Lfalex v1.1

Just out of interest / morbid curiousity, what's the most costly (fiscally or in terms of sentimental value) breakage that you've suffered? Don't be shy! It's not the object of the exercise to mock the afflicted! Has anyone bust anything seriously boutique or with a good reputation for reliability? Anyone managed to break/bend a Status/Vigier/Modulus/Kramer neck? Please include amps/cabs/pedals and any amazing escapes that your gear has had. I dropped my Ibanez EDB600 (Luthite) on the floor at home. It made an explosive "crack" and sheared the bottom bout and control cavity clean off! That was it for that one, I'm afraid. I stuck the headstock of my Yamaha Attitude through a ceiling above a stage, and it survived without a scratch! Shame about the ceiling- big hole, not helped by the tuners snagging on the edge of the hole as I pulled it out - still playing, of course. A guitarist in an old band was leaping around and smacked the headstock of his Ibanez on my Iceni Zoot. Fortunately for me and unfortunately for him, he hit the briddge. Result; Bass:Nothing Guitar: Last two tuners (6 inline) and associated area of headstock broke off! Off you go!

I've not tried the new Jazzes. Next time I'm near a music shop, I'll try one out. It'll have to be good to better my '04 Ash bodied, Rosewood 'boarded S1 Jazz. It "only" has the old-style bridge, but [i]is[/i] strung thru-body. Perhaps it's the DR Sunbeams? Still, I bought it because I thought it felt good and sounded good (in 2005) I still think that now, so I guess all's well. It was as least as nice to play as a 'Ray and better than the Warwick Corvette (Ash), plus it mullered the Variax I was [i]thinking[/i] of buying on all counts... The moral of the story? Try before you buy, and buy the one you tried whenever possible!

From the two that are out at the moment... (I look forward to measuring the Vigier and Status!) Warwick Infinity SN4 45,65,80,100 Elixirs tuned EADG 2.5mm @3rd 3mm @12th 3.25mm @17th I'd consider this relatively high. Looks like I ought to stick an Allen key in that Just-a-nut! Ibanez SRX700 (neck-through) 45,65,80,100 DR FatBeams tuned EADG 1.25mm @3rd 1.75mm @12th 2 mm @17th This is as low as it'll go. There's some fret noise and a good deal of clatter, but this particular bass sounds good that way- Fast, Raw and Aggressive. I'd class it as low. Certainly low for such a slender neck!!

[quote name='Alun' post='570354' date='Aug 16 2009, 12:45 AM']This should be interesting. I always found the U necks too thick on the 4 strings, although they didn't feel so bad on the sixes where the dimensions seemed to work better. Cheers Alun[/quote] And the fives, too. I don't mind the (old!) 4 profile, but I'd hardly call it my favourite. [i]Edit for afterthought[/i]- it might also make the necks a little lighter, helping to stop the (mild) neck-dive that some models suffer from

And a few more thoughts, six months in... My only "complaint" (if it is one!) is that I should've got the 5 string! Otherwise, it's still superb. I might try tailoring the tone and balance by getting a piece of brass (or the alloy that's used for tonearm counterweights (tungsten/lead?)) machined to fit the string retainer clamp and screw it in using the threaded holes. This may; i) Stop the neck bobbing around when I get "stuck in" (yes, I know I play [i]too[/i] aggressively!) ii) May give a bit more depth to the tone in the way a FatFinger does - I like the way they work on most headed basses...

[quote name='The Burpster' post='567291' date='Aug 12 2009, 08:48 PM']Alex, I can see where you're coming from, but I'm not sure I can agree with you there..... As always it depends upon what you start with and how much you spend...... No one on here denied my H1 P bass wasn't worth doing, and it lit Voxpop's fuse when he initially liberated it from me. Even something as simple and inexpensive as a Squier or Mex Fender can be made into a quality playing instrument IF the wood bits are really good to start with and some of them are that good![/quote] Perhaps I should've added a caveat regarding making aesthetic changes at the same time! If, as a result of "upgrades", you end up with a better looking instrument, or (better yet) a genuinely new look, then it's a win-win scenario.

I've 3 wall hangers; 1 in my bedroom - often with the Ovation on it. 2 in the back half of the lounge They're very useful. Unless you own certain Status/Steinberger/Hohner (etc.) models...

Two points regarding sustain; You can't replace any sustain that may be lost on basses that are deficient is this regard. You [i]can[/i] damp notes on basses which have a longer sustain. There's a qualitative aspect to sustain, too. The tonal characteristics of a sustained note are important, too. It's often the case that sustain reflects on the design, construction and build quality of the instrument. That was 3 points, wasn't it?!

This at an acoustic gig; Before I played some tasty supportive chordal stuff... And this with a folk band; Alright! I was being a bit bloody-minded!

Is it not like "Trigger's Broom" then? All that's original is the body... And consider this; Manufacturer "X" gets his bridges, Tuners, Nuts, etc.etc. far cheaper than you can @ retail prices. They can make a whole bass for less than you can buy the bits! Unless you have a [i]serious[/i] sentimental attachment to a given bit of timber, it probably isn't worth it. Whatever the results.

Dunno if I can make it because of work, but if I [i]can[/i]; Status Streamline IV with series/parallel coil switching Warwick Infinity SN IV + One other of my choosing Maybe my Trace + cabs, but the list looks a bit amp-heavy (!!) how much room is there?

[quote name='allighatt0r' post='561293' date='Aug 5 2009, 05:09 PM']The great Mr. Entwhistle loved a particular frankenstein... The fabled Fenderbird! Custom extra thick body with a fender precision neck. [/quote] Not to mention the pick-ups being in a different place to your usual, too!

When my SVP Pro isn't being upset by vibration, it's got a really warm, smooth tone (as I set it up) but with plenty of meat to the sound. Wind up the OD or the gain, and it can deliver good overdrive or distortion, too. It does lack the speed of attack or top-end of a SS pre, but the midrange is to die for. You pays your money, you takes your choice. I still haven't found the right pre for me. Best one I've got is using one channel of a cheapo £80 8track mixer!! (and it'll take 4 basses plugged in at once!)

[quote name='gafbass02' post='560408' date='Aug 4 2009, 05:25 PM']Schaller strap locks have been the first thing I've done to new basses for at least 15 years. Won't play a bass out the bedroom without em.[/quote] Won't play a bass anywhere without them! I always buy some with each instrument. The Vigier CAME with them (Schallers) fitted, AND I got the actual locks for the straps, too! Rob put 3 on the Streamline for me when it was built, and I got the ends as well - again. I can use any of 3 straps I choose on any bass I own, depnding on how I feel..

[quote name='thepurpleblob' post='555592' date='Jul 29 2009, 09:08 PM']...Once again demonstrating it's not just the sound of the strings, it's the sounds of the strings on *that* bass [/quote] Never a truer word spoken. Some string/bass combinations definitely have *that* tone! I'm glad you've found one! I've only got 4 basses sussed out on that front; Fender Jazz - Fender 7150s were good. DR Sunbeams are amazing. 40-100 Warwick Infinity SN4 - Elixir 45-100 Vigier Passion V (SIII) - DR FatBeams 40-125 Status Streamline - Status Hotwires. End of. 40-100 We need a thread to document synergistic combinations, but as ever, one man's killer tone is another's... [insert comment]

Graham Maby on "Got the Time" by Joe Jackson. Awesome. And with a plectrum, too!

And charging in from the leftfield... I Suggest "Babooshka" by Kate Bush. John Giblin is ripping it up!

From experience, I know that I like the sound of a short signal path. I tried my Iceni Zoot Chaser via a Hartke Bass Attack into a QSC PLX 1202/SWR 2x10. That was good. Not exactly cheap, but quite compact for the performance on offer. I think I'd want a level control, and that's it!

Just buy the album- "Welcome to the Real World"... It's excellent. Barely a duff track in there! (I like [i]Tangent Tears [/i]and [i]Welcome to the Real World[/i] myself) Edit- I still can't understand why people slate the 80's more than any other decade. The 60's, 70's and 90's have produced similar quality/rubbish ratios in terms of music!

[quote name='mrcrow' post='552614' date='Jul 27 2009, 01:44 PM']two bidders now....are you in its not me[/quote] Nor me.. yet. I've been out. My last only cost £80, So I'm not really prepared to spend a lot on it!

And Enfield...

No Shuker or RIM yet?

[quote name='mrcrow' post='551296' date='Jul 25 2009, 06:45 PM']yes..i see the soapbar one is a .... [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=290332958487"]link to ebay[/url] which i am watching if the 500 goes...it will be close i am selling my shuker 51P[/quote] And if you don't, I may well... I had an EDB600 which was KIA. Excellent bass it was, too. Got to watch the Luthite bodies. They break really easily.

Sennheiser HD215. Readily available (Argos, for example) Tough Reasonably priced (£50) Sound good And best of all, they're CLOSED BACK. My bass (unplugged) makes more sound than they leak. Conversely, the Missus can be watching TV in the same room while I practice, and I can't hear it, even if I'm not playing and the MP3 player's between tracks.... Which is good news in recording studios if you've got a drummer to shut out...

Does the DI have an output level control? Some Amps do. Check it hasn't been turned down. Never had any issues from my AH300 SMX... In terms of DI boxes, not all are created equal! They can all sound a bit different. You could get a cheapo Generic DI box for not a lot, or perhaps seek out one of the pre-amp/DI box units such as; MXR M-80 Sans Amp BDDI or ParaDriver EBS Micro Amp Hartke Bass Attack VXL Aguilar Tone hammer Radial Tone Bone which vary in price from about £70 to £200. The EBS unit is very comprehensive, but expensive The MXR is tough, but has one shortcoming in that the Drive doesn't work without applying EQ The SansAmp seems to divide opinion, but the mid failings seem to be addressed by its brother, The ParaDriver The Radial and Aguilar I haven't tried, but the Aggie seems popular enough hereabouts. The Hartke is cheap and quite well made. I don't like the Shape function, and the Drive is only okay, but use it as a "clean" DI with no effects applied, and it's really very good- perhaps more neutral sounding than the MXR use din the same way. That said, I've nearly always used my Trace's DI, even for recording, with no trouble.