bassmayhem

I've had two 55-02, still have one, as well as a US 55-94. These basses have B-strings to die/kill for. The difference between the 55-02 and 55-94 is marginal, mostly the touch of the neck - oiled on US, laquered on Skyline - and somewhat heavier Skyline. The B-string is fundamental. I have a Yamaha JP2 also, it has the same 35" scale and a really firm low end, but still the Lakie B is in a league of its own. I have never played a Lakie with the LH3 system, though, just two generations of Barts...

The body and neck are both mahogany. I feared they would make a midrangey tone, but it is as twangy - maybe even more twangy - as my old Fender J'78. I'd say it sounds like an ordinary Jazz Bass with Badass and DiMarzios. About the colour combo: the body and the neck are both the same colour, not only the face of the head. Tomorrow, hopefully, I'll get it ready to play.

[font=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif][size=3]An old friend gave me a bass, partly functional, as a restoration project, just like that.[/size][/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif][size=3]It is an old Hagström Jazz Bass/Scan Bass. During a transition period the basses had different names, no names, a lot of different parts and pickups. This one has no labeling other than Hagström. My friend bought it second hand around '82. It was "rather beaten up and distressed" already. It is playable, but the electronics must be fixed. It is an early one, so it must have passed 40 by now.[/size][/font]

[color=#333333][font=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif][size=3]I've straightened the neck and swapped bridge to an old Badass II. To my surprise the old pups work, even if I had to fasten the pole pieces and glue them with super glue. The only things I need to buy are screws for the pick guard and pups, and one and a half set of strap locks. (There are two strap buttons at the body end; perfect when putting down the bass...) The neck is FANTASTIC, btw. [/size][/font][/color]




[color=#333333][font=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif][size=3]The pick guard is a piece of quality; three layer black-white-aluminium plate(!) making the bass heavily shielded and grounded.[/size][/font][/color]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif][size=3]Friends like this don't grow on trees...[/size][/font]

A friend bought my MP Guitars Level 6 some year/years ago and have it up for sale. I told him about your thread...
The bass - a nice bass - is for sale at a very good price. It is the bottom one in MY sales pic. (All basses sold...)

Fender 3/4" spacing @ bridge, around P-bass spacing @ nut. Nice, rather flat C neck, 35" scale. Barts and all Hipshot. Incredibly light and extremely well balanced.
If you are interested, please, send me a message and I'll get you in touch...

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1414502225' post='2589882']
This is a great post. There are so many myths I hear on a regular basis about gear compatibility and for example power handling that perpetuates further misinformation. I'd love to see a single resource online that explains away so many falsehoods with your clarity and ease of understanding.
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TKS used to have some very informative links on the webpage. (tks.se) I cannot find them now, I think the page is under reconstruction. I hope the links will be up again...

Yep! They're mine...!

Can't wait...

I suppose you're not interested in a swap? I got a beautiful 55-94 deluxe, but is more of a Jazz Bass guy...
[IMG]http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd169/bassmayhem/3-Thethreemusketeers_zps7efab81d.jpg[/IMG]
The one at the bottom...

Compard to my previous cabs, a quadruple of Eden D112XLT's, the TKS cabs are very flat. The Eden cabs are HONKY in comparison...

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1414450935' post='2589516']
Really liking the look of the S212. Anyone voice an opinion on how "neutral" sounding these cabs are?
[/quote]What is neutral? They sound very, very good with four string basses. They sound very good but not that deep with five string basses. It is a matter of needs and taste, really. If you are a "sub bass player" better look at the deeper models. For four string playing they are all you need at a good price and low weight. This is no "bang for the buck" thing - it is a real bang...

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1414071718' post='2585505']
Oh FFS... the last thing I need is cab GAS.. good thing they aren't green like these or I'd be in trouble.


[/quote]
A pair of cabs in British Racing Green with creme colour front frame would definitely be the thing...
My favourite variation on the theme is black cabinet, creme front frame and 50*s Fender grille cloth. I've ordered a pair of the new compact 115's in that colour, just like my 2126 cabs...

[quote name='Telebass' timestamp='1414224351' post='2587180']
A Fender 5, which has standard 19mm spacing, is quite wide enough...
[/quote]
Which Fender five string has 19 mm spacing? None I've played anyhow...

[quote name='Dazed' timestamp='1414077081' post='2585593']
I've recently been looking at warwick 6 strings again.
It's probably gas but I think I'm on a slippery slope!

I haven't tried a 6 string for years, one was a Larrivee which I couldn't get on with but didnt persevere with and a friends ken smith, then went back to 4s only for a long while.
Last year I got a couple of 5 strings which I didn't feel was much of a struggle to feel comfortable playing, however I find a string spacing of 16-17 mm just too narrow.
From what I've read, standard warwick 6 spacings are 16-17mm and broadneck versions are 20?

Warwick fans seem keen on broadneck models.

Is there any advantage ?

I know a broadneck must be quite a heavy lump given the size and Warwicks aren't generally the lightest of instruments!
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If you are used to play Fender type basses then all five strings with narrow spacing will feel "not at home" if you got my point. I got some five string Laklands as well as a Yamaha JPII with 19 mm (3/4") spacing at the bridge; they feel the same in the fingerboard and in the right hand, even if the neck is wider. There is space for occasional slap playing etc. NEVER again a bass with narrow spacing! "The neck feels comfortable." Kiss my *ss!! I don't play on the neck - I play on the strings on the fingerboard and "over the pups"...

[quote name='JD1' timestamp='1412921048' post='2573241']... Its a shame this one is being discontinued in favour of the smaller version...
[/quote]
I tried the new smaller version att Tommy's workshop two nights ago and ordered two, just like that, one with tweeter and one without. I got two of his 2126 already, so this setup will be perfect when light package is required. I am no fan of 15" cabs, had them for 30+ years and left in favour of 12" cabs. But - the size and tone of this 115 is a hit. The cabs will have the same appearance as my big ones: black tolex on the "body", crème tolex and 50's Fender brown grill cloth for the front, like my big ones:

The size of the new is sheer joy:

This must be one of the smallest and lightest 115 cabs around...

After having gathered the courage for two weeks I have mounted a Realist on my bass. It went geschwint, a walk in the park, etc ...
Anyway, it sounds really good. I plugged it into my Bose system, into the ToneMatch mixer, put it without "pre-shape Realist tone match", just straight. I cut the bass 6 dB and boosted midrange and treble an ounce. Then I played, and varied volume over time. It sounds almost the same acoustic as amplified, but with a touch more sub lows. An ounce of reverb makes more room in the tone too. I'm pleased.

A really nice looking bass! Congrats!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1407765846' post='2523721']
Based on my experience I'll have to disagree. The Gus and Sei basses may be expensive luthier-built instruments, but the Warwick is a MiK Pro Series and still easily out-performs any 35" scale bass that I've played. IME the biggest obstacle to getting a decent low B on a 34" bass is having a bolt-on neck. The only BO 5-string bass with a 34" scale I've played that has been any good is my Yamaha BJ5B which is essentially a limited edition (only 50 made) TRB II with an SBV shaped body and headstock so hardly a standard bass.

Gus basses are in [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/66328-bigredxs-weird-wonderful-basses"]this thread[/url] and the Sei can be seen [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/136517-fretless-porn/page__view__findpost__p__1235459"]here[/url].
[/quote]
Really nice basses!!!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1407762213' post='2523672']
Not at all true IME. Good construction and the right choice of string to match the bass a far more critical than an extra inch of string length. Any luthier capable of making a good sounding 5-string with a 35" scale length will be able to make one just as good with a 34" scale. None of the 35" scale basses that I've owned have had a low B that could compete with my 34" Gus, Warwick or Sei basses.
[/quote]
That's the thing. Most bass players don't play luthier's basses, but factory basses. Still I believe your Gus, Warwick and Sei would have had even better B-strings with 35" scale. But that's me. These basses are not comparable with the ordinary Fender, Music Man or Ibanez kind of basses. All 34" scale five strings I've tried had anemic B-strings compared to my Lakland. I also have a Yamaha JP2 that is thunderous, but not close to the Lakie coming to clarity and definition. My 34" five string basses I had through the years were more of a bad excuse to put yet another string on. I'd love to see pic's of your Gus and Sei basses, BigRedX...

Since the low B has a frequency of 30.87 Hz and a wavelength of 11 meters (33.5 ft) an electric bass is nothing but a poor excuse to produce such low notes. What we hear is in fact mostly overtones. The shorter and fatter the string, the lesser overtones and a dull tonal quality appears. I'll be bold and state: B-strings require at least 35" scale to sound decent. The best sounding B-string I've ever heard is on my US Lakland. The tone of the E on the B string differs just slightly from the open E string.

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1407675062' post='2522820']
I don't drive so it's trains and tube .

I was looking at the wheels, they do look like a good idea, not sure it'd be good for on trains though, where I'd just prop the bass up in the corner. One I caught last week had bike storage areas that the guard said to use, so it spent an hour happily propped there.
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I met a guy in NYC last spring; he toted his 19th century bass all around the city seven days a week on the Metro on a "peg wheel" in a bag...

Do you need a hardcase or can you manage with a sturdy gigbag and a wheel like this?

http://www.contrabass.co.uk/basswheel.htm

[quote name='spencer.b' timestamp='1407588044' post='2522069']
wow that is a long string length, I've played a few longer scale basses recentley and it does seem to help the tone. I did a gig in denmark last month and the bass was owned by the wilson pickup guy and he apologised that it was 7/8 not 3/4 but it sounded great and I barely noticed on the left hand, a friend has a 7/8 ply with guts an that sounds great too.
[/quote]
It has a really strong and powerful, yet nice tone. Like my li'l missus said: "It sounds like you..."

[quote name='Fran Diaz' timestamp='1407394858' post='2520010']
great story! congrats on your new bass; it looks very nice.

Isn't it a great feeling when you get to play an intrument that feels and sounds great from the very first note you play?
[/quote]
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

[quote name='spencer.b' timestamp='1407318831' post='2519366']
Great story mate and a lovely looking bass, what's the string length?
[/quote]
The string length is 110 cm (=43 1/3"). A little bit more stretching, but I have big hands. The setup is very nice, not too low action, but enough to dig in and get the growl. Not for NHÖP type of playing, though. Eb neck.

My newly acquired "Miss Nikolova"...

Bulgarian master built, circa 15 years old...

A couple of weeks ago the little wife and I were in Copenhagen for vacation. All of a sudden I saw THE music store: Marno Sörensen, established 1925. A place filled with acoustic instruments and a lot of sheet music. (They also had some EUB:s..) They had kwo windows with acoustic upright basses; I couldn't resist. We went into the shop, I tried some different basses, among them a Wilfer bass just like the one I had back in the 80's. It had the same issues as my old one: a fingerboard that was uneven and buzzing...

But - there it was! A peculiar bass with some odd dimensions. I took it in my hands and we - to quote the movie Avatar - bonded. Just like that. My wife said: It sounds like you.

The next day we went back and had a second glance. From that moment I couldnt let the bass go. It was in my head the whole time. A master built instrument, made for a Danish bassist who all of a sudden had given it up. It felt like it was made for me. Peculiar dimensions... Well, a 3/4 body and a 4/4 scale solid tone wood instrument, and a tone to die/kill for. This bass can do acoustic gigs with a drummer with no problem. And the TONE...

Well, to make a long story short: yesterday I went back to Copenhagen and took it home. An 1100 km road trip just over the day. Now it is mine. I kinda like it...


Two weeks ago in Copenhagen...


Today at home...