Chiliwailer

Thought I'd post this as I find it quite bizarre and possibly useful to someone. I have an Aguilar OBP-1 in one of my basses. I needed a compressor so I got the Aguilar TLC. Thing is, when I dug in on the E string there was distortion which was very apparent no matter what setting the pedal was on. The only way to remedy this was to turn the volume right down on the bass, though this increased the signal noise (as well as being annoying). Anyway, I changed the Aguilar TLC for an MXR M87, which is great for me as it's clean, clear, adds no colour and has [u]no distortion at all.[/u] So Aguilar preamp not matched to an Aguilar compressor, who'd have thought?

Very cool, enjoy!

I got my first 18v preamp recently, blown away by it. I had been meaning to buy a compressor pedal for some time, this bass ensured that I got one straight away!

[quote name='deepbass5' timestamp='1384690490' post='2279439'] Sorry Chili, If i owned a shop I would not want my staff to go arround adjusting trusrods in five minutes to suit each customers preference, a bass could take a day to react to a 1/4 turn then a 1/4 turn the next day. I do my own but would be happy to get it right in 3 days along with string and bridge adjustments. This problem in shops is about buying and selling as quick as possible by people who do not play bass possibly not even guitar properly. A bespoke bass shop is unlikely to show this sort of contempt, so i only use them now and avoid the noisey guitar starter KIt shops on the high street. [/quote] I'm speaking from experience. You have these choices:[list] [*]Hand someone a bass with a tight truss rod and lots of buzzing, or give it an adjustment [*]Hand someone a bass with a lose truss rod and super high action, or give it an adjustment [/list] I'm not talking about a full set up so I'm not going to over complicate this by talking about how to do a set up (yawn), I'm talking about making a bass playable. It worked for me, it worked for the shop. It makes a bass playable for a test. Everyone where I worked sure did know how to play, and buying and selling is part of the business (of course!).

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1384637066' post='2279103'] Unfortunately the whole experience was let down by the fact nobody seems to bother setting up their instruments before they put them on display. [/quote] Absolutely! I worked in guitar shops for 16 years and managed some in Denmark Street as well as the Bass Centre for a while. Here was my philosophy[list] [*]If you don't have time to set them up before someone tries - take 2 minutes to adjust the truss rod at least before handing it to someone. Customers always appreciated that. [*]Teach staff to adjust a truss rod, it so simple a child could do it. Andy's in Denmark Street had me doing set ups at age 15, none of it is rocket science! [*]Guys in shops these days leave it to the shop tech so can't be bothered to set them up, see above [/list] There really is absolutely no excuse to be handed a guitar in a shop that's not playable.

From the age of 15 I had always wanted one, then aged 21 a guy I was playing with bought me one (no, not that kind of playing). I found my month and year of birth bass in a lovely Autumn Glo brown. I was well chuffed until I got familiar with it. No where to put my thumb, a top horn which always dug into my chest and a very strange balance when standing. I sold it, dream over. Still love them though, especially with a pick and I always liked playing on the couch with it.

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1384604939' post='2278587'] Don't waste that finish on bedroom playing. Get it out there where it's meant to be. [/quote] [quote name='Stan_da_man' timestamp='1384606353' post='2278611'] Huge +1 [/quote] I'd love to fella's but I have a severe nerve damage condition which has stopped me from gigging. Hey ho

Adrian bought some strings from me. No hassles at all and was patient as it took me a week to get to the post office.

Any bass the amazing Jah Wobble used! Can't find a good picture of his Ampeg Scroll but here is the Ovation Magnum [attachment=148502:Wobble Magnum.jpg]

[attachment=148418:P1050964.JPG] [attachment=148420:P1050966.JPG] [attachment=148419:P1050963.JPG]

How much?!!!! Cheers for the link

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1384206908' post='2274101'] Not a rule, just a philosophical proposition. It's got nowt to do with finding a bass, it's about finding oneself. One should ideally play THROUGH an instrument, not ON it. It's a lot easier to find a bass to play on than it is to find oneself through it. If a bass is decent, one can find oneself through it. The best bass is the bass you don't even notice you're playing. Or am I just being a preposterous ol ****? [/quote] I wouldn't say you are! Nothing wrong with getting deep when you feel it, nice one :-)

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1384204167' post='2274049'] There is no such animal as 'the ultimate bass'. For there to be, you must be a constant. If you are any sort of musician, your musical motives and inspirations, and your equipment requirements, will be changing over time as you journey along your musical path of learning and expression. If you feel your basses are inhibiting your journey, that is one thing. Thinking a new bass will speed your journey is quite another. [/quote] In the interests of discussion and not attack, it sounds like you're laying down a rule there. Do rules suit us all? Who sets the rule and defines it? Perhaps that statement suits you and your personal subjectivity, but does that rule you layed down fit us all? Many a musician finds the instrument for them and sticks, not the majority, but a good minority.

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1384203373' post='2274038'] This is a long-term plan to replace my three mid-price Fenders with one, ultimate bass, drawing on all the things I've liked and not liked in my previous basses. [/quote] I'll drink to that.

[quote name='Telebass' timestamp='1384122707' post='2273099'] Gigged the new lightweight bass last night - what a difference a pound and a half makes! Like air bass with strings! [/quote] Nice one! Crazy the difference makes isn't it?!! [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1384129847' post='2273167'] Did you find your 'good woman'? [/quote] Haha, yes, metaphorically and literally! I'm really happy with my '66 P Bass, had a few pre '66 Fender P's in the past and only sold them due to cash issues, but this one is now here to stay and I wouldn't change a thing on it (though I did need to source an original pickup for it to get back the tone I desire in an old bass). My Custom Shop Jazz Bass felt and sounded just right instantly wjen I first played it, so no changes will be made to that one either. In the past I've customised a fair few basses, and sold loads of customised ones too when I was working in shops. I'm really pleased that for some people customising a bass makes it just right for them, though sadly for others it's an endless battle to make a bass something it's not. As for my real 'good woman', she's certainly a keeper and I won't be making any changes there Have you found yours?

[quote name='Paul_1991' timestamp='1384111136' post='2272900'] Glad to hear it arrived safely mate. Do put some pictures up when you receive it. Best, Paul [/quote] For sure Paul, I'll do a NBD for you to check out. Hope it comes though customs soon, but you just never know how long they'll take. Bye for now mate

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1384109308' post='2272868'] It's in an ugly, heavy old beast, but still by far my favourite bass and I hope it continues to be as reliable for the next 34 years. [/quote] Loving it!

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1384107968' post='2272843'] [/quote] I wouldn't say it's likely, but it can happen. It's usually due to the pickups taking a knock or just plain old bad luck due to the wire breaking. Treat the bass with care and you should be fine. I've had tons of old basses and never worried about it myself. A personal perspective about rewinds: I used to have a '64 Jazz Bass with rewound pickups, sounded spot on and like other Jazz Basses of that period because the right guy rewound them. I later sold the bass to a mate of respected vintage guy Phil Harris, via Phil. The bass was a refin and the price wasn't affected by the pickups and he wasn't put off I recently bought a '64 Precision pickup which needed a rewind for my '66 P Bass which I had a Lollar in. I sent it to Bass Doc who did an incredible job, to the point where the rewind would go unnoticed by 99% of people! Rewound pickups don't put me off it they are done sympathetically to the era.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1384101869' post='2272756'] If the pickup materials in a vintage bass fail and if they can't be replicated you can be sure the value will collapse. So we may celebrate the increase in value now, but it's possible any owners of vintage basses may do well to sell now, rather than keep them to the point of failure. [/quote] Excellent post, I really liked it. Not agreeing with the above paragraph though. If you're very unlucky, the pickup will need a rewind, but that can be done with the same grade wire to a period output and the pickup and bass would then sound the same as before. So the sound can be replicated if that happens, it's just the value of the bass may take a little dip, depends on the bass and condition though,but generally not a 'collapse'. But sell my lovely old basses because of that minor risk? Not me my friend. Though I'm sure others could follow your logic and they wouldn't be wrong if that's what they believe in, just not for me that's all. I hope this doesn't sound like a hostile dig, it just my view on that comment, not a moan!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1384089850' post='2272593'] But it isn't a vintage sound is it? All those old records were made when the guitars and basses being used were new instruments. [/quote] Sure, good point, but those instruments were also mixed with 2 inch tape, valve compressors and old amps, mics and desks etc. This one serious can of worms without a map, no?!!