HowieBass

It's usual to measure string to pickup gap when you fret the strings at the last fret and you'd normally aim for around 1/8" - that would usually mean the neck pickup is lower than the bridge pickup. The Fender specs can be found here: https://support.fender.com/hc/en-us/articles/214343843-How-do-I-set-up-my-bass-guitar-properly- HTH

Any idea whether they're mostly sealed box design or front ported? Note: This wandering a way off @Mornats original question but I'm enjoying the discussion all the same!

Ahhh maybe you mean the Muon, the speaker that birthed the Blade... EDIT: Ah hang on, yes I do remember that episode but I can't remember the product at the moment... (gets thinking cap back on)

This? I think for the money I'd still go with something from KEF!

I hope you weren't using a pick!

No chance that you'll ever find yourself lusting after a KEF Blade then @SpondonBassed?

If you get chance have a listen to the KEF Q150 - I've read they're even better than the Q100 (though I'm glad I bought these because they have a front-facing port which makes for easier placement).

That's quite an increase in amplifier wattage @Mornats - that CA Audio Topaz SR20 puts out 100W per channel! The Rotel puts out 30W and these days in my semi-detached house I rarely get the volume past the 9 o'clock position on mine... yes it's still going strong! I've read that there are subtle differences between DACs and that can be as much about the implementation via the associated circuitry as the individual chip itself. My inexpensive Neet AirStream uses a Wolfson DAC and though I've nothing else to compare it with, I'm very happy with how it deals with 320kbps mp3s. I replaced my Mission speakers with some KEF Q100 standmounts (absolute bargain at half-price, £199, as they were about to be replaced by the newer Q150). I'm now a massive fan of KEF and their coaxial Uni-Q drivers (they look great on my stands)

The brass plate shim sounds like a good idea and at least it's reversible (rather than trying to permanently fill the recess with wood). Does it look like the bridge will be at the right height when it's sat at the same level as the face of the body?

Hi @Greg.Bassman - you probably know this already but usually if fret buzz is confined to the area near the nut then that suggests insufficient relief whereas fret buzz at the 'dusty end' suggests there's too much relief - where's it occurring with your jazz bass? Like others I've never noticed any difference in playability whatever the fret profiles on my basses though obviously when frets get too worn and flattened that's likely going to affect intonation.

I would think (though others might have to correct me) that ensuring the frets are correctly levelled and an appropriate amount of neck relief has been set is more important than the fret profile (height/width). When you have a really low action do you get fret buzz consistently along the whole fretboard or is it confined more to one area of the neck in particular?

An aluminium necked Kramer that I found in Mamelok's on Deansgate in Manchester back in about 1980. I can't remember the model bass but I loved the split headstock, it sounded good and I was more than ready to upgrade from my Columbus jazz bass copy. Rather than buy the Kramer I bought an engagement ring that cost exactly the same as the bass (... and we're no longer a couple). Some years later, and from the same shop, I bought myself a Westone Spectrum LX bass (with interchangeable fretted and fretless necks); it's a great bass and I still have it but I'd still like to own a Kramer!

The for sale bass looks to me as if somebody had a problem with the truss rod, needed access to the adjuster nut and hacked away at the access hole resulting in the loss of some of the wood behind the nut (for the strings). I'm wondering if they had to replace the bullet adjuster nut for some reason but have used something unsuited to the instrument.

Great selection there. Love the Cocobolo! This link might be of interest - it's what Cort seem to be using now there's the restriction on rosewood fingerboards http://www.cortguitars.com/en/community/news_view.asp?idx=802

Watched a lot of this without my budget soundbar running (which I think I didn't get until after Glastonbury - so I'm comparing both shows through equal equipment) and I think the Glasto gig was much better for sound mix, the performance and the vibe. In fact I couldn't hear much bass until I ran my soundbar (but then didn't really want anything running too loud in case I was disturbing my very elderly neighbour). I didn't enjoy Nile's guitar tone much either to be honest so I was pretty disappointed having really enjoyed watching Chic earlier in the year.

I sometimes discover new music when it's used as theme/incidental music for TV shows. I found Agnes Obel when they used her song 'Familiar' for the crime drama Cardinal. Totally different mood to the other links above but I think this is a great live version of 'The Curse' and check out those pedal boards!

Pretty much the same general criticisms as everyone else; he should have fitted the neck and then measured where the new bridge should sit (I wouldn't rely on the original position of a non-functioning old BBOT when fitting a new bridge); he has no earth wire under the bridge (and he'd have to scrape off the powder coating to get metal to metal contact); he trapped the windings on the tuning pegs; he's fitted a 6 pole guitar pickup so could have issues with uneven string to string volume.

Which fingers are bleeding... your fretting hand or your plucking hand? It's common to develop thicker pads on those fingers that fret and strike the strings over time but if you're breaking the skin to make them bleed then there's something wrong with either your technique and/or the way the bass is set up IMHO. If the fretting hand is suffering it might well be that the action is too high and you're having to press down too hard. Perhaps there's a friendly local BCer who can have a look at your bass? There's a great difference in sound between flatwound and roundwound strings - I only use nickel plated rounds now as these feel a lot smoother under the finger compared to steel strings but sound similar.

It's handy not to have to be 'tethered'; as an example, I stream music from my Windows laptop over WiFi to my Neet Airstream that's plugged into my stereo system (doing that right now with the laptop on my knee as I type this).

Assuming you don't need anything portable, have you considered buying a soundbar for your TV and using that as a Bluetooth speaker for whichever devices you choose to pair with it? What HiFi rates this JVC unit quite highly (4 stars out of 5) and it's currently on offer at Currys https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and-home-entertainment/dvd-blu-ray-and-home-cinema/home-cinema-systems-and-sound-bars/jvc-th-w513b-2-0-sound-bar-10140966-pdt.html?istCompanyId=bec25c7e-cbcd-460d-81d5-a25372d2e3d7&istItemId=aatalaqml&istBid=t&awc=1599_1513773118_61619588fdbf72c8d2b3eba1b3f2279c&srcid=369&xtor=AL-1&cmpid=aff~http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whathifi.com%2F~Editorial Content~278137&awid=278137 I've got a budget soundbar that I've paired with my Echo Plus (I'm using the optical input for my TV and there's also a spare 3.5mm input too).

Joy Division supporting Buzzcocks at the Manchester Apollo. The The at Warrington (Spectrum Arena?). B-52s at The Factory... in fact probably any of the gigs I saw at The Factory (like Echo And The Bunnymen when they still had a drum machine).

If the saddle is moving closer to the tail (back of the bridge) then it sounds like you're adjusting the intonation screw and not the saddle height adjustment. From what you've described you might have too little relief but also the action might be a bit low for the E anyway.

Re carbon fibre - you'd have to make a wooden body first to then take a mould in which to do the carbon fibre layup after which you need some way to cure it (autoclave or vacuum system)... Cort used Luthite to make the bodies of the old Cort Curbows but I've read that if you drop them they can chip badly.

Here we go again Channel 4 should have something like this for a bass/guitar themed 'Grand Designs'!

Good spot - I'd missed that when I looked at the photo but it certainly does look like the neck is way too narrow with that bridge