HeadlessBassist

I guess the answer is that it's not designed for a B-string. You could dry drilling the E-hole out a little more, but you'd be running the risk of breaking the string retainer. Maybe the answer is a Space 5..? 🤔

Sadly, I wasn't getting on with the Stingray Special 5, especially in comparison with the 'Dreadnaught' 95 Stingray, so I spotted this in BassBros and sallied forth to do a deal with Will. I have an old association with Goodfellow/Nightingale/GB instruments - Many, many moons [read decades] ago, someone at the then Derby branch of Carlsbro took a lump out of my original Status Series II neck with a hammer while trying to reseat a fret, so I was without the bass for what turned out to be quite a few months. During this period, they loaned me one of the Goodfellow Standard originals, which I really enjoyed playing. Of course, it's faded into a distant memory now, but it was a very good long term impression of Goodfellow basses. As for the old 97-98 Spitfire, it's certainly VERY punchy and seriously fast. It was apparently at BB for quite a while, so I'm surprised no one jumped on it. Destiny, I expect. Anyway, here are the obligatory pictures...

I know the model. It's the S1 American Standard before the big 2008 overhaul. Nice basses

We all have a habit of eventually coming full circle to what we originally liked and settled with. Very nice example you have there. I see it's through body strung too. Is that an American Standard, or the American Professional?

Interesting point in question - if the grain pattern doesn't actually line up, why do they call it "bookmatched"?!

Definitely not an 'SSG', then?

Thanks! Sounds epic. Especially with the Helix SVT 4 Pro sound. Those Aguilar MM pickups really are something special. I love the one I have in my 95 Stingray. Nothing sounds quite like it.

I've got an American Performer and it's a great bass. Definitely punches above it's weight. I played a JMJ and didn't think it was that different to my then Competition Burgundy Vintera II. Both of those were on flats (definitely not my thing), but I prefer the sprightliness of the American Mustang. I think (correct me if I'm wrong!) all of the Mustangs with the smaller split coil are the Japanese pickups (the height adjustment. screws have reverse Japanese threads.) The single coil J in mine is an American 'Yosemite' model.

Thanks Phaedrus, yes I was playing my American Original this afternoon, and it just has the deepest and richest Jazz sound ever. @Silky999's walnut body does look a bit special, doesn't it? It's long been my favorite wood for a bass. Again, the Walnut S2 that I've had for eighteen years just has a sound like nothing else, and that includes my Stealth 2 & KingBass Mk-II.

Yes, the graphite will give you that 'shimmer' to the attack/sustain, and hopefully the 'PEEK' composite fingerboard will give a very tight sound, much like the percussive 'tonk' you get from an ebony board, or from a phenolic fingerboard.

Hey Sean, yes - I was chatting to the new owner earlier - He was saying that most of the original SUBS have tatty necks where people have misguidedly tried to strip the gloss paint off. This particular example played like a demon. It was a very nice bass.

I'm sure it'll be better than that Fender Flea signature active Jazz.

A JazzRay! No, er... A StingJazz... Aha! A JazzMan! That's better. Something to do with Flea, perhaps..? Interesting how several of us are going down the same route and creating something unique. 😎 Mine is a sort of Vintage & Modern theme - taking the things I like best from my walnut Status S2-Classic and my workhorse American Original 60's Jazz. Typically, you can't get the Fender Pure Vintage 64 pickups anymore, but I've already got a set of the 66's (from the current Am.Vintage II) in another bass. So in keeping with the '66 theme, I've ordered some Gotoh lollipop tuners in black, like the rest of the hardware.

Sadly not mine - just in my custody while waiting for it's new owner to pick it up, but a delightful example of a 2004 Textured Teal/Checkerplate 2EQ MusicMan SUB.

Getting excited, huh? I've been ordering and collecting parts as the graphite necks are nearing completion, and my walnut body by @Silky999 is also nearing completion. You can see where I'm going here...

A bit of a Fender Jazz day today... I picked up a nice Alder/Rosewood 2014 Jazz Deluxe for a friend last night on my way home from the SW. I've been setting it up today, and it plays really well & sounds good, but what I wasn't prepared for was when playing it back to back with my Ash/Maple Elite, how much improved the Elite really was in 2016 over the previous Deluxe. It really is night and day. As folks say, the Elite really was peak Deluxe Series.

Andertons do an EastCoast Mustang/Precision short scale for about that money. And you're under a tenner away from a Squier Bronco. https://www.andertons.co.uk/eastcoast-msb-short-scale-bass-in-seafoam-green-rosewood-fingerboard-perloid-guard/ https://www.andertons.co.uk/squier-sonic-bronco-bass-guitar-tahitian-coral/ I don't think you're going to get much better for such a small amount of money.

Aha! They call it a 'carefully aged' Road Worn finish. So maybe it's meant to look old, but pretty well looked after?

Oddly enough, I was thinking the same thing, Andy. There doesn't seem to be any damage on them. The tuning keys look a little tarnished, but I didn't see any chips or carpark gravel rash in the video. I'll look at Fender's demo in a while...

If it's a copy of a 60's bass it'll be a glossed neck, but the nitro finish neck gloss that everyone seems to hate will probably be mostly missing as it was on my RW Flea Jazz. I'm lucky to not get sweaty hands, so it's never bothered me.

Very true - I've often found that Sound Engineers fall into two categories; Those who want to bury you at the bottom of the mix, and those who want to give you equal footing with everything else going on. I had one engineer who I worked with long term who constantly claimed he couldn't "place" my Status sound, whereas others love it, as it can't be buried, so it becomes a feature. I haven't really done many jobs with my current Stingray crop, but I can tell you that mid way through one job with the 95 2EQ Stingray, a gentleman remarked how pleasant it was to be able to hear all the individual bass notes, instead of a woofly mess. So result, I guess. The lack of subtlety is why I don't use a Status or Stingray for the live tribute show. Here, the Jazz basses come into their element, even the powerful active Elite. I can boost out the parts with the preamp in fast walking bass lines, or I can run passive and gently palm mute for sparser, more subtle ballads. There is definitely a difference between instruments where you 'hear' too much preamp, as opposed to those that quietly get on with boosting the actual sound of the pickups and the wood.