Excellent venue and good talks from jakesbass, AC and bassace. Well worth the 150 mile round trip! Might've given a couple of people Streamline GAS. Thanks too to HappyJack for a lengthy blast on the Prosebass...

My AH300smx ran for ages into no load during a recording session- I needed the DI out!! IIRC the mute cuts the signal from the Pre stage to the power and also the signal to the DI. The Tuner out will still work - so you can tune up silently. The rear "volume" controls are probably (again, from memory) for FX loop level. I'd have thought the other is for crossover frequency. The 600 is a stereo model, right?

[quote name='BassAgent' post='621653' date='Oct 9 2009, 02:27 PM']I want to restring my 35" 5-string bass with an E-A-D-G-C tuned set. Does the tension on the neck significantly change when I do this?[/quote] More than you might think, and, more importantly, not in the way you might expect! I'd string it up and see. Assuming you're currently running it BEADG, will you be keeping the same gauge E,A,D and G? If so, you need only really consider the effect of the "C" unless you have a neck with 2 truss rods. The C will have a higher tension than the B it "replaces". Naturally the neck will need the relief adjusting, and the action/intonation will need sorting, too.