Happy Jack

[quote name='Absolute Beginner' timestamp='1392973402' post='2374721'] And another thing.....! I normal pluck with my thumb resting on the E string as opposed to resting on the neck pick up. Is this wrong and will hamper my development, or doesn't it really matter ? Thanks again. [/quote] It will certainly make playing the E string much harder. Most bass players spend most of their time playing on the E and A strings, so leaving your thumb on the E is simply not an option. The 'travelling thumb' method is excellent and well worth learning & practising, but it's not a bad idea to also be comfortable with your thumb anchored somewhere. I've seen people use the pickup, the side of the neck up at the 20th fret, even the edge of the pick-guard as a place to anchor. With regard to string spacing, I learned to play on old Hofners with a 14mm/15mm spacing. As my playing style developed, I found that I had a naturally robust approach to bass ... i.e. I play heavily and I like to dig in. I now play Precisions with a 19mm spacing which feels much better. But I can still pick up my Hofners at any time and play them. String spacing isn't a black/white, on/off thing.

If you don't get on with the Markbass Dilemma, try the Powersoft Digam: http://www.thomann.de/gb/powersoft_digam_m50_q.htm Sorted.

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1392972708' post='2374716'] The thing that I always think about in these threads is "does anyone actually think we've got [i]worse[/i] at building stuff in the last 50 years?" Thats just an insult to the skills of the modern luthier. [/quote] Interesting way to phrase it. The answer may well be 'Yes'. Firstly, because some components have deteriorated in quality over the last 50 years (wood being the obvious example). Secondly, because an instrument produced in batches of a hundred by skilled workers in the USA or the UK may quite possibly be (on average) better than an instrument produced in batches of 10,000 on a mass-production line made economical only through ultra-low labour costs. Hardly a definite answer, I grant you, but I would remind everyone that there are two types of fool: one says "if it's old then it's good", the other says "if it's new then it's better".

Sometimes they played football to the backing track ...

eBay

I liked those little Messerschmidts ...

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1392894326' post='2373847'] Did 'etc' play all their old hits? [/quote] Yes, but that's before they went all prog and changed their name to Ampersand ...

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1392892555' post='2373824'] How do the new German Hofners stack up against the old ones, as that might be a better comparison than the CT series? [/quote] Troo dat. I had a V62 German Re-Issue of the violin bass (the Beatle bass) and it sounded every bit as good as my 1964 500/1 Violin. I've also had both a CT and an Icon and neither of them really cut the mustard. Quite apart from the electrics (especially the pickups) what really does the damage is the "sustain block" which is of course merely a way of making the instrument in a cheaper and more mechanised way. You can't take a hollowbody or semi-acoustic design, and shove a bloody great lump of 4x2 down the middle of it, and expect it to sound the same. Nor does it feel the same, or hang/balance the same. Perfectly capable of being a good, playable instrument ... just not the same as (or as good as) the original.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1392891361' post='2373801'] I played it last week with an early 60's British rock'n'roll band ... [/quote] I forgot I had this: [attachment=155706:Airplay Studios Rehearsal (15).JPG]

Nope - it was a factory extra.

Oh look! Look! It's NOT a Fender!!! [URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Hofner%20vintage%20instruments/Hofner%20500%207%201964%20CURRENT/DSCF3395.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Hofner%20vintage%20instruments/Hofner%20500%207%201964%20CURRENT/DSCF3395.jpg[/IMG][/URL] It's a 1964 Hofner 500/7 Verithin. I played it last week with an early 60's British rock'n'roll band (Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, Rory Storm & The Hurricanes, The Big Three, etc.). It sounded sublime, thuddy and with dodgy intonation, it sounded as if it was the original bass played on those recordings. Because ... erm ... it probably [i][b]was [/b][/i]the original bass played on those recordings. I've played the current Hofner CT re-issued Verithins. They're very new and shiny, and they look real purdy. But vintage basses sound better.

[quote name='4low' timestamp='1392869470' post='2373686'] [sup]Swirly Bubinga ... especially for this rum.[/sup] [/quote] I'd drink Swirly Bubinga rum, probably with Coke.

I feel that it is, essentially, bad form to count one's basses.

I bought a Sabine twin-channel feedback destroyer for my covers band about three years ago. I can honestly say that we've had not a single issue with feedback since, and that's maybe 70 gigs in at least 20 different venues. It's fire & forget. No need for any tweaking, I don't even think about it.

Yup - does that count as a Stadium Gig?

Very good programme, but a real shame about Stephen Berkoff's appalling portentous voice-over.

Nah, not Wunjo's! The guy you need is Andy Gibson, whose workshop is underneath the Denmark Street branch of Macari's. Macari's are the official UK dealer for Hofner. Give me a shout when you're ready and we can hook up.

Yes, but are you famous?

I've only been able to see four of the photos but that looks like a cracker, very deep tobacco-burst and in beautiful condition. What state is the neck in? Any banana there? What about the neck joint? If you want the electrics sorted out, my regular guitar tech is the main Hofner guy in London. He's based in Denmark Street - happy to take you down there if you want. If you haven't already pulled the trigger on this, bear in mind that the President was a sort-of slimline version of the 500/5 which has an even more woody, resonant tone.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1392382876' post='2367975'] Veering off-topic a bit, the thing that has surprised me most in this thread is not where Markbass source their cabs but the comparison between ply and MDF. Having (at least partly) grown up on boats, I rate good-quality ply very highly indeed whereas I've always considered MDF to be a rather toxic form of chipboard, cheap & nasty. May need to re-calibrate ... [/quote] OK, if I wasn't confused before, I certainly am now.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1392648565' post='2371032'] Wow, you're nearly famous!! *Hero worship* [/quote] Pah! That's nothing! I've shaken hands with someone who once shook hands with The Beatles. And I've been photographed with someone who played bass for Elvis Presley. That means I'm much more 'nearly famous' than Ian, so there!

So a clear picture has emerged. Some people like passive. And some people like active. I'm glad we got that cleared up.

[color=#000000][i]The disadvantages are the hefty weight[/i] ...[/color] [color=#000000]He's not wrong, is he? The glue used in that body probably weighs as much as a normal bass.[/color] [color=#000000]It does look bloody wonderful though.[/color]

[quote name='The fasting showman' timestamp='1392631738' post='2370726'] I've always loved 'John, I'm only dancing' for the walking on the chorus. [/quote] +1

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1392458688' post='2368935'] Unless you are Robert Fripp no one plays and electric instrument sitting down. [/quote] I'm definitely not Robert Fripp, I checked. I guess I'm just no one.