HowieBass

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1471480472' post='3113396'] I put a Stinger in mine but then put it back to stock as it sounded too dull. If you like that treble bite, mod the stock pre or go for something else. [/quote] That's disappointing because from what I've read and comments from others, the Stinger is the way to go for something closer to the classic Stingray sound. I notice his (Retrovibe) info states you must use the new pots supplied with the Stinger otherwise it doesn't work properly - I wonder if one of these was out of spec somehow?

The more I see of this the more I know that my oldest mate (synth player) must NEVER become aware of the DeepMind12... because if he gets one he'll never leave the house again! From my point of view, about the only thing design wise that lets the machine down is the relatively low resolution LCD screen.

@blisters - I use raw linseed oil on my rosewood board. After a few applications it fills pores and tends to harden so it seasons and protects - I use flatwounds so they don't mark the board much anyway. You're leaving the remains of the frets in there so when you stop the strings they'll be making contact with metal rather than wood unless you like to slide around a lot - I honestly don't know if there'll be much difference in tone depending on where a string is stopped regarding contact with metal vs wood. For sure some type of hard epoxy coating would be the way to go to give the board a consistent surface.

If it's only LAME stopping Audacity creating mp3 files then I'd also say just get LAME - I use foobar2000 as a player and have used that to convert a whole album of separate tracks from various other formats to mp3 but it also needs LAME as its mp3 encoder. LAME is a legitimately free piece of software (it's open source) and there's obviously no point in reinventing the wheel. I've also used Goldwave and have been happy with that.

I set intonation on my fretless using the edge of a fingernail to stop the string for accuracy.

Having a 'proper' singer filling the half hour gap at least deters drunken idiots from trying to use the PA and bawling out their best version of 'New York, New York' or 'Danny Boy'...

I've got a fretless Cort B4 with the same pickups and electronics in it and mine doesn't sound overdriven even with everything full on. EDIT: I'm not saying this is the cause of your problem but the soldering on the input jack socket looks really messy and I can imagine that having been the cause of the battery drain (if there was a bridge shorting out the battery even with the jack plug not in there).

@Norris - I'll try this with my Curbow 5 but it seemed to me that all the neck heel, in contact with all of the full pocket shim, in contact with all of the neck pocket would be the better engineering solution. I know that when people add high mass bridges with a chunky baseplate to an instrument, they often run out of travel with the saddles and the usual solution is rout the body to drop the whole bridge down by a millimetre or so... are you saying that another option is add a shim to the back of the neck pocket to tilt the whole neck backwards? From an engineering/geometry perspective there doesn't seem much difference between dropping the bridge into a shallow rout or raising the whole neck with a full shim

[quote name='Manton Customs' timestamp='1472300442' post='3120154'] I'm not sure I understand the question....if the neck angle was correct why would you add a shim? If any of the saddles are bottoming out before the strings rest on the frets (or are very close to doing so), then the neck angle is not correct for the bass in its current state. Over time the neck pocket itself can shift due to the constant pull of the strings and changes within the wood. So the purpose of the shim is to give the bass back the required angle. The thickness of the typical shim required is pretty inconsequential as far as the playing/feel of the bass goes. [/quote] Wouldn't you need a full neck pocket shim if the neck angle is correct but the saddles are bottoming out? This won't happen with a hand-built bass but if quality control isn't all it could be in a factory it could happen with a production line instrument (I know you've already stated this). The instrument I had to put the full pocket shim in has a Luthite body which has a rather unusual profile (Luthite is a moulded composite material, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luthite for info) - the bridge is set at an unusual angle in a pre-formed receptacle. It would be difficult to machine the body to lower the bridge. The neck is wood with an Ebonol fingerboard and no doubt the ideal solution would be to get a replacement neck that has a thicker heel. My solution, which cost me nothing, was to add the thin plastic shim.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1472273106' post='3119945'] I'm hoping that there might be an Ashdown employee here who will take that suggestion further. Maybe we need to label new amps with imogees instead... [/quote] Errrm that's 'emojis' and don't Orange do it already?

@Manton Customs - if the neck angle is correct without any shims wouldn't a partial shim at either the front or back of the neck pocket introduce a tilt in the neck?

Full pocket; I used some thin plastic sheet that I had handy, thin enough to cut to shape with scissors. I drilled holes to accommodate the neck screws. I reckon the plastic is hard enough not to compress much but has sufficient flexibility to provide good contact between the neck and the pocket. EDIT: I actually cut three identical pieces and ended up using two thicknesses in the pocket.

I had a similar problem with my Cort Curbow 5 (bought secondhand via eBay) where both the G and the low B were causing problems because I couldn't get them low enough. The saddles are of a cast design, which could have been filed for a deeper groove, but for me it was easier to raise the whole neck with a shim.

Punch - something fruity with a bit of a kick? I'm thinking low mids too as it happens.

@darkandrew - if everything else about the current setup works for you then I'd be inclined to go for a full neck pocket shim.

This reminds me of the Tommy Cooper joke... [i]I went to the doctor the other day, I said 'it hurts when I move my arm like that', he said 'well don't do it then'[/i] Seriously though, I hope you get the problem sorted out soon!

The flip side to this is what sort of band uses fake stacks on stage...

[quote name='Harryburke14' timestamp='1472225227' post='3119644'] I don't know I haven't tried - and feel a bit hesitant to try with all the shocks. [/quote] I thought you might say that and I don't blame you! I've never had this kind of problem but if you have a multimeter and use that to provide the connection between phone and bass strings I wonder if you might be able to measure the actual voltage involved and check other appliances in place of the phone/charger to see if the shocks only come from the phone/charger combination?

Your phone charger more than likely has no earth connection and like many other appliances should be double insulated (the charger should carry the two concentric squares symbol). I wonder if there's some problem with the phone/charger that becomes apparent when you provide a ground for it through your bass guitar and amplifier? Have you got any other double insulated electrical items that give you the same shock if you touch them at the same time as handling your bass?

The description for the Power Bass states "[size=4][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]The Power's familiar offset body has been reduced by 4mm overall[/font][/size]" so maybe the Detroit Bass has a standard size P bass body?

If the truss rod is working properly and you've got the relief where you want it then I wouldn't worry about the tension of the current strings - that's what the truss rod is for. If you go to a lighter gauge you'll likely find the strings have a higher compliance (lower perceived string tension) which may or may not suit your playing technique - the tonal characteristics will likely also change a little.

My Cort Curbow 5 has a 17mm string spacing at the bridge and my Squier Jazz is the standard Fender 20mm. For sure I notice the narrower string spacing but I don't find it to be too much of a hindrance at all. As it is I seem to be the sort who copes with various string gauges and tensions without much of a problem so I imagine that's got something to do with my finding a five string acceptable but I do have relatively small hands so that might help?

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1472047847' post='3118000'] Second hand Squier, I've got a vintage modified I paid under 200 for and it's a fine bass, usually my back-up at gigs, but can certainly hold its own against 'real' Fenders. [/quote] +1

Just been looking at the other basses for sale at The Bass Gallery and spotted an early Greg Curbow American Petite 4 going for £1000... for such a renowned luthier that seems quite reasonable! http://thebassgallery.com/index.php/bass/american-petite-4.html

I've had six basses delivered by courier (including Parcelfarce), four in stout cardboard boxes, one in an old hard case and one swaddled only in bubble wrap! None of them had suffered any damage at all!