HowieBass

I've read you can get hum from pre-amp valves using an AC supply for the heater (rather than a DC rectified supply) but this is more a circuit design issue than a fault (I think this is what affects my old WEM Westminster 15 valve combo). There are also ways of routing internal wires that minimise hum - this is obviously a manufacturing consideration. I hope whatever's the cause of the hum with your Ashdown it can be fixed easily!

Dreadful relicing.

Fair bit of information on that link I offered in my post #2.

I think there's something of a sweet spot with string to pickup distance; however lowering the saddles might have introduced a little note choking as well (not bad enough to notice as loud fret buzz but enough to make the tone sound a bit 'dead'). I've not noticed dramatic tonal changes with raising or lowering pickups, it's been more volume changes for me (though I've never reduced the gap to less than about an 1/8").

Your description of swing/jazz seems to be right on the money to me; it's slower than 30s swing from the likes of Benny Goodman but then that was for dancing to, not rapping over. Looking at a few YouTube videos of Benny Goodman pointed me to [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parov_Stelar"]Parov Stelar[/url] and the genre [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electro_swing"]electro swing[/url]... http://youtu.be/7fkOqXAHLKQ

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1421589491' post='2662941'] Yeh - good point. I have a new (to me) Sterling Sub Ray 5 coming this week (parcelforce permitting) that I probably don't have that much need for. They have to have the ugliest pickguards in creation, not sure if there is anything (like routing) under there, but the top is flat unlike my ibanez so might whip that off and stick some piece of wood on there somehow. Guessing blue tac probably won't do it! [/quote] Actually Blu Tack might work quite well - I was curious about adding a home made ramp to my Cort fretless, between the two pickups - I had a spare piece of MDF that I cut to size, painted black (to match the pickups) and stuck it on using 4 blobs of Blu Tack - they hold it on well and after a while I think it seems to become less putty like. It's stable enough to use as a thumb rest.

You don't see many basses with a split P pickup that close to a bridge - the control knob with the black plastic collar reminds me of a Dalek

Pics or it never... (you know the rest).

I've read that heating a neck and then clamping it straight can work - but I don't know how luthiers apply the heat - do they use heat guns? That neck's pretty badly twisted though

Hmmmm, ok so my next guess is La Bella Deep Talkin' Bass 760FM (49, 69, 89, 109) gauge

Unfortunately there are a few brands using light blue silks, however they might be D'Addario chrome flats.

I'd rather have a powered exoskeleton... http://youtu.be/FSrcMaid0mg

Exactly what it says on the tin, a Hayman 4040 bass; missing a few bits of trim (plastic bridge and plastic pickup cover and the control plate fascia). http://www.musicradar.com/news/bass/cool-and-classic-basses-508349/62

I had a bass sent to me wrapped ONLY in bubblewrap, nothing more, and it arrived without a scratch... I doubt you could have put too much on the instrument before it went inside the hard case. I'd go with the rapid temperature change idea, particularly if it spent a couple of days in transit in very cold temperatures and then somebody opened up the case in a warm room immediately after receipt.

I've only heard a few isolated bass tracks taken from best selling albums and like Painy has already mentioned they exhibit all manner of additional noises that disappear when placed within the final mix - bear in mind that even those could have been the best take or a patchwork of best take drop-ins. Whilst this is no excuse to support sloppy playing I wouldn't get too frustrated in your search for playing perfection as it'll drive you mad - play as cleanly as you're able and enjoy the music!

I think it's supposed to be related to the initial stiffness of a new speaker cone, or rather the actual suspension (the spider and the outer cone surround). As these are made to work their initial stiffness reduces allowing the speaker (and cab) to settle down into a constant mechanical behaviour which translates into the run-in sound. http://www.eminence.com/2011/06/speaker-break-in/

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1421276493' post='2659443'] Eh..? Looks like a bolted-on handle to me. [attachment=180972:Guit_Spra.jpg] [/quote] That one does but the photos I looked at didn't show an obvious bolt like your image otherwise I'd have said so! EDIT: Just revisited the page and realised by jumping right to the end of that other thread I completely missed the photo you've highlighted LOL. So I was sort of right first time then (back at post #6)

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1421337936' post='2660086'] Regarding Howie's observations. I have no doubt you are right. What amuses me is that I have managed without the updates all this time which tells us the value of the 'update' culture. 'Gotta have the latest thing' = 'trash your computer' [/quote] I didn't say you needed to update your old PC - as I already mentioned that's why it's remained stable and running without a hitch - the reason most people allow Windows and other pieces of software to implement bug and security fixes is they're using them online and as you're already aware keeping a machine in virtual quarantine means it's unlikely to encounter any virus or malware. What you have found is that the computer world moves on and old systems don't always integrate well with new systems.

The reason it's probably running the same as it did when you bought it is the existing software has never changed; you've not implemented ANY of the software upgrades, security and bug fixes for either Windows XP or the other programs. The minute you connect it to the Internet it'll probably start looking for updates, especially with Windows and this will likely impact available disk space and possibly performance. If it's that old then it'll probably not run particularly well with an updated OS or updated applications as these inevitably need more resources. I'd also suggest that there's no need to doubt the effectiveness of firewall and antivirus software - even the free antivirus products such as Avast, Avira and AVG are very effective (I use Avast) and I rely on the inbuilt firewall that comes with Windows 7 and as long as you're sensible and don't try downloading/using questionable content then you should be fine. What might not work is trying to run your old versions of Sibelius and Cubase on a new platform (though it's usually old peripherals that suffer more than programs).

Looking at the photos of those guitar bodies in the link you provided it looks like the handling tool has some kind of plate attached that's then screwed into the holes for the neck mounting screws... the mystery continues...

But what was in the third package?!

Well if you're ever up sh*t creek...

I'd also go with the hole being something you can hook a thick wire into to hang the body from whilst painting it.

I use raw linseed oil, a few drops wiped on and off with a paper towel.

You can get sprays to neutralise the smell from pet urine so rather than use a damp cloth you might be better off using that.