4000

[quote name='Musky' post='560074' date='Aug 4 2009, 12:06 PM']Just browsing around and came across this picture. I think they look fine as they stand, but I'd be a bit worried that it'd look like you're playing one of those toy guitars once you've got it strapped on. [/quote] Love it!!!!

Always thought these were great basses actually. Oh and yes, the green one is still there....

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='558971' date='Aug 3 2009, 08:50 AM']Jimmy Johnson on Allan Holdsworth's Panic Station from his Metal Fatigue album. Just a great melodic solo.[/quote] JJ is a great, great player.

[quote name='3V17C' post='559707' date='Aug 3 2009, 10:02 PM']on his 5 gallons of diesel DVD hes giving it some on a Rickenbacker of all things...and people reckon you can't slap 'em! pah!!! c[/quote] See my previous post....

Ok, forgotten how to post this properly, but this is Les's favourite sounding bass ever; not that I'm biased (actually I like him on his CTs just as much; I love that grungy, midrangey sound he gets). [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjOM5YjMZ8w"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjOM5YjMZ8w[/url] I love Les; I too saw him on the Roll the Bones tour and I'd never seen anything like him (or Primus for that matter). Who cares if he's sloppy? Genius.

[quote name='spongebob' post='557885' date='Aug 1 2009, 04:30 PM']Rickenbacker 4003 necks actually vary from year to year. Some are slimmer, others are like baseball bats. However, you'll never ever find a Ric neck as slim as a jazz. If you have got small hands, I'd go for a Geddy as well.[/quote] Depends what you mean by slimmer. I don't think Jazz bass necks are at all slim; in fact one of the things I don't generally like about Jazzes is the necks, which I consider uncomfortable and usually quite big (in fact I actually find P Bass necks generally more comfortable.). Jazzes are slim at the nut, but I don't spend that much time down there so that makes little difference to me. I think most Ric necks are much slimmer, because they're the same width all the way up, give or take. [i]That's[/i] what I consider slim, because I do a lot more playing from the fifth fret up than the fifth fret down. So first I think you have to define what you mean by slim. Slim necks, I think a typical Ric 4000 series (excepting some of the 4003s with the bigger necks which feel more P Bass like), Alembic, Ibanez SR, Pedulla, stuff like that, although I'm aware that others think the Jazz is the epitome of slim (nothing above the fifth fret ). My old Warwick Dolphin Pro II bolt-on had a very slim neck, as does my current Sei 4. I'd try a few basses and see what you think, as it's all down to personal perception. FWIW, my mate has a Stingray and the neck, although quite hefty, is very comfortable. You will probably find individual examples of many basses (historically at least) vary both in neck size and in weight. My Ric 4001 is 8.5lbs, so not heavy at all, but my first CS weighed about 11. Same goes for Stingrays, my mate's is about 9lbs, but I've played much heavier ones.

[quote name='Count Bassy' post='556542' date='Jul 30 2009, 08:29 PM']Or the quantum headless - brilliant bit of kit and great for lugging around hotels etc[/quote] I used one of those for years in preference to the Ric I had at the time (my 1st). Great bass for the money.

Very briefly: Chris Squire; mainly 1964 Ric RM1999 (UK export version of 4001), plays with a Herco pick but more or less simultaneously strikes with the side of his thumb. Medium gauge Rotos, mono Ric rewired to stereo, originally used a Marshall Superbass which still figures in his rig and Marshall 4x12s. Moved onto Fender Dual Showman rig, then Sunn lead amps, then Ampeg (also SWR originally for his Tobiases, now solely for pedals). Various other basses used (e.g.Tobias, Carvin, Electra, Mouradian, Ranney 8, Fender Jazz and Telebass), one of note being a rare 21 fret 4001 used on the Yes Album. Various pedals including Maestro Brassmaster fuzz. Lemmy; various Ric 4000 series basses (starting with a 4000 with a Tbird pickup in the neck, through various modded 4001s to his signature basses) through Marshall Superbass with 4x12 and 4x15 stacks. Herco picks. originally used medium gauge Rotos, then Dean Markleys. No effects. Leigh Gorman; mainly a passive Wal Pro 2 into a Trace Elliot 250W GP11 8x10 combo. Mainly medium gauge Rotos. Matt Garrison; Fodera Matt Garrison into Epifani. 28-100 gauge Fodera strings. I'll let someone else do the detail on Stanley Clarke (mainly Alembic with Carl Thompson and Spellbinder, but not up on his various rigs), Stu Zender, JJ Burnel and Richard Bona. Oh, and John Entwistle, simply because it would take me too long! That'll do for me for now.

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='551674' date='Jul 26 2009, 11:32 AM']Got a few things on my list... ..starting with an old Wal Pro bass (that's currently hanging up at the Wal factory at the moment) and if he'd do it, I'd have it modded into a 5 string by Paul Herman to make it the only Wal Pro V in the world. Plus a decent P bass (because every home should have one)![/quote] Now that I want to see!

[quote name='sk8' post='546709' date='Jul 21 2009, 04:50 PM']Didn't have alot of substance and the articles were limited. the subjects i thought would be covered in more detail weren't. It had alot of adverts and i found the play along bit at the back a bit unispiring. This is all of course IMHO. It didn't want to make me pick it up again and re read it, nor would i wish to subscribe. It was a weak publication scant on news and reviews. There are obviously people who enjoy it but i will not be bothering again. Will stick to Bass player when i can find it.[/quote] I used to subscribe to Bass Player but it began to drive me mad in the end. Very repetitive and for me it took itself far too seriously.

[quote name='steve-soar' post='546473' date='Jul 21 2009, 02:13 PM']I really like Dave Marks too.[/quote] Dave's a star. Talked to him at the last Bass Day, came across as a great bloke.

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='544240' date='Jul 18 2009, 07:25 PM']Have you played an S2? They're ALL graphite. Not very much like the S3. The S2s are very tight, well balanced and articulate. The S3s are kind of half way between an all-wood neck and an all-graphite one. Oodles of smooth sustain, but a bit warmer and with less attack than the 100% graphite ones. If they took the phenolic fretboards off, it could be [i]very[/i] close to (my idea of) perfection. I may be getting close to a theory about the "clacky" sound from some amps; I experience this through my Trace on most fretted basses with phenolic 'boards, yet when recordings of it are played back, it sounds amazing. I reckon that it's the brittle/harsh-sounding nature of the tweeters or horns employed in some cabs that may be causing it. Either that, or there's a "De-Clack" button on the mixing desk!![/quote] I owned a Status 2000 which was all graphite and have played several Stealth 1s. I've played dozens of various Statii over the years and have never yet found one that works for me. One thing I will add is that the syntheticness I mention isn't just the clackiness, it's everything about the sound. If you dial in a smooth round sounds it still sounds synthetic to my ears.

[quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='543741' date='Jul 18 2009, 03:31 AM']Interesting thoughts! I've just got home following playing at a friends retirement party with a 50s/60's rock and roll band - normally I'd take one of my JV Precisions but having been ill all week, I used my Vigier as its nice and lightweight. The tone was spot on - fat and warm - nothing synthetic or plasticy. I would say that the amplification used might have some effect on this `emphasis' that certain graphite necked instruments sound more plasticy (I found that my Trace rig made anything graphite sound very `clacky' and harsher). For whatever reason, the Vigier/Markbass combination just works perfectly for me - as Ped notes, the semi-thru neck system perhaps adds warmth as the bridge is set into wood not graphite etc. The B Quad basses were vastly underrated - one of the best basses I've seen - used to borrow a trans purple one from Peavey![/quote] I will add that tonally I think my favourite graphite-necked basses are probably Vigiers. I'll also add that I have yet to play a 10/90 plugged in, so that may be entirely different. As I've said earlier, the day I find one that works for me, I'll buy it quite happily. BTW, I suspect you may be correct about the effect of different amplification.

[quote name='rslaing' post='542267' date='Jul 16 2009, 02:31 PM']Mine isn't?? I have tone controls on my bass and amp...................[/quote] Nothing to do with the tone controls on either IMO. I've now owned 4 Statii and every one of them has had what I can only term a "plasticky" sound. I've found the same with the dozens of others (and the Vigiers, Zons and Peavey B Quad 4) that I've tried. Tone off, tone on, boost lows, boost highs, both, mids, whatever, I have never been able to get them sounding anything other than synthetic. I suspect that some of this comes down to technique and some comes down to individual perception and taste. What sounds like plastic to my ears might sound like "super smooth and zingy" or "tremendous bark" to someone else's. FWIW our guitarist feels the same. Speaking of the Peavey B Quad 4, that bass has the nicest-feeling graphite neck I've ever played.

That is just mega. Nice to see it finished (I've spent many a minute checking it out in the workshop). I wonder what Robbie (Rim) has to say about that fishtail though?

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='540855' date='Jul 14 2009, 11:42 PM']+1 Too bright, too artificial, to '80s sounding - which is OK if that's your thing....[/quote] +2. I'd love to get on with them but so far just haven't. I love the idea of graphite though and hope to one day stumble across something that works for me.