Lfalex v1.1

IIRC (and it was a while ago...) Aren't the Prolines Swamp Ash bodied with 5pc laminated Maple necks (Still a Wenge 'board) I really dont' know if they were NT or BO though. Going Googling... Edit - They're nearly all stained in the usual Warwick colours; Ocean Blue Emerald Green Honey Violin Tobacco Nirvana Black That Purple colour Some shade of red... Still editing - Predominantly with gold hardware, too. Definitely active, controls in the normal active corvette layout. Looks like they're all BO, too.

[quote name='The Burpster' post='415983' date='Feb 21 2009, 09:20 AM']2nd hand Highway 1.... Best VFM and bang for $[/quote] Oh yes... I've played H1s that have thrashed MIAs before. And Tokais that kicked the MIAs while they were down. Everyone else in the shop agreed, too...

[quote name='Golchen' post='414750' date='Feb 19 2009, 08:59 PM']I totally can't cope with single cut basses. They are just disturbing, like seeing your granny naked.[/quote] Except for the Status Streamline, of course... Assuming that it counts! I [i]think[/i] it does. Just.

Thumbs are a 26 fretter, right? Even if they're a 24, try playing closer (or even on) the base of the neck. Sure, you'll lose a bit of top-end, but you can replace that with a bit of judicious tinkering with the treble control or edging the pan control towards the bridge pick-up a little bit... Worth a go. Doesn't cost a penny. Worth a go! Credit Crunch Bass Playing ahoy!

[quote name='synaesthesia' post='413929' date='Feb 19 2009, 09:56 AM']The market preference for horizontal *X10s is a consequence of marketing and the legacy of Leo Fender putting drivers in that fashion in the fifties.[/quote] Which was probably primarily driven (no pun intended!) by an entirely practical consideration; Stability. Your vertically aligned stack is no good if it's laying on its side (or worse, face down) on the stage because it fell over!

[quote name='flychris' post='412021' date='Feb 17 2009, 02:44 PM']it means ? [/quote] That Statii are supposed to be quite "punchy" (for want of a better expression) and (like most basses) that'll be in parallel mode as standard. IME, running coils in series gives even [i]more[/i] output, albeit at the lack of some tonal sublety. Married to an all-carbon/graphite body, that could make for one aggressive sounding instrument

I'm getting slightly worried about my Streamline (currently being cooked!) I think when I flick it into series mode on both pick-ups, the world may stop turning or something...

And check out their cover of "Stripped" by Depeche Mode. Blows the original away. Completely.

[quote name='spinynorman' post='410935' date='Feb 16 2009, 12:11 PM']If it was just down to what I need, I could manage with EAD and 12 frets.[/quote] Tony Levin went there with his (now burnt) Stingray 3. EAD, it was. Now that's a Custom instrument!

[quote name='Zach' post='410645' date='Feb 16 2009, 12:00 AM']Just to throw a bit of crazy out there, why don't we tune in 5ths? Unless I'm mistaken most string instruments to that, except of course guitar and double bass. Anyone know why this is?[/quote] Discussed here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=27890&hl=tuning+in+fifths"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...uning+in+fifths[/url]

I'm sure LX VI has a wider body than (for example) an LX IV string (and mine's not a broadneck, either!) The LX has a 60mm wide strap on it. Balance is pretty good, though! The Infinity SN4 is just monstrous! Maybe someone did stuff the chambers... With lead! I tolerate the weight and unpleasant neck profile for the sake of the tone.

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='409246' date='Feb 14 2009, 09:07 AM']...as we've established they aren't as heavy as people would have you believe. Forgot to add that Streamer 5s (especially early models) will generally come with soapbar pups and they could be from virtually any of the big manufacturers of the time. Bart / EMG / SD / MEC. All have different characteristics but all will GROWL! [/quote] My LX (1997) VI weighs 14.5lbs! And has SD soapbars in. My Infinity SN4 (2002) weighs a ton, too. Especially for a dinky, chambered body! That said, soft Maple and Zebrano are not the lightest of woods....

The Hartke VXL is good value, and different again to both the Sansamp and MXR, althought it shares many of the same features. The EBS looks good as it has two genuinely discrete channels which can be run A/B or A+B...

As Nietzsche once wrote; "That which doesn't kill me makes me stronger" Did he not also postulate; "Weight=Tone" I use a Comfort strapp for [i]most[/i] basses, but my two (weighty) Warwicks both have wide leather straps to eliminate slipping/diving. I glued some Foam Rubber onto the underside of one - worked a treat. You do have to score it to ensure flexibility (without wrinkles!)

Elixirs are expensive, but last well. They [i]can[/i] sound a bit plasticky on basses with wooden necks and phenolic fretboards. They don't seem to do this on graphite-necked basses with phenolic 'boards, though. They sound great on my Warwick Infinity (Zebrano/Ovangkol/Wenge), and were good on my Ibanez SRX700. Otherwise, I'm fond of DR FatBeams. I've yet to try Hi-beams, SunBeams (well liked around here). Nickel-wise, I've had good experiences with Warwick Yellow Labels and Fender 7150s. For reasonable value, I always used to use Elites. They're fine. Rotosounds die too quickly for me, and Ernie balls seem to feel really coarse, then die too quickly!

Thanks! And it's tenor tuned (CGDAE), BTW. Opens up more chordal possibilities for the foolhardy!

A definite lack of fretlessness going on here, so.... 1990. Nice bunch there, power of ten...

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='403563' date='Feb 8 2009, 05:31 PM']I know what you mean about the aesthetics of the five. A mate of mine's got one, nice bass and all, sounds great, but with the chamfers and the pickguard it looks a bit '80s.[/quote] Works better in some colours than others...

A Status Streamline. Mine's on it's way... Ticks all the boxes (for me) Small, relatively light. Can go as hand luggage on a plane/fit in the car boot easily (on the top, of course) Less prone to changes in temperature and humidity than most. Sits well on the player, plays wonderfully. Sounds great. Of course I tried one before I ordered! Oh, and I live less than an hour from the factory, so if anything does go wrong, help is at hand.

Oddly, everyone seems to be assuming that you're only allowed ONE bass. My MIA S1 Jazz isn't the "best" bass I own, but it does what I bought it for, and it does play/balance rather well... For some reason, I've never felt much affinity (No Squier jibes!) with the "P". I might get around to getting one, but the Yamaha Attitude will always overshadow it.

I think proximity has a part to play with customs. People will [i]generally[/i] opt for a more local luthier if possible, unless Mr X (further away) can offer something your "local" luthier can't. The hardest part is that you're unlikely to be able to try a load of different luthiers' output in one place at one time (except at the national bash or the bigger local ones!!) One point to pick up from both Ped and Out to play Jazz; Your instruments aren't custom [i]per se[/i], but they do have unusual features and different designs to the norm. Status instruments are usually made to order from a standard design format with further options available. I'd class Instruments from some lower volume producers as being half way to a full-on (unique) custom. Bear in mind that (certainly) Shuker and Iceni have a "regular" instrument range available, presumably GB, ACG, RIM, Sei, Overwater et al do the same.

[quote name='five-string.co.uk' post='398298' date='Feb 2 2009, 08:29 PM']Howdy all.... Been thinking about joining the fretless community for a while now. Need some input from you all [list] [*][b]My main concern is the low B string sounds dull on some of the fretless 5's i've tried.[/b] [/list] What should I go out and try......Discuss[/quote] Try tenor tuning! EADGC instead of BEADG Barre that C&G for lovely intervals... No dodgy "B" to worry about either!

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='395446' date='Jan 30 2009, 03:03 PM']I still find it FAR too easy to just watch my fingers when practising at home, which is massively counter-productive when I get to rehearsal and I'm supposed to be inter-acting with the guitarists and locking in with the drummer. One of my targets for 2009 is to learn to play entirely by feel, with no need to look at the neck at all. This is not being helped by the fact that I play several different basses as the mood takes me. Whether I'm standing up or sitting down, I now choose something in the room to focus on and I look at that to ensure that I don't start watching my fingers again.[/quote] The TV! With subtitles on!

It can help to stop the string unravelling, especially if they're round-cored... Otherwise, it is mainly for brand recognition purposes.

[quote name='Toadonroll' post='389200' date='Jan 23 2009, 12:55 AM']1) Play open strings 2) Fret all notes up and down neck 3) Check what the knobs do 4) How does it sound/feel? (you should know by now!)[/quote] Close... Check that it's in tune with itself using 5th and 7th fret Harmonics. Check intonation at 12th fret (fretted vs. harmonic) Moan. Ask for tuner. Ask for Allen keys. Then 1-4 above. They'll love ya. Even if you can't play at all! And the point is? Shops! Set up your instruments! Don't just get them out of the box, hang them on the wall and pray!