Balcro

[quote name='BassBunny' post='846804' date='May 24 2010, 07:46 PM']Tis a GB74 if i'm not mistaken. The most underrated bass on the planet. They make the G&L Tribute Series, Lakland Skyline, some Ibanez and Fender Guitars and I wouldn't mind betting the make the new Musicman series.[/quote] Yup, your dead right. It's a GB74. Your reference to the G&L - hence my comment about seeing that neck elsewhere. First impressions are that it's very versatile. A wide range of tones from modern Jazz, through Precision to Thunderbird; well almost. The mid-boost toggle is really useful. Cort's Korean web-site has one rather poor sound sample. The better ones are to be found on myspace - GB74 or GB75, and there are maybe a few more on wikizic.org Balcro.

After an 8 month search here is The One, for me anyway. First up some general pictures. The body is Ash with a bound maple neck. It's a J/M layout with a 3 way toggle switch to select the front, the back, or both halves of the MightyMite pickup. It weighs about 8lbs! Just made for bassists with dodgy backs. The protective plastic is still on the pickguard, hence the stripy look. [attachment=50364:1_CORT_GEN.jpg] [attachment=50365:2_CORT_GEN.jpg] [attachment=50366:3_CORT_BODY.jpg] [attachment=50367:4_cort_back.jpg] Next the head detail. [attachment=50368:5_cort_head.jpg] [attachment=50369:6_cort_head_rear.jpg] The neck pocket detail and a couple of views at the top of the neck. Yes, you've seen that bound neck design elsewhere. [attachment=50370:7_cort_neck.jpg] [attachment=50371:8_CORT_NECK_SIDE.jpg] [attachment=50372:9_cort_neck_fit1.jpg] [attachment=50373:10_cort_neck_fit2.jpg] [attachment=50374:11_cort_neck_fit3.jpg] [attachment=50375:12_CORT_NECK_fit4.jpg] The knobs and switches, from the pickup down - master volume; pickup-balance; stacked treble and bass with black spot markers. The toggles are (1) midrange booster and (2) the pickup selecter. [attachment=50376:CORT_BA_TREB_CONT.jpg] [attachment=50377:CORT_SWITCHES_1.jpg] [attachment=50378:CORT_TOGS_1.jpg]

Other brands/guitars that come to mind with jazz-like necks are The Farida SJB range - see dawsons.co.uk and the Cort GB 34/74/94 series. Good luck with the journey, Balcro.

If you like the sound and the price I can't see anything to put you off. I think the sound is very close to all the 300 and 500 SR's. The only obvious difference is that in most cases the EDB600 is made of luthite, not mahogany like the SR 300/360/430 and 500. The electronics mix in the above comparisons is the same Ibanex humbuckers plus a 2 or 3 band eq, so there's a sort of "family" sound. Might be interesting to do an "Ask" or "Google" on Luthite. When checking reviews, be aware that American Ibanez numbers do not always correspond with those in Europe. Check specs and appearance. Good luck. Balcro.

[quote name='Mykesbass' post='826782' date='May 3 2010, 07:57 PM']Can't get anywhere near the fretless I was hankering for on here.[/quote] Do not despair. What was the fretless that kept you awake at night? Balcro. PS. No, I don't have one for sale.

Evening all, I've checked the wiki and ploughed through the pinned topic under "Bass guitars" (nearly all about Japan), so I'm on the verge of making my first direct internet purchase (as opposed to Amazon marketplace) of anything from outside the UK. In this case it could be The Bass. I'm well aware of Thomann.de in Germany, but has anyone used woodbrass.com or Euroguitar in France? They both include VAT as part of the purchase price. Sorry to be pesssimistic, but in general is the returns procedure as simple as it looks. Your opinions would be welcome. Thanks, Balcro.

249!!! Grand Wazoo. That's the price they were about 6/7 months ago, before it started to be common Basschat knowledge that they were a quality bargain. Word has got around and the price has risen locally to £310 -319. We really must make restrict this sub-forum to logged-in members? Only joking. Good luck & enjoy your bass Waz. Psst. Don't tell everybody. Balcro.

Where's local? I tried a BTB300 about 6 weeks ago. Probably not significantly different. It probably handles like the SR300 range and would not have a huge difference in sound. The EQ is the same ("phat EQ") but the mahogany body might take the edge of the SR sound. I picked it up and played it for a short time. Only after I'd put it back on the rack did I remember it's a 35" scale model. I didn't notice the difference. Balcro.

I'm with JTUK on this. You've hit that dip around 40. Don't knock yourself out. That knackered feeling is one of the symptoms of you trying to fit in too much. If you don't enjoy the U2 covers, drop it. You've got family commitments, especially for your son. That perfectionist streak is not going to get any easier to deal with either. Drop in here from time to time and give us the benefit of your experience. Balcro.

To me they are similar to handle, but the basic tones are different. go to www.thomann.de - and listen to the sound clips for the two basses. The VMJ is a little drier and less rounded in sound quality. The CV60 takes a big jump toward the classic Fender Jazz sound. A gem of a bass. Balcro.

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='792515' date='Mar 31 2010, 09:37 PM'][url="http://www.skylarkguitars.com/skylark-mkii-skeleton-electro-acoustic-bass-guitar-1691-0.html"]http://www.skylarkguitars.com/skylark-mkii...tar-1691-0.html[/url] drooooooooool I want![/quote] Take two pictures of Edvard Munch's "Scream" and put one in each hemisphere. should fit quite well. ? How do you acoustify two open spaces? Balcro.

Look like it's only for the American market. Basically it's a 2010 version of the classic SR500 with a different (very nice) painted neck joint. 5 piece Rosewood/Maple neck as opposed to Jatoba/Bubuinga. Other Basschatters can give you the lowdown on buying from the States. I think there's also a recent thread on the why's and wherefores. Balcro. PS. See the pinned thread at the top of this forum.

Wow, she could be the new Tal Wilkenfeld. It's amazing what young brains can do. Balcro.

Good evening people. Thank you for taking the trouble to reply. I would have replied earlier, but we've had some guys in doing the kitchen. Well, it looks like a case of Basschat strikes again. When I checked the Ibanez forum last night, I'd had 69 visits to my post and no replies. Thanks for the opinion Metalmickey. Thanks for the link "GrandWazoo". Hi Delberthot. Yes, I have. I've been playing my ancient Encore for nearly 2 years now and I need something different. A little less weight (down from 11lbs) and a thinner neck. I have old small hands and they need all they help they can get, including glucosamine. Hi OTPJ. I did search, honest, I did. Just checked from your link and only the 555 has the sound clip. When I tried the left-side panel search on Thomann, I was only looking for a 4 string. So I selected the 550, but it doesn't have a sound clip. Thanks. Oh no, perhaps I want an SR500. This quest for "the one" is getting more interesting. Supplementary. In the both the youtube video and the Thomann clip, I can hear a slight "tizz" to the sound. There is some finger noise on the Thomann clip as well. Is that "tizz" characteristic of Ibanezes and would it be reduced with flatwounds? Thanks again, Balcro.

The angst goes on and the shortlist stands at 2. Squire CV60 Jazz & an Ibanez 360 (2010 model). I've been researching for The One. I must have played 15 different basses so far. Fender Jazzes various; Squire Jazzes Fretted & unfretted VMJ, CV's; Epiphone G3 and Thunderbird + Thunderbird Pro; Ibanez SR, SRX(old), BTB(2 yrs old); a Schecter and a Dean. Mostly new, but some are obviously 2- 3 years old and have since been substantially modified. Well at least I can find these in the shops and audition them, but if they're off the popular list then there's little chance of finding them in-store. "No Sir, we don't keep them in stock." I 've recently taken a fancy to the Ibanez EDB 550. They look Jazz-like, but I've never heard one and no one appears to keep them in stock - they're in the warehouse. Can anyone tell me what the newer one's are like and do you have any recordings / sound clips? I'm looking for the fundamental tone of the bass, so finger style only and no slappin'. Please help. Balcro. PS I've already ploughed through every bass video on Youtube or at least it feels like it. Also Thomann and that other place.

Here's another alternative that doesn't look like a Fender/clone. Check it out on the web - [url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/world/country/frame_uk.html"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/world/country/frame_uk.html[/url] The go to Basses; SR Range; SR; 4000E Prestige. Made in Japan with extra deep tone neck pickup and switchable 3-band Eq. Costs £1172 nearly everywhere. Balcro.

Hi bubinga5, Can you confirm the price you quoted first off? £380 doesn't match the web-site. Ta. Balcro.

Bah! Beaten too it by "bass5". It's not even on Squier's web-site. It's about as "red in'yer face" as the Ibanez SRX430 (UK frame). Such as here - [url="http://www.giggear.co.uk/p/Ibanez-SRX430/"]http://www.giggear.co.uk/p/Ibanez-SRX430/[/url] Balcro.

[quote name='Balcro' post='760743' date='Mar 1 2010, 02:02 PM']Presuming you've already got the song as an mp3, open it in "Audacity" (shareware/freeware download?). When the spectrum display appears, click on the greyish panel to the left of the spectrum to select it. Then go to the "Effect" menu and scrolldown to select "Low-pass filter. A box will pop up giving you the option to set the low-pass filter point. For example, tell the program to cut all the program content above 450Hz. Audacity will take a couple of minutes to process the file with the program content above 450Hz progressively stripped out. Save the new file under another name. then play it back. It will sound wooly, but with vocals, mids and some treble content greatly reduced, you may be able to pick out the bass line better. If there's still too much non-bass content obscuring the bass, re-run the process and set the cut-off point to alower level; perhaps 375Hz. Good luck, Balcro[/quote] Hi, Further to what I said above, I've run a few trials with Audacity. If you can download that youtube track from "Bloodaxe", do it. Convert to mp3 format if necessary. Open the file in Audacity. Go the Effects menu and select BASS BOOST: set at about 200Hz and boost by 9dB; click OK. When its done play it to check the sound. Press Stop. Go back to the Effects menu and now apply LOW PASS FILTER set at about 640HZ. Click ok. That should make a difference. Balcro. PS. The changes on an original track appear to be cumulative. If you do the above and then repeat them to make small changes, just change by 1 or 2 dB or 10Hz or so.

Presuming you've already got the song as an mp3, open it in "Audacity" (shareware/freeware download?). When the spectrum display appears, click on the greyish panel to the left of the spectrum to select it. Then go to the "Effect" menu and scrolldown to select "Low-pass filter. A box will pop up giving you the option to set the low-pass filter point. For example, tell the program to cut all the program content above 450Hz. Audacity will take a couple of minutes to process the file with the program content above 450Hz progressively stripped out. Save the new file under another name. then play it back. It will sound wooly, but with vocals, mids and some treble content greatly reduced, you may be able to pick out the bass line better. If there's still too much non-bass content obscuring the bass, re-run the process and set the cut-off point to alower level; perhaps 375Hz. Good luck, Balcro

Try gak.co.uk They've got a Kramer for £139. You might find the odd ESP bass somewhere as well. Balcro.

I've just listened to the video and I can see how you might struggle. If I was learning it, (I've got the original LP somewhere) I might do the same. It's a fairly busy piece with a smooth overall feel to the production & lots of interplay. On some short, usually downward phrases, the bass is softer than elsewhere. I think there may also be some short "rests" in there as well. So don't knock yourself out. Tabs anyone? Balcro.

The small cynic in me thinks the fitting of a scratchplate(s) could have been no more than a happy chance when jazzes and precisions were first designed. Wouldn't sound so nice if it were called a cable duct cover would it? It saves on a complicated drilling operation. I'm fortunate in coming to bass guitars late in life so I don't have that gnawing feeling in me that says it must have a pickguard, 'cos they're supposed to. I don't have anything against Fender /Squire either. I've tried 2 CV 60's Jazz's recently and they're really fine. They're still on the oscillating GAS list. Are they really supposed to be taken apart quite so soon. I know it's tempting, but doesn't the parts strip-out invalidate the warranty? Balcro.

[quote name='xgsjx' post='749038' date='Feb 17 2010, 10:24 PM']I have TIs on my fretted ibby & as they say "a bit looser", I wouldn't say they're much looser than the average set of rounds. Be careful as some flats aren't recommended for thru body stringing (it weakens them).[/quote] I must echo this advice. La Bella don't recommend the use of flats with thru-body stringing. Some people have got away with it, but don't be surprised if they break. There are plenty of posts on here about the subject, maybe also in the wiki! Balcro.