organic

Probably not going to be there much longer: [url="http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2015/jan/20/london-music-scene-denmark-street-tin-pan-alley"]http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2015/jan/20/london-music-scene-denmark-street-tin-pan-alley[/url]

I've no experience with changing the bridge on a bass, but I've done so on 2 of my Gretsch guitars, replacing the factory model with solid radius bridges (a Tru-Arc and a Compton), and the improvement in tone has been astonishing. I think it's also true on Telecasters, I have vintage-style heavy brass saddles on mine, and I've noticed generally those with heavy brass saddles tend to sound better than those with modern steel ones, though I'm not really comparing like with like. So I'd be surprised if it didn't make a change on a bass.

Bought my Gretsch Tennessee Rose off Wunjo, good price and 2 years free service, which I needed a year in as the tone knob kept falling off (pot needed replacing). Excellent service department there.

Hi, I recently got my 1st bass, a Squier VM 70s Jazz (very slim neck) from PMT in Brum. Guess it's a bit far for you, but they have a big selection on display and the guy who served me was very knowledgeable and helpful.

[quote name='pfretrock' timestamp='1420931490' post='2655321'] Just arrived a set of Status Hot Wire flats for my short scale bass. Absolute bargain at 13.99+VAT, post free. [/quote] Only place I can see to get them is from their website (which has to be the worst design I've seen in ages) but I think I'll try a set of half wounds when the existing strings start to get a bit knackered.

Having just bought my first one myself, I guess the main thing has to be the same as with guitars, go to a shop and try as many as they'll let you.

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1420744437' post='2652990'] you could try a very simple modification which would involve a bit of re-wiring and add a small 2 way selector switch to swap the pup configuration from parallel to series which i am informed would change the cleaner sound of the jazz to more of a P thump [/quote] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSdDH7ayZws I like the sound of this; I shall be talking to the guy in Brum who I get to do repairs/mods for me.

As for putting a precision pickup on a jazz, as the jazz's string spacing at the nut is much narrower, would the pole pieces line up if you dropped it in at the current jazz neck p/u position? Not that I'm going to be doing any mods for a while, I may well feel very differently about this bass, if not playing bass in general, in say 6 months.

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. I think when the strings need changing I'll try a set of flats. As for the recording setup, I'm currently using a DI box into a focusrite saffire audio interface. A pre-amp (or maybe a bass practice amp with a line out?) would probably make a huge difference. Particularly as the other problem I'm having is that I'm having to turn the gain up pretty high but then if I accidentally play a string too hard it just goes straight into the red. May try a compressor pedal in the interim.

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1420641238' post='2651634'] The other 0.001% is pure, unadulterated MOJO. [/quote] I'm sold on it!

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1420637768' post='2651575'][list] [*][color=#0000FF]- closest approximation on a Jazz will be neck pickup on its own, but if you like a Precision, get a Precision - then swap the necks![/color] [/list] [/quote] I tried a few P's in the shop where I bought it, the squier VM 70s precision sounded utterly awesome, particularly the bottom end. But then I'd also have a Jazz body with a precision neck... don't suppose anyone on here wants to buy such a combination?

Played guitar for over 40 years, off and on, but never got round to trying my hand at bass. These days I mainly record at home, and with playing the bass on a keyboard, which I'm not great at, I felt it was letting me down so I decided to get me my 1st bass. Went for a Squier as I have a CV50 telecaster and I'd say it's superior to anything with the Fender logo on it until you hit the £1000+ price range. I went to buy a precision as I prefer the sound, but ended up with a VM 70s jazz as it's much easier to play for a beginner. Things are going surprisingly well, my only bugbears being:[list] [*]it's hard on the fingertips even though I play acoustic fingerstyle on medium gauge strings [*]getting an awful lot of string squeak which is annoying, I take it it's practise that's the cure for this(?) [*]recording by miking up my amp gave a disappointing, thin sound (found most mics roll off a lot of bottom end). Getting much better results by DIing but still not as good as it sounds playing through an amp [*]I prefer the sound of a precision or a rickenbacker. May try fitting a high mass bridge with brass saddles to get some more oomph. [/list] So a big hello to everyone, and any useful advice much appreciated.