Woodinblack

Very much so, but from the point of view of being in the cutlery drawer!

Indeed - or take one of the GKs apart and remount the poles a bit further apart. As I said earlier, I have a friend that likes taking these things apart, here is something he wrote down about it https://chriskingblog.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

TBH - I had nothing much against slap until I visited the first london bass guitar show a few years ago!

So, snoozing in bed as you do when you work from home, you don't start until 8:30 and it is quarter past 7, I was a little surprised that the door bell went off. In fact, I was a little surprised to just be, but then that is normal at that time. Rushed downstairs trying to work out how to put a tshirt on, while not being able to see, I opened the door to full sunlight and a man dropping off a large box. I put it downstairs, thought about going back to bed but didn't. I thought I would leave it until i could see. Strangely, come 8, I still couldn't see, eyes are itchy and I can't focus, no idea why, but couldn't leave it longer so I opened the box.. Initial thoughts were they sent me a guitar accidently, the box was so small and so light (in the massive bax box). Opening up was a guitar gig bag, and a bag of parts (didn't know what, alen key and some black things, still couldn't see). Got the bass out. Its beautiful colour (I think) although it was a little dusty, I think it was made in december last year (serial number starts 191204). it weighs nothing, like nothing at all. comfortable to hold, action is a bit high for me out of the packet, b string not that lively but it has string wrapped round it that I couldn't get off with my current eyesight. Plays very well though. Don't even notice that it has crazy wide string spacing (ie, not the 16.5mm that god ordained). Neck basically the same as my 2605 wood wise, but with a stumpy thing at the top. Knobs a bit stiff, haven't plugged it in yet, there are people still sleeping, so that wouldn't go well. First impressions very good.

Turns out I have a GK-2A, which is here So I would say that the bridge spacing of that is 53.5mm? As the bass VI has mustang spacing (I think?) of 56mm, I would say this would be pretty well spot on

They were a faff to find but yes, the GK-3 goes from 9mm to 12mm apparently. Hang on... dumb blonde (what do you mean its grey, its platinum blonde!), I have a GK3, I will see if I can find it

You sure it isn't the pickups being not the same? there is no reason to downgrade a preamp as they cost pennies at the manufacturing level to make, and an poor quality one is no cheaper than a good one. And no, I wouldn't expect an active bass to be any louder than a passive bass unless it had a fault or you had a low impedance amplifier.

Not surprised. Noone wants to hear U2 songs!

Agreed - it is widely acknowledged* the SR1605 is actually the best bass ever made * by me.

I think the War Room EP was the best one they did. Not that keen on the 10 remixes of the same song ones! Would certainly like to see them live.

100% with you on this one

Or more what used to be (and luckily I don't think as much) wrong with music shops.

you can just split the cable, or if you want to be fancy.. https://www.joness.com/gr300/UX-20.htm

Just going on the info on the net, not having one or any special knowledge of these things. 1) You can apply processing to just some strings, the old GK you could apply effects to individual strings but not different effects to different strings. the manual is here though, so should say: https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/SY-1000_reference_eng01_W.pdf 2) unlikely. Again the manual will say, or maybe the VGUitars website would be a good place to ask 3) you can on the Vb-99 so would seem odd if you couldn't on the SY 4) not sure if it is an editor - there is software for it on the boss website. I remember the GR55 had a better 3rd party editor 5) the only digital audio output, yes. and 6b, don't know. 6) there are a few companies I have seen over the years that make custom pickups. There is a japanese company that does customs. Yamaha do one, as do fishman, don't know what their spacing is. doesn't the GK actually cover up to 12mm anyway? I am not sure. My friend does, but not commercially, as it is fiddly and he gets bored easily

I think it is nice as an accent, or in a song, but it is harsh and tiring to listen to when used all the time. Pretty much like talking in capitals would be! I would also say it isn't the hardest technique to master, it is just another techniqie.

To be fair that gives you quite a few songs! I think I would try the replacing the truss rod thing, just because I have no idea how to do it, I am not very good, but don't have much to lose!

I used to do surface mount electronics back in the day for a living, but don't have the tools for it at home, so I tend to avoid it

Thing is with the VB, you can pick them up cheap and all you need is the gk pickup. If your VB goes badly or you want to upgrade, roland / boss still make (have just released) gk pickup compatible systems. Variax parts are near impossible to get, so if you really like the VB and it works, get yourself the SY1000.

Although I am hot on the email thing, I don't expect a business to reply to me outside work hours. My wife runs a shop, it is hard for her to not work outside normal hours but she gets herself stressed about work and doesn't unwind if she doesnt. I might be contacting a few of these people. I have an old '79 Gibson 'the paul' which was resprayed by its previous owner in glossy varnish and slightly darker (which I dislike - I loved that it was plain matte wood. but I got it cheap, so have been thinking, maybe I can just get it refinished in TV Yellow!

The only bit you need is the variax bridge and enough room for all the electronics (which won't be small). If you used your own piezo bridge you would need to do your own impedance matching, or need a separate preamp which would be a bit awkward (a friend did it for a Roland gr system)

If you are an 80s pop band (rather than say NWOBHM) it doesn't seem that much of a stretch request, she was around in the 80s

Yeh, a bit better. Still not a favourite but it is better. Maybe it is just style related, as this sounds fine:

no, I have nothing against many of the tones of a ric. That just sounds muffled and lifeless. I am mostly immune from getting one, ok, ow they have a 5 string but it is still too much for me and apparently heavy? yeh, one of those things once you listen they are good. Still couldn't say it's something I would listen too much but it is fun to play. I would say peg is a bit more of a pub song than josie (hadn't heard it before the suggestion) pretty good, but there are only 5 of us!

Yes, I have seen his thanks, I always see his. I would say he is more a rush fan than anything else, that is what he does most (and also he says he is), also Tony Levin. I saw that after another one.. Which was good for learning the song, although I find it more comfortable to play up the neck but watching what he plays I could translate it further up. Its amazing how we interpret things. I was thinking watching that video what a horrible bass sound he has on that. normally his sound is really good (and I had watched a few others before that, with one of his jazzes, the gould and a status), with any of his other basses, but that is horrible. I guess that is why there are other basses!

been doing Josie by Steely dan as it was the new guitarists choice for a song in my other band. Not really familiar with steely dan (although it is one of my wifes favourites), and can't see why anyone would want to listen to that in a pub but it is interesting to learn if nothing else!