Hit&Run

Which bass player mags do you have?

I think he means one of [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SPEAR-BASS-GUITAR-FLEX-TOOL-BLUE-RFB-SERIES_W0QQitemZ120233661412QQihZ002QQcategoryZ4713QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247"]these[/url]

[quote name='clauster' post='202185' date='May 19 2008, 03:22 PM']Same as Eric Johnson used to claim he could hear a difference between different guitar leads.[/quote] I'm sure I read somwhere that Johnson can tell what brand/type of PP3 battery is in a pedal from the sound it makes. I hope it was a joke. As an aside (but keeping on with the fretboard theme) has anyone got, or heard of, a fretboard made from [i]Lignum vitae[/i]? It's meant to be pretty hardwearing. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignum_vitae"][i]Lignum vitae[/i][/url] Fretless applications?

Wasn't Freddie Jacko's touring bassist for quite a while?

[quote name='Mr Fudge' post='197233' date='May 12 2008, 03:44 PM']Did anybody ever get into the Lyle Lovett country/ jazz/ blues stuff in the 90's. Oh happy car crash....[/quote] Happy Car Crash? Is that a reference to Lyle's distinctive appearance?

Which edition of BGM was it reviewed in?

[quote name='yorks5stringer' post='194737' date='May 8 2008, 03:15 PM']I know of at least 4 bassists in Baildon and there seem to be quite a few other members quite near too.[/quote] See if you can have it [i]al fresco[/i] where the dodgems used to be, near the top of Shipley Glen Tramway. No volume restrictions there, and a pub nearby!

This ebay shop in the US has a few G&Ls [url="http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Nitro-Tone-Musical-Instruments_G-L-USA-Guitars-and-Basses_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ1960188QQftidZ2QQtZkm"]nitro tone[/url]. It's mainly guitars but there's a few basses as well.

[quote name='Clive Thorne' post='188852' date='Apr 30 2008, 02:40 PM']Am I right in thinking that Deans have a variable reputation?[/quote] I've got a dean 5 string and it's really good. It's probably made in the same factory as most of the other far eastern basses. The 5 string Deans do have a 35" scale, which you may or may not want, given your familiarity with short scale basses. The electronics are alright as well for the price. [quote name='BigRedX' post='188884' date='Apr 30 2008, 03:10 PM']I wasn't that impressed by the Dean fretless - for me the GW35 was a much better bass.[/quote]Am I the only person that think dean make alright basses? I suppose 'try before you buy' springs to mind, irrespective of which marque you go for. On the subject of the squier active 5, you might be able to buy one and get it defretted for around the £300 mark, so that may be worth considering. The fact it doesn't have any fretboard position dots screams "defret me".

[quote name='Basszilla' post='187455' date='Apr 28 2008, 06:31 PM']brutal nan?[/quote] ..or brutal naan? Although they're both longer than 1 word. How about 'hooters'?

I'd let the bass age naturally, otherwise you could be making a big mistake. I've got a VMJ myself, and despite it's modest price tag I wouldn't want it ruining! You could always get a dirt cheap secondhand bass to use as a 'test subject', to see if controlled exposure can have a desirable effect.

[quote name='bassmasta' post='185607' date='Apr 25 2008, 09:53 PM']Hi! I have recently bought a Warwick Rockbass Streamer Standard 5 string, Thing is, the pick ups are terrible, and i am looking to replace them with something with more power and tone.[/quote] What does the Warwick play like, and what does it sound like unamplified? If it only turns pear shaped when you plug it in then the electronics sound like they need changing (assuming that they're not faulty). Bartolini may make a pickup the same size as yours [url="http://www.bartolini.net/information/bass/new_bass_pu_s4.htm"]W4CBC[/url] (scroll down). John East (BTB 01) and Status (TB5 Stack) both make active bass & treble preamp stacks on one pot, which should fit into your bass without modification. The East one even has a slap/bright switch built in! [quote name='bass_ferret' post='185648' date='Apr 25 2008, 11:52 PM']Dont take this the wrong way You paid for a cheap bass - you got a cheap bass. If you spend loads of money on pups and active you have still got a cheap bass. Sell it and buy something better - then you will have a better bass that will be worth spending money on to make even more better.[/quote] This is true, but sometimes you just can't wait for the bass from the gods. I've got a few hot-rodded Korean & Japanese basses and I love them! I think that if an instrument plays nicely, sounds good unplugged, and looks alright; it's worthy of some minor modifications to bring the sound up to scratch. I'd think about dropping a preamp in your Warwick as this will make the bass active, and may mean that you don't need to change the pickups after all. Depending on your budget there's lots of preamp choices out there. As an alternative to active electronics, the villex Passive Rotary Tone Booster [url="http://www.villex.com/prtb.html"]PRTB[/url] has had good reviews, and it eliminates the 'battery going mid song' stigma that afflicts battery replacement slackers like me. Bassmasta, if you can tell us the kind of sound you want from the bass, forum members might be able to help you out with what electronics will deliver 'your sound'.

I've got 2 Cort basses, a GB74 and a GB99, and both are very nice. I don't know if £500 was a good deal or not for your GB94 as I haven't really seen them around; but now you've bought it you may as well get some use out of it. I'd worry less about the bells and whistles on it, and concentrate more on playing the thing in time & in tune. Having an alright bass means you won't need/want/have to upgrade it as soon.

SX* make jazz clones: [url="http://www.rondomusic.com/bassguitars4.html"]SX Basses[/url] that are quite highly regarded on here. I've got one of the squier VMJ basses and it's awesome. You can get them for less than £250 if you shop around. * I can't believe I mentioned SX before anyone else!

[quote name='Perry' post='174959' date='Apr 12 2008, 02:15 AM']I'm now thinking of upgrading the pick-ups. To get it done by my Luthier is about £180.[/quote] What pickups were you thinking of putting in it?

[quote name='spacecowboy' post='172698' date='Apr 8 2008, 10:49 PM']...this could finally be my excuse to follow through![/quote] There is [u]no[/u] excuse for soiled underwear.

I've got an OLP Tony Levin bass, which I got new for £230 (inc P&P and a reasonable gig bag). I find the playability very good on it, and the construction is pretty good as well. For the money you're talking about spending (£350) there's shedloads of choice: Squire Vintage Modified, Schecter, Dean, Ibanez, Yamaha, Peavey, G&L Tribute, Fender (Mexican)... to name but a few that spring to mind. As stated by others on this thread, you'll get a better bass if you opt for a secondhand one. Buying from someone on this forum offers a certain amount of buyer protection I feel.

[quote name='Beedster' post='171909' date='Apr 7 2008, 11:15 PM']If I am not too drunk to remember corectly, it's one note the whoe way through....[/quote] Class!

[quote name='Doc B' post='171619' date='Apr 7 2008, 05:28 PM']I've definitely noticed a difference between Ashdown combos and speakers with Made in England compared to the inferior (in my experience) Made in China equivalents.[/quote] I'm glad I got an English Ashdown secondhand then! Personally I don't spend enough time worrying where stuff was made, I just want to own it. If I had the financial freedom to be discerning I'd try to be more ethical with who gets my cash, or at least I think I would be. Until that time arrives however, I'll just have to amble on with sweat-shop goods at low prices.

[quote name='Doc B' post='171623' date='Apr 7 2008, 05:34 PM']my Status Groove has a graphite neck..[/quote] I thought the Groove basses had wooden necks. Is it an aftermarket addition?

I'm defo up for some SX action. Being able to try before buying would be a bonus as well.