HeadlessBassist

Okay, so I played my Am.Perf.Mustang for the first set of our multiple tribute show last week, and it knocked it out of the park. Very easy to hear in the mix and very distinctive. Like a Jazz bass on steroids after you've just had your ears syringed. Only problem is I want another Mustang now! (Keep looking at the JMJ, but leeuurrrve the 'Competition Burgundy' Vintera II.) Other short scale basses are available.

Is there a way you can kill the guitarist without anyone knowing? 🤔 I went to see a friend I've been playing with for thirty years playing his solo act on Saturday, being as I wasn't out playing for a change. He was 'support' to a local 70's Disco band. The Disco band had several huge issues, which is a shame because they were reasonably able. The guitar was too quiet (odd, I know!), you couldn't hear the drums (drummer must try harder!), and the bass player clearly hadn't recognized that the venue has a very boomy, hollow stage. So all you could hear was bass boom - played badly, I might add. I don't know who there did the sound, but it was awful. More of a pity, as the female singer, keyboard player and sax player were all pretty good. Just a pity they were hard to hear.

... and both pickups in single coil mode gives you a super bright 70's Jazz sound. It sounds huge for £150, eh?

Yes, I remember playing one in my twenties at a Nottingham jam I used to frequent in the early 90s.

Did you just email your credit card details across to SoloKing for the scratch plates?

You're right, Andy. Chrome rotary controls don't look right on it. I actually quite like the small black ones. They're quite distinctive.

Wha? Sold? Really..?

Aha! Welcome to the SoloKing Cult, er I mean Club! Best £150 you've ever spent?

Nah, 80's Encore P-Bass from the Kays/Empire Catalogue. Oh... and SoloKing!

Aaaarrrggghhhhh!

I just thought, "Oh God, is this the beginning of a TalkBass-style SoloKing Club?!" (Shoot me noooowwwwww!)

It's a bit like Captain Picard being interrogated by the Cardassians, "There... are... FOUR... strings!'

By all means, Kev - Height to the top of each key is 31mm above the headstock and the keys are 40mm wide.

Sounds good to me. I was playing mine earlier through the TC Electronic Plethora Tone Print pedal. Action has settled down quite easily. I don't like the 45-105 D'Addario strings. I may have to invest in my 5th set of 40-95 Elixirs in the last month. Obviously it's down to Lee reducing the prices by 50%, but I still can't believe such a nice instrument was only £149.

I have a Jazz with Schallers which seem to have small heads. They're like a flatter version of the elephant ears. I understand what you mean, though. The Sire tuners seem too tall/round and out of proportion. https://schaller.info/en/bm-schaller-style/1025

I'll reserve the neck for you if I break it I looked the other day and the roasted Fender neck alone is £380 these days! I seem to remember that the original builder spent £8-900 on parts alone. Having played it hard in a three hour session yesterday to get a new drummer through a whole trio set, I can confirm it's lovely to play - just that harsh edge. It's also my years-old gripe with Mark Bass amps which suit Status basses to a tee, but anything 'vintagey' sounds a little too harsh and artificial through them - my back likes them, though!

Oddly enough, I did the same some 17 years ago when I was dissatisfied with the sound my then 2008 American Standard Jazz. The Sadowsky Pre Pedal was a very good option for a bass with standard pickups. In this case however, I think it might just amplify the angrier aspects of the EMGs.

Sound advice, Lozz. Thank you.

Beedster, what's that dark coloured 'bitsa in the middle of the box with the very flamed neck? (Third from left.)

Hi everyone, looking for some pickup advice. I recently picked up a 'bitsa Jazz with active EMGs in it. It's a great bass to play and the EMGs certainly cut through easily, but there's no bottom end richness or warmth. That rich scooped out bottom end Jazz sound just isn't there with the powerful snarl of the EMGs. My other two Jazz basses (a 2018 Fender American Original 60s with Custom Shop Pure Vintage 64's and a 2012 FSR Limited Edition Hand Stained Am.Std with the 2008 std. pickups) both have the rich bottom end tone by the bucket load, despite being very different instruments/voicings. Obviously a lot of that is down to the other materials, such as the 60's Original's Nitro finish and the FSR's hand stained ash body. Having listened to sound samples of practically all the high end pickup makers, I'm thinking of ordering a set of Lollar Jazz Pickups for the 'bitsa. They seem to have the best combination of punch vs vintage tone. My question is, would you throw £200 at a pickup set for a £400 'bitsa, or keep it as it is with its snarly bite..? Typically, I have other much more glassy and snarly basses too, so it's not an alien sound to me, but it just feels like a Jazz should have that bottom end richness to it's scoop. Am I making any sense here?

"Not me - I already got one."

Agreed, Machines. After my next long distance couple of Warners/Thesatre gigs next week, I've got an outdoor pub job for the May Day weekend. That will be a perfect opportunity to road test it.

Similar to others on here, including the OP, the truss rod setting was excellent with just a small amount of relief from the factory. The bridge saddles needed about three [plus] turns each to get a nice low action. There are no real dead spots on the neck, or buzzes that I can find. In single coil mode with the three-position switch in the middle, you have a nice bright 70's Jazz bass sound with a fair scoop. The neck pickup solo'd in single coil mode is very P-alike - you can take about 40% of the tone off before it gets muddy. The bridge pickup with 50% tone produces a fair to middling Jaco sound. The humbucker setting can be overpowering. Not in terms of physical output, but due to how the pickups are wound/wired. The front pickup in humbucker mode solo'd gives you something like an EB-0 with lots of gain style gritty tone. Run the instrument as a single coil at the neck and a humbucker at the bridge and it does a very reasonable HS impression. Build quality is great. No blemishes or chips in the finish, fretwork is good overall and the neck profile (fingers to thumb) is again very Jazz-like. Hugely playable and comfortable. Okay, so what's not to like for £150? Thanks Andertons

Mine arrived at 8am today. Haven't had a chance to de-tag or set up/plug in yet. Will report back later...