alanbass1

[quote name='Conan' post='797903' date='Apr 6 2010, 07:00 PM'] Care to name and shame? Or explain why it was so disappointing? Just interested. Quite a lot of guys on here talk about their "dream" basses as being the mutt's nuts, so would be interesting to hear another viewpoint![/quote] Well, I'm over it now and won't post who the maker is - if anyone is really interested as they were thinking about getting a custom build IM me and I will divulge the maker. However, below is my 'disgruntled' review I posted up on Harmony Central back then. Features : 10 Custom made to my specs: 34" scale 4 string. Seven piece Maple/Walnut laminated through neck. Body wings wth Macassar Ebony facings (back and front) with thin maple dividers. Hipshot lightweight tuners (with D Tuner), Hipshot bridge with both top loading and through body stringing options. Two Aero soapbar pickups linked up to an Aguilar OBP-3 preamp. 3 band eq, pickup pan and volume, active bypass and passive bass switch which is effectively a treble bleed capacitor. I have to give this catagory a 10 as it was made to my exact specs. Sound : 6 Sound is good - although not spectacular and not a patch on my Alembic MK signature. Has a similar fundamental but the pre-amp is not clear and concise in the bass, like the Alembic, and a bit too thin in the treble. The pickups are very quiet for the system in place. It is farly versatile and does lots of things quite well - but none that stand out. For two grand I was expecting better. Action, Fit, & Finish : 3 Well, this is a sorry story. The woodworking and joinery was good, however I went through a number of frustrating issues. 1st up, the bass arrived and I could not get it to intonate, and the closest I got was on the G string with the the bridge saddle fully backed up to the back of the bridge. I measured from the nut to the 12th Fret and the frets were obviously cut for a 35" scale which the bridge placement would not allow. I got this checked with a local tech who confirmed this. The bass went back and got refretted. When it returned, one of the knurled metal volume kbobs had come of in the case and caused damage to the finish. This went back again for the finish to be sorted out. When the bass was returned again the finish was reapplied but now very thick and not particularly great compared to the original finish. The finish was also applied to the side ebony fingerboard the second time around and the fret ends caused this to crack and peel when it shrunk slightly. Wiring job was one of the worse I had seen with so much wire stuffed into the control cavity without being trimmed to size. This caused the bass switch cap to come lose as I had to squash the wiring in the cavity to replace the cover. The pick-up volume failed and started to cause severe volume drop (almost to nothing) when engaging both pick-ups. When returned they stuck on a centre indented potentimeter! Volume from the pickups remained too low for what I was expecting but with all the issues and bad service just gave up. Fret work completely average. I give this a three for the woodworking, which is good. Everything else is decidedly heath robinson. Reliability/Durability : 5 Well, pick up volume failed, trouble with pick-ups and lousy wiring job does not inspire confidence. Customer Support : 1 Appalling really. When I first informed them about the intonation scale length issue they wouldn't believe me. I had to pay for the bass to be shipped back to them (no refund) - and then they came out with some bull**** about the the routing template moving halfway though fret seating. They could not accept they made a schoolboy error. The other times the bass was returned it was obvious I was seen as an inconvenience and they gave no impression of standing behind their product. Yes, they got the major things fixed - but this cost me shipping everytime and I didn't bother them with the little things as it was far too much hassle and cost. After the second return I asked whether they would offer a refund but the answer was a resounding no. Overall Rating : 2 The quality of build and finishing for the price is poor. The customer service appalling. I could not recommend this bass to anyone.

[quote name='JackLondon' post='798079' date='Apr 6 2010, 09:43 PM']I think you're more after a boutique jazz bass rather then custom. Plenty of options on that as I believe almost any company has their take on the bass that I absolutely don't get. If you get it off the shelf it will also be much quicker than full custom build.[/quote] More over, if you get one 'off the shelf' you will know exactly what you are buying

[quote name='sk8' post='797777' date='Apr 6 2010, 05:10 PM']Whats your budget? I've got the Berg AE210 and its killer as are the Berg 12's but they do come at a cost.[/quote] Plus one on this recommendation. I had an Epifani UL210 that ran at 4 ohms which was loud and went deep (rated at 500 watts) - moved some serious air. I changed to two Bergantino 1x12's (HT/EX combination). I would recommend a single 2x10 over a single 1x12.

[quote name='Rich' post='797316' date='Apr 6 2010, 11:03 AM']I would imagine it probably depends on a few human factors -- how hard you play, how sweaty the bass gets, etc..?[/quote] I guess you could always replace then periodically - but not sure whether I would go with them myself

I had my 'dream' bass built from a custom builder back in '05 and was completely dissappointed with the experience and end result - so much so that I offloaded the bass at a massive loss. Just a cautionary tale as unless you are after something that is just not available new or secondhand you are taking a risk that the end product turns out how you imagine it to sound/play/feel

Recently I got one of those Line 6 wireless jobbies as I was fed up getting my feet tangled in leads on stage. This allowed me to go right out front during soundchecks to check out the balance of the band and I have to say it was a revelation to standing up on stage. The way the bass sat in the mix was a little overpowering so I have since dialled out some lows and in some lower mids which has worked wonders - but on stage I thought the old sound was better.

[quote name='Doddy' post='797844' date='Apr 6 2010, 06:08 PM']No you don't [/quote] They do - you can just see it in the posts! Thought of another one which I loved playing but we dropped it from the set years ago - Give it away now - RHCP

Hi and welcome. Where are you based/playing?

[quote name='Jono' post='795537' date='Apr 4 2010, 10:27 AM']Alex James is definitely under-rated. Girls and Boys is a great line to play. Just read his autobiography which is pretty good.[/quote] Crap opera singer though! He seems to have become one of those people that turn up on music related programmes - Orange Next Band competition (channel 4), that conducting show and now the opera show. Probably take over from Simon Cowell on American Idol!

[quote name='Matt303' post='793227' date='Apr 1 2010, 12:53 PM']I've just been going through my old Elton John records after watching a classic albums DVD where Gus Dudgeon raves about the bass player Davie Johnston? I'm guessing he's heard a few bassists In his time so I thought I'd check it out. A song called Suzie (dramas) on an album called Honky Chateau is as funky as hell. An underated player indeed![/quote] +1 on this - he's got great taste. I guess if you've made your career playing in the support band for one of the biggest stars on the planet you tend to go unnoticed.

You oughta know - Alanis Morrisette Fly Away - Lenny Kravitz Ain't nobody - Chaka Khan

Welcome aboard

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='789663' date='Mar 29 2010, 05:36 PM']Is there anything that's NOT made in china anymore? lol[/quote] Quite a lot actually, but tends to be more expensive than equipment made in PRC/Vietnam. Interesting though how countries soon catch up with regard to quality - in the 60's/early 70's made in Japan was a sign of cheap/poorer quality instruments (the term Jap Crap was prominent back them). They got their sh*t together, quality and design, but then the cost of labour rose and they started to become almost expensive as their US competition. Cheap production moved to Korea and Taiwan and Japanese made instruments started to be viewed as 'higher quality' premium instruments. Now Korea is benefitting from the economic boon and as a result salaries went up as did instrument prices. Now they are seen as a premium country of manufacturer above the likes of China, Vietnam and Indonesia. The interesting thing for me was how the guitar manufacturing industry shied away from India due the the economic boon created by the IT industry

Hi and welcome Wisconsin. Spent three years in KC Missouri recently which also has a plague of Blues Bands!

Yep, but it sure won't neck dive

[quote name='molan' post='794748' date='Apr 3 2010, 12:02 AM']Here's mine: and - if the bloody international money exchange people get the funds transferred sometime this century - then this should be heading my way pretty soon as well:[/quote] That's a great bass - glad you are still enjoying her

My gigging amp back in the late 70's and throughout the 80's was an SVT - such great amps. But I just cannot forget how heavy they are!

[quote name='Musicman20' post='795749' date='Apr 4 2010, 03:17 PM']I had the Shuttle 9.0 for about 48 hours. It had a problem with the chassis, but I still managed to test it. Definitely not for me...no warmth and too clinical for me. Very bright and pingy. Didn't feel that loud. RH450 is opposite...warm, fluid, full, tubey (ish).[/quote] Tubey in every sense of the word. Those 450 watts packed into the RH450 feels and sounds louder than both my 500 watt Markbass heads. The RH450 really punches through the mix like my SVT used to do. I had a Shuttle 6 and this was remarkably low volume in comparison to my Markbasss and Eden WT400.

I've got an F500 and it is a great 'hi-fi' amp. I prefer the TA501 as the valve compressor sweetens the sound, which I guess is my preference. But it's great having the choice. I'm just gobsmacked that they can build something so powerful and great sounding so small, yet with such a solid feel to the whole package. I was thinking it would be great if someone designed a scaled down rack unit to house these and the newer crop of small heads in.

[quote name='bartelby' post='795832' date='Apr 4 2010, 05:22 PM']There's no neck dive with my Steve Harris P using a Mono padded strap.[/quote] Get one the late 70's 'body builder' 11lb P Basses - no neck dive on those!

Two gigs over the Easter period and chalk and cheese as far as type and how they went. Played Bar Soko in Maidenhead on Thursday night. Modern bar with disco type of venue. Night started slow but really got going and turned into a really good gig. We played the Blue Boar in Wantage and it was a rough barn type of environment around the back of the pub. A nice place to play but just didn't really get going - seemed to be quite a flat evening where at times it felt like it was going to liven up a lot more, but really sporadic. I had to laugh because one of the punters came up afterwards and apologised for the 'locals' - which is a first!

[quote name='pantherairsoft' post='795131' date='Apr 3 2010, 04:57 PM']Not the same 'Peach' that Justin Chancellor was with before he joined Tool then? :-) Really glad I got this thread going. Some awesome stuff been added to my play list on the back of this. Looking forward to some of you playing gigs locally to myself! Shep[/quote] Alas not.

SO many to choose from that are great depending on your situation - type of music; budget; convenience. I'm currently really digging the TC Electronics RH450 head with two Beg 1x12's. But I still love my Mark Bass and Eden Heads. And I would love to hae an old SVT but cannot face the weight anymore! Aguilar are great heads, and Orange, Mesa Boogie, and, and.......there is a lot of pro gear out there.

Not strictly necessary to have more than a 2U but with a 3U you add another 1U unit later (e.g. Tuner) so would give greater flexibility.