Lfalex v1.1

[quote name='flatwound' post='620202' date='Oct 8 2009, 02:57 AM']Personally I like the natural wood look, but then I like Sunburst as well, although some look crap. Never liked Purple either until I bought a Tune....[/quote] Did you say PURPLE?

[quote name='Toasted' post='617478' date='Oct 5 2009, 02:42 PM']I don't see how that's a "benefit" over, say CNC.[/quote] I do. Dude with a spokeshave, chisels and sandpaper is cheaper than an expensive CNC router!!

Methinks you need something with single coil pick-ups. Maybe even passive? That's what I've done (more by luck than judgement) as I've gone along; Bought a wholly different type of instrument each time- albeit a good example of its kind - Active, Passive, all kinds of pick-up placement and coil switching (The L2000 has that angle pretty well covered!) Try them all, and try to appreciate each instrument's virtues.

[quote name='4000' post='616500' date='Oct 4 2009, 01:57 PM']I'v come to realise that this really is a much bigger factor than many people think. Change your brand of strings, change your sound. At least IME.[/quote] Absolutely. Swapped the original (Fender) Strings on my Jazz for Fender 7150 Nickels, which were superbly comfortable and had a suitably warm and smooth sound. At the last change, I moved over to DR Sunbeams, using the same gauge as the Fender (40-100) What a difference! The Jazz is now a monster (?!) Much higher output - sounds more like I've changed the pick-ups for overwound ones! Even better tension and playability, thanks to the round cores. Other string favourites include Elixir, DR Fatbeams and Elites (as a cheapo alternative)

[quote name='TheBlueFalcon' post='614333' date='Oct 1 2009, 10:50 PM']The problem I have at the moment is that I'm relatively inexperienced. After buying a so called "new" bass from a dealer and it turned out to be a "Friday afternoon bass", I have now been put off anything that has been out of the box, other than to be checked and set up. So, after that palaver, I'm not going to consider 2nd hand until I can safely and competently evaluate the condition for myself. I'm planning to go and look at some tomorrow. I can't play, so I can't try them for myself, so I already know that I am going to feel like a complete prat, but I have to hear some and get closer to a decision.[/quote] You may not be able to play, but you do have to [i]wear[/i] it, balance it, and make a "noise" with it. I'd assert that weight, balance and comfortable neck dimensions are most important. The tone could be phenomenal, but that's no good if the ergonomics are wrong. It's bad practice to play a bass that's uncomfortable.

What I'd fear most is the risk of this; [i]Good[/i] MIA MIJ CIJ MIM > [i]Friday afternoon[/i] CS. I'd like to think that the MB might be immune to this... ALWAYS. Try before you buy. (Unless it's dirt cheap)

[quote name='ednaplate' post='491043' date='May 18 2009, 12:27 AM']This is great news. I first saw SA back in 1997 while on holiday in Arizona where they were supporting Henry Rollins. There must have been no more than 25-30 watching their set. Anyway when they finished me, my girlfriend and our American friends introduced ourselves to the drummer. The ice breaker was that my gf's brother had interviewed Mark Richardson for the Lancashire Evening Telegraph two weeks previously and they got on really well. He invited us for drinks with the rest of the band and stayed with them for the rest of the evening. Skin was lovely, totally the opposite of her manic stage persona and came back from the bar with beers plus free CDs for us. Missed all of the Rollins set. Can't wait for the tour.[/quote] Much as I like Cass / SA, I don't think I'd have missed Rollins... Another employer of utter bass monsters- Andrew Weiss and Melvin Gibbs.... Both potent foils for the aforementioned Mssrs Lewis and Balzary.

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' post='611194' date='Sep 28 2009, 08:07 PM']I wonder if Slayer's Decade of aggreesion is totally 'live' as described by many??...[/quote] [dimly remembers] I was at the Wembley date (Clash of the Titans - awesome!!) and they did re-do one number. Tom Araya announced that the concert was being recorded and that something wasn't right. Nobody seemed to mind!

Is the 350 quite old? If it does have an XLR as a speaker output (rather than DI) you may be reduced to "daisy chaining" cabs - assuming that they have parallel sockets (in & out) If the 1/4" Jack transpires to be a speaker out, maybe you can use that and the XLR. Subject to the usual condition of not going under the amp's minimum rated impedance- which is [i]likely[/i] to be 4Ohms. It's usually quoted on the back panel to stop people from inadavertently frying their amps. Edit - liking the American Werewolf quote under your avatar!

Really wanted to see some pics, so I googled "Yamaha Attitude 20th Anniversary" The first 2 page links are; 1) What I presume to be your good self posting on TB to the same effect 2) This page So I clicked on "images" And got [i]my own [/i]Purple 10th Anniversary up as the first pic !! Looking forward to seeing it. Nice choice.

Not familliar with the artist/s you referenced, but I found that a Wah pedal kicked nearly all the way back (adjust to taste) and left there (Frank Zappa use to do it IIRC) works well for the BIG bottom . Pop it in your signal chain after your distortion pedal for some seriously heavy stuff.

It's a difficult one to crack, this... I've got a broad selection of instruments, some of which are fully painted, some of which are wholly unpainted/unvarnished, and eveerything in between. There's no particular reason for my purchasing pattern- I simply buy basses that I like (because they sound good and play well) What makes it more difficult to quantify is that they're all made of different combinations of materials with different pick-ups/configurations/EQs. In general terms, however; The Painted instruments have the most "penetrating" tone - Not compressed as such - I could never accuse the Vigier of that. This instrument can almost sound "synthetic" when played in a certain way The Gloss varnished basses (presumably the biggest sector of the market?) are similar to the painted instruments, though to a lesser degree Matt varnished basses sound more open and organic than their shiny brethren. This comment is also relevant to Nitro finished instrument IME. My Warwick Infinity (SN4) is unfinished - just waxed. I bought it for the resonant and almost organic tonal qualities it offers. It is chambered, and made from Zebrano (V. dense) To make an even remotely balanced comparison, you'd ideally need something like two identical Warwick Thumbs, one [i]au naturel[/i] and one in a painted or high gloss finish. The equation is further complicated by the fact that different manufacturers use differing thicknesses of finish! Needless to say, this has a varying effect upon the tone. It ought to be mentioned that I reckon finish ranks well behind factors such as construction, materials choice, pick-ups, EQ and so on have a greater impact on tone.

Liked the SR5? I did. I bought one. Don't rule out a Bongo. Once you get past the aesthetic (love it or hate it), there's a fine bass lurking in there. Plenty of poke. Powerful and flexible EQ. Available in HH and H/S pick-up configurations.

[quote name='john_the_bass' post='454000' date='Apr 4 2009, 12:11 PM']That the pickups have hex key pole pieces suggests they're DiMarzios - I think that was one of their identifying features (although I don't doubt that another pickup maker has done the same).[/quote] Westone (and Tokai?) "Hard Puncher" P pickups have this feature. Doubtless lifted from the DiMarzio Originals

[quote name='OldGit' post='592411' date='Sep 7 2009, 08:08 PM']ha ha YMMV but I never look a the front markers on my basses, well not when I'm playing them anyway. The side LED's are subtle but still let me know where I am starting a toon when I'm playing in the dark.. So my nomination, that I may have made before on this vry long lived thread, is front LEDs: totally useless unless you are Mark King or The Hamsters doing ZZ Top where the purpose seems to be for posing and getting the audience to go "ooooooooohhhhhh"[/quote] When I ordered my Status, I asked Dawn to get Rob to omit the front [i]markers[/i] Did I want LEDs? For HOW MUCH? No thanks. Of 14 instruments, 6 of mine have NO front markers, and I don't find it a problem. It cleans up the appearance of the bass IMO

[quote name='SteveK' post='609965' date='Sep 27 2009, 01:12 PM']I have quite strong views on this. If a band can't produce a totally "live" live album then they shouldn't do one. It rankles me when bands/artists pull the wool over peoples eyes just so they can pretend to be better than they really are. Mind you, it's not as bad as going to a "live" show and not getting a "live" show... Here's a LIVE album I played on...and guess what...It's [b]all live. [/b] [url="http://www.manfredmann.co.uk/music/malive.html"]mp3 samples[/url][/quote] As a sort of +1 to that, the best band I've been in had some deliberate policies; Don't put something in at the studio stage that people will miss if you don't do it live. All the songs "end". No fade outs. Makes life a LOT easier, and the audience can relate better to a live performance after having heard a recording.

The valve is an AX7. As it's only one, might as well be a Good'un. If you want a bit more grunt, try getting a slightly higher gain one. Mine's good but bland. Needs more grit..

[quote name='dudewheresmybass' post='606503' date='Sep 23 2009, 10:58 AM']matthew hopkins (witchfinder general) - Cathedral[/quote] Quality choice! Chuck in some appropriate Danzig/Misfits/Marilyn Manson/White Zombie?

[quote name='JPJ' post='377263' date='Jan 11 2009, 11:45 PM']Ok Egor, my evil plan has taken a step nearer to fruition. First, we buy the black five string version. Then we take our trusty chop saw to the headstock and replace it with a ball end holder. Then we add Status style tuning keys at the body end of the bass. And then Egor, having solved the infamous neck dive issue, WE TAKE OVER ZEE WORLD HA HA HA HA HA[/quote] Or... You could get a L-O-N-G strap and stick a strap button on the back of the headstock (like the old Fenders) Or... You could get an Acoustic G****r strap- The type that ties just above the nut- and use that. I'm inclined to think that would cure the Tbirds inclination for declination

[just speculating] I've often wondered if those of us that play relatively hard (generating a good deal of string excursion) run the risk of having the string move [i]beyond[/i] the "view" of the polepieces- particularly with 2x4 pole "P" pick-ups, 8-pole Jazz pick-ups and MM style designs. I guess blade-type pick-ups have broader coverage in terms of string sensing. What impact this may have in terms of tone I couldn't begin to say, but it strikes me that [b]lowering[/b] the pick-ups may give better tring sensing at extremes of excursion- provided you play hard enough to compensate for a decrease in output. [/still just speculating!]

[quote name='jezzaboy' post='603596' date='Sep 20 2009, 02:37 PM']Thank god for that! I thought I was the only one to use 3 strings, although it`s the G I dont bother with. Jez[/quote] I have a "3"; Is this [i]sub[/i]-standard (no offence to budget MM owners!)

Does it [i]have[/i] to be Alder and have 4 strings? If not; [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=61004"]Luke's Vigier for sale![/url]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='585676' date='Aug 31 2009, 11:36 AM']Well, Status wins through again. Took My Fender Jazz/Sadowsky pre combination as well as the Streamline to the band call for two weeks of the "Footloose" stage show starting this week. Tried the jazz and it just wouldn't cut through the rest of the band (trumpet, saxes, guitar, piano, bass, drums.) The sound was just buried! Strangely enough it sounds much cleaner and more prominent through the MarkBass rig with the horn units, but that's way too much for a theatre. Once I plugged in the Streamline, it cut through everything else like a scythe - Much better Rich.[/quote] He-he! You should try one with series/parallel switching! [i]Cut through[/i] doesn't describe it!!

I. Still. Need. A. P. Toilet euphemisms notwithstanding.

[quote name='molan' post='551270' date='Jul 25 2009, 06:13 PM']I've tried them all (albeit briefly) and the Vinnie is by far my favourite in terms of sound and tonal options. It's damn near a perfect gigging bass - assuming you can get past the looks you get when you get on stage with one [/quote] Looking forward to the incredulity when I step up to the plate with me' Streamline and shake some bits loose.....