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martindupras

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Posts posted by martindupras

    String advice sought for my USA Fender Jazz V Deluxe

    in Accessories and Misc

    Posted

    I've recently acquired a '99 USA Fender Jazz V Deluxe (thanks to Barrie on here!)

    It's lovely.

    I would have loved to put my usual brand of strings, which is Warwick Black Label .045-.135 stainless steel tapered.

    However, I tried two sets and in both cases the B-string broke at the tuning post. My guess is that, because of the 5-a-side headstock design, which puts the B tuner close to the nut, the string winds on the post with all three windings, the outer two of which become like scissors and cut the core.

    In any case: I'm looking for a replacement, but am having difficulty finding what I want.

    Can anyone recommend strings that are:

    - tapered
    - stainless steel
    - 34" scale
    - .045, .065, .085, .105, .135

    I intend to string them through the bridge rather than body, so it is quite important that the full outer windings don't extend too far behind the nut, if that makes sense.

    I found the D'Addario ProSteels, but I can't find out for sure if the strings are tapered, and there's nowhere on the D'Addario what they mean by long scale. I would have thought 34" was medium scale, but they have short and long scale only.

    Many thanks. Any pointers greatly appreciated!

    - martin

    Advice sought: B-string on Jazz V

    in Repairs and Technical

    Posted

    Thanks for the advice.

    I don't think anyone can claim that I am at fault here. I bought strings made for a 34" 5-string bass, and I put them on a 34" 5-string bass. I put them on exactly as is recommended by Fender. But you're right, Warwick may very tell me that it's not their problem.

    I won't try to put the same strings on that bass. I think they're just not suitable. I will ask for a replacement for the broken Bs and will use those sets on a different bass.

    I'll definitely look into it, but my suspicion is that by law, I am in my rights to ask for a refund. If you buy a Blu-Ray player and it's not compatible with your TV, you'd be entitled to a refund, I don't see how this situation is any different.

    Many thanks for all the helpful advice, guys.

    - martin

    [quote name='JTUK' post='752124' date='Feb 20 2010, 07:47 PM']With regards to asking for your money back... hmmmm
    I think asking is the only thing left open to you, and you could hint that you are mightily p***d off about 2 injustifiable breaks...to you mind,
    and point to a bad batch.
    The shop might help you out...as might Warwick, as in goodwill, but these are difficult times so they might just say you
    are at fault..and get a stalemate situation.

    If they help out, then you be that loyal customer for a while,..because that is all that is in it for them, and if they don't then, you need to find another string that works and supplier that works.

    Off on a tangent, I note that strings are the same price as they were 15 years ago.... so maybe quality isn't the same, but prooving you weren't at fault isn't going to work, IMV, and you are at their mercy as to whether they want to do the decent thing.

    If they sent you a replacment B and the 3rd broke, then I would write off those strings as being suitable for that bass...

    You can but try...and tell them that the old string works fine..

    I would clean that set up and put them back on anyway..and if the shop is close, you could get them to put the string on..just to show them that it isn't your fault the strings break..

    As I say, if the strings breaks in between the post and the nut and not at either of those two points, then this is a really weird place for a string to break..and the sort of thing that would only really happen if over tensioning them... very odd, IMV..

    FWIW, I have only ever had one string break on me through fatigue... in more years than I care to remember..and I reuse my strings many times over..
    I did break 2 strings when I first got a bass..and that was over tightening them...but I was just a kid who didn't know what he was doing at that time...so I don't think it is a very common thing to happen at all..IME.


    Let us know what the shop say.....[/quote]

    Advice sought: B-string on Jazz V

    in Repairs and Technical

    Posted

    I've put the old string back on, and it's fine.

    As far as I can tell, the design of the string is the problem. Tapering of the string at both ends would effectively solve the problem.

    Do you think I have grounds to ask either the music store or Warwick for replacement strings? Technically, the strings are advertised as being appropriate for a 34" scale 5-string bass. That's what I have. It should fit, otherwise it's not fit for purpose, is it?

    - martin


    [quote name='JTUK' post='751649' date='Feb 20 2010, 11:09 AM']I don't know this set of strings but as you say hardly unknown territory for them.

    I do prefer tapered strings to wind on better, but even so, I'd be putting this down to a bad set of strings.
    I like the taper over the bridge ( as in Super Steps ) AND the nut.
    I think DR do strings that taper down at the nut properly...but agree that until you get these strings out of the pack, you aren't sure how they will fit on the bass.

    I'd say one break is bad luck, but two..????

    I can see how a string might break prematurely over a stress point but not between the post on the nut...that sounds like fatigue and these are new strings.

    Also, I always like to see strings wind on straight to the post and not at any sort of angle. Apart from the latter looking like a design fault, IMV, straighter winding strings should survive multiple rewinds.

    Can you put an old set back on just to see if there isn't an inherrent issue with the post.. ?[/quote]

    Advice sought: B-string on Jazz V

    in Repairs and Technical

    Posted

    It is a right pain.

    I don't quite know what to do. First of all, at £10 a B-string, I'm not too keen on just "experimenting". I'd rather get at the root of the problem and have a strategy that leads to a solution.

    The second thing is that I don't quite see what I can change in the winding technique that may make things any different.

    The only thing I can think of at the moment is that the string is triple-wound, and my guess is that three layers shouldn't get on the post, just two. That's what happens on my other basses. Warwick Black Labels come in long-scale (35") and medium-scale (34"). These are medium-scale strings so you'd think they were designed to fit on a Jazz Bass, hardly the most esoteric of basses.

    Any suggestions on how I can improve my winding technique, if you think that'll help?

    - martin


    [quote name='gabson' post='751462' date='Feb 19 2010, 11:28 PM']i guess its to do with bending the string or flexing the string too much. i couldnt believe it when i broke the core of a low B by adjusting the intonation. it's becuase i had been flexing one area of the string until it had had enough.

    Not sure of a way to remedy it apart from perhaps revising your winding technique?

    Pain in the arse[/quote]

    Advice sought: B-string on Jazz V

    in Repairs and Technical

    Posted

    Not quite. It doesn't break in the bit of the string wound around the post, but the bit hanging between the post and the nut, but nearest the tuning post.

    - martin


    [quote name='essexbasscat' post='751335' date='Feb 19 2010, 08:19 PM']so would I be correct in thnking that winding the string on bends the string back at an angle about 90 degrees where it leaves the slot to wind around the post i.e. precision, jazz style and this is the place where it breaks with both strings ?

    cheers

    T[/quote]

    Advice sought: B-string on Jazz V

    in Repairs and Technical

    Posted

    I've been using Warwick Black Label stainless steel strings on my basses for several years. I love them, and never had a problem with them until today.

    I've just acquired a Fender Jazz V, which has all five tuners on one side.

    I've just been changing the strings for brand new 45-135 Black Labels.

    As usual, I start with the low B, string it in the bridge, and cut off the excess string two tuners away from that string's tuner. I put the cut end of the string inside the slot in the tuner, bend it a little to keep it in place, then start tuning up, pulling the string gently as I wind. So far so good.

    After about one turn and half, loud snap on the string: the *core* has broken, and now as I keep winding, the tuner is only pulling the outer two windings.

    I thought that either I'd done something wrong or I had the first defective warwick string I'd ever encountered.

    However, I just tried with a second identical Warwick Black Label 135, and the exact same thing has happened.

    What would anyone advise?

    Cheers,

    - martin

    withdrawn from sale

    in Effects For Sale

    Posted

    I don't think that anyone was treated harshly.

    Someone and myself have both expressed that we were a bit put off by the "walk away son" post.

    I personally don't feel at all that it was harsh or unfair. It was an expression that we both felt personally reticent to conduct business after that statement.

    I can only speak for myself but to me the "walk away son" felt a little bit bullyish, and it made me think "gosh, what if I bought from that guy and there was a problem? Doesn't sound like he would be accomodating."

    I felt that it was appropriate to voice my opinion vis-a-vis a posting that, I'm sure, was not meant to offend.

    I think the general vibe of this forum is great, and I've bought from many people very happily on here, so I would prefer that it stays that way, hence why I expressed my opinion.

    - martin


    [quote name='cheddatom' post='733109' date='Feb 2 2010, 04:27 PM']I wouldn't normally offer an opinion, but I think you've been treated harshly. If someone has a problem, they should tell you by PM. I'm sure you and your pedal are top notch :)[/quote]

    withdrawn from sale

    in Effects For Sale

    Posted

    [quote name='cm261' post='732987' date='Feb 2 2010, 02:32 PM']Behaving like this really hurts your chances of selling, FYI. I don't speak for everyone, but my interest in dealing with you evaporated immediately upon reading this.[/quote]

    Same here.

    Gig Bag or semi-hard case for MusicMan Bongo

    in Accessories and Misc

    Posted

    I have a Music Man Bongo 5.

    When I bought it (second-hand) it came with a tolex-covered rectangular case. To make a long story short, I hate the case: it's heavy, unwielded, etc.

    I thought I had found the perfect case in the TKL6136, which is a semi-hard (foam) case with reinforcing.

    Inner length of the case: 119cm. Length of the bongo: 121cm.

    D'oh!

    Would anyone care to recommend a similar good quality case? It's from the house to gigs and back. I'd like something reasonably light and protective, but I will use the hard case anyway if I need to get the bass on a plane.

    Many thanks,

    - martin

    Suppliers for Canare or Mogami cable

    in Effects

    Posted

    Why not? Because for a guitar lead flexibility is important, and the signal coming is very quiet and high impedance. Also with a guitar cable you can make it semi-balanced.

    Between pedals, I'm more concerned with what happens when I bring in 5 or more pedals in and out of the chain, and on such short runs it's not worth making it semi-balanced.

    I am familiar with the three cable products I mentioned, so I know exactly what to expect. I am considering the alternatives, but I have no first-hand experience of them, and therefore it's a leap of faith based only on recommendation. I'm trying to avoid spending a lot of time and money in wiring a fairly extensive pedalboard only to discover shortcomings later, or to discover that the tone suffers.

    I haven't yet encountered any negative opinion of the Van Damme or Klotz cables.

    - martin

    Suppliers for Canare or Mogami cable

    in Effects

    Posted

    I'm revamping my pedalboard about a new GigRig Pro-14 switching system (just ordered -- not in my possession yet.)

    I want to make good quality patch leads to and from the effects pedals. I don't want to use George L's, I don't want to buy the Core X2 system or pre-made patch leads.

    I've been trying to find a UK supplier who stocks one of the following:

    - Canare GS-6
    - Canare GS-4
    - Mogami 2524

    but I can't find one. I've tried RS, Studio Spares, Canford, etc.

    Short of importing from the US, does anyone have a recommendation of a likely supplier in the UK, or Europe?

    On the other hand, if anyone knows of similar quality cable that they have experience using to connect pedals, I'd like to know. (And no: the lead between your bass and the first effect doesn't count, nor does the one that goes to your amp.)

    Many thanks,

    - martin

    I want a distortion that is so ridiculous

    in Effects

    Posted

    I have five distortions on my pedalboard.

    Here are my personal recommendations.

    1) Gallien Krueger Diesel Dawg. I couldn't live without it. It's discontinued, enormous, heavy and very difficult to find. I've been trying to track down a spare for a while. If you find one, buy it. If it's not for you, sell it to me.

    2) SansAmp Bass Driver and DI. In my view you can use this one either as a "colouring pedal" that will give a sort of SVT-ish tone to your sound, or as an overdrive. I particularly like the GK Diesel Dawg into the BDDI.

    3) Digitech Bass Driver Overdrive/Distortion. Your mileage will vary with this one, but I like it as a sort of darker-sounding, more rounded alternative to the GKDD.

    4) Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff. It's a big muff, but it doesn't steal your low-end. Good for what a big muff does.

    5) Boss Bass Overdrive. I don't really like it, the range of tones is very limited and most settings sound like a bee in a jar. With very little drive and more gain and a good tweak of the EQ it is usable sparingly.

    Here are some that have been on the pedalboard on and off:

    Boss Turbo-Distortion (DS-2?): robs too much low-end.

    Boss HM-2: love it on guitar, just about usable on bass with serious tweaking of the EQ. Good in a high-passed effects loop.

    Boss OD-20: It's a modelling pedal, some of the models might appeal to you. Love it on guitar but on bass: meh.

    DOD gonkulator. Discontinued, and rare as horse sh*t. If you want to make really horrible noises, this is it. It will make everything messy and out of tune. Probably not what you want.

    Hope that will be of help to someone.

    - martin

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