Chiliwailer

So it's a NBD for me. The Lull P4 is a sweet instrument, not the best P Bass I've ever owned or played but it's just the tool I was missing. At under 7.5 lbs it is amazingly light, and with my nerve damage issues that's a big deal for me. It doesn't sound as direct as my last CS Precision (which is half sold to a BC'er and around for comparison) , but then basses under 8 lbs never really do have that type of tone and at a still light 8.5lbs it was still too heavy. I'm having surgery soon and wil be able to do some light casual playing with mates, this bass will be perfect for that. I'm only human, there will be basses that turn my head, but I can't see GAS being an issue no more.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1419075123' post='2636226'] I don't have GAS because I view bass gear as tools to do a job. I do have GAS for gigging. The more gigs the better but stuff is just stuff. When better or more appropriate gear comes along I'll check it out and if it really is an improvement I'll get one, but gear for gear's sake doesn't interest me. [/quote] Nice comment. I agree that once you have the right tools the focus should be on using them.

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1419073546' post='2636200'] here's the one http://www.coda-music.com/fender-custom-shop-precision-bass-nocaster-blonde-p-20423.html [/quote] Aha, should have guessed,,,, Yup, cracker of a bass. Love my CS 1955 Precision, outstanding quality.

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1419070915' post='2636170'] I've got raging US Spector GAS. [/quote] That looks lovely and would sit nicely in your signature list of basses.....

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1419072266' post='2636185'] This is obsessing me at present but the price is WAY beyond my budget http://www.coda-music.com/electric-guitars-c-21.html [/quote] Link didn't work for me, took me to all their makes, that's a bit excessive no?!

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1419071839' post='2636181'] Nice one. It's a truly stunning bass, my issue was I cannot cope with a 1.75" nut width or it would still be with me [/quote] I know what you mean, some do rightly struggle with that width. I've had quite pre CBS or mid 60's basses with that width so I'll be right at home luckily. I tried one recently in Seattle with a Jazz neck, it was absolutely gorgeous but it just didn't scream out Precision to me, I guess old habits die hard.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1419070934' post='2636171'] I`ve just come to accept that I`ll never be GAS free, but what I can accept is that the gear I have is what I need for my band, so that keeps me in check. [/quote] Nice one Lozz, that's the target I reckon.

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1419070568' post='2636166'] Chiliwailer - sorry to do this yo you but http://www.thebassgallery.com/product_details.cfm?ID=2804&type=Bass%20Guitar Edit: too late! Just spotted your status comment about incoming P4, ha ha! [/quote] Haha mate, nice try!!!! Actually, that's the one I'm buying in about 45 mins. Do you recognise it? This one used to be yours, and Legions, and Flex......it's stopping here though hopefully! EDIT - not from the Gallery though.....or at that ridiculous price!!!!

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1419069430' post='2636147'] I do have a few on stands in the living room though and a couple in cases under the bed. [/quote] You're playing RnB and hip hop?

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1419068690' post='2636142'] I think GAS is unconqureable... I can only see myself playing Wals from now on but now instead of gassing for other basses I just GAS for different Wals Also GAS is not rational and even having found a a bass that works for you as an instrument you intend to play wont stop you wanting other basses... I keep looking at that ice blue Fbass in the classifieds I wouldn't want it for any parctical reason but I still want it! oh and I also want a shergold marathon and an enfield lionheart [/quote] I hear you pal, GAS will never go away. I guess I'm trying to liken it to a good solid marriage, you still fancy ladies at work, in your neighbourhood and out and about etc, but you stick with your lady regardless. That's what I'm hoping for again. At least with basses you can always play on your mates one with no come back or commitments and even go into town and mess around on some without being dodgy.

Friends, my question is, are you GAS-less? How long has it been? What made you settled? I know some of you are well settled, can we have some inspiration please as I've been chasing basses a little while now and need to recondition myself now that I'm nearly there! Would love to hear your stories. Today everything could be changing for me. 2009 was the last time I had a bass collection which was truly settled, I had no GAS, no other bass I could justify and all was good in the world. I had some killer basses that I loved. That is until I started selling them all off for the deposit on a flat I later bought. I sold all my collectables, early Fenders and expensive ones and was left with one workhorse bass, nothing special. But it was well worth it. In the last 2 years I've been buying and selling my way back to a collection that sticks, and having tried and tested loads I've found 3 of those basses that are ideal for me, but one has been missing. All going well, I'll be getting the final piece of the puzzle today as I just got a pay rise, a Mike Lull P4 will do me just fine thanks. So I've been GAS-less before and I'm looking forward to being GAS-less again. Sure, I'd like to yet again own another Stingray, fretless or fiver one day (not in the same bass!) but unlike the basses I have now I can't justify those to myself at all. I'm cash limited, space limited and have covered the main angles and styles I like play. It looks as though I may be GAS-less once again, of course you never can tell, but it'd be nice to be there again.....

[quote name='thebassist' timestamp='1418998937' post='2635593'] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Oh I don't know, a BMW M3 logo on a badly done up 318 amuses me.[/font][/color] [/quote] Haha, fair play, you're quite right!

Top fella Davie. I sent him some strap lock bits as a freebie, he very kindly contributed to some charities as I wouldn't accept payment, very cool.

Going back to earlier comments, a debate I've enjoyed, I find it funny how 10 years ago everyone was praising the Japanese Fender domestic market for making such amazing varieties of vintage and modern Fenders and questioning why the then current USA and Mexican range was so limited. Now that they have a huge range, catering for all sorts, a lot of players are now stating that the current range is too big! One extreme to other, at least it looks like they are now leaning towards a middle ground. What bothers me, is that on the Fender website it's never clear where the instrument is made, unless you keep referring the product code, and that list never seems to be in my pocket when I need it!!! Fender logos on non Fender gear? Not for me but I don't care if people go for that, I get it. What winds me up is a BMW M3 logo on a badly done up 318, and im not even a car nut!!

Even a Clive Brown ( the master of relics) refin would be a rip off at that price. 1200 for a Jap bass with an arguably good refin? You'd need to be really into it, brave or full of cash to buy that one. Fair enough if you do, but really? People do all these changes to their basses and end up still not wanting them! Why should others pay the full cost of that, it's still a second hand job isn't it? Edited again as Ive just looked at the pics once more and it really is an average refin. How this price be can be defended is beyond me. A £450 bass with a £750 'upgrade' it is not. Top whack this should be £650 - £700 surely? Even then, it'd take a certain buyer to go for it so could potentially hang around. Would I pay that much? Hell no.

Though on the right bass it can look cool, I'm not a fan of relicing.... However, I do own a CS Closet Classic 1963 Jazz and a CS Relic 1955 P Bass! The Closet Classic has a good vibe, nitro lacquer cracks and all that. I wouldn't have chosen a Relic, but that P Bass is so damn good, and luckily only very lightly reliced, so I just have to keep it, it sounds and plays as though it was truly made for me. A refin wouldnt match the neck or hardware so why bother? I can only accept them as they are Fender's copies of their own old instruments. I don't expect others to buy into that philosophy. Over the years I have had a fair few pre CBS and mid 60's basses and have come to get used to the well used vibe and "who cares if I dink it now" thing. Though I do think good relicing looks very cool on the right bass, I'm not personally keen on Relics, particulary some of the lesser companies that I feel go way over the top. But I own 2. Bizarre. My next P bass will certainly not be a Relic, I hope. [b]EDIT:[/b] I should mention for discussion that my reason for not being into Relics is the same as when I owned real vintage basses - I wanted to be the one to do the damage and breaking in!!!

You'll end up with both anyway! A trip to a bass store is in order, both great basses so play them side by side. Good luck.

Great patience and a lovely bass to show for it, nice one!

[quote name='Moos3h' timestamp='1418668140' post='2632173'] That being said, some of those buildings are a health and safety risk, I am sure. Anyone remember the cellar at Andy's? *Shudder* [/quote] Haha, oh yes. Back in 1993 Andys had these gigantic wooden window protectors that would go up at night. They were seriously heavy so as a little 15 year old kid I used to struggle to lift them off easily on a Saturday morning. By the time I got midway down the alley to set them down for the day my arms would be knackered and I'd drop them to floor, only for the lovely Graham Noden to come up from the cellar to tell me how he gets covered in dust from the ceiling every time I drop them! Graham has been there for donkeys and it'll be a sad day when he leaves. It's a funny looking cellar but the vibe is always good. Luckily that's a listed building with cheaper rent than the rest so hopefully it'll stay rock n roll, oh yeah, and wonky!

I can't comment in the Di I you mentioned, but if it's any help, I use a MXR Micro amp plus when switching between active and passive basses, to ensure that my compressor and Di I have the same inout level on each bass. I only have the plus version as I fancied tine controls too, the regular version would do the trick nicely.

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1418312704' post='2629075'] Thank you, definitely some food for thought there as I may end up testing out some different configurations including a parallel coil mix. [/quote] A long while back I added a neck pickup to a stingray and had a coil tap added to each pickup. These were wired in parallel and were thinner and very clean sounding, though quite noisy which was annoying. I guess that's why the Ray 5 and Sterling have an added ghost coil under the pickup. To cancel the annoying hum. Why did I ever sell that bass? It had a P Bass pickup in it too and an active bypass. Oh yeah, I sold it to get an original 64 P Bass, which I later sold, darn it!!!

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1418251920' post='2628582'] Hey matey I have done but I am just not a fan of black basses, superficial though that sounds. If they could re-spray it blonde I would be in like Flynn!!! [/quote] I hear you, I'm half way through selling an absolutely gorgeous CS 64 P Bass, one of the best I've played and just because it's white, a colour I can't get on with. I like black basses but I'm not too keen on the sunburst patch on my relic, such a good bass though that I'll overlook that! Good luck on your search pal.

Clarky, have you checked out the CS 1955 Relic in Bassgear? I have one and can't ever imagine parting with it. It's a very special bass, still blows be away each time I pick it up.

Used to be mine that, I bought it purely for spares and to turn over so I'm to blame for the sh*te pickguard as I needed the original. I then sold the other parts to people that had more original basses in need of them. That wasn't at all a nice pre CBS bass, dodgy ones pop up often and that, in my opinion, is one. Edit. Hahahahaha!!!!!!!! I just read the listing, lies lies and more lies!!!!! I found the pickguard on the floor in the depths of a workshop in Denmark St, the bass got sold to the guy from Noah and The Whale after his 1966 (my old bass too) got nicked. Then when they recovered it he sold on this 63, probably because it's awful. so when did all those players get to use it eh?! Haha, still laughing!

Even though they are wired in parallel, when I tried the HH Stingrays I found that the tonal difference wasn't worth the agro of messing around with the switches for my tastes. You can see the schematics on the EBMM website in the Stingray page. [url="http://www.music-man.com/instruments/basses/stingray.html"]http://www.music-man.com/instruments/basses/stingray.html[/url] But no, I haven't tried it on my bass and may not have been of any help at all to you and perhaps even ticked off some Stingray HH players (apologies if so). Does that make sense?