Stingray5

+1 for 'Kind Of Blue' - classic Miles. +1 for 'Tutu' - modern Miles. You might also want to check out 'In A Silent Way' (written by Joe Zawinul). Nice album featuring Miles regulars, Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock, among others.

It was 1969 (I was 15 - there, that dates me!!) and a friend loaned me a red 'Top Twenty' when I switched from guitar to bass. I think he actually bought it in Woolworths. Not long after, at one of my first gigs, the bassist in the band we were supporting said I could use his Fender Mustang bass. Wow, what a difference. That lead to my own first 'real' bass purchase - a Hayman 4040. Wish I still had it! (And the rest...!) If I had all the money I'd spent on bass guitars - I'd spend it on bass guitars!! (apologies to Viv Stanshall)

Welcome, Paddy. Interesting stuff here.... enjoy!

Maybe not entirely the usual configuration bass rig, regarding the combo and extension speaker, though I do vary whether I have the combo on top or bottom depending on venue etc. I know the 15" speaker traditionally should be at the bottom but I prefer the controls at the top. Besides, as it is, the sound is pretty awesome either way. [attachment=12536:TErig1.JPG] Used in conjunction with either a GT-6B or a Quadraverb GT/Behringer rack tuner: [attachment=12537:TErig3.JPG]

PM'd

[quote name='mike257' post='257454' date='Aug 7 2008, 06:22 PM']Cheers for all the opinions guys, there's obviously a lot of love for hiscox here! I'm down to these two then: The [url="http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/shop/flypage/product_id/15119"]Hiscox[/url] for £67 with the postage OR The [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_flight_case_wood_bass.htm"]Thomann[/url] option, which winds up at £54 including the shipping. Skintness sways me towards whatever's cheapest, but I'm open to being convinced Anybody tried the Thomann ones?[/quote] Really, for the difference in price between the two, I'd def go for the Hiscox. Aside from strength, the other reason is the weight. They're not called LiteFlite cases for nothing!

Very nice! Go for chrome knobs. They will sit nicely with the chrome bridge. (Never seen a black MM bridge). --- Ahem -- er -- just had another look and of course the black knobs do also look nice with the black pickup and selector........

Hiscox, definitely. If you've not seen it, check out the video on their website, showing six grown men standing on one of their cases, complete with guitar inside: [url="http://www.hiscoxcases.com/products_hiscox.htm"]http://www.hiscoxcases.com/products_hiscox.htm[/url] And yes - I [i]have[/i] tried this at home along with my precious StingRay5 tucked inside...!

[quote name='Bassassin' post='256155' date='Aug 6 2008, 12:19 PM']I wouldn't swear that particular one was a Matsumoku - you'd need to get hands-on & pull it apart to find out. Unless it has a Matsumoku neck plate, which some did. Hondos can be confusing - I have a really well-made Hondo Les Paul copy - set neck, carved top, good quality fret job etc, from probably about 77/78 - there are no identifying marks on it, and I [i]would[/i] say based on the quality it's JapCrap, & probably Matsumoku - but for the fact the hardware is absolute trash, and identical to that on a Korean plywood Hondo LP I had. This bass does have a very similar shape to some Vantage models - but check out this thread, on one of my favourite JapCrap boards: [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?t=4307"]http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?t=4307[/url] By the early 80s, Korean factories were producing very accurate copies of Japanese original designs, As well as Vantages, there are also some rather nice Washburn Wing lookalikes from Korea. This is further complicated by Japanese copies of Japanese designs - check this out for some intriguing copies of copies. The Japanese "Wings" are Moridaira, the Korean ones from Cort: [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?t=4281"]http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?t=4281[/url] JapCrap & KoreaDiarrhoea - the truth is out there. But f*ck knows where. J.[/quote] Thanks, J, for that clarification. Some very interesting stuff on the Matsumoku boards. On that side of things, I've mainly had Westone basses (Thunder IIA, 1A, Jet) of which my one remaining Westone is my fretless Thunder II. I had the fretted version too up until a few years back (nice pair!) when I had to sell it for other purchases.... big regret!! The Aria SB series basses were (not surprisingly) one of my other faves of the 80's period and at the time I had my eye on an SB1000 also a 900 (saw Jack Bruce playing his SB1000 -- with Billy Cobham -- around '81). Cheers, Steve.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='255429' date='Aug 5 2008, 02:51 PM']It is a Hondo, an [url="http://www.bossarea.com/aria/hondo/page4.jpg"]H1015,[/url] to be exact. - and they're not too bad. This is early 80s, post-copy era stuff, Hondo were trying to go a bit more upmarket with original designs, some made in Japan (Matsumoku was one of the factories they used) & DiMarzio pickups fitted as standard. 70s Hondos were pretty much universally Korean-made plywood trash & deserved the poor reputation, but later ones like this are a bit higher up the food chain. This particular model of bass turns up on Fleabay very regularly, usually sells for well under a ton, if you're interested. Jon.[/quote] Ah, a Hondo it is. I'll bow to superior knowledge [] and withdraw my previous post claim to it being a Vantage bass. [DOH!] In my defence, m'lud, I'd say I was lead by the Matsumoku connection; both have same hardware etc and similar looking bodies.

[quote name='coasterbass' post='255192' date='Aug 5 2008, 10:51 AM']...although your bandmates may laugh, they will never ever thank you enough when you rescue their b*lls from the chopper midgig! [b]Its the bassist's role to be the prepared and sensible one....[/b] [/quote] Sooo true, coasterbass! I have a well-stocked double-wheeled tool-box type thingy, sometimes referred to by a couple of bandmates as 'the shopping trolley'. It's got myself and others out of trouble a number of times with spare leads, fuses, strings, tools, etc. Don't leave home without it!

I usually take at least a couple of basses (in rotation) if only to give them an airing! They start sulking otherwise! That said, it depends which band I'm going out with. My function/covers band - I usually take my Stingray 5 and Fender Jazz and will normally play a set with each. For further sets, I'll pick either depending what's being played, though if I were to pick just one bass to go out with it would be the Stingray 5 for the low B - and because it's simply a brilliant 'all-rounder' bass!! I also play in a Prog rock band and usually take three basses for specific numbers - Stingray 5, Tune TWB-6 and Stingray 4 fretless.

Westone is not far off but in fact I believe originally it was a [b]Vantage[/b] bass - at least the body looks like it. Along with Westone, Aria and a number of other brands, Vantage basses/guitars also came out of the famous Matsumoku factory in Japan. The headstock leads me to believe the neck may possibly have been replaced at some point, though I'd have to ask, "why bother!?!" Check out this pic by way of (body) comparison: [url="http://imagestore.ccn-irc.com/images/66-1131493614-IMG_0725.jpg"]http://imagestore.ccn-irc.com/images/66-11...14-IMG_0725.jpg[/url]

Dings in the body are fine by me; I don't mind that 'lived-in' look. I'm not saying a ding the size of the Mariana Trench is ok, but I don't lose sleep if the bodywork has seen better days. (Talking about the bass - not me!! )

It's not the norm. Shops don't usually 'hire' gear out, especially the stuff they're trying to sell. Maybe some do with s/h stock and even then it would have to be on the basis of how well they know the customer. If they were to hire/loan out gear, I guess it would be under contract along with a deposit of some sort for security/damage etc.

[quote name='phil_the_bassist' post='249771' date='Jul 28 2008, 04:50 PM']echoing his comments, if you want a black pickguard (check my profile for pics) I'd happy do a swap/loan type thing! I suppose same with you Stingray5![/quote] To be honest, I'd still have my white pearl and probably swap out the two every 6 months or so, for a change of look. That said, [i]IF[/i] the guard was up for grabs and [i]IF[/i] it was something you'd like as a permanent replacement, I wouldn't stand in your way... Of course, shockwave may have other thoughts now...........

[quote name='BassManKev' post='249674' date='Jul 28 2008, 03:43 PM']no no no, black is just classy [/quote] As I say, that's just me. The black knobs are cool too, to be fair.

Hubba hubba! That's great that you got it so quick, too. I'll have to keep Bill's Music in mind for future reference. The bass looks very cool. And to echo phil_the_bassists sentiments, the new pup will really do the trick. As it 'appens, I was also wondering about your guard. It looks nice on the bass but if you did want to sell, I'd be interested. I love my white pearl on the white body (see pic) but I have previously thought of a black pearl guard as a nice alternative (6 months each! hehe). [attachment=11318:mm_stingray5.jpg] Only other thing I might think about would be chrome knobs. But that's me....!

Tasty, tasty, very very tasty..... it's very tasty!!

Now there's a funny thing.......... just saw this on ebay: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290248055273&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1123"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...ME:B:SS:GB:1123[/url]

I'd go for the reddest tort or pearl guard I could find to match the body colour. I dunno, I just like the matching thing. How does the Bart sound?

One of my guitar students went along and says he will be reporting back to me next lesson. grrr! Might just have to de-tune his axe while he's not looking.... :brow: Good to know the RTF chemistry is still there.

[quote name='The Funk' post='244531' date='Jul 21 2008, 04:20 PM']I'm going to see Return To Forever tonight at the Indig02. I can't bloody wait![/quote] I soooo wanted to go to this, but can't make it. I saw them originally in 1977 at Hammersmith Odeon and I still have great memories of that gig. Enjoy! p.s. - as it 'appens, around the same time in '77, I also saw the likes of Weather Report and The Crusaders among many others. Great stuff!

Nice looking bass. Nice contrast of the maple neck against the black body & head.

Sounds very similar in style to George Duke's classic 'Brazilian Love Affair' album (which featured Stanley Clarke on bass).