HeadlessBassist

Another Everly's and Friends Live Tribute Show yesterday. This time in Torquay, Devon. On the first weekend after the schools closed for the Summer holidays. You know what's coming... Yep, it took me ten hours to get there from Derbyshire. Every motorway, every junction, every roundabout was a massive traffic queue. Grrr! So finally got to the Babbacombe Theatre, did the gig and then cruised home in 3.5 hours. Better. Friday was a looong day. Wiped out today (Saturday.) Broken. Oh, and I almost forgot, our Duo was out last weekend for the second time. Played outside and the PA sounded awesome. Used my Melvin Lee Davis NU-X Preamp Pedal for the first time, too. Link to short video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/GeM9f1uGyEgiPmpS9

Okay, so I've had the Aguilar AG 4M humbucker put back in by my Tech, but not the single coil (never particularly liked the HS sound), and just as Dave Boonshoft at Aguilar proclaims, it sounds just like a late 70's model now. Now that's a sound I really like!

Also, check the E-string doesn't have too many windings on the tuner shaft. Just two or three winds will ensure that the string is suitably pushed down on the shaft. That can make a huge difference to the sound. Failing that, try (as others have said) a lighter gauge string. Sometimes a slightly lighter gauge will give you more tension. My Nate Mendel Precision is on my usual Elixir 40-95 set and it has massive punch and bottom end definition, but a lot of that comes from the nitro/ash/SD Quarter Pounder combination.

I'm sure a lot of you have followed the progress of our very own @Silky999's Build Diary of the 'Nitro Cellulose Experiment' Jazz Bass. Well, while on my travels for a theatre gig in Torquay yesterday, I visited Silky999 and picked this up. With so many conversations these days of basses being prohibitively expensive, this is perhaps a different route to a really nice instrument. Now complete, this nitro finish bass is a lot more than the sum of it's parts. The Nitro finish really lets the bass speak and it really does have a voice of it's own. I'd personally rate it much higher playing-wise than a Mexican Fender, and sound wise, it'd give my American Original a run for it's money. Don't expect these to be around the £300 (cost of parts) mark for long!

Agreed. Quantitive Easing has a lot to answer for.

Regarding the above inflation increases in prices, you only have to look at the expected standards of living in the country of origin. Americans are used to big houses, relatively reasonably priced domestic cars and [used to] enjoy healthy pensions, hence Fenders are fairly expensive for a mass produced instrument. Now look at the Germans - Warwicks have become absolutely eye-wateringly expensive. Obviously the Germans like some serious financial security and still aspire to owning a Mercedes-Benz. Companies that mass produce high value branded items, be it cars or basses, have cottoned onto the fact that they can make more money by selling lower volumes if they push their products up-market. But to switch to basses specifically, the Fender American Standard/Professional series has always seemed 'just out of reach'. When I was starting out in the late 80's/early 90's, that £7-800 Fender on the wall was the stuff of hushed legend amongst my musical peers. By the mid-late 2000s they were still relatively good value at just under £1000. Now in 2025 it's heading towards £2k. Why? Because everything has doubled in price. Try looking at Music Man prices! 🫣

Just standard long strings will do the trick. The Space 4/5 has a very clean, bright & hifi sound, so it really suits rounds. Never thought of trying flats on it... Maybe give it a go?

Better be quick with the S2 - the prices are heading into the stratosphere at the moment... If you miss it, my mate in Manchester has one for sale, I think.

I think I've played most of them by now - I've been a Status player for about 35 years - currently have an S2-Classic I've had since new in 2007, the penultimate KingBass Mk-II and a late model Stealth 2. I've had the Hohner Jack professional, many more Status basses, a Westone Rail Bass, and more recently one of those HILS Next headless 5's. That was a very potent and punchy thing for the money, but out of all of them, on a budget the Cort Space 5 is the one to beat for playability, lovely clean sound and phenomenal value for money. 😎👍

Eeeasy Literally a 5 minute job.

Hehe, many received opinions there 🤔 The Cort Artisan Space 5 is a lovely bass. I've had one and now have the four string version. Highly recommended for the money. The Ibanez models are a lot more spenny and never sound as good to my ears. Which Bootlegger are you looking at? The nice looking 'Absinthe' or the oddly shaped 'Ace' which looks like a spade (or some other digging implement) to my eyes. Have you heard these basses being played/know what the neck profiles are like? I must admit, I've never heard of the company before. Just had a listen to the Low End Lobster review and that neck pickup looks to be too close to the end of the neck - you're going to get a Gibson-esque tone (if that's what you want )

You're not the PinkBassMan, are you? Oh no, sorry - he's in America

Careful - you might get excommunicated. *Looks in corner at Jet Strat and old Laney Guitar Amp* "Oh, bloody hell!"

Thanks @borntohang and @Jack - did the screwdriver test this morning and you're absolutely right - The blend control has been connected separately to each coil. Sounds huge as is with both coils running, so I'm going to leave well alone for the time being.

I've been meaning to try one of those new Standards - the ceramic pickup is apparently very good in these. What was the build quality like?

Thanks, BTH. Yes, the bass sounds fantastic anyway, so I'm not worried about its weird blend control. You had the same idea as Jack and the three slightly different flavoured sounds do seem to be splitting between the coils.

Ah well, it has three distinctly different sounds now. 🤔 With the blender set to the centre detent, it's like the two banks of polepieces very slightly cancel each other out, sort of like a PJ setup does. Fully clockwise, it's like it's running the rear coil closest to the bridge. Fully anti-clockwise, it's much more bassy, like it's running the front coil.

That's lovely, Lozz. I was playing a rather nice Sandberg PM 5-string earlier today - I've never seen the J-type before. Very smart! 😎👍

Okay, so I picked the bass up this afternoon. First jobs already done. Flats gone. Elixir 40-95s added. Black Scratch Guard added (and former single coil rout inspected). Mute kit turned the correct way around and general setup completed. So what we have here is a really light weight Natural Velvet 1995 Stingray 2EQ with an OBP-2 Preamp, but the HS Aguilar pickups have been replaced with the original MM humbucker. Sounds huge and plays wonderfully, barring some small extra adjustments. Oddly enough, the second control, which I presume was the blender still has an effect, despite the Single Coil pickup having been removed. It gives three distinct sounds between the centre detent and the two extremes of travel in the rotary control. It's almost as if the 'blender' is splitting between the two banks of the humbucker, and the central point makes them cancel each other out very slightly. Is this possible?! (I didn't do the rewiring. It was done by my mate's tech who previously owned the bass.) Anyway, the obligatory pictures now it's home...

The only stock FMIC Precision Bass with a thin neck I can think of is the Nate Mendel Road Worn signature model like mine, but you're not going to get one of those for less than about £8-900. Nut width on these is 1.615", which is not a million miles away from the Jazz's 1.5". Most modern C-neck Precisions are very close at 1.625". The Sire P5 (and P7) are a little wider at 1.653", but there's not a lot in it. What really matters is the thumb-fingers thickness. Go to a store and try a few to see what fits your hand... My other suggestion would be to buy a genuine Fender neck. The roasted Jazz neck is usually around £3-400 new. Which Precision do you have, btw?

Congrats George! Looks lovely Does your preamp have a weak bass boost? I find I have to boost the bass on mine nearly all the way, while treble is merely a smidge over the centre detent.

More peace, love and harmony. Maaaaan. It does look great, though!

The mute kit is on it's way from Bass Direct as we speak...

Yes, your eyes aren't deceiving you! I noticed that too - the mute springs appear to have been put on back to front. One of the first jobs I'll be sorting, as well as the new black scratch guard which has now arrived.

As far as I know, yes. It's the satin finish - Natural Velvet finish. I'll be able to tell you if it's ever been refinished when I pick it up tomorrow...