Marc S

Hello BK, wilkommen. As others have already said.... don't spend too long in the marketplace here on BC - you might end up with way too much bass gear Stick with your playing this time around, and don't worry, I once gave up for 25 years

Thanks for posting that @WilliamV - I don't think I ever saw a bass of that design & brand. Definitely the same shape as my ex-bandmates old guitar though..... Of course, it could be that they were made in the same factory? Or perhaps with the same cheapo templates, and / or tooling. Oh to be that young, and have the choice of quality instruments in the budget range now..... EDIT: That said, there was also some quality stuff around then too, coming out of Japan Plus, another pal had a Satellite Les Paul guitar, and that was pretty good.... definitely not a ply neck

@WilliamV - don't worry about giving your age away..... you are in good company Was that bass a Kay? In my first "proper" band (i.e. the one that decided on a name, and actually learned to play a few songs, & do some gigs before disbanding) our guitarist had a 6 string which looked very similar.... That was a Satellite - awful thing that was too, and not improved by the home paint job.... finished in Emulsion! lol

The action / string height is different from BG - it's usually noticeably higher, but again, this will depend on taste, playing style, technique, truss-rod & set-up etc etc. If upright is new to you, it will take a while to develop positioning and finger strength, together with right hand technique... be patient, do plenty of exercises and build up the time you spend playing...... As Owen says above, it's easy enough to "tweak" the truss rod and the string height on your bass - give it a whirl, perhaps just a little bit at a time, starting with string height at the bridge. Let us know how you get on, and you have reminded me - I MUST do some rehearsing tonight when I get back from work.

Belated happy NEUB day. I've got a 4 string NS Design, and it's a lovely instrument. Mind you, with lack of gigs (or even rehearsals) I'm not playing anywhere near as much as I should, or as the instrument justifies. As yours is your "new toy" - I'm sure you'll be playing it plenty. Enjoy

If you're happy with it.... You definitely aren't gullible or stupid. I'm a fan of the PJ pickup arrangement, but this sounds like it's got an even better tonal pallette. Jazz dimension neck on a P shaped body is another plus - I like my Jazz basses (1x early Roadworn, 1x MIJ fretless) - but as I'm doing more practicing on the sofa at home, as opposed to gigging.... The lower back end of the J shaped body is getting on my nerves a bit.... Last of all - that colour looks absolutely awesome belated happy NBD mate

@meterman, your post just reminded me of a video I saw back in the 80's A colleague of mine back then had borrowed a Camera and portable video recorder (pre camcorder days!) so that he could film a band, formed by his pals. Anyhow, they played some really odd instruments - I recall the bass player had a home-made one string bass, made from one long side-piece from a metal framed bed. (The single string may have been piano wire....) The guitarist had a very rough, home-made guitar (I think maybe 3 or 4 strings) played through a home made amp head, built inside a circular tupperware tub! lol Oh how I wish I had a copy of that video now

Hello Jose, and welcome to BC. If you're comfortable and happy with the 30" Jaguar - great. Some time back, I had a dabble on a Squier Vintage Modified SS Jaguar, and it was a great bass for the money (especially second-hand). Before you buy a full scale length bass, it's always good to try a few... they can and do vary a lot Of course, going in to guitar shops or going to try out second-hand basses on here isn't possible, or at least, very difficult atm. My advice would be, try before you buy.... and try as many as you can. But this is part of the fun of playing IMO Some good research and an "adventure" in your search for the best bass for you. So welcome to playing bass, welcome to BC and enjoy your adventure PS. Many of us on here spend way too much time browsing the markeplace for that "ideal" bass

Watching that put a smile on my face this morning. (harmless) Loonies make the world a more entertaining place to live in Thanks for sharing @Happy Jack

Welcome back to the world of bass. I too started playing in the 80's - in Cardiff though, not London - the Manics weren't even well known outside of South Wales back then! I always liked the look of Aria basses, I must say. Had a Fender P and a Shaftesbury Rick copy.... then a Westone Thunder Jet. Back then, everybody I knew, either wanted to be Mark King, Steve Harris, or JJ Burnel - so don't worry about wanting to play slap all the time.... apart from mates into Punk, Rock & Heavy Metal - a lot of folk did... even some of the Punk, Rock & Metal bassists It's a shame you never got to gig much. Personally, I really enjoy it, and with several different genres of band, I play very different locations & venues, to very differing crowds (sometimes only a handful of people at a folk gig - but if one person comes up at the end and says they enjoyed it.... that's fine). That all said, I probably didn't gig frequently enough in my youth. I had an absence from playing of about 25 years - so you're never too old to start gigging - maybe just try an open mic night, with pals? Re your mates Mustang bass - maybe short scales are for you? Or maybe it was just set-up "right" and was one of those basses that just sat right in your hands? I always prefer to play a bass before buying - so It's a shame that we can't get out & about to guitar shops, and to try each others basses in the For Sale section here.... but there are worse things about Covid, of course Hope you enjoy the Short Scale Ibanez - play it as much as time allows, and enjoy. Welcome to BC, and again, welcome back to bass playing "Hwyl Fawr" from South Wales

I think could well be right re the detuning of low tension strings @scrumpymike Incidentally, how does the tension of the La Bella Deep Talkin' Flats compare to the TI's?

Yes, that was my understanding too - I was told (by a guitar shop owner) they were designed with such basses in mind.

Yes, they're definitely not the brightest flat. But I put them on my fretless, and they just worked - they felt like just the right tension, and not too "dull" but nice & deep sounding. I also have them on my Roadworn Jazz, and they sound pretty good on that too. I briefly put some rounds back on that bass, and gave it a whirl - but I put those flats back on the bass.... And I definitely prefer the flats. Edit: I got my most recent set for about £11 or £11.50, if I remember... A really good price for brand new flats imho

I must admit, I'm tempted to get one of these too. How are you getting on with it? Are the strings just cut-down? Or are they specialist strings?

Not a comment about the pickups - but I agree with @JohnDaBass here, and I'm a fan of DiMarzio D123's personally, But I noticed your comment about the gloss finish on your bass' neck...... Have you tried polishing / fine sanding the neck? I've had the same issues with a couple of basses (and a guitar) until a helpful BC'er pointed me in the direction of Micro Mesh polishing cloth. This material can be bought in packs of different grades, in small sheet sizes, and you can even wash them out after use. I bought a pack of a few of the finest grades (3200, 6000, 8000, 12000) and found them really useful on guitars with necks that feel "sticky" - especially when playing in the warmer months. The abrasiveness is very very fine indeed - if you're careful it will leave a protective layer / finish on the wood, but it will take off the top layer of gloss. Obviously, you should do this gradually and take your time - but the "grit" on these cloths is extremely fine.... it's not like taking highly abrasive aluminium oxide paper to your bass! This stuff is used by jewelers and folk restoring old furniture etc. It worked for me anyway, in fact it was a bit of a revelation - I had a couple of guitars I really liked, apart from the stickiness of glossy necks - it made them much more comfortable to play. I can't find the link I got sent for my selection pack - but here's one company on eBay who sell separate sheets (you won't need a pack containing every grade). As I say, you wash the sheets after use and re-use again and again.... EDIT: The higher the number on the sheet, the finer the grade. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Micro-Mesh-Abrasive-Polishing-Cloth-Sheets-9-Grades-7-Sizes-Available/333641208471?hash=item4dae90d297:g:JBkAAOSwMmBVwRtd