Lfalex v1.1

[quote name='Ticktock' timestamp='1376553300' post='2175726'] Bacon Peppa Pig ( my twins are exerting some form of mind control ) [/quote] How do those two go together! And Ben & Holly's little kingdom is funnier...

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1377005382' post='2182080'] The biggest change you can make is to try different brands and types of strings, it's surprising how many people don't experiment. [/quote] Most definitely THIS. A synergistic string choice can make all the difference. The hard part is finding the right strings!

On the basis of the information presented and some of the posts made, I have reached two conclusions. One I'd probably never have done anyway, and the other I might have, but won't be doing now. Just following the current trend of cryptic behaviour on BC at the moment....

[quote name='D.I. Joe' timestamp='1376861517' post='2180167'] Legend has it that Josh Homme used bass amps in the studio with Kyuss: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-MSfd2S7lo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-MSfd2S7lo[/url] [/quote] When I saw him on the first QOTSA tour, he had an 8x10 laying sideways under his (2x) 4x12s. It was working. You could hear it over the PA at the front (in a smallish) venue I think he uses/ used a low-pass filter to feed a separate power amp or head to drive the 8x10.

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1376864247' post='2180220'] Cheapest/lightest way to go would be a digital head and lightweight speaker for when you play bass; then add a multi fx with amp modelling for when you play guitar. [/quote] Nice idea. Or a powered (monitor/ 2x12) speaker system and a bass pre-amp / guitar pre-amp. Whichever way you approach it, there'll be compromises. Unless you like the sound of a cabinet which is optimised for neither bass nor guitar. Might need some EQ to even get close with guitar, and if it has a tweeter/horn that might not doing nice with guitar unless you roll it off...

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1376844086' post='2179830'] And what suits one bass may well not suit another.... [/quote] That's certainly true. So many variables. I mix and match to suit, but have still only narrowed it down to "Elixirs work well on my Warwicks to my ears." "DR Sunbeams are good on my jazz" "Rotosound rounds are too variable to trust and die far too quickly" Best steel rounds? DR Fatbeams are good if you like a slightly scooped tone. Expensive, but last well.

Damn. No fives.

If I were in need of a P-style bass, this would have to be on the "to try" list. Do they do a five, though? Seems likely (without looking)

I don't know who's playing at V over the weekend. I'll know who's on while I'm at home, though At least it's raining, though.

^ I think flats have been subject to some development, at least from some manufacturers. I, however, need some Elixirs for my Warwick sixer. I've rented a JCB. Could someone please direct me to the nearest cashpoint machine...?

I was hoping that this was a thread about printing your own at home with one of them new 3d printers Seriously, how good would that be?

Some members of Basschat? Irrational? Yes. I've never even met them. If I were to meet them, I feel sure that our mutual interest would overcome any niggling differences. On here? "We" (the community) scrap over every conceivable aspect of our instrument of choice. Now [i]that[/i] is irrational.

[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.