Lfalex v1.1

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1376506565' post='2175204'] To the punter, it doesn't make a difference whether it's a J or a P. I used to play in an acoustic trio with my Ibanez SR1000 strung with flats & even used effects, the punters only saw it as an acoustic band. [/quote] I once used a six string for a laugh. Don't think Low B got a look-in, but the high C did. I think Joe Public just thought it was another guitar.... It had rounds on, too. Just rolled the treble off a bit.

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1376480498' post='2174448'] I don't but I wish I did, Fender had a finish back in the 80's called Graffiti Yellow and I love it. [/quote] Best colour Fender did! I'd love a yellow jazz with black hardware.

[quote name='Jellyfish' timestamp='1376488750' post='2174743'] But then you wouldn't have an extremely awesome bass guitar at the end of it? If you go custom, there's 0% chance of you getting something you didn't want. [/quote] That's (kind of) what I was saying. You might have an awesome bass guitar at the end of it. But there's no guarantee that it'll be the one you were looking for. If you go custom, you really need to avoid the sort of absolutism that deals in terms like 100% satisfaction. You need to manage your expectations as to what the process will produce. Luthiers will give you lots of info. Some may be useful, some not, but they can't guarantee that what they'll make you will be exactly what you had in mind.

[quote name='Jellyfish' timestamp='1376473374' post='2174302'] Commission a custom one! [/quote] Or save the effort and waiting by just setting fire to loads of money! You could, however, pick up someone else's that "wasn't for them" on the second-hand market. With the added bonus that you could try it first and knew what you would end up with.

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1376481343' post='2174475'] People get loyal to a brand and knowing a the builder personally will definitely put a skew on how you feel about something like this. Lets try and stay objective please [/quote] I've had some basses from builders I know. Both custom orders. Both with issues. Never again. Try before you buy, and buy the one you tried. That's the only guarantee that what you'll get is what you want. And I don't really feel brand loyalty with regard to basses. If I try it and like it, I'll buy it, regardless of whose scribble is on the headstock. I do find that Nike shoes fit me better than most, though.

[quote name='swanbrook' timestamp='1376345644' post='2172712'] ...Bongo HH is a monster just looks as odd as fcuk but a serious player. But it matters not what we think dude it's your eyes and your ears try them both for a while. [/quote] This. Bongo HH are great. The only way they might be better is with series/parallel switching. They sound colossal.

Done. Hope you get some valuable answers.

I had a fretless Ray5 with Rotosound Steel rounds on. The Pau Ferro fingerboard just shrugged them off. Very little wear. The Macassar ebony board on my EUB seems even better. I'd leave it alone and just monitor the board for wear and tear if you experiment with strings/as time passes. Only rosewood or maple might need a coat of epoxy as they're not generally used for fretless instruments, except as a consequence of de-fretting.

Or go EADGCF? tuned in 4ths. Unless you particularly want access to guitar chord shapes- assuming you can stretch to them on the longer scale length. I've never tried.

+1 to whirlwind. I have 3 cables a mate gave me about 17 years ago. They're still fine, through gigs, rehearsals, hinge practise and studio work. The Klotz patch cables I had dramatically "dulled" the sound, so I never have investigated the full-length ones. Hopefully, they're better...

Chrome red? Looks like it...

The previous posts have covered MM pretty well, so I'll pick up two of the others.. I've tried several Ibanez ATKs. They get close to the sound, and are well made, but the necks seem quite large, even by my standards. Certainly larger than any Musicman model, which is what puts me off. One would be a bargain second-hand buy. I own a Fortress Masterman 5. Another used bargain. Typically good Warwick build and materials. Balances and plays well. A bit odd aesthetically, but tons of variations around a good core tone. But it's only hum-cancelling with the pan-pot in the centre position... I've been through a Musicman SR5, OLP MM3, Ibanez SRX 700 and Zoot Chaser to get to the Fortress... Whatever you do, try before you buy. And I would seriously advocate going second-hand. You might also want to consider the Corvette FNA or the Streamer Jazzman, plus the Status Groove... That didn't help much, did it?

I use an old Korg Pandora PX4•D with a pair of Sennheiser hd215 and my phone or a pair of Creative mp3 players. Works fine for me. The Korg is only noisy on "noisy" settings- high gain and tons of drive or distortion. The fx are alright. It is very even-handed, as I suspect nearly all half-decent amp/headphone combinations do. Your bass sounds as good as it is- it'll highlight the differences between rounds and flats or old/new strings. Makes all my based sound good in different ways, even on the same patch. EUB sounds colossal. Mine cost about £65 second-hand... Oh and you can amplify almost anything with a ¼" mono jack socket with it. Guitars Electric Cello Electric violin Mandolin And so on. A Good all-rounder.

Not much variety in terms of body shape, is there? Nor much scope for various pickup configurations outside what Sandberg think you ought to have. Other than that it's OK.

So is the answer to have a selection of basses? Fender P Fender J Ultra-modern active super-bass Modernised Super P or Super J - Lakland, Alleva, Sandberg, Sadowsky, Sei, Etc. Etc. Depending on budget, of course. Or Do we need a luthier to more precisely manufacture Fender designs as closely as possible without infringing their design rights. Or do you just go Fender Custom Shop? Personally, I have the best (Fender) Jazz 4 string I could find, a Yamaha Attitude and several "modern" basses. No modernised Super Jazz for me, though. I'd have to be a 5 string, and I'm not sure the design works as a fiver...

The bridges used on newer headless Status basses are not dissimilar. Generally good, but for someone raised on threaded intonation adjusters (or screws if you prefer!), they're a bit of a pain. That said, I did get a good set-up in the end. A lot of fiddling to and fro, though, and lots of tuning and de-tuning and retuning.

[quote name='mike257' timestamp='1375691141' post='2164199'] Probably the only person who could get away with working with Manowar AND Peppa Pig! What a guy. [/quote] And Star Wars and Flash Gordon and Blake's 7 and the list goes on and on...

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1375548051' post='2162806'] The manual doesn't seem to mention using the USB as a power source at the early bit when it tells you how to switch it on, only at the very end 'specs' bit in passing. Nothing ventured... I just tried mine and, although the unit powered up, it made a god-awful noise when I plugged it all in. I am guessing it provides enough power to update the software etc but little else. [/quote] Not all USB chargers/adaptors are created equal. They supply 5v but have varying current capabilities. Maybe a bigger one would help?

Needs to be headless IMHO. The tuners are nicely done, but it still looks... Sleek/clever/well-designed/sleek/clever/[b]TELEGRAPH POLE[/b] Alright, maybe angle the tuners back a bit so they're not sticking out perpendicular to the neck. Normally, I'd not moan, but it IS supposed to be about design in this case...

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1375469628' post='2161991'] I mentioned once before here, the fun of working hard at something like music. Using these SMART techniques is not about 'business' it is about achievement and that is something that is neutral. The only 'business' here is the business of getting better at what you do. How you choose to use that newly acquired skill is entirely up to you. PS I don't think 'Simon Says' you HAVE to use it. It was just a suggestion [/quote] And herein lies the issue. Why do we [i]have[/i] to [i]achieve[/i] anything? Achievement isn't neutral. explain that concept to people who "fail" continually at things. And who is the ultimate arbiter of this success? (For me) The entire appeal of music is that there shouldn't be an aspect of pressure attached to it, self-imposed or otherwise. It's why tuition doesn't work for me. I realise it was just a suggestion, but it reads more like an edict.

Because it has no business component in it for me. I make no money from it, and do it as a hobby. From a personal perspective, if I were to even consider using such methodology, I might as well quit totally tomorrow as it's very introduction would remove any aspect of enjoyment from playing. For this sort of reason, I refused to study English A level. The study of literature destroys my interest in whatever I'm reading.

Another vote for "serrated rubber lozenge thingy"

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1375458546' post='2161740'] Should be a [s]hoot[/s] ROAR! [/quote] Fixed.

I'm waiting eagerly for the SWOT analysis... Edit- At work we specialise in SMT targets. They're specific, measurable and time-framed Just don't question their attainability or relevance. And just because it's smart, is its [i]imposition[/i] fairly administered? By Vulcans, maybe. By humans? No. Please don't mix business and pleasure.

I'd recommend experimenting with whatever you have access to or can otherwise beg/borrow/steal (OK, maybe not the latter!) Experiment with cab placement, eq and compression/fx (if any) to see what yields the most satisfactory results. I still haven't played my NS CR5 through anything but headphones via a Korg Pandora. Sounds enormous enough just through that.